What is "TI"

Thanks, we will be in Italy, visiting Venice, Rome, Florence and Amalfi Coast. Having never been to Europe-I have never heard of them before. I just ordered Rick Steves 2013 Italy-thanks!

Tourist Information.

Are they offices or stations located throughout Italy?

Paticia, Every city that I've visited in Europe has had a Tourist Information office. In some cases they have more than one office in larger cities. These may be located in the rail stations or in "stand-alone" offices, depending on the country or city. The locations vary so it's impossible to provide a general location that fits each city. The RS Guidebooks always have information on where the T.I. offices are located in each city. Which city are you interested in? Happy travels!

Patricia, if you had a Rick Steves book, you would know all about TIs and where they are located. His maps usually show the locations of the TIs. TIs are very common in Europe.

In some cities, including Rome, there are TI kiosks on the street. As cor abbreviations, it's kind of amusing to me to try to figure them out, and some of them have taken me awhile.

Paticia, As this is your first trip to Europe, you may also want to read Europe Through The Back Door prior to your trip. It provides a lot of good information on "how" to travel well in Europe. Your local Library should have a copy.

If you're traveling only to Italy and you're buying the RS Italy book, I don't believe there's any good reason to buy the Europe Through the Back Door book. The Italy book covers everything that applies to Italy. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Just to clarify, I wasn't necessarily suggesting that you buy Europe Through The Back Door. You should be able to find a copy at your local Library. I find that it's helpful to keep a copy on-hand for reference. Even though it's a few years old, it's still been useful on numerous occasions. Cheers!