Customer Reviews

Venice in Context: The Independent Traveler's Guide to Venice

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The entire book has good amount of useful practical information but the unique aspect is the 12 audio tours. We extracted the audio tours off of the CD's and loaded them on our iPod nanos. It works like a charm. Occasionally we wished that the script was a bit less general but it is an excellent precursor of what is probably the wave of the future. Why follow guides who are trying to impart the information in three languages (perhaps with a heavy accent) and practically running the too-large tour group past the attractions when you can use this methodology?

It was magical. My husband and I travelled to Venice last month, and the audio guide Venice in Context was fabulous. Instead of weaiting for a tour, and trying to hear and follow the guide, we went at our own pace. It was easy to follow and use. A great and eceonomical way to tour a city, I recommend it!

Venice In Context provides travelers with twelve narrated walking tours of Venice. This CD has information about what travelers can see and how to get around Venice on their own. tour brings to life the city's romance and explores its rich history and artistic heritage with stories and anecdotes about the lives of historical figures, artists, and musicians that will greatly enrich the travel experience. The series is narrated by Joel Godard, a veteran New York actor who appears as the announcer on NBC's popular Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

"The most dramatic entrance to Venice is by boat. You can enjoy the same breathtaking view enjoyed by visitors for centuries by taking the Alilaguna waterbus from the Marco Polo International Airport to the San Marco landing in Venice..." pg. 114

For the independent traveler, two CDs present tours to twelve locations in Venice. For the armchair traveler, this book/CD set allows for an enjoyable visual and auditory journey through famous locations of interest.

Pictures of winter floods may dissuade you from visiting at certain times when there are floods. Pictures of people walking across ramps to visit St. Mark's seems somewhat daunting. Gondolas moored along canals on foggy afternoons draw you back into dreaming about visiting Venice. Museums hold a large collection of Venetian boats, including elaborate gondolas from the city's regattas.

"When I went to Venice, I discovered that my dream had become-incredibly but quite simply-my address." ~Marcel Proust

Famous quotes, special instructions for when to turn the CD on and off, tips on where to enjoy famous views, all make this guide very worthwhile. There is a historical timeline and lots of historical tidbits for anyone interested in the city from a historical perspective.

~The Rebecca Review

Compiled and written by Robert Wayne, Venice In Context is a very different kind of travel guide -- one that comes with its own audio CD offering detailed tours of Venice narrated by Joel Godard, along with an informative text enhanced with a profusion of full-color photographs showcasing Venetian landmarks and beautiful artwork. Venice In Context is an evocative and superbly conceptualized travel and tourist guide, not just for the practical realities of planning one's trip, but also for those armchair travelers, as well as destination-undecided vacationers who would like to see and hear a grand portrait of this illustrious city before committing themselves. While the principle recommended is as a travel guide, Venice In Context is also a unique and welcome supplement for studies of Venetian history, art, and architecture.