To many of us, the great gardens of Italy seem like paradise on earth. But how much do we know of their history, & the people who created them? In this ravishing book, illustrated with contemporary paintings, drawings & prints as well as photographs of the gardens today, Helena Attlee tells their story. She starts with Petrarch
- still looking to medieval chronicles for advice on how & when to plant
- & goes on to the Renaissance & those first gardens to emerge from architects` plans. Then she describes the great gardens of the Medici; the first botanic gardens; the weird Mannerist gardens & their grottoes followed by the Baroque splendour of Isola Bella & the Villa Aldobrandini; the Neoclassical & Picturesque gardens of the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries; & how, in the twentieth century, expatriates with money to lavish on their villas & gardens brought new delights.

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This is a tribute to the jewel of Italian lakes & the splendid gardens of the stately mansions & villas standing on the Lake Como shores. Surrounded by mountains, Lake Como combines breathtaking scenery with lush flowering gardens, which are renowned all over the world. Incredible & gorgeous photographs take the readers inside fourteen of the most beautiful villas & gardens of Lake Como. The author, an historian of architecture & gardens, explains why prominent Italian families have chosen Lake Como to build their splendid palazzi & gardens. Each garden represents the time when it was designed: magnificent Renaissance & Baroque Italian gardens, 19th-century English landscape gardens, early-19th- century romantic natural designs, & 20th-century sanctuaries for rare botanical species. The specific climate conditions (hot summers, temperate winters, rainy mid-seasons) support the gardens famous for their luxurious flowers. Villa Carlotta s garden contains more than 150 species of azaleas & rhododendrons, camellias, citrus fruits, sequoias, & other plants from all over the world. Some of the palazzi are now luxury hotels, such as the renowned Grand Hotel Villa d Este, whose beauty makes the visit to the place an unforgettable experience. ...

This latest edition of Collins' multimillion-selling dictionary comes with all the latest words in both languages plus handy links to verb tables, making it the perfect choice for anyone needing a portable, up-to-the-minute Italian dictionary. Features include: All the latest words in both languages New coverage of vocabulary from Australia & New Zealand New links to verb tables Full GCSE coverage User-friendly Phrasefinder supplement for travellers, including a handy menu-reader section Clear, colour layout, useful examples, language & cultural notes Combining the best traditions of Collins dictionary-making with the latest innovations in technology, the Collins Gem Italian Dictionary has been designed to give travellers, students, business people & the general user alike all the information they need in a handy, take-anywhere format.

Includes:: all the latest words reflecting changes in modern lifestyle, as well as all the features you would expect from a Collins dictionary: an easy-to-read colour layout, special treatment of key words such as get, some, altro, potere, notes about life in Italian-speaking countries & warnings on commonly confused words. The Phrasefinder section has been developed to give travellers on business, school & leisure trips all the essential phrases they need. The menu-reader section is a quick guide to the most common words & phrases you will find in Italian cafes & restaurants, ensuring you always get what you expect from a meal out. Also available in the Collins Italian dictionary range are Collins Easy Learning Italian Dictionary & Collins Italian Dictionary & Grammar. Comprehensive dictionaries. Always free online. Join us at www.collinsdictionary.com

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With Collins Gem Italian phrasebook you will sound & speak like a native. It's ideal for practising pronunciation, listening comprehension & becoming more confident, not just in speaking but in understanding others when abroad. The Italian Gem will give you the right word at the right time
- every time. In all of the most common travel situations, you need the reassurance that you can communicate with ease. A reliable, portable & easy-to-use phrasebook is a travel essential, & with Collins Gem Italian phrasebook, the right word will always be at your fingertips. This indispensable language guide covers the topics & phrases that crop up everyday on holiday, from finding a hotel to choosing wine.
Includes:: o Travel information & tips o 3000 word dictionary o Comprehensive menu decoder o Grammar & pronunciation sections o Face to face sections With the help of Gem Italian you will never be lost for words in Italy again.

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Italian Guaranteed in a selection of language titles from Berlitz, to aid you before & during your travels. Berlitz have been producing language titles & promoting language learning for more than 125years. Catalogue selection comprising the following Berlitz series: Phrase books & Dictionaries, Phrase books & CDs, Shortcuts to…, Travel Packs, i-Phrase, …in 60 Minutes, …in 30 Days, For your trip…, Guaranteed, 1, 000 Words, Pocket Dictionaries & Compact Dictionaries.*PLEASE NOTE: NOT ALL LANGUAGES ARE AVAILABLE IN ALL PRODUCT FORMATS. PLEASE SEE FULL STOCK LIST.** See below for individual type descriptions:** Phrase books & Dictionaries
- containing 244 pages & over 8, 000 words & phrases, organised thematically, to help you communicate with ease in a variety of situations, as well as. Books are generally divided into the following broad linguistic categories: survival, food, people, fun, special needs, resources & a bilingual dictionary.* Phrase books & CDs
- containing the relevant title from the Phrase books & Dictionaries range, with a compact disc providing audio examples of the text found in the ‘ You may hear…’ yellow, box sections in the book. * Shortcuts to…
- containing the key 100 words you will need to speak beginners Italian, as well as more than 500 simple phrases to help you as you meet people, navigate your way, book rooms, shop, & order in restaurants. * Travel Packs
- containing the relevant title from the Phrase books & Dictionaries range, with a more detailed compact disc, in a hard plastic case. Travel Pack CDs provide audio examples of more than 300 useful words & expressions, & have 14 tracks covering the following topics: introduction, basic expressions, accommodations, eating out, travel, sightseeing, leisure, making friends, stores & services, health, numbers, days, greetings & time. * i-Phrase
- containing language software for you to download, via a computer, onto your i-pod. i-Phrase titles will give you access to over 8, 000 words & phrases, as well as audio & pronunciation support, travel photos to provide a glimpse of what you’ll see on a visit, & a bonus menu reader & bilingual dictionary. System requirements: compatible for use on Windows 2000 or more recent / Mac OS 10.3.9 or later / i-tunes windows or Mac version 7.0.2 or later / 25MB of available hard disk space. Suitable for use on most models of iPod. * …in 60 Minutes
- containing an audio CD, accompanied by a basic booklet for you to follow along as you listen. Enclosed in a hard plastic case …in 60 Minutes titles include over 250 native words that you will need to start communicating. Topics include basic expressions, asking questions, making friends, & eating out. Compatible with iPod & MP3 devices.* …in 30 Days
- containing a substantial 320 page course book & 2 audio CDs, featuring daily lessons & short dialogues, with focus on conversational language that will enable you to meet & greet, talk about everyday items, have phone conversations, order in a restaurant, make small talk & get around town. Compatible with iPod & MP3 devices.* For your trip…
- containing an audio CD, accompanied by a basic booklet for you to follow along as you listen. Enclosed in a hard plastic case …in 60 Minutes titles include over 250 native words that you will need to start communicating. Topics include basic expressions, asking questions, making friends, & eating out. Compatible with iPod & MP3 devices.* Pocket Dictionaries
- containing more than 35, 000 entries & thousands of idioms, new words & expressions, in a mini pocket format. All headwords are in blue for quick reference. Language of reference works to & from English. * Compact Dictionaries
- containing more than 45, 000 entries & thousands of idioms, new words & expressions, in a (larger palm sized) pocket format. Introductory grammar information is provided, & all headwords are in blue for quick reference. Language of reference works to & from English.* 1, 000 Words
- aimed at children learning the basics of a new language, these include 27 illustrated scenes that give children both a visual & grammatical reference for a more effective approach to language learning.* Guaranteed
- all-audio courses designed to help people learn a new language easily & effectively. It contains 18 short, simple lessons on 4 audio CDs for those wanting to take language learning to a conversational level beyond the holiday basics, with sections on: numbers, telling the time, days of the week, ordering food & drinks, talking about jobs & family, shopping, directions & much more. Ideal for people wanting to learn on the move (and compatible with iPod & MP3 players) so there`s no reading or writing required.











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Henry James was a renowned observer of European culture, both in his fiction & in his life. In particular, he loved Italy, visiting it 14 times & setting several of his novels in the country. Between 1873 & 1909 he also wrote numerous essays & travelogues that were ultimately collected into one volume & published as Italian Hours. James is famous for his fine perception & baroque prose, & both are found in abundance in Italian Hours. As one would expect, he is a wonderful cultural critic, providing passionate & discerning reviews of the highlights of Italy`s art & architecture. He also presents a surprisingly familiar view of the changes that time & tourism were bringing to modern Italy. For all of his acute insights, Italian Hours is, above all, an affair of the heart, & will resonate with anyone who shares his love of the country. ...

Introducing the brand new Insight Phrasebooks for 2015 helping you get your head around the language. Compact & lightweight, these pocket-sized phrasebooks are packed with the words & phrases users need to feel at home, when away. These indispensable little books feature easy-to-use, colour-coded sections, snippets of local information & language tips, plus key words travellers need to get around & about. There is a free audio app as an optional accompaniment, full of key phrases from the book & features native speakers for perfect pronunciation. Just download for free before you go using the individual download code inside the book. ...

Italian i Phrase in a selection of language titles from Berlitz, to aid you before & during your travels. Berlitz have been producing language titles & promoting language learning for more than 125years. Catalogue selection comprising the following Berlitz series: Phrase books & Dictionaries, Phrase books & CDs, Shortcuts to ...

” Italian Journey” Goethe’s account of his passage through Italy from 1786 to 1788 is a great travel chronicle as well as a candid self-portrait of a genius in the grip of spiritual crisis.A journal full of fascinating observations on art & history, & the plants, landscape & the character of the local people he encountered, this is also a moving account of the psychological crisis from which Goethe emerged newly inspired to write the great works of his mature years. ...

When Abraham Lincoln appointed William Dean Howells Consul to Venice, the young writer embarked on a journey that would leave an indelible impression on his life & work. Howells lived in Italy for four years, from 1861, during the pivotal & tumultuous period of Italian reunification. Italian Journeys, Howell`s engrossing memoir of this time, describes his adventures across the country
- from Genoa, a hotbed of nationalistic fervour & the city from which Garibaldi had led the Expedition of the Thousand only a year before; to the cultural & political powerhouse of Naples, which had only just become part of the Kingdom of Italy & from there to Rome, focus for the hopes of a fractured country. Travelling by land & sea, Howells was inspired at every turn
- as much by the fevered events of the time as by the cultural & historical wealth of the country
- & his beautifully-rendered portrait has become a classic of travel literature, essential for all those who, like him, have loved Italy.


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