Customer Reviews

Venice for Pleasure (Pallas for Pleasure)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book features wonderful history and walking tours in Venice, shared by a writer with a tremendous love for Venice the city. The author hopes that this trip you're making is just one of many, so you can spend more time sitting at an outdoor restaurant, rather than rushing to the next museum. You can always catch that museum on another trip--stay outside and soak in the romance of Venice itself. I have taken this book with me on my several visits to Venice, and try to follow his advice. You'll want to have another "standard" guide to the city, but don't forget this small gem.

What a strange and wonderful little book!

Venice for Pleasure is essentially four walking tours told in a charmingly conversational style by an author who is clearly in love with Venice. Stopping in a Venetian cafe to read a passage is like having a friend leaning over your shoulder to recall the local history and gossip, point out fascinating details that you probably wouldn't have noticed, and make you smile with his dry wit.

We did all four walking tours and thoroughly enjoyed Links' companionship along the way; I can't recommend it highly enough if exploring Venice on foot is your aim. We also found the directions infallible.

Please note that this isn't a conventional guidebook, so you shouldn't expect logistical information.

My husband gave me this book for Christmas before we went to Venice and it was a great help planning our trip. I read it at least 4 times and used it to plan our walks through the city. If you are interested in art and architecture (why go to Venice if you are not?) this is the book to plan your days in Venice. My husband particularly liked the fact that Mr. Links understood the importance of stopping in a cafe to savor the city on each walk!

My husband ordered this book for me last Christmas in preparation for our trip to Venice. It was an enjoyable read and the walks laid out in the book were an excellent way to see Venice. Note: the hand drawn maps in the book are good but Venice is a very confusing city and I photocopied parts of a good map (with all the streets named) and highlighted the walks on the copies - this proved invaluable for keeping on track! I highly recommend this book to anyone as general reading to get in the mood for the trip or to follow Mr. Links on his 4 walks.

Terrific read for those intent on seeing the Venice that lies beyond Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge. Whether you follow the author's routes on his strolls thru the sestieres, or just use his walks as a source of inspiration (as we did), this book is an indispensable addition to the library of anyone planning a trip to Venice. Thanks in large measure to encouragement offered by this book, we ventured into some of the nooks and crannys of this amazing city... we'll see St Mark's Basilica next time we go.

Venice for Pleasure is an off the beaten path sort of guide, filled with anecdotes, character sketches, and historic photos. Links takes his readers beyond the famous facades and brings the "theme park" to life. Fun to use then to keep and reread for reminiscence afterwards.

If there is no such thing for you as having too much information, then think about buying this book. This book has walking itineraries including places to stop for rest and refreshment, and wonderful details on things to look at while you are walking and even while you are sitting down. This book is not useful for restaurants or hotels or hours that sites are open. Includes history, and comments on Venice from famous writers of the past like John Ruskin. It is to be savored.

Fantastic Book!!! I bought this for my wife as a memento of our 25th Anniversary trip to Venice. It was perfect. I highly recommend it to any armchair traveler who wants to "visit" the world's most romantic city. David