Florence, Venice & the Towns of Italy

Book excerpt: If a standard guidebook has never revealed the Italy you seek, let City Secrets show you the way. See the glorious art and architecture of Italy's villages and cities through the eyes of the people who know them best: an architect leads you through a hidden Florence passageway built for the Medici; a novelist points out the panoramic vistas that inspired St Francis; the most renowned of Italian cooks divulges her favourite Venetian eateries; and an artist directs you to the courtyard of a Renaissance convent, where you will ring for access to the frescoes - and a miraculous handprint - that lie within.