5 comments about Rome with Kids: An Insider's Guide.

1. "Rome With Kids" is just as important for your trip to Rome as obtaining your passport. This book is written for PEOPLE going to visit Rome. Children are people, too. This book will enhance the visit with the author's expert advice and insight on history, culture, food, shopping,and above all where to buy the best ice cream.
   "Rome with Kids" has everything you need to discover the delights of Rome at your own pace and the pace of the children.
   I have lived in Italy , on and off, for over 30 years. As I read this excellent book I found new and interesting things to see and to do.
   I give it 10 stars.



2. This is truly an amazing book. Very unique, not only informational but enjoyable at the same time. I have followed the author's advice throughout Rome and had a fantastic trip. I wouldn't go to Rome without this book.



3. I was amazed at this book! If you are planning a trip to Rome this book is for you! I think it is great for Kids of all ages, that includes Moms Dads and Grandparents, I loved the format. Rome can be a little daunting at times, And this book can help in keeping everyone happy intertained and well fed! Just a great book!



4. Rome With Kids is a guide to making the most of one's visit to Rome, the great seat of Western civilization, written especially for parents with children in tow. Color photographs and maps enhance the step-by-step itineraries, recommendations for kid-friendly activities, advice on viewing the finest museum collections before the kids burn out, tips on where to shop or rent bikes, and much more. Written by mother and former Rome resident J.M. Pasquesi, Rome with Kids is enthusiastically recommended to parents for its attention to detail and ease of use.



5. My daughter (11) and I loved planning our trip to Rome with this book! It ended up being the only book we carried with us as we toured the Eternal City. The information was great with wonderful tidbits to keep the interest level high. There are terrific pictures throughout although without a frame of reference for size, we were always surprised to find out something was MUCH bigger than we thought it was going to be! That was always good for a laugh.
   Since we were staying nearby, the recomended gelato stand between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona became our regular nightcap and it is the best in the city! Great tip! We even sent another family there.
   We homeschool so this was our field trip and this book was invaluable for our needs. Our copy has been our notebook and is full of written notes, highlighting, post-it notes, and drawings. Thank goodness the printing is such great quality. We wouldn't part with it for anything!
   Ciao!

1 comments about Top 10 Rome (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. I've read numerous travel guides, most of which I've dragged with me throughout the duration of my trips (often times, two or three books and various website printouts and lists). These have included the Lonely Planet, Fodor's and Rough Guide books. All are decent, but tend to be long and tedious to thumb through quickly.
   
   But when you factor in size, weight, cost, and coverage, I don't think you can beat the Top 10 series. They are ideal for a few days' stay, but might be a bit lacking if you're in a particular city for a week or more. It has been all we've needed for the basis of our Rome and Venice trip planning. The hotel recommendations are a bit outdated and bare-bones, but there's always TripAdvisor and Venere for more up-to-date and detailed info. The maps are also outstanding--they've made my StreetWise maps basically obsolete (for comparison, StreetWise maps cost almost as much as this book).
   
   Detractors may quickly scoff at the whole idea of boiling everything down to "just a top 10", but keep in mind that there are numerous "top 10 lists" throughout the book, covering many categories. The idea here is to give tourists--especially first-timers--an overview of the major sights and to provide them a basis for which to explore further, based on specific interests. Used as such, I don't think you'll find a better travel guide.

5 comments about Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide (Oxford Archaeological Guides).

1. I just returned from Rome, using this book as my primary guide. We were able to identify almost every random bit of ancient archaelogy sticking out of the ground as we walked about the city, and if you've been to Rome, you'll understand how impressive that is.
   
   A major shortcoming that I noticed is that the book treats the ancient-era churches very lightly: while the myths of gods such as Pollux and Castor are frequently referenced in relation to the ancient sites, the C1 AD story of Saint Clement is inexplicably left out of the section on the church of San Clemente constructed by Constantine. Also, as the author states in the beginning, the intent of this guide is to detail ancient Rome only. If you are interested in medieval, Renaissance, or ecclessiastic history, you will certainly need a supplemental guide.
   
   Now, for the advantages... The guide systematically presents every ancient structure in Rome (we were never disappointed), providing a very good map at the beginning of each chapter for a major area (e.g. the Palatine, Field of Mars) to help you identify what you are looking at. The site is laid out in a sort of walking tour format and if you begin at the point suggested, you can follow the chapter page by page as it logically guides you through the region. We did find that writing in page references for each location on the map at the beginning made the book much easier to use. For more complicated buildings, additional diagrams are provided in the appropriate subsection where it is further detailed. The Baths of Caracalla are a superb example of this.
   
   While Claridge delves a bit too thoroughly into the exact type of marble used in the facing and floors of each building, you find yourself recognizing the materials and envisioning the baths, basillicas, and forums as they might have looked clad in Phyrgian red and Numidian yellow marbles. With frequent referencing, we soon became familiar with Caracella, Domitian, and Nerva as we viewed the great construction projects they enacted. The author presents quite clearly the historical origin and significance of each site as well as its original appearance (if known) and the many refurbishments it went through with the frequent fires of Rome.
   
   For our trip, we opted out of taking any tours, and we didn't feel we missed anything. We were often surrounded by tours and gained more information from our book than the guide was sharing with his group. You never know how reliable a guide really is, and with this book, you can be assured of Amanda Claridge's credentials. The trip became a bit of a mystery adventure for us as we excitedly reconstructed the ruins around us into the elegant structures they once were.
   
   Even if you do decide to go with a more mainstream guide book for your trip to Rome, you will find this one to be an invaluable supplement for all those tidbits that the major guides just don't have time to cover.



2. I used this book for my second trip to Rome and it was absolutely invaluable. I wish that I had it for my first trip. I am a person who only cares about the Ancient Roman artifacts and this book literally has ever one listed by region that you have access to. If you decide to use this book bring along a highlighter and check off the sections that you complete, by the end of the day you will be amazed at how much you have seen. I cannot recommend this book enough.



3. You can't really understand Rome without this companion. It looks deeply into the very heart of the city, into its foundations and the stories they tell. This is practical archaelology at its best, presenting us with the lessons that history can teach us.



4. I had the fortune or misfortune of buying this book prior to my first visit to Rome. It is such a well-organized, well-written, and concise guide to ancient Rome that you could make the mistake that I made upon completing it and my first visits there. You might search a long, long time and spend a lot of money trying to find something better. Based upon my experience, a university-level seminar or a three semester hour course is the only thing that could surpass this guide.
   
   Don't be put off by simplified plans shown in the pages. You need clear, simple ideas of what the stuff once was to understand what you're looking at. When you're in the ruins, you will be surrounded by other tourists, any changing weather conditions, and you will be viewing the architectural remains of a previous civilization from many different standpoints. You can't do that successfully without a clear, simple concept already in your mind.
   
   Fodor's Holy Rome, 1st Edition: A Millennium Guide to Christian Sights (Fodor's Holy Rome)



5. I took this book, along with a plethora of touristy guidebooks, and this one got read the most! We spent hours and hours in the Forum and the Palatine, and really delighted in uncovering the mysteries of so many building foundations. I left Rome wishing I had an archaeologist as a personal tour guide, but this book was an excellent substitution! It can be read at home, but I found infinitely more meaning when I sat at the site and read about where I was. Take this to Rome if you are interested in the ancients!

2 comments about This is Rome (This is . . .).

1. What a lovely book! How have I missed it all these years? I gave it to my daughter, 20, as a memento of our trip to Rome. It captures the spirit and sights of Rome better than anything else I've seen. It might work as a runup to a trip also, or just a wonderful book to dream on for kids and adults. The illustrations are sixties sublime!



2. Exclamations come to mind: beautiful design and drawings, comprehensive and to the point guide! And this goes for all his city guides Paris, Rome, Venice and Hong Kong. You might argue it is a bit old fashioned, but I think you are confusing it with "it s one of the Classics". And when something is called a Classic, it is timeless and a Must-Have! Trust me, it is worth your while and money!

5 comments about Blue Guide Rome, Ninth Edition (Blue Guide Rome).

1. Unlike the usual guidebook, the blue guide provides an incredibly indepth look at each place in Rome you might visit. This is not a "visual" guide like the DK series, but a text with pages of description. Some excellent maps of the interior of sites and some beautiful pictures. I used this book along with a more traditional guidebook. Armchair travelers would appreciate this book because of the depth of the descriptions.
   
   One disadvantage is how heavy the book is. Another potential disadvantage is the lack of "practical" info. If you want to know what the airport is like in Rome, how to travel with children, or much about hotels or restaurants, this guide is not for you. There is a brief "visitor information" section at the back, but it is very brief.



2. Given that the product showed as shipped but it never arrived, and I had to buy another one needed for.... a trip to Rome.... I have asked for and been granted a refund.



3. On his website, travel guru Rick Steves says that Blue Guides take "a dry and scholarly approach to the countries of Europe. They're ideal if you want to learn as much about history, art, architecture, and culture as you possibly can." This is basically true, though I much prefer a "dry and scholarly" tone to Rick's "nerdy and precious" style. He's great when it comes to practical tips, but he can't touch the historical, artistic and architectural content of the Blue Guides.
   
   Blue Guides pack a tremendous amount of information into their pages, much more than any other guide I've used. They're wonderful for reading before and after your trip, but they're probably too dense to pack and take along for most people. Before leaving on my honeymoon to Italy, I photocopied the relevant pages of the Northern Italy book to avoid having to pack it because I knew I wouldn't be visiting most of the cities it covers. On that trip I field-tested three guides: Rick Steves, Eyewitness, and Blue Guide.
   
   Blue Guides are not good to use as your main guide. They're far too light on practical matters such as maps, directions, hotels and restaurants, and they're not updated every year. I used Eyewitness to plan and get around and then pulled out the Blue Guide once I reached a major site. I used Rick Steves so little and found him so unhelpful that I left his books behind in hotels along the way.
   
   Blue Guides have come a long way over the years. I was given an older edition of the Rome guide many years ago, and I couldn't believe how small the print was; it had a lot of detail but would have been very difficult to use while traveling. The publishers have learned their lesson: the current edition of the Rome guide is far easier to use and much more attractive, with colorful maps and an easier-to-read format. They've improved on the practical aspects as well, but you'll probably be in trouble if you rely on this book to get around in Rome. I recommend packing a more comprehensive one-volume guide such as Eyewitness and using Blue Guide to learn about specific sites once the other guide gets you to them. Keep Blue Guide on your shelf as an attractive reference and let it inspire you to return to Rome in the future!



4. The Blue Guides are all stellar tools and this one was a gem this Summer.



5. The Blue Guides, while excellent, are not usually my go-to guides for travel. They usually tell me more than I want or need to know, and their lack of practical information means you can only use it in conjunction with another guide. Rome was an exception. There's simply so much there, and sites are often so poorly labelled and have so little information, that I found I actually needed to carry it around with me. In fact, my original Blue Guide was in a bag that BA lost, and after attempting to see the Roman Forum without it, I found an English-language store and paid 29 for a new copy. It's that essential.

4 comments about Pocket Map and Guide Rome (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. We will be going to Rome soon, but we will not carry this item in our luggage. Why? It looks like good data but we could not read the tiny print. We had to pull out a magnifying glass to read anything. I am dissappointed.



2. Lots of pictures. Great concise descriptions. Maps. Small glossary of Italian. Organizes everything in a clear way. Perfect! Thought I was going to get another larger version of a travel guide for Rome but not anymore. It's all I need. If I do find something that it's missing I can look it up on the internet. The only thing that might be hard for some people is the small type. I have 20/20 vision and can read it perfectly. No problem whatsoever. But if you have vision problems you might find it somewhat hard to read. Its about the size of a Hershey Bar and jammed packed with information if that gives you an idea. I love it though!



3. We'll be cruising to Rome and only spending one day there. This guide is the perfect size for what we need - info on all the main sites, maps, travel information...without having to pay for a more expensive / comprehensive guide designed for longer visits. It's still packed with information...it even has a small phrasebook in the back. It's smaller than I expected, which is a good thing. They've really packed a lot of information into a totally portable guide...dining, street maps - it's really adorable, actually! I was hesitant to order because of the previous review that the text was too tiny to read. For me it's fine; I don't find the text size all that different from the regular Eyewitness guides. And you can't beat the price! Since we are going to several cities in Europe, I was even able to combine 4 books for the price of 3 with Amazon's promotion.



4. I went to Rome on very short notice, not having the luxury of doing much planning prior to my flight. I used this guide every day; I found it to be very handy for getting around and seeing the most popular sights.

5 comments about Rome (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. The Eyewitness series is always superb.
   
   I won;t repeat all the glory heaped on this volume in other reviews, other than to say, apart from the superb cut-aways, sumptuous photography and enagaging text, what Eyewitness unfailingly delivers is USABLE, properly indexed street maps. Too many guidebooke provide sketchy maps where scale turns out to be a mere fantasy, missing minor streets.
   
   Sometimes I find Eyewitness books a BIT too heavy for the baggage allowance, so I wish the maps were included in some sort of detachable form. They really are better than those in other guides, and as usable as a "freestanding" map book.



2. Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
   
   Eyewitness Travel Books are all we use! Very informative and easy to use!
   Recommend these books for your travels anywhere!



3. -- update: 'looks like there are 2 guides published by eyewitness; this is *NOT* the "Top 10;" it seems like several of the reviews below are based on that book, not this one. Be careful. --
   
   5 stars? Am I reading the same book?
   
   The book has an average of 4 pictures or graphics per page -- they're small and the text is squeezed around them. Some pages have 10 graphics or pictures. The whole thing seems like a textbook case in how not to design something to be user friendly.
   
   I found the text to be wanting, big time! I've spent a lot of time with Rome guidebooks, and this is clearly the worst of the lot -- sorry I spent the money. Even Fodors and Frommers are better than this. I recommend you take a look at Rick Steves (very plain, but good info) and Access (great idea of putting everything - food, hotel sights, together, block by block, but the seriies isn't what it used to be -- I think the company was sold a few years ago. The best I've found so far is the Rough Guide -- highly recommended



4. Look no further than any D&K guide for your travel needs, it covers everything and anyting; the guide divides any big area in sections and then suggests which routes, or attractions you must see; it also covers a historical background on them. From history of the city in question as to how to get there, how to use public transportation, basic conversation dialogues a tourist may encounter, places to eat, see, stay, do, it's all there.
   
   To me, there are no better guides than D&K guides. Recommend 100%.



5. Bad news first: this book has the issue of trying to cover too much in too small of a format and page count. As a result, you'll run into some cases where entries are text only. This is not too big of a deal, but sometimes a photo would really help identify a place when you're hemmed in by roads and buildings with little in the way of addresses to guide you. When in Rome, this can be a problem for the uninitiated.
   
   On the other hand, I found the descriptions, diagrams, and photos of the major areas to be more than adequate. I also found on several occasions that the guide pointed out little details (such as the location of Raphael's tomb in the Pantheon) that I would have missed otherwise. The restaurant and refreshment recommendations (save yourself some ground money by drinking from the aqueduct fountains) were right on - not a bad meal in the bunch. Which reminds me...if you like coffee, stop by Tazza d'Oro next to the Pantheon for a really good cup.
   
   To sum up, you cannot go wrong with this guide. Actually, all of the Eyewitness Guides I own - Rome, Florence, Naples, Venice, and Amsterdam - are essentially the same: not exactly perfect, but very good. Other than the minor issue of missing photos on some pages where it would have been useful, I can think of no complaint.

5 comments about Rick Steves' Rome 2008 (Rick Steves).

1. I took three books with me to Rome, and Rick Stevens was the best of the lot. I liked the history given with the must see sights. It was similiar to a top-notch self guided tour. The metro train info was very good, but not the bus routing. Since Rome is an easy city to move about, a better bus map would make this a five star product. I had to rely on the Eyewitness book for the bus routing. That is one thing that needs to be worked on in the Stevens book. Then it would not be necessary to have more than one book in hand. I highly recommend this guide.



2. The title of this review practically says it all: Rick Steves' guide is an excellent aid in finding about the opening hours, cost of tickets, locations of bathrooms and similar important things. On the other hand, its historical and cultural content is anecdotal and sketchy, and must be complemented by more serious publications, such as the Blue Guide, the Rough Guide, or the immortal "Companion Guide to Rome" by Georgina Masson. Steves' uncritical repetition of many canards about the Church and the Inquisition is quite jejune, just like his equally partisan pro-Jewish comments. Nevertheless, this book has definite practical merits and should be consulted by all future visitors to Rome.



3. This book is a very good tour book. I will be going to Rome on a budget and have booked reservations from his suggestions. The tour information is very thourgh. I was so impressed that I have downloaded the audio tours from his website [...] to an MP3 and they are also excellent.



4. We used this book to plan our hotels, and sightseeing. And once in Rome we used it as a tour guide at some sights and a dining recommendation. The dining recommendations were spot on, with one exception one of the places we wanted to try was closed. Rick Steves picks places that are affordable and good. We tried a random place in Rome and we were not pleased, so everywhere we ate, we ate a place recommended by him.
   
   The guides for the museum were excellent. He also provides audioguides and videos for many sights on iTunes as podcasts.



5. I feel this book is a "must" for anyone visiting Rome. Very helpful with sights to see, what needs reservations and when you should take a tour to avoid long lines. His suggestions were very helpful during our first visit over seas. I had forgotten the one suggestion about at cafes order at the counter and don't order from a table. It cost us 23 Euros for 2 small dishes of gelato and a light coke when it would have cost us 11 Euros if we had stood at the counter. His suggestions for the different passes you can purchase for sites to visit along with transportation forms saves you both money and time waiting in lines.

5 comments about Streetwise Rome Map - Laminated City Street Map of Rome, Italy - with integrated metro map including subway and railway lines, stations.

1. Rome is a hard city to map. Lots of small streets hidden down even smaller streets (but some how the Italians still drive 70 down them), but sometimes those are the streets that you need to find. The free map I got at my hotel was MUCH better than this map and I ended up not using it.



2. This map is wonderful!!!! It was a great asset to our trip. It is laminated and folds easily so you don't have to worry about it getting ruined. I would highly recommend this map to anyone going to Rome.



3. Has most of Historic Rome but not much of the out lying area. Have bought two to use on different trips.



4. Just returned from eight days of walking in Rome. This is the only map we needed to find our way to everything that was of interest to us. It seems that just about every street and alleyway is listed and shown to scale (which is not the case with the free "tourist" maps). Experienced the joy of just wandering around following our noses to one interesting area after another, always knowing that our trusty "Streetwise Rome" would come to the rescue when we wanted to reach a particular destination. We ventured to the Borghese Gallery, the Vatican, to Trastevere, Palatine Hill, the Colosseum, Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, Via Veneto, the Baths of Diocletian and from and back to the Termini Train Station. Including having the map out in the rain on several occassions, it still looks like new. The best thing is, it is only 4" X 8.5" when folded in your pocket and so easy to flip open to use (unlike so many other maps that you must unfold in several directions).
   The map also has sketches of many of the sights you will be looking for to help you quickly find them. While we only used the Metro once, all the stations are clearly marked. If you want to spend less time folding and unfolding the map and more time enjoying the sights, you may find this product very much to your liking.



5. There's not much you can say about a Map. It Works. I've used this "Streetwise" series in many cities, and I find them very handy. You don't have to worry about the map tearing, or not being able to fold it back after using it. My only regret is that they don't have more cities. How about Istanbul Streetwise?

5 comments about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

1. SHALLOW! I can not believe this is a best seller. It makes me sad to think so many people find this book good.



2. This is an exellent book for those of you who love the richness of grammar and descriptive language.
   
   I could not put down the book. Elizabeth's journey towards discovering herself made me ponder if I had discovered my purpose in life!!!
   
   Highly recommended for those in search of who they want to be and for those who have a light sense of humor.



3. I enjoyed sharing Elizabeth Gilbert's journey to find herself. Although she had a life many would envy her for, she was unhappy. I believe the fact that she took the initiative to do something about it and take time out in order to come to terms with herself is what this book is all about. While I feel that her decisions were selfish, at least she was truthful and determined not to deceive herself or those close to her.
   
   During her journey, she was determined to seek God. However, I believe she missed out on seeking His order and purpose for Man. In addition, she came to her own conclusions about God that I have to strongly disagree with. I don't believe that anyone can make his or her speculations about God and assume them to be true.
   
   Nevertheless, the success in finding inner peace and forgiveness is commendable. I did find myself getting a lot of laughs as I was reading! Gilbert's honest and realistic perspective is what made this book an enjoyable read. I like it when people say it like it is!



4. After seeing this book do so well, I had to read it! However, while reading it, I found myself wondering what all the fuss was about. While I found Gilbert to be incredibly talented with metaphors and insightful at times, she displayed an air of superiority that got under my skin and kept me from fully enjoying her story.



5. What a delightful book! I read it twice. Having been to Italy and Indonesia several times, I connected immediately to what Liz Gilbert had written, and I tended to breeze through India a bit too fast. That part was probably the most meaningful of the book and I'm glad I paid more attention the 2nd time around.
   What an inspiring story. The author's style is easy to follow. It's one of the best books of the decade in my opinion!