<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Thanks for all of your lovely suggestions.
Clearly, there is nothing to worry about when seeking GF food in Italy.
Here is a summary of the responses I received.
Pete
www.silly-yak.com
+++++

We were in Rome and Tuscany last summer for three weeks, and it is one  
of the easiest places to be Celiac. In Rome, I'd highly recommend  
Osteria Dell'Ingegno in Piazza di Petra. If you eat on the patio, you  
are in front of ancient columns. Make sure to talk with the chef about  
your needs. They were incredibly accommodating.

Then, in Florence, you can't go wrong with Ciro & Sons, one of the  
first restaurants in all of Italy to embrace gluten-free dining. The  
main dining room still has the remnants of century old frescoes on the  
walls, and the food is fabulous. If you want gluten-free pizza at  
Ciro's, you have to reserve a day in advance. They make up gluten-free  
pizza crusts each day only for those who have reserved.

The best meal we had was in Milan, which sounds like is out of your  
plans. But if you go, a tiny, neighborhood place called Osteria dei 5  
Sensei is magnificent. We were the only non-neighborhood people eating  
there, but they are fully trained on gluten-free needs.
***
By contacting the Italian celiac association you will find all sorts  
of good advice.  I had no trouble in Italy at all.  Every Pharmacia  
has a gluten free section.
***
Four years ago I took a bicycle and sight-seeing tour of coastal  
Tuscany and two days in Florance.  I brought the Triumph Dining Card  
for Italy and a letterhead from the Italian Celiac Association.  All I  
had to do was show those to the waiter or chef and he would say  
something like, "Ah, Celleaccia.  I'll fix you something nice".  And  
he would.  It was usually GF pasta with a fresh tomato sauce, with  
meat and perhaps a vegetable.  Delicious.  This happened each place we  
ate.  The Europeans are must more aware of Celiac Disease than  
Americans.

I have to say, I ate better in Italy than I did elsewhere in my  
travels. They are very aware about gluten-free food. You can walk into  
any pharmacy (farmacia) and buy Schar and other GF products. I  
actually almost cried when I was sitting outside of the Vatican,  
drinking Italian wine, and eating GF pasta. It was amazing to be so  
"normal"

My daughter, who has celiac, has been studying in Italy this  
semester.  She arrived the end of January and will be there until  
early May.  They are based in Certaldo, which is a town in the Tuscany  
region.  They have spent time in Rome, as well as many other cities in  
Italy.  She has had an amazing experience with eating gluten free.  
There is one particular restaurant in Certaldo that she really likes.   
I will forward your email to her and ask her to be as specific as she  
can for you, regarding naming restaurants.  Her professor that is with  
her, also has celiac and travels to Italy frequently.  I'll ask if she  
can provide some input, as well.
***
http://www.gfguideny.com/homegfguideitaly.html
***
They are very aware of celiac in Italy.  They test all the children  
there before entering school.  If you have travel cards in Italian,  
you should be fine.  They also sell great GF pasta in the markets.   
Save room in your luggage to bring some home.
***
Below are links to articles posted on about traveling in Italy.

They need updating, but should get you started.

The first is a basic "how to" eat gf in Italy:
http://wayoftheceliactraveler.blogspot.com/2007/11/eating-gluten-free-in-italy-primer.html

This one has lists of restaurants:
http://wayoftheceliactraveler.blogspot.com/2007/11/celiacs-guide-to-eating-in-italy.html

An article about Rome:
http://wayoftheceliactraveler.blogspot.com/2006/11/reflections-of-rome.html

This one focuses on Florence:
http://wayoftheceliactraveler.blogspot.com/2006/11/florence-has-it-all-including-gluten.html

***
Triumph Dining Cards, comes with 10 cards in 10 languages:

http://www.triumphdining.com/products/gluten-free-dining-cards

Enjoy Tuscany. It's beautiful!
***
Italy was really gluten free heaven if you can believe it! Like Erin  
said the Farmacias are amazing with their selections of packaged  
food...the bread is great and shelf-stable and they even had gf  
chocolate crosissants! I wish I had had extra room to take back all  
the food I found there. I also found if you let your hotel know ahead  
of time they would have gf breakfast, one place even gave me a loaf of  
bread that I took around with me for the rest of the trip! and when we  
went for lunch at a small family-run winery/restaurant in tuscany the  
owner took my bread and made me bread soup!

Although the book is a little scattered and you need to do some  
additional research, I do recommend the Gluten Free Italy book...it  
lists all regions and gluten free and gluten free friendly  
restauarants....

If you can believe it there is a 100% gluten free bakery in  
Florence..I didn't know where to start...they have bread and pastries  
and pizzas....I wanted to buy the whole place! It's called Il Fresco  
Senza Glutine...it's a little out of the way but definitely worth  
making the trip....it's on Viale Spartaco lavagnini East of the train  
station on the North side of street.

In Rome we found a pizza place, but I just dont' recall the name right  
now...However, even when we walked into a random place we had not  
researched, everyone knows what celiac is and will be able to tell you  
what is safe to eat...just say "senza glutine" and for lunch a lot of  
the times we went to a butcher shop or supermarket and got some sliced  
meat and cheese and made sandwhiches with the bread we  
bought...definitely a time saver and delicious!

Grom gelato shops (which they also have in NY) list all flavors that  
are gluten free as well and I had heard that you could find gf cones  
at some places but I never found one

Visit the Celiac Web Page at Http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC