ROME, FLORENCE, VENICE… Say the words and iconic images emerge: Colosseum, Duomo, Grand Canal.

These places first dazzled me in postcards, sent by Papa, my grandfather, who traveled back to Italy, his homeland, every August. They’d clunk into the metal mailbox of the ranch house I grew up in on the Jersey shore. I’d stare into those postcards of fountains and piazzas, glancing up at our flat backyard of scruffy grass and a rusty jungle gym, Country Squire Station Wagon in the driveway. Could this be real?

Travel dreams came true, and I stepped off trains into the abundant pleasures of Italy, beyond postcards, to the taste of my first Roman artichoke, smells of leather shops in Florence, songs of gondoliers.

Decades of travel and making lists of advice for girlfriends inspired my first book, 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go. Wonderful surprises followed—letters, meetings with readers from far-flung places, who came back with thanks and stories of their Italian adventures.

Men tell me: “It’s not just for women!” I agree, though the fact is this: Something clicks with us females, from the moment we touch down in Italy, and we’re surrounded by goddesses and Madonnas. We immediately feel lightened up, unbound, welcomed by the spirit of the pleasure-loving goddess Venus and the compassionate Blessed Virgin Mother, who side by side inspire us to enjoy every step we take.

This book is an invitation to discover the Big Three beyond the postcards and to revel in their feminine appeals—from such delights as paintings in Florence where females are glorified, churches in Rome that honor female saints, and places where women have flourished, such as Peggy Guggenheim’s museum in Venice. I guide you to have fun in my favorite caffès, gelaterias, shop in the best places for ceramics or jewelry, and treat yourself to adventures—be it rowing in Venice, jewelry making in Florence, or a cooking school in Rome.

With so many treasures to choose from, Italy may be overwhelming, so I urge you to follow your mood and open yourself to spontaneity. Rather than Must See lists, I propose Golden Days—matching one site with a nearby great restaurant, not packing too much in, but savoring your time Italian style, at an Old World pace.

May you find yourself inside those postcard images, experiencing The Real Rome, Florence, and Venice—blending in with all their beauties that welcome you with open arms.

Buon Viaggio!

SUSAN VAN ALLEN, HOLLYWOOD