Best Milan Travel
Take in a gondolier's sweet song while gliding past Venetian palaces, sample olives and wines as you traverse Tuscany's storybook hills, or be humbled amid thousands of years of Roman history and art; all with your trusted travel companion. Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including history, art, literature, cinema, music, architecture, politics, cuisine, wine, customs Free, convenient pull-out Rome map (included in print version), plus over 137 colour maps Covers Rome, Turin, Piedmont, the Italian Riviera, Milan, the Lakes, Dolomites, Venice, Emilia-Romagna, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Naples, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. Garwood has a history degree from York University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Excellent preparation for my trip touring Italy."
"After reading the first 30 pages on my iPad, it is frustrating to see that some images are missing and format of the pages is "glitched"."
"The perfect book for a visit to Italy."
"I was traveling mostly off the beaten path and I should have known that this is much more tailored to the sheer volumes of touristy (and amazing) places to see."
"Lonely Planet books are the best!"
"This book was completely disorganized and so hard to follow."
"Ordered in error."
on a lively tour of modern Italy that takes you behind the seductive face it puts on for visitors— la bella figura —and highlights its maddening, paradoxical true self You won’t need luggage for this hypothetical and hilarious trip into the hearts and minds of Beppe Severgnini’s fellow Italians. Although La Bella Figura will take you to legendary cities and scenic regions, your real destinations are the places where Italians are at their best, worst, and most authentic: The highway: in America, a red light has only one possible interpretation—Stop! The chaos of the roads, the anarchy of the office, the theatrical spirit of the hypermarkets, and garrulous train journeys; the sensory reassurance of a church and the importance of the beach; the solitude of the soccer stadium and the crowded Italian bedroom; the vertical fixations of the apartment building and the horizontal democracy of the eat-in kitchen. As you venture to these and many other locations rooted in the Italian psyche, you realize that Beppe has become your Dante and shown you a country that “has too much style to be hell” but is “too disorderly to be heaven.”. Ten days, thirty places. Sweeping statements, such as "Italians have the same relationship with food that some Amazonian people have with the clouds in the sky—one glance and we know what to expect," abound, and they have the ring of truth, but they're rarely backed up by supporting anecdotes. The collection ends with the hoariest of devices: a letter from an imaginary American friend who has taken Severgnini's tour and reminisces about the beautiful "girls" in a Milan disco. Severgnini holds -American-inspired Italian shopping malls in special contempt for his fellow countrymen's manic shouting at one another across their walkways, confusing modern mercantile halls with their ancient piazzas.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Bought this book as a requirement for an Italian culture class and was pleasantly surprised!"
"This is an eye opening book that shares some of the cultural differences between Italians and other cultures."
"I found this book mildly entertaining and perceptive in helping me understand the Italians I met on a recent trip."
"If you want to go to Italy, this book will help prepare you."
"Keep in mind, its one person's opinion, but it offers a plausible insight into Italian psychic."
"I enjoy Italian culture and as someone who speaks the language and has studied 20th century Italy this book was a joy to read."
"Would make a good essay, not a book."
"Boring and not well written."
Stare in awe at the Sistine Chapel, sip a cappuccino on a cobbled piazza (square) or walk in the footsteps of gladiators at the Colosseum; all with your trusted travel companion. Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including history, art, architecture, literature, cinema, music, cuisine, wine and the Roman way of life Free, convenient pull-out Rome map (included in print version), plus over 36 colour maps Covers Ancient Rome, Centro Storico, Tridente, Trevi, Vatican City, Monti, Esquilino, Trastevere, Gianicolo, Testaccio, Villa Borghese, highlights of Lazio, and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. Garwood has a history degree from York University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Helpful book."
"this book has some great information, especially of you're traveling to a destination for the first time."
"Our friends loved it for their upcoming Italy trip!"
"The chapters track various districts of Rome, and these are named below, going from north to south: Villa Borghese and Northern Rome (pages 181-192); Vatican city, Bordo, and Prati (pages 120-139); Tridente, Trivi, and Quirnale (pages 98-119); Centro Storico (pages 70-97); Ancient Rome (pages 50-69); Monti, Esquillino, and San Lorenzo (pages 140-157); Trastevere and Gianicolo (pages 158-180); San Giovanni and Trestaccio (pages 171-180); Southern Rome (pages 193-222). As if this were not enough, the book contains additional chapters, such as: History (pages 226-238); The Arts (pages 239-249); and Survival Guide (pages 265-284). The map shows Tiber River, snaking from north to south through Rome. At the center of the map, going from north to south, one notices a high concentration of locations with red-colored identifications (red writing), and these are famous temples, basilicas, piazzas, and museums. Hotels have their own chapter (pages 214-222), and hotels are not identified separately in each of the chapters corresponding to districts. bubbling toppings, slapped down on tables by waiters on a mission" (page 31). they make a few flavors from donkey's milk" (page 165). I have noticed that guide books from FODOR'S have a color photo or color map on every other page throughout the entire book. Anyway, the photos in this book include: Sculpture by Bernini (page 7). Gallery of Maps in Vatican Museum (page 9). St. Peter's Basilica, which is Rome's biggest church (page 9). Roman Forum, which takes the form of ancient ruins (page 12). Statue of Constantine at Capitoline Museums (page 11). Pizza pies on a table (page 28). Interior of opera house showing four balconies (page 40). A dozen statues inside Capitoline Museums (page 60). Outside dining at Campo de Fori. In the middle of the town square is a statue resembling Obi Wan Kenobi (page 96). The Spanish Steps, with people sitting on the steps. The photo shows a row of statues on the roof. This entrance is next to a huge courtyard called Cortile della Pigna (page 127). Interior of Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere (page 156). Page 160 contains a duplicate photo of the same interior scene of this Basilica."
"It is an excellent guide with a lot of depth."
"perfect and updated guide and love the fold out map."
"Rome is a complex rich and vibrant city with ancient Roman architecture and history and modern expressions of Italian culture, including plazas, outdoor cafes, restaurants, museums and world class shopping. It is a feast for the senses with something magnificent and magical competing for one's interest at every turn of the corner and within sight. It should help me find the most interesting sights easily, especially for a city so rich in ancient history and architecture."
Best Rome Travel
Take in a gondolier's sweet song while gliding past Venetian palaces, sample olives and wines as you traverse Tuscany's storybook hills, or be humbled amid thousands of years of Roman history and art; all with your trusted travel companion. Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including history, art, literature, cinema, music, architecture, politics, cuisine, wine, customs Free, convenient pull-out Rome map (included in print version), plus over 137 colour maps Covers Rome, Turin, Piedmont, the Italian Riviera, Milan, the Lakes, Dolomites, Venice, Emilia-Romagna, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Naples, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. Garwood has a history degree from York University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Excellent preparation for my trip touring Italy."
"After reading the first 30 pages on my iPad, it is frustrating to see that some images are missing and format of the pages is "glitched"."
"The perfect book for a visit to Italy."
"I was traveling mostly off the beaten path and I should have known that this is much more tailored to the sheer volumes of touristy (and amazing) places to see."
"Lonely Planet books are the best!"
"This book was completely disorganized and so hard to follow."
"Ordered in error."
Best Tuscany Travel
Take in a gondolier's sweet song while gliding past Venetian palaces, sample olives and wines as you traverse Tuscany's storybook hills, or be humbled amid thousands of years of Roman history and art; all with your trusted travel companion. Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including history, art, literature, cinema, music, architecture, politics, cuisine, wine, customs Free, convenient pull-out Rome map (included in print version), plus over 137 colour maps Covers Rome, Turin, Piedmont, the Italian Riviera, Milan, the Lakes, Dolomites, Venice, Emilia-Romagna, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Naples, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. Garwood has a history degree from York University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Excellent preparation for my trip touring Italy."
"After reading the first 30 pages on my iPad, it is frustrating to see that some images are missing and format of the pages is "glitched"."
"The perfect book for a visit to Italy."
"I was traveling mostly off the beaten path and I should have known that this is much more tailored to the sheer volumes of touristy (and amazing) places to see."
"Lonely Planet books are the best!"
"While I do enjoy the Fodor’s travel guides for its use of color throughout, while photography of a region is nice to have, for travel guides, it all comes down to detailed information and I will can easily say that “Lonely Planet Italy” is well-researched, informative and a travel guide worth using and help in planning and preparing for your trip to the country. I do want to mention that the city map included is only for Rome, Lonely Planet offers more books of Italy such as "Make My Day Rome", a guide to Sicily, Pocket Venice and more. Overall, "Lonely Planet Discovery Italy" is full of information, is well-researched and updated to include the latest information for traveling to the country for 2016."
"The second stop in the guidebook is about Florence with information about Duomo; Galleria Dell' Accademia; Galleria Degli Uffizi and a walking tour to the heart of the city. The third stop in the guidebook is about Tuscany with information about Towers of San Gimigano, Siena, and a driving tour through Tuscany. The fourth stop in the guidebook is Cinque Terre with information about walking in the Cinque Terre; Sentiero Azzurro; Monterosso; Vernazza, Corniglia; Manarola; and Riomaggiore. The fifth stop in the guidebook is Assisi. The sixth stop in the guidebook is Venice with information about the Grand Canal; Basilica Di San Marco; Palazzo Ducale; Galleria Dell'Accademia; and the Venetian Islands. The final stop in the guidebook is Sicily with information about Mount Etna, Valley of the Temples, Palermo, Catania and Syracuse."
Best Venice Travel
“This is history on a grand scale, with a sweep and ambition that is rare… A proper historical epic of dazzling range and achievement.” —William Dalrymple, The Guardian The epic history of the crossroads of the world—the meeting place of East and West and the birthplace of civilization It was on the Silk Roads that East and West first encountered each other through trade and conquest, leading to the spread of ideas, cultures and religions. For Frankopan, the brutish West owes its more enlightened traditions to the lands east of Italy and west of China, which were, for centuries, 'the centre of the world'… Frankopan marshals diverse examples to demonstrate the interconnectedness of cultures, showing in vivid detail the economic and social impact of the silk and the slave trades, the Black Death, and the Buddhist influence on Christianity.”. — The New Yorker “In his new book, The Silk Roads , Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.”. —Nishant Dahiya, NPR “This is deeply researched popular history at its most invigorating, primed to dislodge routine preconceptions and to pour in other light. “One of Mr. Frankopan’s gifts as a storyteller is his ability to draw unusual connections across his vast canvas… [he] packs his tale with fascinating trivia… Frankopan has written a rare book that makes you question your assumptions about the world.”. —Sadanand Dhume, The Wall Street Journal “Frankopan casts his net widely in this work of dizzying breadth and ambition… Those opening to any page will find fascinating insights that illuminate elusive connections across time and place… Frankopan approaches his craft with an acerbic wit, and his epochal perspective throws the foibles of the modern age into sharp relief”. — Publishers Weekly (starred review). “A glorious read. “In his new book, The Silk Roads , Frankopan has created something that forces us to sit up and reconsider the world and the way we've always thought about it… The book takes us by surprise right from the start.”. —Nishant Dahiya, NPR. “Superb… Peter Frankopan is an exceptional storyteller… The lands of the Silk Roads are of renewed importance, and Frankopan’s book will be indispensable to anyone who wants to make sense of this union of past and present.”. —Philip Seib, The Dallas Morning News. “This is, to put it mildly, an ambitious book… By spinning all these stories into a single thread, Peter Frankopan attempts something bold: A history of the world that shunts the centre of gravity eastward… Mr. Frankopan writes with clarity and memorable detail… Where other histories put the Mediterranean at the centre of the story, under Mr. Frankopan it is important as the western end of a transcontinental trade with Asia in silks, spices, slaves—and ideas.”. — The Economist. “It’s time we recognized the importance of the East to our history, insists this magnificent study… The breadth and ambition of this swashbuckling history by Peter Frankopan should come as no surprise… A book that roves as widely as the geography it describes, encompassing worlds as far removed as those of Herodotus and Saddam Hussein, Hammurabi and Hitler… It is a tribute to Frankopan’s scholarship and mastery of sources in multiple languages that he is as sure-footed on the ancient world as he is on the medieval and modern… Deftly constructed… The Silk Roads is a powerful corrective to parochialism.”. —Justin Marozzi, The Sunday Times (U.K.). Frankopan upends the usual world-history narrative oriented around ancient Rome and Greece and the irrepressible rise of Europe… In a series of brisk chapters—The Road of Faiths, The Road of Furs and so on—studded with state-of-the-art research that is sourced from at least a dozen languages, the author brings wondrous history to vivid life… In The Silk Roads, Peter Frankopan has provided a bracing wake up call.”. —Matthew Price, The National (AE).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Schools teach its students of the Roman Empire, the subsequent Dark Ages, the Norman conquest in 1066, Henry VIII and the Tudors, the American War of Independence, the Industrial Revolution and the First and Second World Wars. As the author states: “For centuries before the early modern era, the intellectual centres of excellence of the world, the Oxfords ad Cambridges, the Harvards and Yales, were not located in Europe or the west, but in Baghdad, and Balkh, Bukhara and Samarkand”. We are seeing the signs of the world’s centre of gravity shifting – back to where it lay for millennia”."
"The author's depth of knowledge and resource access, coupled with his polyglot skills, weave a centuries long tale of intrigue across a region of the world little known or travelled today. The story of the European debacle of the same time is repeatedly narrated, engrossing the reader in its internecine religious wars. Piles of skulls and cities entirely wiped off the face of the earth are ignored in favor of the administrative advantages of Mongol rule. Information is 'quickly transmitted' across the sands, mountains and rivers - this when 30 miles a day was the fastest a horse or man could travel. Other books in the vein of Central Asia would include The Poison King, Balthazar's Odyssey, The Ornament of the World, The Emergence of Modern Islam, Chasing the Sea, The Shied of Achilles and best, Millennium by Felipe Fernandez-Armesto. The ridicule of Western advances coupled to dictatorial domination and horrific tortures could just as easily describe Islamic, Indian, Chinese or Russian worlds. As for his Palestinian views, well, they are biased, leave it at that... Can't wait to enjoy My Fair Lady, his Mediterranean yacht for charter..."
"I had assumed we would be learning about the history of the silk roads and the many dynasties that rose and fell along the route - the Songdians, the cities of the Tamir Basin for example. I thought this would be an Asian centric book showing the silk roads impact on Han Dynasty China and the steps that had to be taken to keep the route secure. Or perhaps how the silk road brought Buddhism to the west and mixed the artistic sense of the descendants of Alexander's army with the Central Asian Buddhist cave dwellers."
Best Italian Travel Guides
Check out Fodor's travel guides to Rome; Venice; Florence & Tuscany; and The Amalfi Coast, Capri & Naples. “Fodor’s is pitched a few notches higher….aimed at a fairly discerning traveler with an appetite for background and the occasional surprise.” – New York Times.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I prefer this over other popular guide as it gives more information."
"Going to Italy in September."
"(It's amusing to read, for instance, "Florence's popularity with tourists means that, unfortunately, there's a higher percentage of mediocre restaurants here," before Fodor goes on with an insider's tips on which restaurants a visitor should try). The book is well-organized, colorful, well-illustrated with maps and pictures, has a nice pull-out map of Rome in back, and has readable and interesting prose."
"We used an older Fodors Essential Italy travel guide for our last trip to Italy and found it to be an excellent resource. We then take our itinerary and clip the relevant pages from the guide book to the area we are exploring along with any other resources we have for that area."
"I have gotten through the Rome section thus far, and I feel like I have a great handle on what I can expect to budget for a trip there next spring or fall (the best times to visit, according to the guide) and what neighborhoods and attractions are the absolute musts for a visit."
"I also want to have a guideBOOK to consult, not an e-guide book. But if you DO want an actual guideBOOK, Fodor's guides are often a good option."
"It's too overwhelming of a book."
Best Sicily Travel
Frances Mayes, whose enchanting #1 New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan Sun made the world fall in love with Tuscany, invites us back for a delightful new season of friendship, festivity, and food, there and throughout Italy. As Mayes rediscovers her taste for la dolce vita, she embarks on a journey of cultural awakening and embraces a newfound romance with the Italian language and people. Mayes is as generous a cook as she is a writer, flavoring her story with tasty descriptions of local gustatory delights--many of which are included in a small recipe book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The author’s writing style and ability to capture the nuances in everyday life had me traveling alongside her with every step she took, feeling the hot breezes and tasting the tomatoes."
"Having traveled in that area several times I enjoyed her vivid descriptions of the landscape, food and towns and cities."
"Love that Frances Mayes...she writes the perfect memoir."
"Mayes' series on Italy is very enjoyable."
"I had read Bella Tuscany the year before and had to have my own. copy."
"She writes in detail about ancient buildings, people, food, flowers, thoughts, geography it's endless."
"This book was wordy and wandered aimlessly."
Best Florence Travel
Take in a gondolier's sweet song while gliding past Venetian palaces, sample olives and wines as you traverse Tuscany's storybook hills, or be humbled amid thousands of years of Roman history and art; all with your trusted travel companion. Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - including history, art, literature, cinema, music, architecture, politics, cuisine, wine, customs Free, convenient pull-out Rome map (included in print version), plus over 137 colour maps Covers Rome, Turin, Piedmont, the Italian Riviera, Milan, the Lakes, Dolomites, Venice, Emilia-Romagna, Florence, Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo, Naples, Campania, Puglia, Sicily, Sardinia and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. Garwood has a history degree from York University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Excellent preparation for my trip touring Italy."
"After reading the first 30 pages on my iPad, it is frustrating to see that some images are missing and format of the pages is "glitched"."
"The perfect book for a visit to Italy."
"I was traveling mostly off the beaten path and I should have known that this is much more tailored to the sheer volumes of touristy (and amazing) places to see."
"Lonely Planet books are the best!"
"This book was completely disorganized and so hard to follow."
"Ordered in error."