Travelers adore Italy, and Italy adores the Renaissance. Rudy Maxa follows Western Europe's transition, from medieval to modern times, by exploring the arts and ambiance of that vibrant period. In Florence, Milan, and Venice, he finds works by Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, and Titian. Side-tripping to France's lush Loire Valley, he visits Renaissance castles and abbeys, including the timeless haunts of Amboise, Chenonceau, and a few less-traveled chateaux along the way. And he drops into the Northern Renaissance with a visit to Hampton Court and Henry VIII.