The resourceful traveler

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - _"Traveling Solo" (GPP Travel/Globe Pequot, $17.95; ISBN: 978-0-7627-4793-1)

Eleanor Berman knows what it's like to travel alone; she has done it often enough. In "Traveling Solo," she offers advice and ideas for more than 250 vacations. Among the many options are going on a learning vacation, participating in a volunteer program or registering at a cooking school. There also are adventure travel, hiking and walking tours, nature workshops and photography tours. In addition, she has chapters devoted to the singles scene, women-only travel and 50-and-over travel. She also offers general advice about traveling alone, from how to get the best table at a fancy restaurant ("most tables are designed for two," she reminds us) to her personal impressions on four cities that she finds especially solo-travel friendly (Amsterdam, Montreal, Paris and New York).

_"Italianissimo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best" (Little Bookroom, $18.95; ISBN: 978-1-892145-54-3)

What do Italians do best? Many things, according to "Italianissimo," a most unusual and idiosyncratic guide to Italian culture. The list includes things that one might expect, such as balsamic vinegar, coffee, soccer, gelato and the art of eating, to quirky items such as hand gestures, neorealist cinema, patron saints, the motor scooter and, my personal favorite, Pinocchio. What makes the book especially enjoyable is the surprising quality of the choices. The Fiat 500 (the Italian car made for the masses, was introduced in 1936, followed by the Nuova Fiat 500 in 1957. Discontinued for a while, it reappeared in 2007 in time for its 50th anniversary) Also here is the piazza, or town square, as Italian an icon as you'll get.

_"Iran" (Lonely Planet, $25.99; ISBN: 978-1-74104-293-1)

It's a fair guess that Iran doesn't appear on the top of too many people's must-see destinations, given the current political climate. But that hasn't stopped Lonely Planet from putting together a terrific introductory guide to the country _ the fifth edition of the volume, in fact. Authors Andrew Burke and Mark Elliott readily admit that Iran has a serious image problem. "Beyond the stereotypes," they write, "you'll experience a country desperate to be seen for what it is, rather than what it is perceived to be." To that end, they have not only assembled a first-rate guide to what to see and do but also have written a thoughtful primer on the country's complex history and its cultural legacy, from, yes, carpets _ there are many different designs of Persian rugs, they note _ to architecture, music, literature and cinema. They also discuss Iranian food. Despite all the talk of terrorism and kidnapping, the biggest threat to your body and limb will be the crazy drivers. (Iran has the highest per-capita number of road deaths on the planet _ nearly 28,000 deaths in 2006 with an additional 270,000 injured.)

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_"Syria & Lebanon" (Lonely Planet, $22.99; ISBN: 978-1-74104-609-0)

Syria and Lebanon also have their own public image to work through. In this third edition, the authors describe the ancient cities and towns, mosques, ruins as well as baklava and even skiing. In Syria, they look at the various aspects of Damascus, including the Old City, biblical Damascus and the Damascus art scene. Among the more unusual sidebars is a brief profile of the man behind the movie classic "Lawrence of Arabia," T.E. Lawrence himself, and a vignette on the nomadic Bedouins and their vanishing lifestyle (hotels in the ancient city of Palmyra offer trips to Bedouin camps or, if you are lucky, you may still encounter Bedouins in the most remote parts of Syria). And when in Beirut, they suggest you check out the nightlife and, of course, one of the city's many coffeehouses, "where you can sip strong black coffee from a tiny china cup, rather than a low-fat soya double iced mocchacino. ..." As a precaution, the authors recommend that potential visitors check the latest travel advisory warnings.

_"Borneo" (Lonely Planet, $22.99; ISBN: 978-1-74059-105-8)

Another unusual destination is Borneo, which consists of one island containing three countries: Malaysia in the form of Sabah and Sarawak (which belong to Malaysia), Indonesia and Brunei, one of the smallest countries in the world. The island is known for its rich biodiversity, which, note the authors, is under siege. Borneo is one of only two places in the world where you can see wild orangutans. As the third-largest island in the world, Borneo contains a number of distinctive habitats, including coral reefs, freshwater swamp forests and mangroves. It is also a haven for the great outdoors. Here you can go mountain climbing, jungle trekking, diving and snorkeling. Useful chapters and sections bring readers up to speed on the history of the island, health concerns and language.

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© 2008, Chicago Tribune.