Budget practical travel guide with plenty of listings on sights, hostels, bars, restaurants. Little to read beyond that. Presentation is basic with few photographs, though perhaps simpler to navigate for that.
Once the only guides worth carrying, Baedeker have recently returned to the fray after something of a hiatus. Their layout may seem unusual to newcomers but the quality of information and insight is exceptional. The large pull-out city map is also first rate.
'50 Adventures on Foot' presented as a deck of sturdy cards so you need only carry one at a time. Each card offers a proposed route with a map and sightseeing information. Beautifully presented and great fun.
Excellent general touring guide, arranged alphabetically by region. Plenty of colour photographs and maps, and introductory chapters are strong. Some customers have criticised the absence of website addresses.
Increasingly Time Out's main focus, the annually-updated Shortlist gives a brief introduction to the city then cuts right to the chase, directing you to the best sights, bars, restaurants and so on. Pocket-sized and perhaps all you need for a weekend visit.
Intelligent and thoughtful general guide that balances practical tips with extended reading on history, offering a strong sense of place. Geared towards travellers who have hung up their backpacks and are now looking to explore in greater comfort. Note that the Rome section is only one of many, and as such the guide should be approached as one that covers the entirety of Central Italy.
Essentially a notebook containing a few useful maps and tips, this stylish pocket volume will appeal to the traveller looking to create a personal guide and aide-memoire filled with their unique impressions and discoveries.
This fashionable new series here offers comprehensive entries on Rome's varied shopping and nightlife, including restaurants and hotels. Designed for the traveller who enjoys the finer things in life
Stylish American pocket volume directing the discerning shopper to Rome's finest and most exclusive boutiques. Includes colour maps and photographs and a size conversion chart.
Fantastic collection of 28 multi-day routes, ranging from meadow strolls to hands-on clambers. Each walk is expertly annotated and illustrated, with advice on where to sleep and recommended detours.
Paul Blanchard's 12th edition of this formidable cultural guide takes in Venice, Milan, Turin, The Lakes, Verona, Bologna and Trieste among others. Coverage of art and architecture is absolutely first-class, with high-quality colour maps and photographs throughout.
An unusual and insightful guide with a strong personal touch, as the author leads us through her favourite haunts, illuminating as she does so the rich cultural history of the city.
Penned by members of the Faculty of Architecture at Turin University, this most interesting of companions reveals much about the city, and Piedmont as a whole, both past and present. Scholarly and sometimes technical in tone, it will appeal most to visitors with an established interest in the field.
Sightseeing companion of exceptional design with annotated full-colour illustrations and maps throughout. Practical aspects of travel are covered in the back pages.
Authors Dana Facaros and Michael Pauls have written dozens of first-rate guides for Cadogan, and this one is another success. In highly readable prose they explore the region honestly and insightfully, balancing practical know-how with wider context. Aimed mid-range for a relatively comfortable trip.
Produced by the Faculty of Architecture at Genoa University, this is an informed and insightful journey through the landscape of the city. Scholarly and at times technical in tone, it will best suit visitors with an established interest in the field.
This fashionable series offers comprehensive entries on Milan's varied shopping and nightlife, including restaurants and hotels. Designed for the traveller who enjoys finer things.
Now in its 7th edition, this is a fantastic general guide for a comfortable exploration, balancing dependable practical detail with solid and well-expressed insight into local history and culture. Includes a good chapter on Milan.
A brilliant selection of 5 tours and nearly 40 walks of varied length and difficulty. As with any region of spectacular natural beauty, the Lakes are best explored on foot, and this lightweight, colourful and reliable volume is an absolute essential.