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Most of the photography is
superb, and there are excellent small illustrations
of the floor plans of some of Florence's major
sites. Unlike the Eyewitness Guides (notice
the naming similarity), the Insight Guides are
not filled with huge cutaways of the most popular
churches and museums, providing the simple floor
plan instead.
These books are quite lovely,
but as true guidebooks, they fall short. If
one is trip planning, the Insight Guide, again,
like the Eyewitness Guide, is a good place to
begin. I have heard both of these book series
called "eye candy," and indeed, they
are. But when it comes to planning specifics,
such as transportation, or sightseeing, these
guides, i.e. both the DK Eyewitness Guide as
well as the Insight Guide to Tuscany, fall short.
There just isn't enough good specific information,
including up to date opening and closing times,
to make them worth carrying along with you to
Tuscany. And because of the high production
quality, the books are heavy. All the less reason
to tote them along.
But for a good overview of
what is available in Tuscany, including a decent,
but by no means comprehensive, listing of towns,
the Insight Guide is valuable. Don't look here
for great ideas on flying, driving or walking
itineraries, or in-depth reviews of accommodations
and eating establishments. Do, however, entertain
yourself with their wonderful color photos,
brief descriptions, and good historical information.
Insight Guides are available at www.insightguides.com
WALKING AND EATING
IN TUSCANY AND UMBRIA
2005 Edition
James Lasdun and Pia Davis
Chronicle Books
 I
am always tempted to buy any book with Tuscany
and Eating in the title, and I usually succumb
to the temptation; as I did with Walking and
Eating in Tuscany and Umbria. To my disappointment,
the book is much more about walking than it
is about eating, but the restaurant recommendations
are good, and certainly not the same as those
found in every other Tuscany guidebook. They
are certainly less expensive, which I am glad
to see. It is quite easy to pick up any sort
of guide to eating in Tuscany and to find recommendations
for and reviews of the top eating places in
our area. It is quite another thing to find
a book that features, almost exclusively, homey
places with fresh local food and moderate prices.
But if you are looking for
a restaurant guide, this is probably not your
book. The volume is laid out is a series of
walks, and walking is what it is really all
about. The section on Tuscany is at least twice
as large as the Umbria section, for anyone coming
here on a walking adventure, I would say that
this book is indispensable. There are a total
of 26 Tuscan walking itineraries in the book,
and many of them have a few optional directions.
Most of the walks are long,
in the 4 hour range, and several of them require
some strenuous climbing. There are a few shorter
walks of the 1.5 to 2 hours, but these are in
the minority. Each walk is described minutely
and directions are given quite clearly and in
great detail. The maps included in each walking
itinerary, though, leave something, for me,
to be desired. They do little more than draw
the route, and include no features of the walk.
The authors make up for this by directing the
reader to appropriate walking maps, telling
us which map to get, and where to get it.
Included for each area are
good directions for public transportation, resting,
eating, camping and more. For most walks, at
least a few choices in each category are given.
The book includes no photos, and although there
are some attractive illustrations, those aren't
really there for information. There is nothing
visual about this guide.
I would probably only recommend
Walking and Eating in Tuscany and Umbria for
the serious hiker.
EXPLORING TUSCANY'S
CHIANTI COUNTRYSIDE
 Four
Excursions out from Radda and Gaiole in Chianti
Nancy Shroyer Howard and Richard Mello Mandragora
This is a very slim volume,
just 75 pages, illustrated with Richard Mello's
gorgeous paintings of the Chianti countryside,
and some nicely done little maps for each itinerary.
I especially liked this because,
although it consists of driving itineraries,
there are some short walks included for each
one. I like to walk, but I am not a serious
hiker, and these walks suit me much better than
those presented in Walking and Eating in Tuscany
and Umbria.
There are several suggestions
for shopping, eating, snacking and more included
for each driving tour, and there are two full
day, and two half day tours. I plan on tucking
this into my purse and taking at least one of
these drives soon. But perhaps the real reason
to purchase this book is for the numerous and
exquisite watercolors by Mello. In any case,
I think I'll get my money's worth from this
one. www.mandragora.it
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Welcome
to this edition of the Tuscan Life
Newsletter. This time, we are presenting
our reviews of several guidebooks to Tuscany,
a reader request, and of course, a favorite
recipe. Do please sit back and enjoy. 
I
often attempt to reproduce dishes that I've
had in restaurants in Tuscany, or to create
new recipes that are inspired by such dishes.
This salmon recipe is the result of the latter
type of effort, and it has been a huge hit.
I
am constantly referring to and reviewing a huge
and ever growing collection of guidebooks on
the subject of Tuscany. A few readers have asked
about "the best" guidebook for Tuscany,
and I hardly know that there is an answer. The
best really does depend on the reader's needs,
and I have long since moved past the more popular,
and most general guidebooks, to a more specialized
selection, reflecting my own needs.
