Southern Italy

As an ex-writer of farce and TV soap, it's not surprising that Cristian Bonetto clicks with Campania. The Italo-Australian writer has been hooked on the region for years, his musings on it appearing in print from Sydney to London. Cristian has contributed to a dozen Lonely Planet titles, including Naples & the Amalfi Coast, Rome Encounter and Copenhagen Encounter. When he's not putting on weight in Italy, chances are you'll find him guzzling coffee in New York, Scandinavia or his hometown, Melbourne.
Gregor Clark caught the Italy bug at age 14 during a year in Florence in which his professor dad trundled the family off to see every fresco, mosaic and museurn within a 1 000km radius. He's lived in Venice and Le Marche, led northern Italian bike tours, and huffed and puffed across the Dolomites while researching Lonely Planet's Cycling Italy. Highlights of his latest Sicily trip include celebrating his birthday at Segesta and racing up Etna at sunset to see an unexpected eruption.
Although born and raised in Australia, Olivia Pozzan's Italian heritage continually draws her back to the "home country". Having contributed to Lonely Planet's Puglia & Basilicata guide, she was keen to revisit the region to face a delicious onslaught of pasta, pizza and red wine. As an adventurous outdoors enthusiast, she has hiked mountain ranges, led caving expeditions and worked for an Arabian prince.
When not exploring the world's most exotic places she lives the Aussie beach lifestyle, and is a practising veterinarian.