The Language of Tourism: An Analysis of English Texts in Tourism Promotion, Schemi e mappe concettuali di Lingua Inglese

Scarica The Language of Tourism: An Analysis of English Texts in Tourism Promotion e più Schemi e mappe concettuali in PDF di Lingua Inglese solo su Docsity! MODULO D “Translation constructs a domestic representation for a foreign text and culure”. (Lawrence Venuti, The Scandals of Translation, 1998). The language of tourism: v Cappelli G.: Sun, Sea, Sex and the Unspoilt Countryside: How the English Language make tourists out of readers, Pari Publishing, Grosseto, 2007 Francesconi S.: English for Tourism Promotion: Italy in British Tourism Texts, Hoepli, Milano, 2007. Gotti M.: The Language of Tourism as a Specialized Discourse, in Translating Tourism: Linguistic/Cultural Representations, 2006, pp. 15-34 vv Biilher (1934)- Jakobson (1960) Linguistic and Poetics EMOTIVE FUNCTION REFERENTIAL (content centered) CONATIVE (reader centered) (author centered) POETIC (message centered) PHATIC (channel) METALINGUAL (language itself Francesconi considers the linguistic strategies used in tourists texts in order to perform a conative function: she devotes attention to a particular genre, the brochure, which subordinate informative and aesthetic aims to promotional aims. A text cannot be analysed without exploring the discourse in which it is inscribed. A text from the discursive point of view implies the observation of language in use (socially situated and manipulated). THE NOTION OF TOURISM: DEFINITIONAL PROBLEMS 1. Chambers Dictionary of Etimology (1999) The etymology of the word suggest the notion of tour, a circular movement: tourists go around, avoiding a straightforward route, they travel for entertainment (the focus is on the modality and purpose of travel) 2. Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2003) Tourism is the business of providing services to tourists on holiday- it suggests the existence of a supply of goods and a corresponding demand for services (economic approach). Both definitions neglect the relational dimension of tourism, which should be taken into account since every tourist practice is based on the perception and the approach to the space visited, the people encountered and their lifestyle and culture, that is, how tourists perceive otherness or alterity. Tourism studies were born in the 1960s and 1970s. A transdisciplinary approach is necessary in studying tourism and this includes: Y Sociology, anthropology, ethnography. Tourism is seen as a social phenomenon; attention is paid to the cultural implications of the relationships between host and guests (MacCannell; Hurry). Y Economics since tourism is seen as the largest industry of the world (UNWTO); the area of marketing. * History because the roots of modern tourism are in the Grand Tour: “The sons of European aristocracy at the end of the 17°" century and of the upper middle class in the late 18° century used to travel throughout Europe visiting cultural centers, including Italian cities like Venice, Padua, Florence and Rome.” (Thomas Cook, the pioneer of the package tour in 1844) Y Geography that is the location of tourist areas. KEY NOTIONS 1) The relationships between linguistics and tourism. 2) Perception and representation of Italy (culture, society, territory) in English tourist texts. Cappelli starts from theoretical issued like text types and function, discourse analysis, registrer; then she focuses on the language of tourism analysing texts for example brochures, promotional websites, travel articles and guidebooks. She focuses on the language mechanisms responsible for certain communicative effects. [...|- even in an age of increasing globalization- tourists brochures and other advertising texts are culture bound; their impact varies with the reader, his or her age, background, origin and mentality. “ (Snell- Hornby, 1999, pp. 95-96) “A tourism texts cannot be approached without an understanding of cultural differences and the difficulties these can create. [...] Brochures are integral part of the target culture and dependent on its expectations and norms. “ (Sumberg, 2004, p. 332) The contact between tourists and locals is characterized by an asymmetrical relationships (in terms of social status) between the participants in the situation because the tourist language is the dominant one. While in usual situations the foreigner tries to learn the local language, “In Tourist Talk locals [...] talk up to higher status tourists in the tourists’' language (TL)” = the tourists' first language or a lingua franca. Tourists need and wish to establish the forms and modes of tourist language, it has a sort of internal specialization within the frame of the tourism professional field. (MacCannel, 1992, tourism is a specialized language). The language of tourism is deemed as a set of word and phrases showing a high degree of frequency and specifity in the context of tourist communication; today, it is important to consider the communicative context in which language is used and the pragmatic issues that arise from this use. Thus, the traditional perspective focused on the description of the features of language in its lexical and morpho-syntactical nature should be overcome. Graham Dann, The Language of tourism, a Socio-linguistic Perspective (1996) The act of tourism promotion has discourse of its own and the sociolinguistic nature of tourism should be a prior concern for tourism researchers. The language of tourism is approached as following grammatical rules and having specialized vocabulary, but also as articulating values, beliefs and norms negotiated at socio-cultural level. “In everyday speech, we often hear references to the “language of dance”, the “language of architecture”, the “language of music”, and so on. We know roughly what the expression means-that somehow these various facets of life have ways of communicating with us. They are structured. They follow certain grammatical rules and have specialized vocabularies. They are in many senses language-like in their properties. Analogically too, these language convey messages, they have a heuristic or semantic content, they operate through a conventional system of symbols and codes. Many also include the equivalent of dialects and registrers. [...] Tourism operates along similar linguistic lines; [...] tourism, in the written texts and audio-visual offerings, the language of tourism attempts to persuade, lude, woo and seduce millions of human beings, and in so doing, convert them from potential into actual clients. By addressing them in terms of their own culturally predicated needs and motivations, it hopes to push them out of the armchair and on to the place-to turn them into tourists. Later, the language of tourism gently talks to them about the possible places they can visit by introducing various pull factors or attractions of competing destinations. Thus, since much of this rhetoric is both logically and temporally prior to any travel or sightseeing, one can legitimately argue that tourism is grounded in discourse.” package holiday/ airline ticket/ hotel voucher/ wild-life paradise/ charter flight/ travel centre/ first class fare. Compounds consisting of two nouns that merged in a single term after a certain period of use: Airline, railcard, timetable, travelcard (at first they were hyphenated). Not only nouns as premodifiers: freshly laundered linen > linen (sheets) which have been recently washed and ironed (a premodifying past participle premodified by an adverb). The spread of tourism at a global level has favoured the use of English all over the world, also in other nations where it acts as lingua franca, the main examples of loans are bungalow, camping, charter, duty free, check-in, overbooking, tour operator, voucher TEXTUAL FEATURES > Text genres, there is a link between the type of specialized text and its rhetorical and linguistic feature. The main text are: tourist guides (description of places; practical information), travel articles in specialized journals or general magazines (they are more subjective and their purpose is to give information), brochures and advertising material, professional correspondence between agencies or between an agency and its costumers, for example Business letters: formulaic verb patterns and international structures with limited textuality, itineraries. » Textual organisation, since texts consist of standardized sections (e.g. typical itinerary: title, location, how to reach it, climate, accommodation options) Maria Vittoria Calvi (2000) points out that the most interesting texts are those addressed to the public, from reportage in travel journals or newspapers to brochures. According to Erik Castello (2001) there are four text genres in the field of tourism: Y Website with low grammar intricacy v Tourist Guides with high grammar intricacy, low sentence complexity, rare interrogative forms and rare imperative forms Y Brochures with high sentence complexity and imperative forms Magazines with frequent interrogative forms and low sentence complexity Borders between text genres are blurred because brochures can be extended like catalogues or synthetic (similar to depliants), brochures and articles sometimes have an online version. Traditional definitions of genre are inadequate in dealing with the plurality which characterizes tourist texts; we can apply to this aspects Bachtin's notion of heteroglossia or multivoicing. The recognition of a genre is not aprioristic, but depends on the communicative discourse and depends on use. The parameters to classify tourist text genres are: medium, stage of trip, target, accessibility, reading function, reading modality, length, information update, cost. MEDIUM can be: a) oral, word-of-mouth (direct reports by other visitors), conferences, speeches by explorers or experts, radio programmes b) written, through literary (travel books, novels etc.) or informational (popular writings, academic treaties, ethnographies, etc.) c) multimodal (combine more types), for example visual/sensory (paintings by famous artists, prints, postcards, handicrafts and art work); audio and visual/sensory (TV, film and video, folklore presentations); written and visual/sensory (guidebooks, magazines, billboards, websites, advertisement, brochures). The interaction of visual and verbal textuality captures the attention and fixes the message STAGE OF TRIP: a) Pre-trip texts (brochures, promotional function, orienting the reader’s choice) b) On-trip texts (maps, utilitarian purpose) c) Post-trip texts (postcards and souvenirs) d) Travel guides (informational purpose), since reading travel guides is a part of the process of preparation and anticipation because it can allow us to imagine the destination (pre-trip and on-trip), they represent a security blanket for survival in the unknown TARGET, depends on age, social class, cultural background. Young travellers use the web while adults pick up brochures, mass tourists find brochures satisfying and curious travellers use travel guides (it is a form of distinction from package tourists, but their trip becomes prepackaged because they use the guidebook to ensure safety). ACCESSIBILITY: a) Brochures are displayed and distributed in tourist agencies b) Leaflets, in tourist agencies and tourism information points; distributed in social places such as pubs or supermarkets. c) Travel magazines, at the newsagent's, a place typical of daily routine d) Tourist guides, available in bookshops and libraries (non-tourism-related locations) e) Websites READING FUNCTION AND MODALITY Why and how to read a specific text genres in order to choose a destination (look for sophisticated stylistic features), to get information (give priority to content originality) a) Guidebooks, consultation and wishful reading (double reading modality: Margarito, 2000) b) Brochures readers are motivated and attentive readers: they purposely go to the tourist agency LENGTH, extended textuality characterizes brochures, magazines and guides (but these are a bit longer) COST, brochures, leaflets with a reduces cost and web pages with zero cost (free nature) UPDATE INFORMATION: a) Websites are frequently revised b) Brochures are valid for a limited period only (e.g. one season) c) Guidebooks are updated with less frequency PRE-TRIP PROMOTION MATERIAL Brochures structures: Y Cover, a conative function prevails (more space devoted to pictures that aim to capture attention) but also a referential function with the company name, logo, holiday destination Y Companyself-introduction, focuses on expertise, qualities, set of beliefs to show reliability and safety v Contents, table of contents that lists the topics covered with reference pages v . Service presentation, tailored packages, extras, discounts, pre-booked tickets for museums Y Holidays options (main body), tourist destination, accommodation options Y Conclusion with terms and conditions, logistic issues such as price, insurance conditions, data protections ANTI-CLIMAX, the reading process follows a top-bottom itinerary since: the cover is peruasive (first gaze), the first section is more persuasive than informative, the central body negotiates conative function and referential function because information are presented in a catchy style (interaction verbal/visual), the final part is only referential with small letters because a lot of information should be condensed and the reader’s attention has already been caught. and often AVOID THE sa SAVE TIME FICKES fr these attractions Sn RT miete eg reD ST patta n fi Erre si DI te ov pete e te Je pv brave cp i RT III e par TTI 1 UTILIZ du Hi (Ri (0 Li MOTTA IO ind see why BIG really is best! Il linguaggio delle brochures è caratterizzato da una serie di figure retoriche, it's more simple and contains more information compared to advertisement (funzione conativa e referenziale). Brochures have a double soul since they want to promote attractions and they want to inform the reader about details of the attraction. When the purpose is to promote services or attractions, the language is emphatic, rich in positive evaluative terms and in references to positive quantities; format: book, booklet, electronic format, printed leaflet to be picked up. Advertisements are persuasive: “advertere” (lat.) means turn towards, induce new direction and they are pre-trip promotion material. There are two factors: > Pull factors emerge from the attractiveness of a destination, including beaches, recreation facilities and cultural attractions > Push factors are intrinsic motivators: the desire for escape, rest and relaxation, prestige, health and fitness, adventure and social interaction. Advertising is less concerned with pull factors, which determine the transformation of a neutral place into a tourist destination, and more concerned with tourist push factors, that is tourist psychological motivations (tourist are motivated by their psychological needs). hure Terre di Siena (Wwww.terresie, pete — prochu na.) “pron Le © revenls its true identity. The Crete area is ih L has conserved the simplicity and harmony of ug 1 atmosphere beneath limeless furrows. the ge where emotions and sensations take flight travel is often viva! and tourism has becone another consumer good, there still cxist silent retro, metaphysi ta this world! vela ignore bia mass tourism market. For most travellers to È Di taly, Tusc: of the dreamiest aspirations: th le geometry of its landscapi atmosphere and the promise of a life “away from times have we heard it all’. How mm SIî only 1 could huy a farmhouse down there in peace and quiet!” Such “if only” reasoning proves that we are dreami Of imaginary gateways and of that frenetic search for “peace and quit Which is repeatedly crushed by our daily routines. Which place is longed for? The object of nostalgia is HOME, the location of the self. It could seem paradoxical if we consider that one of the aims of tourism is escapism since home is both the point of departure and the point of arrival. Nostalgia prevents the post-tourism from a confrontation with the unknown (avoid anxiety and discomfort). Brochures often promise British tourists they will find their home in Italy: 1) Whichever you choose you can rest assured your property will be a “home from home” of the very highest standard (IIB: 9) 2) Tuscany welcomes you: when you settle into a villa, you'll likely experience the sensation of discovering a new home, one you ever knew existed (VIB: 11) 3) Feel at home with Home in Italy (HIB: 3) The term “home” is preferred to the more neutral “house”, because it recalls sentimental notions. The reader is addressed in an informal and familiar way (use of cotractions) The following text uses indirectly the pattern “is home to” which means “offers the setting to”: its rhythmic recurrence conveys the association between Tuscany and home in a natural and automatic way: 4) “Itis home to that architectural marvel, the leaning Tower of Pisa. It is home to the fascinating town of San Gimignano with no less than 13 towers of its own. It is home to the walled city of Lucca surrounded by infamous towering ramparts and the moat that has protected it for centuries (VIB: 7) Metaphors of womb, cradle, nest since the domestic space is articulated through the notions of warmth and protection. Home is safety, in moments of difficulty and uncertainty and the holiday destination is presented as a womb-like environment. 1) “The city of Todi is beautiful even from a distance, where it appears as if cradled (cullato) between the two hills on either side” (VIB: 47) 2) “This charming converted farm-house nestles (si nasconde, si annida) in the valley just below the sleepy town of Gualdo in the most delightful country setting “ (Contrada Bartolotti, IIB: 138) 3) “This attractive little town house is situated in the heart of ancient and charming Sarnano, with its winding medieval streets” (Casa Marzialetti, IIB: 135) LE VILLE DI TREVINANO (boutique hotel) Tucked in between the world famous Tuscany, the authentic Lazio, and the beautiful region of Umbria, you will find the exclusive boutique resort of Le Ville di Trevinano bordering the Etruscan village of Trevinano [...] Le ville di Trevinano is nestled in the rolling hills where you're just a short distance away from the most beautiful cities and towns that this country has to offer. The earth-sheltered design is not only sustainable, but also unique in this region. The property's modern look & feel, coupled with the ease and luxury of a hotel, allows you to start enjoying Italy from the moment you arrive. Le Ville di Trevinano's intimate ambiance guarantees a peaceful and quiet time for all of its visitors. The resort offers a beautiful infinity swimming pool, separate swimming pool for kids, a comfortable fitness area, full-size tennis court, warm & welcoming recreational building, private parking, and stunning panoramic views. Le ville di Trevinano is the home away from home in the idyllic Italian countryside plus the luxury of never having to worry about maintaining it when you're not there. The who have been “Nestled between the Orcia and Ombrone rivers, on the southern slope of Montalcino, the Castello Banfi, family-owned vineyard and winery in the Brunello region of Tuscany, is unique for its wine culture and tradition” Tourist brochures emphasize the centrality of the costumer’s wishes and desires, treating him as a child to be satisfied and for this reason texts promise him he will be spoilt. This fosters customer’s egocentrism, the discourse if nostalgia enacts a self-centered longing for pleasure; this leads to a sort of selfish closure, an attitude that prevents any genuine and dialogic relationship to otherness. Fannizaro House Hotel, Bridgehouse Hotels (wwweannizarohonse com ) Imagine arriving at your splendid Georgian mansion. set i fon. set in rali parklund, yer actualiy on the edge of the ci As the sun sot welcomed by the sound cî expectant laug toe ing ue ter, as glasses clink on the terrace. Cannizaro House has hvavs ben a cantivating beauty a place famous for her sumpiuous interiors, elegant enterzining and ‘sugli’ rather than ‘haughty' demeanoue Whether you're up from the country or just back from town. you'll he ‘welcomed with warmrh and enthusiasm. Because its the small touches that make a stay at Cannizaro House special. The friendiy face that takes you to your room and makes sure you have evervihing you need. The tasteful, but characterful décor. The nightcap cn the becsice table that welcomes vou. The cosseting and slumberful bed. The right kind ci illow, The crisp sheets, llufly towels and the ‘mangio use’ wiletres Once youve freshened up. sweep duwm aur dramatic, cunaceous stircase to the Drawing Room cocktail dar far an aperti and canapés. On warmer evenings maybe take advantage cf the glamorous South Termo with its beautiful views aver open parkland. When you've relavedì over our awarrwinning menu, step back into ihe restaurant and enjoy is mouisvatcring interior sumpiuaus îcad and extensive cellar Home is also a place where we have power and control (Western notion of property), the product sold by the tourist industry is a commodified relation the other. Going on holiday in post-tourist discourse is represented as a comfortable self-recognition and self-confirmation which relies on a widespread system of values. (not negotiation with the unknown). Figurative representation of nostalgia through the visual component of metaphors: HOME WOMB CRADLE NEST The function of the metaphor is to displace, to relocate the meaning of a concept, to overcome the literal meaning and move to a figurative context. Metaphors consist of two elements: the concept to be expressed and the image. > it is called vehicle. The main features of metaphors are: ® syntactic conciseness * straightforward communicative power (referring new concepts to pre-existing items known to the interlocutor, avoiding lengthy conceptual explanations). Metaphors are generally employed in advertising in order to “detach” everyday objects from their ordinary context, in order to emphasise their extraordinariness. Actually, a tourist site is already displaced from everyday life and does not require a metaphors to confer exotic connotations. Actually tourist metaphors present the promoted place through an object which is familiar and known (Dann, 1996), reducing the spatial and cultural distance. They are used to minimize the effect of unfamilitary, in order to reduce the fear of unknown: the resort is made closer and the reader is made more comfortable. However, presenting the destination as a “home away from home” risks associating the resort with everyday boredom; this is reason why when brochures want to emphasize the glamorous extraordinariness of a place, or to convey the image of exclusiveness draw on the semantic field of jewels. (the notion of home would not work in this case): 1) “Renowned for its profusion of enchanting hilltop towns, the region is home to Italy's finest medieval jewels including Assisi, the birthplace of St Francis” (Discovering Umbria, MIB: 23) 2) “Explore the hillside villages hosting historical gems, and relax on magnificent beaches [...]” 3) “An emerald isle resting on a sapphire sea, brushed by soft beaches and licked by laughing waves” (Sardinia) 4) “The ferry port in the Marina Piccola provide connections to Naples and Capri and an opportunity to view from the sea the dramatic and lovely coast-line with its varied landscape and its necklace of historic towns” (TIB: 28) 5) “Birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence is one of the world's most exciting and exuberant cities with architectural treasures around virtually every corner” (TCB: 19) > treasure is a hyperonym of “jewel” while gems, emeralds, sapphires, crown and necklaces are hyponyms. These metaphors carry positive connotations: they have a powerful emotive impact on the readership. They enhance the local, historical and natural heritage, highlighting: the destination’s intrinsic value, the social distinction acquired through the holiday experience and the timeless holiday dimension. 1) “Renowned for its profusion of enchanting hilltop towns, the region is home to Italy's finest medieval jewels including Assisi, the birthplace of St Francis” (Discovering Umbria, MIB: 23) give a connotation of dynamism to the noun: e.g. enchanting, which anticipates the effect the visit has to the tourist. They confirm the discourse of nostalgia in its dual connotation: >» Clinical: regenerating, relaxing, strengthening, purifying > Emotional: intriguing, fascinating, stunning, overwhelming > They intersect sensorial and psychological aspects. The memorability of the holiday experience is suggested by: impressive, lasting, memorable, unforgettable. Nostalgia is conceived as a circular process made up of three stages: 1. Attraction or pulling (inviting, intriguing) 2. Capture (fascinating, charming, overwhelming) 3. Captivation (memorable, eternal, unforgettable) 151 The property ss independent on a hikop and enjoy ilo lo Gis siructed views of the enchaniing Tuscan county: {Ì) Situated an op of a promantery offering stunning views across he boy, vi Caslino in Chini". CB: 80, ihe smoll villege of Golfo di Marinella 200m awoy. The stunning bead n {4} Over the centuries il hos been nied by mony different cilizotione. to cura wonder, re l'Discoering Sil; stteiching aver Skm, is a litle uther ci 300m and olfers sports [Residence le Corti di Marinella", PAB: 60) (2) The gloricus Lakes of the Norih of ialy.are renowned for their 4y and breathtaking scenery. Surtounded by the colourtul flowers amid ame mento gordens you can sea ancien vilos doted along he lckeside [5 The lages ho Medin lkeside town and villages, and breathtoking ire clad and snowc: , ia) Jondsc mountains as a backdrop (KUB: 231 combination of rich history, stunning londscapes, cl ea ful cuisine l"Sensotional Siciy*, TCB: 88) suins and are cal ti one hos left a host of fascinating ancier fribuiing to Sicily omazing iecli of his MB: 24] con indi, Sc Cannizaro House Hotel, Rridgehouse Hotels Imagine arriving at your splendid Georgian mansion, set in ro parklandi yet actually on the erge of the city As the sun ses vos welcomed by the sound o expectant laughter, as glisses cink on ri terrace Cannizaro House hasalnays been a captiating beauty ofa place, famous for her sumptuous interiors, elegant entetaining an ‘aughy rather than ‘haughty' demeanour. Whether you up from the country or just back from town, you'll be welcomed with warmth and enthusiasm, Because its the small tnuches that male a stay at caro House special. The friendiy face that takes you 10 vour room am makes sure you have everything you need. The rastetul, but characterful décor The nightcap on the bedside table that ‘welcomes you. The cossetiny and slumberiui ded. The right kind of pillow The crisp sheets, Auffy towels and the ‘want to use” tiletries. Once vouve freshened up. sweep down cur d'amatic, cuvaceous ‘case to the Drawing Room cocktail bar for an aperitif and canapés. On warmer evenings maybe take achantage of the glamorous South Terrace, with is beautl viewsover open parkland When you've relaxed 1 menu. step back into the restaurant and eoy its over ur awardarimi mouttvatering interior, sumpiuous focd and extensive cellar. There are different registers: Y The register of nostalgia Y Theregister of health Y Theregister of food and drink Y Theregister of eco-tourism Guidebooks are both pre-trip and on-trip informational material, they should not be considered promotional material, since they are meant to be reference material, with an informational purpose rather than a conative function. Guidebooks are the least persuasive and the most univocal of the representation modes of tourist discourse (Fodde and Dentu, 2005): “Their discourse is characterized by the total absence of immediate feedback. In fact, they cannot be considered as an offer tout court, because the reader/consumer has generally already made his/her choice”. (p.117) Guidebooks are used when tourists have already arrived at their destination or immediately before the arrival (pre-trip and on-trip stages), this is why the function of a guidebook in mainly referential or informational. Guidebooks are both cultural and practical: «* The region under consideration is introduced by one or more sections providing a varying amount of information on the geography, history, art, culture and nature of the area. «The cultural overview is generally followed by a few pages containing practical information, with recommendations for restaurants and hotels and tips about practical matters such as postage, transport, currency etc. Practical information is plain and simple in style, but interesting in unveiling cross-cultural differences. Tuscany (in Italian Toscana) is the most famous of the tuen, of Italy. It has an area of 22,991 square kilometers, and è pop about 3,473,000. It lies between the Apennines and the Tender bordered on the north by Emilia and L guria, on the east i and Umbria, and on the south by Lazio. It includes the famos Florence, Siena, and Pisa as well as numerous beautiful and re small towns sucîi as Lucca, Cortona, Volterra, Massa Marita" Montepulciano, San Gimignano and Montalcino. aa Cha Since the function of a guidebook is mainly referential or informational, the use of an objective language is preferred. Nevertheless, the language and style of some guidebooks is comparable to that of promotional brochures. Evaluation Conversational style: Information in the form of literary description and narration. Y Linguistic elements that reveal the presence of the author- Guidebooks may differ in register and style: some provide more subjective portrait of destinations, while others tend to state facts in a more detached A glass of wine before dinner on the terrace, olives glinting in Tei, la ì flash of the setting sun as geometric vineyards lose their rigid orde the melting darkness, and onlv the black daggers nÎ CYpressas qa against the first stars of the evening—where could you be but, it needs no introduction, this famous twilit land, where titans gian hundred years ago mimic ked and then outdid nature, while nature a gentle retort by rivaling art. From Catling, C. (2005), Florence & Tuscany, DK Eyewitness Travel guy p.240-241 Hidden Extras Before making a reservation, establish whether breakfast is incuje. the price. Garage parking, laundry and snacks in the hotel or tram minibar may be pricey and telephone charges from your hotel roomar be phenomenal. Check the rates first if you are concerned. Some he May expect you to take full- or half-board during the high season. Beauty, @kyle and@air@urnish every aspect of daily life, from those immaculately knotted ties and espressos to the flirtatious@miles of@triking @trangers. The root of Italian psychology is a dedication to living life well, and effortless as it may seem, driving that dedication is a reverence for the@ner things. So@low down,@tyle up and indulge in a little vita all'italiana (life, Italian style). Endless Ebasts It might look like a boot, but(fbod-obsessed Italy@bels more like a stUfed Christmas stocking. From delicate tagliatelle al ragù to velvety cannoli, every bite can feel like a revelation. The@cret:@uperlative ingredients and finely tened know-how. And while Italy's culinary @pul might prefer@jmplicity, it's equally ingenious and sophisticated. [...] So whether you're on a degustation odyssey in Modena, truffle hunting in Piedmont or@willing powerhouse reds in the Valpolicella wine region, prepare to loosen that belt.