Customer Reviews

Michelin Red Guide 2003 Italia (Michelin Red Guide: Italia)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The previous reviewer (who wrote that the Guide is not in English) apparently didn't understand that there is a key in the front of the book and also on a bookmark that explains all of the easily understood symbols with regard to credit cards, parking, elevator, air-conditioning, etc. This is essentially a catalogue of the best hotels and restaurants, along with locator maps. It's terrific. Also, look for the "black car" symbol. If you happen to be staying in a place with the black car symbol, just showing the Michelin Guide (must be for the current year) will get you one free night in the garage. That savings alone will probably be more than the cost of the book. If you feel like splurging, look at the maps in the front for the 1-, 2-, and 3-star restaurants and for the 4- and 5-peak hotels. If you want more modest places, they're listed too.

we have spent a month every year in italy for 28 years. The first time we went, i did not buy the red guide because it was
in italian. WHAT A MISTAKE! i ended up throwing away the 2 guidebooks that i did buy instead. You only need to translate about 25 words that are used like the months and days of the week - and "closed" - then the guide becomes what it is - TRULY
THE BEST EUROPEAN GUIDE - nothing comes close. I now plan the
italy trips for all our friends, and their friends - and i use
the red guide exclusively. Don't be lazy - figure out this book
and you will be rewarded with the best hotel/restaurant/sight
guide there is!

I'm a sales rep. for a Europe-bound Tour Operator, and this book is a dream come true!! I've been using these red books for the past couple of years, and they have never done me any wrong. Though it may be a little confusing at first, once you've gotten the hang of the symbols (look in the beginning pages, in the front of the book, there are descriptions, in English, stating what the symbols mean) then it's a piece of cake. It has been so easy for me to find hotels & restaurants in popular & unknown cities & towns throughout Italy for my clients, and the new 2002 Edition is ever better, with new hotels & restaurants, that I will never use another travel book, as I have pledged my faithfulness to the Michelin Red Guide Italia!!

**Stay or dine where you want**
In high season, Florence swarms with frustrated, angry tourists and locals. Get away from all that. By car or bus you can voyage back in time through the Chianti to visit Volterra, a splendid old-walled town of Etruscan foundation. Sleep well at Villa Nencini and dine at a place where residents like to eat, the bustling Da Beppino -- simple, filling, well-made Tuscan food and wine. In Italy are scores of neglected gems like Bergamo, Sansepulcro, Orvieto, or Ravello where you'll rarely hear or see another American.

**No wasted words - just the facts your need**
By using easy to learn symbols (common to all Red guides), a detailed description of a hotel or restaurant gets reduced to an entry no wider than your little finger. For example, one page of hotels in the "historic center" of Rome contains 18 complete entries. The Red Guide has more than 900 pages! The maps alone make the Red Guide valuable -- where else can you get an excellent sreet map of Volterra with hotels and restaurants clearly marked as well as parking, train, and bus stations. Photocopy and enlarge maps for day trips.

Supplement the Guida Rossa Italia with The Green Guide - Italy in English -- and you'll be set. ISBN: 2061003605 available at amazon.com.

**Get respect from Italians, learn some of "their" language**
You'll stand out as 'molto gentile' -- polite, well brought up. Kindness with a pinch of formality goes a long way to impress Italians. Unlike French, German or Spanish, Italian is not widely spoken outside its homeland. Get started with a basic Pimsleur tape or CD (no books!). Absorb Italian while you commute -- speak out loud, be bold -- after all you'll only look like you're talking on a cell phone. ISBN: 0743525787 available at amazon.com.

For the first time, Michelin appends a brief description for every entry. These are in Italian. Without an elementary knowledge of the language, you'll miss out. Take this new wrinkle as a sign that learning some Italian would be a personal enrichment.

Every Michelin Red Guide I have has an introductory section in French and in English, and often in Italian, German, and perhaps other languages. The hotel and restaurant listings indicate features with icons which are explained in the introductory section. Michelin Red Guides are the most comprehensive and objective of any published, from budget to deluxe.

There's no english in the book so you'll have to guess on some of the details but the symbol system is enough to understand what the book is saying. We used it for our trip to italy and the restaurant recommendations are more comprehensive than any eye-witness or rick steve's guide.

The title is "Italia", not "Italy"! Yes, the main part of the book is in Italian, but you don't need to know Italian to utilize this wonderful guidebook. There is a complete introductory section in English wherein the symbols used in the text are all explained. If you can't figure out symbols, then you may have a problem, otherwise this is a great source to finding budget to expensive hotels and restaurants. We've never been steered wrong yet by going to a place listed in a Michelin Guide, and have had many memorable meals!

While I can understand the first reviewer's criticism, I can also understand the others here who say this book is helpful. Thing is, everything is in Italian. Yes, there are symbols and a key in English. However, all the descriptions for places are in Italian, and that does me no good. For [the price], a guide should have descriptions in the language I read... But, if you want to work and sort through the symbols and such, then this guide is an excellent source of information.

As Michelin is the standrad guide and an excelelnt guide in whatever region, I was surprised to look at the ignorant review that the book was not in English.

Addresses and dish names are in the language of the country.

The guide lists everything in symbols, and unless you cannot recognise these (a babay can) then of course you can not read it. Disappointed to see that this one reviewer confirmed my stereotyed beliefs about regional ignorance.

The Michelin Red Guide is the standard for whatever region, and no purchaser will be disappointed.

I think the title says it all - although this is listed in the U.S. section, and has a title in English, the book is in Italian. If you cannot read Italian, this will be a problem. I am sure that it is as wonderful as is customary for Michelin Red Guides, so the low star rating is due to the lack of labeling on the language, and not to the substance of the book.