Italy guidebook suggestions

[clseale]

We're going to be in Italy for 12 days, Aug-Sep. Yay! I want to pick up a guide book, and wanted to ask for suggestions. We'll be in multiple cities. I know Rick Steves is popular, but are there any other books anyone found to be helpful? Tia!

[marytini]

I'm a Rick Steve's fan. I always check out it several guidebooks from the library before a trip, and if I liked the book enough, then I'd buy my own copy. Even if they don't have the most current edition, you can at least get an idea of the set up and feel for the information. Otherwise I just photocopy any pages I might need. This way you don't have to bring the whole book along on your trip.

[Deleted]

Rick Steves is a must-have and must-bring, though I do think it helps to supplement with info from elsewhere (particularly if you like to do more luxe travel than he does).

I also like to use Eyewitness books to plan, and I like Top Ten for the specific cities I go to because they're small (and therefore easy to carry around).

[Deleted]

We used Rick Steve's in Italy. I am also a Lonely Planet devotee.

[mdgirl]

We just got back a couple weeks ago. we had the most current Rick Steves Italy guide on our phones via the Kindle app and it was incredibly handy. Also we had the TripAdvisor city guides app for Rome, Venice, and Milan (I think there's one for Florence, too) and they were all really useful. It downloads all the reviews for the city and works offline, including the map function.

[clseale]

Well you girls made this easy. Lol Rick Steves it is! Also some great tips I hadn't thought of (apps, smaller books, etc) for having something easier to take with us while we're sightseeing. Thanks!

[chicago]

We took Rick Steves and the Eyewitness Guide. Also, if you have an iPhone, there was a Rick Steves app and you could download various walking tours, etc. for free. I seem to remember that there were a bunch for Italy, though I don't think we used them. We did use one at the Louvre on our Paris trip and it was awesome.

[wise_rita]

The answer to anything in Europe is always, always Rick Steves.

[sporky]

I hate Rick Steves with a passion. My go-to travel books for Europe are DK Eyewitness and Frommers. They have much more information (Frommer's) with better lay-outs and maps (DK).

[GilliC]

I'm an EyeWitness fan. I loved their Italy guide. They had all kinds of neighborhood maps with suggested walking routes that you could use to explore, and it would point out interesting architectural details and historical notes along the way.

The drawings and illustrations were especially useful at places like the Roman Forum, because it was easy to identify what you were looking at from the guide.

We also had the Lonely Planet Italy, and I was not impressed.

[Norticprincess]

I liked the Eyewitness series in Italy. We did have the Rick Steve's walking tours. I have a love hate relationship with rS guides. Some of them are great others if your trip style doesn't match his...


More recent trips, I usually try to find the tourism apps for places we are visiting if I have local data sim or wifi. A lot of places have self guided auto tour as an app.

[Deleted]

May 11, 2014 9:03:44 GMT -5 sporky said:

I hate Rick Steves with a passion. My go-to travel books for Europe are DK Eyewitness and Frommers. They have much more information (Frommer's) with better lay-outs and maps (DK).

Why, out of curiosity?  I don't think that I've ever heard anyone say that!

(But my parents just got home from a 17 day Rick Steves tour -- Rick loyalty runs in my family)

[clseale]

Thanks for all of the tips. I completely forgot to go by the book store when I was out today, but I'll definitely look through the different books you all suggested, before deciding. I'm also going to check out some apps.

chicago, I think a ton of people were using that app when we were at the Louvre. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to me what they might be using, until we were mostly finished looking around. I'll definitely look & see what's available for Italy.

[neonpink]

May 10, 2014 20:38:10 GMT -5 chicago said:

We took Rick Steves and the Eyewitness Guide. Also, if you have an iPhone, there was a Rick Steves app and you could download various walking tours, etc. for free. I seem to remember that there were a bunch for Italy, though I don't think we used them. We did use one at the Louvre on our Paris trip and it was awesome.

The Iphone Rick Steves app is awesome. I used it while hanging out in the Sistine Chapel and walking through Ostia Antica. I feel like I got so much more out of my visit.

[clseale]

May 12, 2014 12:43:35 GMT -5 neonpink said:

May 10, 2014 20:38:10 GMT -5 chicago said:

We took Rick Steves and the Eyewitness Guide. Also, if you have an iPhone, there was a Rick Steves app and you could download various walking tours, etc. for free. I seem to remember that there were a bunch for Italy, though I don't think we used them. We did use one at the Louvre on our Paris trip and it was awesome.

The Iphone Rick Steves app is awesome. I used it while hanging out in the Sistine Chapel and walking through Ostia Antica. I feel like I got so much more out of my visit.

I downloaded it last night!

[sporky]

May 11, 2014 17:51:45 GMT -5 v said:

May 11, 2014 9:03:44 GMT -5 sporky said:

I hate Rick Steves with a passion. My go-to travel books for Europe are DK Eyewitness and Frommers. They have much more information (Frommer's) with better lay-outs and maps (DK).

Why, out of curiosity?  I don't think that I've ever heard anyone say that!

(But my parents just got home from a 17 day Rick Steves tour -- Rick loyalty runs in my family)

I don't care for a lot of his recommendations. His restaurant suggestions were the worst two meals of our last trip. And I dislike that he is so selective about what cities and sites he includes in his books. I prefer a more comprehensive guide that actually includes a variety of sites. Plus, I disliked his audio guides for Rome. I didn't find them to be very informative.

[GilliC]

May 13, 2014 16:31:23 GMT -5 sporky said:

May 11, 2014 17:51:45 GMT -5 v said:

Why, out of curiosity?  I don't think that I've ever heard anyone say that!

(But my parents just got home from a 17 day Rick Steves tour -- Rick loyalty runs in my family)

I don't care for a lot of his recommendations. His restaurant suggestions were the worst two meals of our last trip. And I dislike that he is so selective about what cities and sites he includes in his books. I prefer a more comprehensive guide that actually includes a variety of sites. Plus, I disliked his audio guides for Rome. I didn't find them to be very informative.

This is where I'm at. He has a hard-on for the city hall here in Oslo, and I don't get it. It's okay, but there's so much more to see in the city that unless you're into mid-20th-century murals, you'd probably like something else more. But everyone who visits with a Rick Steves guide insists on visiting it.

(That's part of the reason I like the Eyewitness guides. I use the sample pictures to get a feel for how much I'd enjoy a particular sight or museum.)

[marytini]

It's funny reading this post, bc while I agree RS is the way to go, if you check out the Trip Advisor or similar forums, they are all anti-Rick Steve's. I think they're just jealous.

[mcfelix]

Eyewitness is best to use when you are actually there, and out and about. Rick Steve's would be better to read ahead of time to prepare for your trip, IMO.