Hi...
Maybe someone can answer this question. We'll be visiting Venice, Amalfi Coast, and Rome this July. I am considering whether to buy the complete Rick Steves Italy guide or purchase the Venice, Rome, and Naple/Amalfi Coast guides respectively. I wanted to know if anyone knew if the each regional guide is more in depth for that region than the complete Italy guide or if it is the same content in both just packaged into smaller regional guides.
Thanks!
All the books contain some overlap, but the regional/city books contain a lot more information than just the Italy book. When you compare the cost of the books to the amount you'll be spending on everything else, I'd suggest buying the three regional books.
Put another way, there won't be anything in the Italy book that you will need that won't also be in the regional books. But there's lots in the regional books that's not in the Italy book.
Maybe try finding all four books at the library and seeing which one works better for you. If all of the information you want is in the main Italy book, just get that one. If you like more detailed information, get the regional ones.
Depends on the type of info you want out of a guide. For travel logistics, and streetwise advice, then use Rick's Regional Guides. They'll tell you info down to the local bus route number to use.
For art, history and site information, its hard to beat National Geographic's Traveler Series.
We combined RS Italy book with a National Geographic and a DK Eyewitness books of Rome and Tuscany where we spent a large chunk of the time. That was 3 books in total for a visit of 3 weeks that included Rome, Sorrento/Amalfi Coast, Tuscany and CT. As mentioned RS was very helpful with travel logistics but not that great for background on art and history. For that I prefer something with good photos.
DK has probably the best photos. That was actually quite helpful when I got to sort my own photos after the trip. It helped me to identify what I had on the picture :-)
I agree with Beatrix on the DK guides--the photos and history are beautiful. They have graphics, for example, of cathedrals from an ariel view which allows you to get a really good feel of where you are and at what you are looking. Rick Steves has excellent insider information and tips that the DK guides do not have. They complement each other very well.
globetrottah,
The RS Italy book provides a good overview of all the areas you'll be visiting and includes information on transportation, hotels, restaurants, Museum & Gallery opening and closing times, etc. The separate regional Guides provide more "in depth" information of each of the areas.
Which books to choose will depend on what you're planning to visit and whether you require very detailed information. I've found that the country books provide very adequate information for the type of touring I do, and of course with limited room in my Backpack, it's much easier to just carry one book.
Cheers!
Definitely the regional guides as they provide more indepth info. Going to Italy myself in Oct and borrowed and/or bought the Italy, Rome and Venice guidebooks. The latter two are definitely good investments.
Sometimes the regional books have more walks in them. I photo copy what is not in the whole country books and throw then out when I finish visiting that city. It saves space just bringing the country book and not 3 regional books and we all know how special space is when we travel.
Love the DK Eywewitness books, also.
Each who has posted has made a good point. Primarily, as mentioned, the regional guides will have information for each region that the general Italy guide will not cover. HOWEVER, the main thing to consider is how much information do you need? Is this your first time to Italy? How long will you be over there/in each destination? I ask this because, if this is your first time over there and you will be at each spot for a few days or so, then I would say that the general Italy guide will be more than enough to get you through the highlights of each region, assuming, like most, that's what you came to see. Since you'll only have time for the highlights, why lug around three times the weight and space of books that are providing extensive information, most of which for sights, places, or things you won't have time to see/visit/do? On the other hand, if you will be over there for over a month, with a couple of weeks in each region, then that may justify carrying around the extra books because you will probably have time to visit the extensive sights mentioned.
One thing to consider is that the Rick Steves regional guides don't necessarily expand the coverage of the regions and mention more places to see and visit, but rather give you more information for each of his sights mentioned in the general Italy guide. In the regional guides, you are more likely to find maps for the museums and illustrations to track a walk around town or something like that. He mentions all of these places in his general guide book, but just doesn't have the space to draw it out for you necessarily or expand in as much detail. So, if you would like this sort of additional information to guide you within each sight, then the regional guides could be worth the added weight. But if you don't need these sights drawn out for you, then the general guide (and the lighter weight) will be just fine.
Have fun traveling!
Hey everyone! Thanks so much for the input and advice...
So I went to Barnes and Noble and after much perusing through various guides... I bought the Rick Steves Rome and Venice city guides and will likely pick up one up for the Amalfi Coast also.
I'll also probably buy a DK Eyewitness guide for Rome and Venice or maybe Lonely Planet or Time Out.
Thanks again!
