Frommer's Italy 2004 (Paperback)

~ Darwin Porter (Author), Danforth Prince (Author) "In the vanguard of world tourism, Italy is always changing, but, like the city of Rome itself, the country remains eternal..." (more)
Key Phrases: San Marco, Piazza del Duomo, San Giovanni (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

You’ll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer’s. It’s like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go—they’ve done the legwork for you, and they’re not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer’s Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You’d be lost without us!

Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer’s Italy features gorgeous color photos of the artistic treasures, ancient ruins, and lovely towns that await you. Frommer’s offers authoritative but fun-to-use coverage of all the top sights, plus lots of off-the-beaten track towns and attractions. We’ll show you the best of Rome, Florence, and Venice, then set off to explore the rest of Italy. You’ll admire Milan’s flamboyant Duomo, shop for glass and colorful pottery, wander through the medieval alleyways of Siena, stroll through the astonishing remnants of Pompeii, explore Sicily’s ancient Greek temples, bike through the vineyards and hill towns of Tuscany, and dine memorably everywhere you go. You’ll even get a handy glossary of Italian phrases and menu terms, a free color fold-out map, and an online directory that makes trip-planning a snap!

From the Inside Flap

Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer. And avoid tourist traps. At Frommer's, we use 150 outspoken travel experts around the world to help you make the right choices. Frommer's. Your guide to a world of travel experience.
Choose the Only Guide That Gives You:
* With insider tips on the best wine tasting.
* Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.
* Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip no matter what your budget.
* Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.
* The best hotels and restaurants in every price range, with candid reviews.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 800 pages
• Publisher: Frommer's; illustrated edition edition (August 11, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764537415
• ISBN-13: 978-0764537417
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,100,724 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best guide books on Italy., April 9, 2001

By	Allan M. Gathercoal "fdoamerica" (Norcross, GA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Frommer's Italy 2001 (Frommer's Italy, 2001) (Paperback)

Frommer's guide books have become a standard of excellence in presenting good, easy to use, reliable information for the traveler. These guides are not for those seeking hostels, cheep eats & sleeps and/or backpacking. Frommer's have target those in the mid to upper price range. Case-in- point, "Frommer's Italy 2001" at the front of the guide lists the 'best luxury hotels' and the 'best moderately priced hotels' , but skips a mention of the best budget hotels.

After using Frommer's for two weeks I found the recommendations to be right on the money (accurate, concise, and informative - listing some of the best selections in the areas). The maps in major metropolitan areas (Rome, Florence, Venice, but not Milan!) are graphically laid-out with restaurants and accommodations numerically located each on a separate map (this really helps).

A separate large folding map of Italy is attached at the back of the book, is a nice addition indeed. The color photo plates are superb, and especially helpful is the thin chapter "Online Directory" that lists a useful scattering of websites to help you plan your travel. Very impressive is that most of the listed accommodations have website and e-mail address. If you get a chance check out www.initaly.com and www.frommers.travelocity.com.

On the short side, but not a significant deterrent, Frommer's gives only nine pages to introduce you to 3000+ years of Italian history, and covers Italy's art, architect, culture and food in twenty one pages (30 pages total). Safety, especially thief and robbery is scantily mentioned in the guide and not even listed in the Index, (Italy has the highest rate of thief and robbery in Europe - See US State Department warning). These points set aside, this is a great guide for Italy and ranks at the top. Highly Recommended.

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This guide covers the whole country, and it's BIG, February 6, 2001

By	Just-a-girl "abc-survivors.net" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frommer's Italy 2001 (Frommer's Italy, 2001) (Paperback)

If you are planning a trip with only a couple of major stops, this isn't the right guide for you. It's very thick and very condensed. The maps, although a nice book size, may not help you all that much getting around in a city. This is a guide for someone who has the time to travel all around Italy (I envy those people!). For those of us who are going to Venice and Florence, individual city guides have much more specific information and better maps. The Blue Guides are perfect for history, art, and culture (great walking tours). Most of the specifics for planning can now be found on the Internet, instead of in a bulky guide. But if you need a more planning oriented guide of only a city or two, try the Access Guides. They have great maps of each neighborhood of a city, along with hotel, restaurant, and sight-seeing tips.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Frommer's Is The Best Travel Companion!, August 10, 2003

By	Jana L. Perskie "ceruleana" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Frommer's(r) Italy 2003 (Paperback)

I began using Frommer's travel books/guides in the 1970s, for Central and South America, and Europe. They were my favorite guide books then, and are still the best, providing clear, concise information for the traveler, with a predominately midlevel budget range. All their books, however, usually contain excellent low-budget suggestions, as well as information provided for luxury accommodations. With that endorsement, I most highly recommend "Frommer's Italy." I have lived in Rome, but that was 20 years ago, and on a glorious return trip to Italy early last spring, I found the updated guide even more informative than the one I used so long ago.

"Frommer's Italy" provides a wide range of suggested accommodations, from budget to luxury, and I decided, before my trip, on a lovely pensione in Rome, which was my "base of operations." I made reservations, by telephone, a month in advance and found the place, and the price, to be exactly as described, along with the excellent service. Frommer's suggested trattorias became my favorites, and the pensione owners also made some excellent suggestions. I selected my lodgings in Firenze, Venice, Naples, Milan and Palermo from Frommer's, as well, and although I clearly preferred some over others, I was comfortable at all. The information in the guide was accurate in all cases. My ideas for day trips, from each of these cities, were based on a combination of past experience, the advice of friends and Frommer's suggestions. Frommers had the best and most original information about off-the-mainstream places of interest, including festivals, fairs, markets, shopping, entertainment, nightlife, etc.

The fold-out country map, and city maps are extremely easy to follow. I have the world's worst sense of direction, and never got lost - even on my own, original walking tour of the winding streets of Venice.

All of the many magnificent things to see in Italy, each city's major attractions, the museums, churches and galleries are obviously included. It is the selection of lesser known sites, and out-of-the-way itineraries that makes this guide so special. I have read that some people find the book to be too big or bulky. I find it to be just right, and never needed to refer to another guide during my entire trip.

For before trip preparation, you may wish to brush-up on Italian history, art, the Renaissance - whatever your area(s) of interest. If so, you will do well to look at books specifically on the topics of your choice. Frommer's does provide a BRIEF nine pages of historical information. It may be sufficient for your needs, but I think it worth mentioning here.

Overall, this is the Best book to take, especially if you plan to take only one, to assist you in enjoying the glories of Italy, past and present!