The Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author, Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With the recent popularity of such notable books as Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun and Elizabeth Romer's The Tuscan Year: Life and Food in an Italian Valley, a legion of new Italia fans are finding out what many already know: the charm of Tuscany cannot be denied. In The Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany, author James Bentley and photographer Hugh Palmer offer a decidedly unique view of this remarkable region. Focusing on thirty-six villages and towns from all over Tuscany--chosen for "both their intrinsic beauty and for the part they have played in Tuscan history and culture"--the gorgeous full-color photographs, accompanied by superb accounts of each village, truly "bring the region to life, evoking the richness of architecture and landscape, and bringing out the charm of the Tuscan people." The final chapter is devoted to useful travel information, including passages on hotels and restaurants, market days and festivals, as well as a select bibliography and detailed map of the region. As beautiful as it is informative and entertaining, The Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany is "the perfect visual tribute to the timeless beauty of these small towns and villages."

Product Description

Bentley highlights 37 villages and towns, both for their intrinsic beauty and for the part they have played in Tuscan history and culture. Page after page of Palmer's magnificent color photos evoke the beauty of the land. Specially compiled listings of hotels, restaurants, and festivals complete the tribute to Tuscany and its villages.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 050001664X
• ISBN-13: 978-0500016640
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 10 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,345 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #8 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Travel > Europe
  #18 in	Books > History > Europe > Italy
  #23 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Subjects

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

123 of 127 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gorgeous Tribute To Italy!, January 13, 2000

By	"kingsransom" (Como, Italy) - See all my reviews

This book is more than a well-researched travel guide. It's also the most gorgeous tribute to Italy I've ever seen. I'm an Italian, living in Como, and have visited every one of the villages in the book and I can tell you, they are as gorgeous as the authors' interpretations. The photographs are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen, and, like a previous reviewer, I, too, get misty-eyed just looking at them. If you want to travel to Italy or just love Tuscany, you won't go wrong with this book!

80 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Voyeur's Paradise, March 17, 2000

By	D. Alexander "wanahca" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This large format hard cover masterpiece squeezes all the natural beauty out of the Tuscan landscape. Hugh Palmer floods the pages with gigantic panoramic photos of almost forty villages in Tuscany, many of which are never visited by the average tourist. If nothing else, this book has convinced me to wander off the well-beaten tourist track to get a real taste of the rich landscape and architecture that hides there. This book is not only a magnificent inspiration for a magical tour of Tuscany, but after, the best possible way to remember the experience of being there.

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bellisimo! A wonderful gift for the home, family & friends., April 7, 1998

By A Customer

I enjoyed looking through this marvelous and enchanting book. Bentley captures the beauty of the Tuscan hill towns. As I look through the pages, I get teary-eyed reminiscing of my extraordinary experience while in Tuscany.