Italy 2005 budget guidebook

[piyo]

I'm heading to Italy in March for a few weeks. Can anyone recommend a good guidebook? I usually use LP but the new edition got pretty dismal reviews on amazon, and I wasn't that impressed with it at the bookstore. I'm trying to decide between Let's Go, Rough Guide and Rick Steve's, but I've never used any of them before. I'm doing most of my planning beforehand on the internet so I really just need it for good directions, good maps and budget places to eat (with prices and preferably mapped). Thanks.

[LHR02]

Acknowledging that a guidebook preference is mostly just personal opinion based on what appeals to you....I would never leave without an up to date LP! No matter what reviews say on Amazon they are my bible. I also generally have the most current Rick Steves as well. My 'objection' to his is that they basically just hit the 'highlights' and what he likes so I find them not to be a good overall guide. For specific cities and sites they are quite good, but if you want to journey off his selected path they are worthless. I have never been a fan of Let's Go...I hate the maps, but others here swear by them. I suggest you go to your local library or bookstore and spend a bit of time thumbing through the various offerings....even if outdated....as that will give you a better idea of what each one concentrates on and if they give attention to the areas/interests you are looking for. For strictly 'site' information I don't think you can beat the Eyewitness Gruides....but they are the heaviest books I have ever seen and are of little use for accomodation or restaurants as they tend toward the higher dollar crowd. Like I said....it's a personal preference thing and you should do some research and discover what/which book best fits your travel style.


btw...recently got an email that said the 2005 LP's on Italy and selected city books are out.

[WillTravel]

I took the Eyewitness Guides along on this trip, for each of Florence, Venice, and Rome. As I posted, my husband stuck in extra guidebooks without me knowing about it at the time - Lonely Planet for Venice and Time Out for Rome. The Eyewitness Guides were just excellent for the sights, and the maps were pretty good too. There is a single book called Eyewitness Guides Italy.

Lonely Planet was not helpful for Venice in this case, because I had already picked out my accommodation, and it didn't have as much info about the tourist sights as Eyewitness Guides. When I needed to carry a guidebook around in Rome, I found the Time Out was easier to carry. I certainly don't recommend taking so many guidebooks - but I never felt overly weighed down as it turned out, despite picking up some other paperbacks on the way.

When you get to a new destination try to pick up a free map from Tourist Information (or possibly from your hotel or hostel). I got really excellent maps for Venice and Rome this way (never got around to it in Florence).

For cheap places to eat, I always seem to end up looking on my own, and usually finding them. I haven't found the guidebooks particularly useful in this respect - certainly Eyewitness Guides recommendations would be out of my budget. If you like the single book Eyewitness Guide to Italy, and if you figure out your accommodation in advance, I think this would be best to take. If you are going to figure out your accommodation on the fly, take Let's Go or Lonely Planet.

[megamay]

I have to agree with dustoffmom, it is a matter of personal preference, so go to your local bookstore or library (sometimes the library won't have the latest verson though ) and thumb through them all.

I also swear by Rick Steves, but like dustoffmom said, he is only good for certain things. What he does, he does very well. But if you want to venture off on your own you really need another more well rounded guide. I traveled with Rick Steves and Let's Go. I just didnt care for the look and feel of LP, plus once I got there, it seemed that every other backpacker had the LP shoestring book, so they all ended up at the same places and I had a few different options in my Let's Go.

And some of the others seem to be full of pictures, which is nice for reading at home, but once you are on your way, you are going to see that stuff for yourself, and what you really need is more information packed in.

Meg

[Eagle]

I prefer the Rick Steves Guide Books as they fit my travel style well. However as noted in the previous posts, this is pretty much a matter of personal preference. I've been using various RS country-specific books quite extensively for my trip planning, and generally pack at least one of them with me when I travel.

Good luck sorting this out. Happy Travels!!!