My husband and I are very big fans of Italy, Italian cooking and Italian wine and thoroughly enjoyed this Discovery Atlas DVD. The high definition photography is breathtaking. The telling of the modern day Italy and its historical roots through the eyes of different Italian people from many walks of life from areas all over the country is inspired. We highly recommend this DVD.

As an interesting aside one of the stories told by the DVD involves a man from the Italian Alps area of the country and who has been a member of a volunteer mountain rescue team for many years. The narrator makes a passing comment that due to global warming and the melting of the snow pack the man is now able to visit a warming hut used by his grandfather during an historic battle with the Austrians during World War I. Following World War I that same warming hut was covered by decades of snow pack denying access to the hut until recent global warming had once again revealed its location. Clearly a bit of unnecessary political commentary on Discovery's part and that might have inadvertently missed its intended mark.

Although an Interesting piece of history the warming hut story left my husband and I wondering what changed in the Earth's climate (global cooling perhaps) during the late 19th century and early 20th century that allowed the man's grandfather and his fellow soldiers access to the warming hut and then subsequently kept the warming hut covered by snow pack for decades until the late 20th and early 21st century. Although a single data point, the described circumstance does have the feel of a trend rather than a politically correct crisis management event.

The video quality of this movie was very good. My wife and I have been to italy many times and enjoyed this film because it had many of the same places that we had been to. We have a movie similar to this one that is not blu-ray and it just doesn't hold up to the beauty of Italy. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone interested and I would also recommend a blu-ray player so that you could watch this excellent movie in it's full quality.

I only wish that more time was devoted to the natural beauty of Italy and its cities,towns and natural coutryside, particulary in the north, as opposed to horse racing, auto racing etc.

It is a shame that there are people who don't bother to READ what these documentaries are about BEFORE they buy them and are disappointed.

The oft-stated aim of Discovery Atlas is not a history lesson ... it is a unique look at countries through the eyes and personal stories of a select group of individuals.

What better ways to learn the true feelings and emotions than by this manner.

Exquisitely shot, wonderfully narrated, these videos provide a unique look into each of these nations that one would not otherwise EVER be party to.

Not the thing I thought it was. I wanted the colors of Italy. This isn't it.