Italy

Imagine navigating the backstreets of seventeenth-century Rome in the dazzling but dangerous company of Caravaggio. Who will you meet as you drop in at the fabulous Villa Borghese--its owner, Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of the pope, or Fillide Melandroni, well-known courtesan and occasional artist's model? Fast-forward to the eighteenth century, and explore the Venice of Canaletto, Casanova, and Carnevale. With twelve chapters, each devoted to an artist or group of artists, and a dozen itineraries to choose from, you can immerse yourself in the world of the great and the not-so-good, wandering in and out of churches, palaces, and grand residences to admire their work "in situ"--all from the comfort of your armchair. Each of the chapters begins with an illustrated map, featuring hand-drawn vignettes that bring to vivid life episodes from the artist's often turbulent existence, as well as key landmarks and local color. Set off on your own Grand Tour for the twenty-first century.