Cultured Travel Guide Books - The Rough Guide to Italy 8 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) |
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List Price: $24.99
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 914.50493
EAN: 9781843538554
ISBN: 1843538555
Label: Rough Guides
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 1200
Publication Date: 2007-07-02
Publisher: Rough Guides
Studio: Rough Guides |
| Spotlight Customer Reviews: |
Customer Rating:  
Summary: Barely enough to get by
Comment: It is better to have this book than nothing. It does have some basic information in it. But there are also very basic things left out. Things like practical information to help with planning how to get where you want to go are missing or wrong. Moreover, the ability to get a good overview of what, among the endless possibilities of attractions, are really the ones most likely to be of interest, is simply not possible from the guidebook. Hence, we actually bought another guide book while we were in Italy to complement all that was lacking in this one. Especially when traveling to regions commonly covered by other books, such as we were (Rome and Naples), another option would probably be better.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Who is the intended audience?
Comment: This book is decidedly not for those who choose to rent a car as part of their visit to Italy. The "arrival" section of each town and region only discusses arrival by train or bus; nothing on roads or parking - either for towns or hotels. The chapter on Puglia mentions a coastal route, but then abruptly states, "you won't be able to come this way by train or bus anyway," and then jumps to a discussion of what's beyond the coastal route.
(For price discussion, I will precede numbers with an "e" for euros, as e1.)
The paragraph on car rental says "car rental in Italy is pricey... at around e250-e300 per week..." I have found a TWO week rental (April 2008) to be just over e300, including taxes and mandatory insurance coverage. Mandatory insurance is not mentioned by the guide, but it is what drives the price up. I agree that this is pricey, but it is about half the price of what the authors suggest.
Does this guidebook eschew the car more for political reasons? Can't be, as the planet would be better off if we didn't travel at all (and did not buy guidebooks.)
So, then, is this book geared to budget travelers? Not necessarily. The cost of train travel (for two) in Italy is comparable to the cost of car travel (even with gas approaching $10/gal.) For example, the train from Rome to Milan, according to the authors, would cost e94 for 2 adults (about $145), roughly the same as a compact car and gas for the day. I'm certainly not advocating renting a car to drive from Rome to Milan, but if one was traveling from Rome to Perugia to Siena to Florence to Pisa to Cinque Terra and then to Milan over several days, the costs are comparable. The authors should allow the traveler to weigh the cost/convenience factors of each.
But, for real evidence that this book is not geared as budget traveler's guide, consider the nine price ranges for accommodations: (under e50), (e51-75), (e76-100),... (e251-300), (e300+). At the current exchange rate of e1=$1.60, e50=$80, e75=$120, and e300=$480. Certainly at these levels of expenditure, a budget traveler would be much better off financially by renting a car and staying outside of towns in cheaper rooms. Unfortunately, this option isn't really covered in this guidebook. (And, honestly, do people who spend $480+/night for a hotel really buy a Rough Guide and plan their own vacation?)
Generally, I quite like Rough Guides; they tend to be much better written, more colorfully and honestly, than one of the leading brands ("LP") which refuses to even say something bad about Newark, NJ, in its USA book. But, generally speaking, Rough Guides also tend to be better than this particular Rough Guide.
I do very much appreciate the inclusion of detailed instructions on using the buses and trains; this information is often the best reason to buy a guidebook. But, by omitting everything about renting a car in Italy, and at the same time having an $80 lowest price category for accommodation, this book ultimately is not ideal for any audience and disappoints.
These authors must realize that a sensible way for many people to visit Italy would be with some time spent in major cities without a car, and some time in the countryside behind the wheel. I have no problem omitting the discussion of "what to do with your car in Rome, Milan and Venice", but the omission of suggested driving routes, parking locations and sites along the route to smaller towns and national parks is a major oversight and a serious negative of this guidebook.
The included material is good; the omitted material is glaring. I net this to 3 stars.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful for Puglia Region
Comment: We were planning to travel to the heel of Italy (Puglia region) and there really aren't any books that cover that area alone. Usually I buy other brands (Moon or Lonely Planet) but after comparing the information on Puglia side by side with the other books I decided that the Rough Guide better met our needs due to the quantity and practicality of the information provided (many of the smaller towns weren't even covered in the other books). We purchased local books in Italy that were more focused on the region but ended up using the Rough Guide every day.
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| Editorial Reviews: |
The Rough Guide to Italy is your ultimate handbook to one of Europe''s most beautiful countries. From the capitoline museums in Rome and the stylish shops of Milan to eating Pizza in Naples and watching the spectacular Palio race in Siena, this guide captures all of Italy’s highlights in a full colour introduction. The top hotels, bars and restaurants are all uncovered in the detailed listings section with the new ‘Author’s Pick’ feature highlighting the very best options. The guide also takes a detailed look at Italy’s history, art and groundbreaking film industry and comes complete with maps and plans for every area. The Rough Guide to Italy is like having a local friend plan your trip!
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