1 comments about The Civilization of Rome.

1. 
   
   While this book from the past may be one of the least known, it remains one of the best books on the civilization of Rome.
   
   Having over 200 illustrations, drawings, and maps within its covers it is a milestone of publishing for its time. The book covers Rome both from its years as a republic through the later empire years. Another section covers life and customs, laws, conquerors, and art. Another section covers the land itself, the pleasures of the cities, and the great cities of the empire. There are also chronological tables, a historical and biographical dictionary, and an extensive bibliography.
   
   Though a dated book it yet remains a very valuable addition to one's library shelf, and though I have many other volumes on Rome, this one from 1963 remains dear to my heart. It may be a book of interest to you as well.
   
   Semper Fi.

1 comments about Cheap Eats in Italy : The Savvy Traveler's Guide to the Best Meals at the Best Prices.

1. Sandra Gustafson's book is absolutely essential if you are not interested in paying overpriced tourist food when you visit Rome, Florence and/or Venice. Like the title, this book covers restaurants in Florence, Rome and Venice. In each city, restaurants are further divided into several city zones. There are maps to each city zone with numbers corresonding restaurants indicated on the map. They are not the most detailed map but good starting point, nevertheless. I have noticed a few mistakes on the map such as the numbers are placed on the wrong side of the street or mistakenly placed on the next street over. It is best to cross reference this book's map either with your hotel or with a different map.

   There is a quick reference section next to each restaurant that display vital information: credit card, reservation, cover charge, hours and etc. She also writes a short and personal comments for each restaurant, indicating the history, owner and sometimes what to order. One important note,

   I think the real strength of this book is in Rome. It almost never failed me. I had experienced with this book that would have been impossible to find unless you are a native to the city or know someone there. Most of the restaurants have English speaking staff, especially when in Rome. There are a few ( these tend to be the best!) places that doesn't so have your Italian Phrase book handy!

3 comments about Fodor's See It Rome, 1st Edition (Fodor's See It).

1. I agree with the reviewer who said that this is great for pre-trip research. It has a lot of useful pics for those who are not familiar with Rome's street sights, buses, etc. It gives detailed info on what to expect, which makes it useful when you are planning your days in Rome. I brought it to Rome and reviewed it every night before planning the next day. On the streets I preferred a detailed map instead of a book.



2. Between this book and Rick Steve's Rome I was able to find my way around Rome. I found this book to be easy to find items quickly. Whereas, Rick Steve's Rome was good for pre trip information, this book was usually a good on the spot book with good maps.



3. The See It series is finally allowing Fodor's to compete with the Eyewitness Travel Guides from DK Publishing which are always full of photos plus 3-D maps and diagrams. It was extremely helpful during the online research and planning of an upcoming trip. Previously I would typically not buy a book from Fodor's since I prefer to both see and read about a destination that I would like to learn more about and plan to visit.
   
   The Rome book is well done with lots of useful photos, clear descriptions, maps, ratings, and even walking tours. They have done an excellent job and I recommend it as an alternative to DK Eyewitness and to supplement the Rick Steves' advice focused book. I wish this book wasn't so bulky as the pages are thick and the book is taller than the average title. Overall a good choice for a travel book about Rome for the first or second time visitor.

5 comments about The Civilized Shopper's Guide to Rome.

1. This is a wonderful book for anyone to use as a "behind the main streets" guide to Rome. If you any desire to experience the real Rome rather than just falling in step with the thousands of tourists, this book will lead you to wonderful shops and experiences. Buy it long before your trip and study the routes. You will not be sorry.



2. Excellent idea, nicely executed, but 4 years is too long for a book like this not to be updated. About half of the restaurants/shops listed are no longer in existence. Much of the remaining information is no longer accurate.
   It does provide a somewhat surreal experience to follow a map to an address only to find a car dealership where you expect a leather boutique to be. Otherwise i'm afraid this edition is fairly useless.



3. I found this while looking for a good guidebook for my daughter to take to Italy. She was accompanying a friend of mine who loves to shop and this was the perfect little thank you gift to give to her before they left. It is very small (easy to carry on-board or while actually shopping), with one shop per page. It is aimed more at the little specialty shops and boutiques so I don't know if she was actually able to put it to use this trip, but she enjoyed getting it. My only worry is that since the book is several years old, I wonder how much of the information is outdated. Still, the perfect gift under the circumstances.



4. I love Rome. Off the beaten path and local favorites are my travel passion, and the shopping in Rome can't be beaten! So this book-ette, seemed a good choice. But I have to say, of the 46 books, and some odd hundred websites I comb looking for hidden secrets, this one is just okay. Its very small (about 4x4 inches) and difficult to read easily. So many of the suggestions are obvious and cliche. Though I do have two pages tagged for my upcoming visit.
   
   I would consider it a fun and pretty gift for someone visiting Rome for the first time. Otherwise, save your pennies, they will be better spent on plastic rosary from St. Peter's square.



5. I've lived in Rome for years and often recommend this guide to friends. Not only is it tiny (and thus fits in a pocket), but it includes many wonderful little places that locals know and love and that tourists may miss completely.

No comments about A Day in Rome (Book & Cds).

No comments about Rome (Bonechi Golden Book Collection).

4 comments about Knopf Guide: Rome (Knopf City Guides Rome).

1. Excellent historical and cultural introduction to the fountainhead of civilization. Great information on self-conducted walks filled with photographs, dates and erudite summary. The perfect companion to the intelligent visitor, or even resident! The only drawback to this atypical guidebook is precisely that; to those looking for where to eat, and which nightclub to go, look at the LetsGo.



2. This book is an excellent SUPPLEMENTAL guidebook to Roma. I've been twice now, and I'm about to go back again (this time with my wife!). The first time I went I took a Let's Go guidebook, the second time both LG & the Knopf guide. The Knopf guide is far superior in terms of background and relevance for the sites you will see, but if you're making reservations yourself you'll need another resource. I suggest Lonely Planet. (That Let's Go attitude only works so long - I've become disenchanted with the entire series, and have jumped ship to Lonely Planet - they're much more adult in presentation and style. I would not recommend Let's Go to anyone, even college students.)



3. On a recent trip to Italy, we used four Knopf books (Italy, Venice, Rome and Florence). Each was lovely and beautifully illustrated. While they contained wonderful historic information they were pretty much useless for our travels. They contained little in the way of useful and practical information. I'll try Fodor's or others for future travels.



4. As I stated in the review to the Paris Knopf guide, this set of books, for cities, is the best. This book has good maps of the Forums, and the Coliseum areas, and incredible amounts of historical information about almost every nook and cranny of the City. As I stated for this book-set before.

   1) Go get a Michelin or other similar urban map, or buy one when you get to the City.
   2) Dont use the hotels/restaraunts section of the book. Info is dated, but this is to be expected.
   3) Get Rick Steves for tricks and shortcuts, the Knopf book wont give you these.

   Enjoy!

5 comments about Blue Guide Rome, Eighth Edition.

1. This book divides Rome into 29 walking tours. Each one takes about a day. Maybe you could do two per day in the summer. A few of the tours have a common theme, but most of them just cover a region of the city. The focus is on cultural/historical sites. There's very little about where to eat, sleep, or shop. The author is thorough and provides a lot of insight. The book reads as a folksy continuous narrative by a knowledgeable and perceptive guide. If you have a month in Rome, you could use this book to get a great tour.

   Many tourists would find this book difficult to use. Suppose you're in Rome for a few days, not nearly enough time to walk all 29 tours. There is no easy way to use this book to prioritize which sites to visit.

   The Michelin Green Guide has a similar aim and focus, but is much more user-friendly for a short visit. It breaks the city into a smaller number of regional walks. In general it's not quite as thorough as the Blue Guide in terms of what it says about each site and the number of sites it includes. The Michelin Guide has a system of one, two, and three stars to prioritize the sites. This makes it easy for the user to just hit the highlights.




2. Let's be clear. This "guide" book is usually standard textbook fare for the 35 American students chosen to study at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (ICCS) in Rome. Why? Between two covers and kept in your sachel, it offers everything a student would need to know about the Roman ruins that might have been the Temple to Spes or the iconography of a Caravaggio hanging in ... wait, a minute, what church are we in? The Blue Guide series is for those who are looking for a little education amongst their travels. As such, it usually needs supplementing with a more popular, flashy compendium of phone numbers or restaurants. At least now we're clear (but don't begrudge it).



3. The essential guide. We toured the Forum with it, and never lost track of which ruins we were looking at! Also very useful and accurate on Vatican museums. A must for art and history buffs.



4. Indispensible during the several days I spent in Rome last February. It covers not only where to find major sites but also the history and relevance of such sites. I had no problem whatsoever navigating the maps, and the only supplement needed was the free paper underground map provided at the subway or your hotel. Even so, you can get along without that if you know where you are going and look at the information on the boards before getting on the train. Even before I went and after I returned home I still like to read through it and think back to my time there and when I will visit again. Very coherent, detailed, and easy-to-use. If you really want to see Rome, I think a Blue Guide is probably more helpful (and can lead to more memorable experiences) than the "bus tour."



5. My husband and I travel every chance we get, and wherever we go, we take two guidebooks, one with color photos and overviews of major sites, and the other, the Blue Guide for the city or region in question. Blue Guides are not the practical choice for making reservations, finding out prices, or navigating the local transportation choices. When it comes to detail, however, about history, culture, not-to-be-missed or off-the-beaten-track treasures, they have no equal. City Guide Rome is no exception. Because of this resource, we discovered San Clemente, with its amazing subterranean world beyond the Coliseum, the remarkable early Christian Church of St Agnese Fuori le Mure, and the lovely Roseto rose gardens. The background information provided for all listings is well researched, detailed, and interesting. Blue Guide Rome is worth every penny for travelers in search of an in-depth adventure.

No comments about Cadogan Guides Rome (Cadogan Guides).

4 comments about Let's Go Rome 12th Edition (Let's Go Rome).

1. I really don't know what went wrong with Let's Go. It used to be a great series, full of the insider tips that excused its occasional snarkiness. Now, quite suddenly, it starts substituting "guy on the street" and other non-sequiters for content. I've used the 2003 Rome and the 2004 Rome, and while 2003 let some of the nasty changes in, it still managed to preserve the spirit of the series. It was also about fifty times better written. I know the staff changes each year, so this isn't all that surprising. My advice: if you can find the 2003 guide used, buy it! Even if it's not completely updated, it had that edge which made Let's Go Let's Go, instead of some bland guide geared towards no particular audience whatsoever.



2. I'm writing from Rome. I have the Lonely Planet's Western Europe book but thought since I'm spending some time in Rome I would buy the Let's Go book. But I found it very difficult to use, the index is lacking, the maps poor and not referenced in the text. I have ended up just tossing it and just the few pages of Lonely Planet's guide to get around. I had hoped Let's Go with it's long experience in Europe could compete with LP but not in this case.



3. Just back from Rome and have to say I was very frustrated with the book throughout my stay. Here's what I thought were the basic weaknesses.
   
   Out of date! If you look closely you'll see it is published in 04 but is based on reviews written in 03. So all the prices etc. were much higher than in the book.
   
   Maps could be a lot better. There are a few color maps in the beginning, some others at the end and then some smaller ones throughout the book.
   I went to one recommended restaurant (even though the included map does not show the street!) and found that it no longer existed. Each map should pinpoint each reviewed item.
   
   Index is rudimentary. I had to look under multiple headings to find a specific thing.
   
   Overall the sad part is that there is a wealth of information in the book but I found myself constantly flicking back and forwards trying to find things.
   
   There is a listing of the "Top things to see", but it does not show which page the detail on these sights are.
   
   I have used "Let's Go" guides in the past and have not had this problem. I would recommend the Frommers guide over this one.



4. I used the let's go Rome guide two years ago, and the Paris one the year before that. I have tried many other guidebooks, and found them all shamefully unhelpful and difficult to use. I'm buying a new Rome guide online now precisely because the others are no good. besides, the historical anecdotes scattered througout (especially the ones about the popes) make perfect light reading during down time.