Hi,
I'm a total touring newbie, but I'm off to Italy for a month this summer and want to get a new bike for the trip.
I'm looking for a Bike and have been researching it a bit.
There seems to be alot of 'city' 'street' and 'short-trip' hybrid bikes,
but not alot of solid long-trip Touring Bikes.

I want the bike to be as light as possible, but very reliable, so I don't want new fangled bits that'll be hard to fix or replace on route. I also need a good "granny gear" as I need all the help I can get uphill!
I'm looking for mountain-bike sized wheels, mountain-bike style-gears, lock-off-able front suspension, front and rear pannier facility.
What would you recommend that would fit this description?

Would you recommend getting a women's bike?
What are the reasons for getting one and the advantages or disadvantages?
I don't want to get a dropped bar just so it's easier to mount the bike, as I've heared that weakens the frame. But if the geometry would fit me better I'd be interested in a women's frame.
I am 5'5". If I measure my leg-length how do I relate that to frame size?
What distance from saddle to handle bars should I be looking for in relation to my arm length?

Any help and advice greatly appreciated!