Suggested viewing...

Life Is Beautiful -- A very emotional and bittersweet piece about the occupation of Italy during World War II and the effect of the holocaust (Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi).

The English Patient -- A very long movie, but worth it. See it in two sittings if necessary, but don't miss the beautiful hillside shots of the Tuscan countryside -- one of the lighter sides of this film (Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche).

Much Ado About Nothing -- A lighthearted feast for the eyes with wonderful Tuscan scenery throughout (Kenneth Branaugh, Emma Thompson).

Tea With Mussolini (Cher, Judi Dench).

Dangerous Beauty (Helena Bonham Carter, Catherine McCormack).

A Room With A View (Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter).

Bread & Tulips -- a sweet movie about one Italian woman's personal journey.

Romeo & Juliet, and Enchanted April -- both "must sees," as well.

For a huge laugh, don't miss -- Johnny Stecchino (Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi).

Though Menopausal Tours doesn't travel to Sicily on this tour, you absolutely must see Cinema Paradiso -- a slice of life movie (get the subtitled version!) -- and make sure you have some hankies for those tears of joy!

Suggested reading...

The Sixteen Pleasures (Robert Hellenga) -- A story of a woman's journey to Florence as a paper restorer with lots of behind the scenes info on local sights woven into some pretty good fact-based fiction. This is my personal favorite!

Straddling The Borders: The Year I Grew Up In Italy and The Wisdom Of Angels (Martha Cummings).

Hill Towns (Anne Rivers Siddons) and The Hills of Tuscany -- A New Life In An Old Land (Ferene Máté) are both worth checking out for a more in-depth look at this beautiful region.

Under The Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany (both books by Frances Mayes) -- written in memoir style, wonderfully detailed, languidly- pace, both books describe one couple's journey into a new life in Italy.

The Tuscan Year: Life And Food In A Tuscan Valley (Elizabeth Romer) -- May be hard to find so check with your local used bookstore.

A Thousand Days in Venice (Marlena de Blasi) -- Romance, romance, romance.

Desiring Italy (Susan Cahill, ed.) and Traveler's Tales Guides Italy: True Stories of Life on the Road (Anne Calcangno, ed.) -- two excellent anthologies worth checking out.

For non-fiction, try A Small Place In Italy (Eric Newby) and, A Tuscan Childhood (Kinta Beevor).

How To Travel With Salmon & Other Essays (by Umberto Eco, translated by William Weaver) and The Things We Used To Say (by Natalia Ginzburg, translated by Judith Woolf) -- offers a look at life from the Italian point of view. Enlightening!

Happy reading, everybody. P.S. Just for fun -- why not consider learning a little Italian before you go? The Italians are fun loving and are truly entertained by our great attempts at their beautiful language. Try Italian In Ten Minutes A Day by Kristine Kershul. Your efforts will be truly rewarded. Be a student, again -- before travelling to Italy, consider taking an Art Appreciation/History class at your local junior college. We guarantee that it will enhance your experience and give you a better understanding and perspective of the area's culture and history.