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Let's begin with a very easy question: Shakespeare chose this city as the home for his Capulet and Montague families. What is it?

Verona. Shakespeare based "Romeo and Juliet" on two actual families from Verona, but "Juliet's House," visited by most tour groups is only a fictional invention.

The Rialto Bridge is one of the most recognizable sites in Italy. In which city can it be found?

Venice. The Rialto Bridge with its three walkways and two rows of shops was once the only bridge that crossed the Grand Canal.

In which Italian city is the main rail station called Santa Maria Novella?

Florence. Sitting just a few yards from the station is the Santa Maria Novella church. Although it is often skipped by visitors, it contains paintings by Massaccio, Ghirlandaio, and Filippino Lippi.

Which of the following towns is a part of the Cinqueterre?

Vernazza. The Cinqueterre, or "Five Lands," includes five small towns on the beautiful seacoast between Genoa and La Spezia. The other four towns are Monterosso, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.

Which of the following tourist attractions is NOT found in Rome?

The Doge's Palace. The Doge was the ruler of medieval Venice, and his palace is one of the most visited attractions in that city.

Bellagio, one of the most beautiful towns in Italy, is located on which lake?

Lake Como. Although it has lost some of its fame as a destination for the very rich and some of the nearby villas are covered by vines, Bellagio remains the jewel of Lake Como.

According to legend, St. Benedict was led to this home of the Benedictine movement, by three ravens. Where is it?

Montecassino. During World War II, Montecassino was the regional headquarters of the Nazis and was heavily bombed by Allied planes.

This "thoroughly medieval" Tuscany town has been called "the Renaissance Manhattan." Which town is it?

San Gimignano. Fourteen medieval towers (of the original seventy-two) survive in San Gimignano, one of the favorite excursions from Florence or Siena.

Opera lovers from the world over flock to La Scala to see their favorite works in a lovely setting. In which city is it found?

Milan. La Scala also houses a small museum of the opera, well worth the visit of any tourist, opera-lover or not.

One of the most famous sights in this city is the Campo. Twice each year, a wild horse race, called the Palio is staged for visitors and townspeople alike around the Campo. In what city can it be found?

Siena. The name "Palio" is taken from the "palium," a banner embroidered with an image of the virgin and presented to the race's winner.

Bolzano is capital of the German-speaking Alto Adige. Visitors who make Bolzano their home base for sightseeing are most likely interested in seeing which of the following?

The Dolomites. The Dolomites scenic crags and pinnacles make them much different from the rest of the Alps.

This city boasts the finest Byzantine mosaics in the world outside Istanbul. What city is it?

Ravenna. Many visitors rushing from Florence to Venice avoid the slight detour that would lead them to Ravenna, one of the most appealing small towns in the country.

What is the name of the "residential suburb" that was destroyed in the same eruption that buried Pompeii?

Herculaneum. Both Pompeii and Herculaneum have been popular tourist destinations for many years. Goethe wrote of the eruption that destroyed them: "Many a calamity has happened in this world but never one that has caused so much entertainment to posterity as this one."

Which of the following cities is nearest to the Amalfi Coast?

Naples. The Amalfi Coast, stretching south from Naples, contains some of the most dramatic seaside scenery in the world.

In which Italian museum can one find Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" as well as Michelangelo's only surviving easel painting?

Florence's Uffizi Gallery. Arguably one of the finest museums of painting in the world, the Uffizi can be extremely crowded. Visitors to Florence are urged to make reservations well in advance or be prepared to stand in line for several hours.