“The author has achieved the near-impossible in condensing his top Italian places into a handy, compact guide. A must-squeeze-into-hand-baggage or the back-pack.’’ --House and Garden

“Masterpieces come in all shapes and sizes, and this is a small one. [It is} like a conversation with a well-informed friend. He tells you exactly what you want to know, in the most succinct terms”.-- Country Life

“A minor classic”--Times Literary Supplement

‘Author Francis Russell traverses Italy from big cities to the Italian countryside in this "private" tour of Italy's finest works of art and special places. A writer and lecturer on Italian art and architecture, Russell brings to the text a lightness of touch and a level of erudition that is just right: knowledgeable but not too highbrow, so readers can appreciate his discussions even if they don't know a Caravaggio from a Raphael or a Bernini from a Michelangelo. He places the works in a historical context and reflects on the political and religious backgrounds of the cities and towns in which the works are located. Russell has his favourites and is not shy about expressing his preferences one way or the other ("No sightseer is unprejudiced," he confesses). Perhaps the most valuable aspect of the book is Russell's approach to the remarkable works on display here. Yes, he acknowledges the most famous ones, but he also directs visitors to many lesser-known pieces. His advice as to what and what not to see is also spot on and practical. ("Rome, it is said, was not built in a day. The visitor with less than a month on his hands … has to be selective.").-- Chicago Tribune