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Nina Bernardo, a tour guide based in Rome, walks Rick through the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, frozen in time since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago.

Two tour guides explain how they were able to renovate old farmhouses into their dream homes in an un-touristed region of Italy called La Marche.

Virginia Agostinelli, a tour guide from Abruzzo, explains the uncrowded appeal of her home in the rugged Apennine mountains.

Italians seem to know how to enjoy some of the tastiest food on the planet. Fred Plotkin, author of the newly-updated "Italy for the Gourmet Traveler," explains how knowing what's in season is important to the Italian way of life.

Two guides who specialize in Sicily explain why the Mediterranean's largest island is growing in popularity as a vacation destination.

Rick gets insider tips from Sicilian tour guides on getting the most out of a vacation to Sicily.

Sicily is "Italy in the extreme." Rick talks with Sicilian friends about learning to love the island and its organized chaos.

Two Sicilian tour guides explain how to research your family tree in the old country and how Sicilian culture offers an alternative to the frantic American pace of life.

Lucca-based tour guide Jamie Blair Gould describes how to assemble the ingredients for the perfect Tuscan picnic, complete with a picture-postcard view.

They're expensive, grow underground, are found by specially-trained dogs, and can be harvested only if you have a license. Siena-based tour guide Roberto Bechi explains how to locate, cook, and enjoy this delicacy.

Rick chats with Cecilia Bottai, a winemaker from Orvieto, about how visitors can experience authentic culture in central Italy's hill towns and estates.

Two tour guides — one from Tuscany and one from its neighbor, Umbria — help Rick take a look at what makes these regions such classic destinations for exploring Italy's scenic small towns and countryside.