Susan Van Allen is a travel writer who specializes in Italian travel. Her passion for the country stems from her maternal grandparents, who emigrated from southern Italy. She was born in Newark, N.J., and grew up on the Jersey shore amid wonderful food and drama. She's been traveling to Italy for 40 years — visiting relatives, immersing herself in the country's masterpieces and culture, taking language and cooking classes and going on boating, biking and hiking adventures. Van Allen is the author of the bestseller 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go, 50 Places in Rome, Florence, and Venice Every Woman Should Go, and Letters from Italy. She's also written about Italian travel for many media outlets, including National Public Radio, Town & Country, Tastes of Italia, Chicago Daily Herald, several Travelers Tales anthologies (including Best Travel Writing) and CNN.com. Van Allen also writes for television, and was on the staff of the Emmy-winning sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. When she's not in Italy, she is based in Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband and makes scrumptious lasagna. For more information, visit susanvanallen.com.