Travel Guide

We buy at least two for the areas we are going to, usually Rough Guide and Lonely Planet. Tf this is your first trip Steves book Europe Through The Back Door would be helpful. I think that's the name. You also can do some computer research like: Paris tourism or Italy tourism.

I usually go to the library and look at the travel books to determine which is more my style - before buying. I sometimes buy used books too. Happy Travels. PS: I have found the most useful info in the Rick Steves books.
Europe Thru the Back Door, Rick Steves Italy etc.

I like the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide books as a great complement to the Rick Steves books.

Joyce, with the amount of time that you have to plan, dream, plan, revise, dream and plan, I'd suggest you find a copy of Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door. There are lots of them around, probably your nearest Library may have one to borrow. Read carefully through that - it will really help you to understand what you need to know for being a first time traveler to Europe. It will answer loads of questions that you didn't even know you had. You will learn where you can save money, where you can cut corners, tricks and techniques that will help you be efficient and get the maximum value. And keep pushing out the questions here. We've all been through the first trip. You can learn all sorts of ways to save money here. The closer to the ground you travel the cheaper it can be. Good luck, and happy planning!!

I do most of my research online - choosing hotels, sights, not-to-miss experiences. I use this helpline, Trip Advisor and Frommer's Destinations as a start, then specific websites for more information. If you want to visit places in one or more areas in France on the way to Italy, try the Michelin website or books. If you just want to get to Italy, flying is probably better. Paris to Rome is almost 1000 miles. For Paris, unless you are spending more than a couple of weeks there, a guide book is probably superfluous. You can get more info on the web and you won't need a guide once you are there, just a list of what you want to see and a good map. I guess the one book I'd buy is the RS Italy guide, which is excellent for practical information: how to get around, how to act, what to expect, best things. And of course for the sights to see and things to do. I wouldn't rely on guide books for hotels and restaurants. For sightseeing, you can easily start at the public library with travel guides that are even several years old - the sights don't change much from year to year. Lastly, I highly recommend that you plan your itinerary before you book your flights. You can cancel hotel reservations and change your mind about spending time in Florence, but once you have your flights your dates and route are generally too expensive to adjust and then you can be left with difficult itinerary adjustments.

Thank you so much!

Your first book should be Europe Through the Back Door.