europe

Dorling Kindersley makes the best travel guides hands down. They are extremely well illustrated, have extensive and detailed maps (thank god, because I tend to get lost very easily), up to date information on hotels (rates, rooms etc), restaurants (costs and reservation policies), and sites to see.

The travel guides have wonderful pictures, well researched histories and facts about Italy, what wines to look for and taste (not just by region and vineyard but also by year), sample dishes that one should try, detailed walking tours, information on famous art (there is a great section on the Sistine Chapel and all of the figures you will find in each panel).

The book also covers customs, money changing, travel information - you name it!

This is one of the best guides available on the market. It is perfect if you are planning to go to a few cities in a limited time or for more in depth information when planning a longer trip. We always lend this out to people before they plan a trip and everyone else has agreed it is top of the line.

So you are looking for a travel guide to Italy!? Well you have found one of the most helpful books out there. DK Travel books, if you have never used one, are extremely well written guides to getting around almost any european country, and are organized as follows...First the book is divided into 17 sections, one for each area of the country (Tuscany, Umbria, etc), with a section on Rome, Florence and Venice as well. Then each section has a beautiful hand drawn map with roads and mini castles drawn in, which is numbered...for example, Tuscanys map will have 28 numbers on it with San Gimignano being 24. You then look a bunch of pages later for number 24 and there is a whole page on San Gimignano, including 5 pictures from around town and a 3d drawing of the town with the important sites marked and a proposed walking tour of the town. That is what makes this book...the attention to detail. The drawings are very numerous and very helpful and are only outdone by the wonderful photography that allows you to see where you are going to go.

Also included are sections on driving in Italy, sleeping in Italy (hotel prices and numbers included), eating in Italy, etc. The eating section is even unique in that there are little pictures of the different dishes you will run into so, even if you can't pronounce Pesto Figitaloni(sp?) you will know what it looks like. A section is devoted to the different wines you will find and one on the most beautiful buildings and castles throughout the country. What all these benefits give you is not only an awesome tool to plan your trip but a great picture book to keep on your coffeetable!

Only weakness I found with this book is that most of the accomodations listed are fairly expensive...hotels +75$ a night and restaurants +20$...this is over my budget so...

One word of advise...Couple this book with 'Rick Steves Italy' (For the real intimate details of each of Ricks favorite areas of Italy) and if you still need info on hotels, restaurants and tips of what to see than settle for Let's Go Italy or western Europe. This combo of books will tell you all you need to know while planning your trip and while travelling around in Italy...Enjoy and have safe travels...
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As a travel guide, this book is beyond useless! The pictures are amazing and they will definitly inspire you to take a trip to Italy but once your get there, if you depend on this book, your family will have to declare you missing! There aren't any directions to any of the places addressed in the book. And some of the places discussed would be impossible for the average person to go see on his/her own. I used Let's Go Italy as my travel guide for my 3-month italian excursion and it was the best! Yes, it wasn't without it's errors, but nothing too off the wall. I brought both my Let's Go and my Eyewitness Travel Guide with me on my trip. I gave the Eyewitness book to a British girl I met while working. She only liked it for the pictures too!