Autumn–when the light in New England is fading and the cold creeps in —that’s a good time for a vacation. So I chose a place where the light is golden and the views are stunning, and experienced some of the spectacular art, food, wine, people, dogs & cats, churches and relics of a few Italian cities. If you’ve got the urge for going, the library is the place to come and plan your trip without spending extra on books, CDs or DVDs.
To “see what you’ll be seeing” MCL has DVDs for many of the world’s most popular tourist areas. In my case I used: Best of Travels in Europe: Italy by veteran traveler Rick Steves.
Would you like to pronounce your food order correctly or ask how to find the restroom in Italian? Check out the audio CD: One Day Italian or even download Instant Immersion Italian onto your computer, IPOD or MP3 player. And don’t forget our language book collection. Perfect Phrases in Italian for Confident Travel was a big help.
Vacations are too short. Make the best use of your limited time and look at DK Eyewitness Travel Top Ten Florence and Tuscany for great maps, and area “must sees” in a colorful, clear format. Or try Fodor’s Italy 2009 which also comes with a map of major cities and rates hotels, restaurants, and sights. For your more esoteric desires try the Art Room. There are scads of books on Italian artists, architects, sculptors, museums and cities highlighting the country that gave us the Renaissance. A helpful book is The Secret Language of the Renaissance: Decoding the Hidden Symbolism of Italian Art.
In the end, after months of anticipation, of planning and dreaming, the trip evolves on its own. And no matter how many Michelangelo sculptures you see, what impresses you the most is the young man who carried your way-too-heavy suitcase up way-too-many subway stairs, who quietly turned and smiled at you.
Buon viaggio!
Sounds like a great trip! I will check out my local library for ideas about traveling abroad.
Wow! Now I have the urge to plan a trip to Europe.