Italy, Beyond the Tourist Traps [View all]

John Hooper says he is often a little puzzled by Italy.

“It’s a country that seems to be all on the surface, but actually a lot of things are hidden,” said Mr. Hooper, author of “The Italians,” a cultural study of the country that was published by Viking last month. “That can be at times sinister, but it can also be fascinating and rewarding, if you go off the beaten track.”

That is why Mr. Hooper, 65, thinks life is too short for tourist traps. Many people, he said, tend to prioritize Italy’s famous sites over its more sincere side, when in fact they should do the opposite.

Mr. Hooper, who lives and works in Rome as a journalist for The Economist and The Guardian, recently gave some cultural and culinary advice for travelers wanting to see Italy from an insider’s perspective. Following are edited excerpts from a conversation with Mr. Hooper.

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