Customer Reviews

Rick Steves' Rome 2007

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We just got back from Rome and didn't even bother bringing back the other guides we had brought along - the Rick Steves guide was all we used while over there. From his advice to spend a little extra to stay in Campo de Fiori to the adventurous day trip to Naples/Pompeii, the detail that Steves provides is invaluable, especially for those who haven't traveled through Europe extensively. The informative tour of the Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel saved us from renting audio guides and helped us spend time efficiently. Take his advice and book early for Galleria de Borghese. The guide provided great tips to follow and although repetitive, Steves does not understate important details such as those relating to personal safety. If you've never been to Rome, or are going back after a long period, I recommend this guide. It helped us to better appreciate the city and bring home amazing memories of a wonderful trip.

I took this guide on a recent trip to Italy, along with the Eyewitness and Blue Guide books. Rick Steves' books are designed for the traveler who wants a decent overview of a particular place, and as such they're not at all comprehensive. I understand that and it's a fine approach as far as it goes, but it makes no sense in a city like Rome to leave out the Aventine Hill altogether, as Rick does. We stayed on the Aventine because it's the quietest and least hectic part of central Rome, a short walk from the ancient heart of the city, and it has some fine hotels and beautiful ancient churches. If I'd never been to Rome and had only Rick's book with me, I would have missed it altogether. Rick is very good on practical tips such as finding the best museum passes, avoiding pickpockets, and navigating the world of rail passes (he also sells some great travel gear), but I prefer to have a more comprehensive book that lets me decide what I want to see, even if that means sacrificing detail. With that in mind, I prefer the colorful and user-friendly Eyewitness Guides for broad overviews and good city maps, and Blue Guides for historical, artistic, and architectural detail.

Another thing that bothers me about Rick's books is the tone and style of his writing. Many people love him precisely for that, which is fine, but I find his writing style grating and in many places his history is just plain wrong. He's particularly bad when dealing with Christian history, a very important thing to get right when dealing with Rome! Finally, the maps are not very helpful unless you're sticking with Rick's itineraries exactly.

The only thing that made this book worth having on my trip was the inclusion of contact information for English-speaking doctors who make hotel visits, which unfortunately came in very handy. Everything else I could have found on his website without buying the book. Overall, I found this book unhelpful and left it behind in our last hotel.

I purchased this book, along with three others for an upcoming trip to Rome, and glanced through it a few times before I actually left. I did book a room in a convent for my stay, per Rick's advice, but that was the only thing I used the book for before I left on vacation. Once I arrived in Rome, however, I used this book every single day. My favorite bit of advice is buying the Roma and archeological pass. This is really so helpful if you plan on visiting a lot of ancient sites and museums (and who doesn't?). However, his tips on utilizing the Metro, along with the stops for each site were invaluable. I followed the directions for getting from the Termini station to the airport shuttle when it was time to leave (the price is now 11 euro instead of the book's stated 9.50). If the book had been in my purse instead of in my luggage when I'd arrived in Rome, I could have saved myself a hefty 60 euro cab fare.

I also took the book with me to the papal audience and wandered around St Peter's, book in hand (lots of interesting tidbits about the basilica), while waiting for the pope :)

This was the most important thing we took to Rome. Even though we were there in January, what we thought would be the non-busy time of the year, everything was packed! The info about avoiding the colisseum line was alone worth the price of the book. Very good for practical information and restaurant suggestions. Awesome, awesome book! I would give it 6 stars if i could!

Rick Steve's Rome was the perfect companion during the 6 days my wife and I spent in Rome. Rick's knowledge and research made tackling this city more than just doable... it was almost a breeze! Rick's attention to detail paid off time and time again as we winnowed down the list of what we should see and do, avoided long lines, reduced the inevitable frustration with Rome's transportation system and selected places to eat. His recommendations were right on target and the walking tours he has laid out in the pages of the book were fun and informative. Almost like having our own personal tour guide that we could make travel at our own pace. Rick has done his homework and made Rome a great holiday.
This book is a must for any first or second time visitor to Rome.

You just can't go wrong with Rick Steves! He has infinite experience and great advice for travelers. In his 2007 Rome guide, Rick offers valuable tips such as skipping the line at the Colosseum by buying your tickets at Palatine Hill, and a secret way to reach the top of the Victor Emmanuel monument through a staircase in the back of the Campidoglio. I also found his self-guided tours to be helpful at sites such as the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forum, Vatican, St. Peters and Borghese Gallery. Thank you, Rick! You're the man!

I was very pleased with this guide book. I visited Rome for the 2nd time, and found this book very helpful and well written. Things i found helpful:
-how to prepare for your trip
-travel information
-recommendations about which days and times of day to visit particular sites/museums
-interesting historical facts (but not overly dense)
-excellent summaries of the major attractions
-recommendations for day trips
-restaurant recommendations

I did not use this guide book for hotel information, so i can not comment on that. i would recommend doing a lot of your own research for hotel information (guide books, internet, word of mouth).

If you like guide books with lots of colorful photos, this is not the one for you. It's all black + white, with very few photos. But it is well organized and has an easy to use index.

I brought this book with me everywhere in Rome, and will recommend it to my friends.

The detailed tips on transportation will save countless precious travel hours and stress. The recommended hotels cheerfully honored the special rates quoted. The attraction passes were well described and will save a lot of money. Rick Steves also answered many questions I had not thought to ask, and gave me everything I needed to make detailed daily itenaries! It is the best travel guide I have ever used.

I love Rick Steves's book. It has great directions, maps, and information about tourist attractions as well as restaurants and tours of the city. My only problem with it is that it doesn't appeal to people of all ages. As a college student, I wish it had more information about nightlife and the like, yet I acknowledge that Rick Steves mostly appeals to the less rowdy group. Nonetheless, I wouldn't go to Rome without it. Grazie Rick!

Rick Steves Guide to Rome is the best guide to use if you're traveling to the Eternal City. He not only rates the sights to indicate which ones you should not miss and which would be nice to see if you have time, but tells you exactly how to go about it: how to get there, where to buy tickets and tips on the best views. All of this information adds up to enhancing the traveler's experience. His guides are clear, easy to read and his sense of humor makes you want to read about places you don't even plan to visit, just because his writing is so entertaining. I read through several Rome guides from the library. Rick Steves book is the one I bought to take along.