For over two thousand years, Italy has been a major source of cultural and artistic inspiration to the rest of the world. This book focuses on the most characteristic examples of the Italian genius, from lavish piazzas and magnificent fountains to Palladian villas and flamboyant Baroque churches. Within these pages, author Edmund Howard leads readers on a fascinating tour of Italy's most glorious landscapes and architecture. He explores a variety of homes and residences, form a simple farmhouse in Tuscany to majestic town palaces. Also on display here are the lush horticulture and exuberant statuary of Italy's most beautiful gardens. Readers will experience the wealth of striking decoration found in Renaissance facades, wrought-iron gates and balconies, Byzantine mosaics, and sumptuous frescoes. With three hundred specially commissioned photographs and a series of evocative essays, this book is both a fascinating study of Italy's many treasures as well as an invaluable sourcebook of visual ideas.