Eyewitness Travel Guide to Rome [Paperback]

DK Publishing (Author)

Book Description

Series: EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE | Publication Date: September 15, 1993

Truly the guides that show you what others only tell you, this book features stunning 3D and cutaway views of museums, cathedrals, and other must-see sights; detailed street maps; a handy phrase section; advice on the best places to eat, drink, shop, sleep, and be entertained; and a Survival Guide to help the traveler sort out essential information such as currency, transportation, and communications. As world traveler and TV personality Michael Palin says, "the Eyewitness Travel Guides are irresistibly seductive.... They also deliver where it matters most -- uncluttered and accurate information."

Before you embark on a Roman holiday, take along the only guide that shows you the Eternal City in all its glory -- DK's Eyewitness Travel Guide: Rome. The city's seventeen districts are easily navigated using precise street-by-street maps and stunningly illustrated aerial overviews that lead you to all the city's attractions. The spectacular Colosseum is featured in an astonishing cross-section capturing its history and architecture, all highlighted by a remarkable illustrated recreation of how this impressive amphitheatre looked in ancient times. The wonders of the Vatican are compiled in a marvelous twenty-five page chapter that offers a tour of the complex, floor plans of its museums and chapels, and photos of its architectural features, major religious artifacts, and stunning art collection. An excellent city for walking, six guided walks direct you along such enthralling routes as the Tiber River, the Renaissance street Via Guilia, Rome's Triumphal Arches, the city's best mosaics, Via Appa Antica, or around Bernini's Rome. From the early Republic to its contemporary daily life, Rome's fascinating history is skillfully explored in an informative chapter complete with detailed editorial, timelines, masterful illustrations, and photos of its astounding artifacts and art. The city's people, culture, robust cuisine, delicious wines, and bountiful shopping are also highlighted in special features throughout the guide. The city wasn't built in a day, nor can its sights be seen in one. So get a head start now on your many days there, with DK's Eyewitness Travel Guide: Rome.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Too bad the essence of Rome can't be bottled and exported to a corner store near you. If it could, you could pick up a weekend's worth of Rome along with your pint of milk and Snickers bar, and you'd probably never get to repainting the stairs, doing the laundry, or watching that new video release. Instead you'd be gawking at St. Peter's, ogling the Temple of Vesta, devouring saltimbocca in a trattoria, and sipping Sangiovese at a wine bar. You might not even get to the Snickers bar. Okay, DK never said they're trying to bottle Rome. But they do a stand-up job of imbuing their guidebook with the spirit, attitude, and élan of Rome. They don't just provide information about where to stay and what to do when you're there (though they do, in fact, provide all those necessary details), they go beyond the pragmatic and mundane to revel in Rome's glory. They stimulate the appetite for a Roman holiday. The gorgeous pictures and engaging text draw you in. They inspire you to read and dream, set your travel date, and visit Rome for real. --Stephanie Gold --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

...You feel, looking at them, as if you could close the book and step into the street. -- Contra Costa Times

...considered to be the world's best travel resource to over 30 destinations around the world, make it easier to plan a splendid vacation. -- North American Press Syndication

Both novice and experienced travelers will be captivated. -- US News & World Report

Each book is a visual as well as informational feast about a particular place. -- The New York Times

Easily the best city guides available today. -- PLAYBOY

Encyclopedic in scope, it's meant to be used before, during, and after your stay. -- Travel & Leisure

The Best Guidebooks Ever -- SKY MAGAZINE

The best travel guides ever. -- Sky Magazine -Delta In flight Magazine

The most graphically exciting and visually pleasing series on the market. -- Chicago Tribune

Want to know where to get a great espresso on your way to the Uffizi? Or how much to tip a hotel maid in New York City? Try these travel guides, each an intricate trove of 3-D aerial views, landmark floor plans, color photos and essential eating, shopping and entertainment info. With titles covering Paris, Prague, and London, these pocket-sized guides are like a Michelangelo fresco: deliriously rich in detail. -- People Magazine

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: DK Travel; 1st edition (September 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564581861
• ISBN-13: 978-1564581860
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (92 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,463,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AWESOME!, April 8, 2000

By 

Linda R. (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyewitness Travel Guide to Rome (Paperback)

Do not go to Rome without this book! I read this book before going and was able to get an idea of what Rome was about, but when I arrived, this book did not leave my hands! This guide divides Rome into sections. We set out agenda according to sections in the book. The street-by-street map was invaluable and we were never lost. I am the worst with directions, but I knew extactly where I was during each day. With the maps, I navigated instead of my husband! The cut aways and guides to the various museums and attractions were also invaluable. We were able to walk into any attraction and know what the star features were and not have to miss a thing. We did not have to buy the extra tour books in each museum because our Eyewitness Guide gave us all the information we need and then some. Not only was I the navigator, but I was our personal tour guide. With the book, I was able to read out loud to my husband and tell him about everything we saw in Rome. There were many other tourist with the Eyewitnes Guides in their hands and I was pleasantly surprised to see the book in so many different languages. A tourist even came up to me at the Trevi Fountain asking me where I got the book because she saw so many people with it, and she was disappointed when I said I got it in the States because she was ready to pick up a copy immediately.

You can forget the credit cards, but DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITH THIS ONE!

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From a Holiday Present to A Vacation, January 14, 2000

By 

mark mchugh (Richmond, VA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyewitness Travel Guide to Rome (Revised) (Paperback)

I received the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Rome for Christmas, along with several other books in the DK series. Happily, I spied a bargain travel package to Rome the next weekend, signed my wife and myself up, and haven't put the book down yet. The detail on each neighborhood and major sites is giving me a chance to plan each day and to prioritize dozens of sites. The immensity of Rome and the expansive lists of sites in the book assures me that I'm going to see exactly what I want, but I've been able to experience, at least through the descriptions, evrything that I'll miss. The reason I took one star off is that it's great for planning, but I most likely will leave the book at home and take a short list with us. The two drawbacks I've found are (1) the maps are too tiny, leaving out a lot of cross-street names to really be useful on site, and (2) the walking tours don't seem as interesting as in other DK books (I followed several of the London tours and have been fascinated by reading the Paris tours). I feel that I'll be better off with a notebook of plans, addresses,etc., a better set of walking guides, and a pocket-sized, more durable map. But, I'll also have a great keeper of a souvenier when we get home.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well used and referenced!, April 15, 2006

By 

T. Colwell (Vancouver, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides) (Paperback)

We just returned from Rome and I can honestly say this book was worth every cent. The map in the back is very detailed, much more so than other books and hotel maps. The museum diagrams and photos were also very useful. The back flap of the cover works as a fantastic and useful bookmark. Good phrases and pronunciations, good symbols, metro and bus information was very helpful, and the photos were excellent. You see tourists of every corner of the world carrying this book. Only negative is that there wasn't information on how organized tours really aren't worth the money, unlike I found in a Rick Steves book after the fact. (By the way - if you are going to Rome, avoid almost every organized tour as they rush you through and you don't get to see everything - especially at the Vatican). I will buy from the same publisher next time I travel!!