1 DAY CAR RENTAL Through extensive research, we've discovered that travel around Italy is not restricted to gondolas and chariots. We'll be renting a car and driving for nine days, getting yelled at in a funny language by other drivers.

3 NIGHTS IN VENETO At the suggestion of a native Italian, we considered the Veneto Region. We learned it's a wine region that produces, among others, Valpolicella and Amarone. We're going to Veneto. See where we're staying at the link below:

WINE TASTING IN VENETO We don't know where we're going, we don't know how we're going to get there, and we don't know what we'll find. But we know day of wine touring, tasting and snacking will be fun and delicious.

DINNER IN VERONA So this young Italian couple, Romeo & Juliet, were in love. It ended badly but people come here to see a balcony from which she yelled out into the street to find out where he was. We'll just find a wonderful dinner, balcony or no.

LUNCH AT GARDA LAKE Just west of the Valpolicella area is Garda Lake, the largest lake in Italy. With a number of small resort towns around the shoreline, we plan to stop for lunch. We'll probably have Italian. We'll definitely be relaxed.

2 NIGHTS IN VARENNA The Hotel Eremo Gaudio will be our home for two nights. This is a perfect location to soak up one of the more beautiful areas in all of Italy, Lake Como.

COMO FERRY PASSES AND SNACKS We plan to boat to Bellagio, do some hiking, see some gardens, and remember how freaking lucky we are to be on this trip together. That's going to be a good day.

LUNCH IN BELLAGIO Some call it the most beautiful city in Italy. We'll be the judge of that. Anticipate more staring at the water and the mountains. We'll probably have Italian. Perhaps a glass of wine or two.

DINNER IN VARENNA We'll wrap up our full day in Como back in Varenna, a beautiful town on the eastern shore on the lake. We'll be looking west, in hopes the sun sets in that direction in Europe too.

SEE THE LAST SUPPER IN MILAN Despite it having one of the worst guests in the history of dinner parties, people still talk about this, even re-enacting key parts of it every day. It was documented by Leonardo Da Vinci, pre-Internet with a big painting.

4 NIGHTS IN PIEMONTE Home of Nebbiolo (as opposed to the Sangiovese of Tuscany), this area is worth four nights. And Barry knows just the place, having stumbled across it eight years ago. La Briccola will serve as our home base here.

DINNER AT LA BRICCOLA This is the spot of Barry's favorite dinner in Italy in 2001. Ivana, the owner, is a sommelier who introduced Barolo Chinato, which Kim later brought back from Florence. It's fitting we dine here. And we don't have to drive home.

WINE TASTING AND LUNCH IN PIEMONTE Ah, Nebbiolo. Work your magic. Guide us through your sacred land.

THE INTERNATIONAL WHITE TRUFFLE FAIR Not sure what this is, but it's apparently huge in Alba every October. Parades, food, wine, the whole deal. We're so there, sampling the local wares all day long.

2 NIGHTS IN LUCCA A late-planned diversion into the northern end of Tuscany. Charming town filled with intelligent, high-class people ... aka Barry's ancestors.

3 NIGHTS IN VERNAZZA Ah, the Cinque Terre. No cars, just a hiking trail connecting five coastal towns. We'll have a view of the Ligurian sea and a taste of Ligurian wines, maybe two. If we're not relaxed yet, it won't happen. But we'll be relaxed.

DINNERS IN VERNAZZA We gotta eat in the home of pesto. It's all about the seafood here. Of course, we swore off scales long ago.

1 NIGHT LODGING One last night to be accounted for. Maybe another night in the Cinque Terre, maybe some random town somewhere between there and Milan. Regardless, we're going to need a room, unless we become really good friends with the locals.