Italian Bed and Breakfasts
by Michele Ballarati, Margherita Piccolomini, Anne Marshall
Universe Publishing (September 2004)

We've been postponing our own "Enchanted April" escapade in Italy for years now. After reading Italian Bed and Breakfasts, A Caffèlletto Guide we were wondering what we were waiting for. There they are, the 18th century country house in Italy, the former nunnery in Naples, the romantic farmhouse in Umbria. There's the charming apartment in the heart of town, the country palace where Lord Byron stayed and the noble palazzo that hosted popes, emperors, Goethe and Casanova. Your hosts are warm, loving families of several generations, vintners, gentlemen farmers or horse breeders. You will taste homemade jam, wine, olive oil and have conversations about art and history with local writers and historians. Whether you want a palazzo or villa or former mill, fancy ocean, forest or city, this guide makes it so easy to find the perfect place. You will know where English or French are spoken, whether kids are welcome, what's for breakfast, what the rooms are like and what idiosyncrasies to expect from your hosts; also, price information, driving directions, local transportation and more. The guide starts with Piedmont and cruises to Trentino, Tuscany, Umbria to Calabria and Sicily and everywhere in-between. Caffèlletto is Italy's premiere B&B chain. All of the properties in this book had to meet its high standards of hospitality such as interesting hosts who enjoy having guests, beautiful homes with tasteful furnishings and perhaps historical associations and proximity to Italy's landmarks and picturesque locations. Once you've made your choice you can either contact the owners directly or book through Caffèlletto.

(Updated: 06/30/08 HC)