This spectacular photographic tour offers an opportunity that few visitors to Italy ever have: the chance to see this beautiful land as a sweeping whole, from the cool northern Alps to the sunny southern islands, from the dappled inland forests to the breezy seacoasts. As you soar through this collection of aerial photographs, you will gain insight into the history and culture of Italy, the country's natural wonders, and the people themselves . . . insights that no earthbound traveler could ever have.

From above, Italy's landscape appears as a stunning collaboration of man and nature: the deep turquoise of the Mediterranean edged with the sparkling white of Sardinian houses, the lush green vineyards complemented by the rich, earthy reds of hilltop towns in Tuscany. It is easy to see why Italy has always been home to great painters; the entire country is an artist's palette, filled with hues of breathtaking beauty and vitality. These colors are part of everyday Italian life, from the many courtyard gardens to the festive table settings and family meals.

Also obvious from an overhead perspective is the fascinating interaction of the present with the past. History is inescapable here; the very landscape is saturated with it. Amidst a traffic-snarled tangle of city streets emerges a gleaming white ruin from the glorious days of the Roman Empire . . . hidden over a grassy knoll is a view of a medieval village, perched precariously on a hilltop and still home to a thriving community . . . the colorfully-clad townspeople of an ordinary country village hurry to Sunday mass, summoned by chimes from a bell tower designed by the Renaissance master Giotto. All of these marvelous views are easy to find during our aerial tour, even amidst vivacious cityscapes bursting with modernity.

Come, visit the captivating land of Italy . . .Rome and Vatican City . . . Florence, Venice, and Naples . . . Bologna, Milan, Padua, Sicily, Sardinia, and Tuscany. These evocative photographs are a testimony to the charm of Italy and its wonderfully mild climate, its cultural heritage, its verdant horizons. Italy from the Air is a spectacular way to explore a country that casts its spell over visitors from every corner of the globe.

Guido Alberto Rossiwas born in Milan in 1949. He began his professional career in 1967 with a photo-report on the Six-Day War. Between 1967 and 1973 he covered numerous war zones, from Portuguese Guinea to Vietnam and Cambodia. Between 1973 and 1974 he started working for sports and travel magazines and in 1978 founded the Action Press photographic agency in Milan; he later became Italian representative for the American agency The Image Bank. In 1988 he bought a Cessna 210 and since then he has specialized in aerial photography. To indulge his latest passion ￯﾿ﾽ taking pictures of wildlife ￯﾿ﾽ he has travelled around numerous African parks. His clients include Europe's leading travel magazines. He has published twentyfive photography books.