Visitors have been drawn to Florence's architectural and artistic treasures for centuries - and for good reason. But, with an historical center of only half a square-mile, it can be hard to see the sights through the crowds. The throng on the Duomo steps, the lines for the Uffizi and the jostling for photos on Piazzale Michelangelo all require a good dose of patience. Fortunately, early evening offers a respite; the quieter streets and softer lighting...

Along the Co{circon}te d'Azur and the Riviera, this region is usually referred to as l'arrie�re pays - the back country. If you love dramatic landscapes, nearly vertical gorges, calm mountain lakes and valleys so deep and tight they have their own climates, you can't help finding Haute Provence thrillingly beautiful. This is where the mellow- , vine- , olive- and lavender-covered hills give way to abrupt and challenging Alpine landscapes. There...

Offering a fresh and often hilarious perspective, this account chronicles journalist Garry Marchant's travels around Asia during a 30-year period. Covering familiar and lesser-known points in the East, this detailed guide reflects upon the similarities and differences between various Asian locales and demonstrates how the region has evolved in recent decades. Written by a curious and well-seasoned traveler, this remarkable record is filled with invaluable...

Broad, flat and sunburnt, the Camargue is an almost surreal web of shallow, lakes (andeacute;tangs), meandering rivers, canals, marshes and dunes. Part-desert, part-irrigated plain, part-grassland, part-nature reserve, it is an area of France truly unlike any other. A rough triangle, bounded on the north by Arles, the west by Aigues Mortes and the east by the desert-like Crau and the industrial suburbs of Marseille, the Camargue has an elemental,...

We travel to grow - Adventure Guides show you how. Experience the places you visit more directly, freshly, intensely than you would otherwise - sometimes best done on foot, in a canoe or through cultural adventures like art courses, cooking classes, learning the language and meeting the people. This can make your trip life-changing, unforgettable. All of the detailed information you need is here about the hotels, restaurants, shopping and sightseeing....

This guide is written for the savvy traveler who is looking for quality and value in accommodations and dining, with a selection of activities to fill the days and nights. The introduction covers the basic travel information, including climate, when to go, what to pack, history, package tours, geography and - for overseas destinations - currency concerns and health issues. Daytime pursuits are detailed in the "Sunup to Sundown" section, which covers...

In 1834, the British Lord Chancellor, Lord Henry Brougham, was on his way to Nice, still part of Italy and already a popular winter resort with English aristocrats. Because of a cholera epidemic in Provence, the governor of Nice had closed the border so Brougham and his daughter Eleanore were turned back. On their way to Grasse, they stopped for the night at an inn on what is today the Rue du Port in Cannes. Brougham was so taken with the little village...

The author draws from her many years of experience living in the south of France to tell you about the people, their culture and the way of life. Covering every town, village and city in the region, this book takes you sightseeing in Avignon, shopping in Marseilles, to the best beaches at Cap d'Antibes and along the French Riviera to places like Eze, Nice, Monte Carlo and Cap Ferrat. Comprehensive background information - history, culture, geography...