Let's Go 2004: Italy

Rating:
Summary: A good guide for the entry level italian traveler
Review: If this is your first visit to Italy or your first visit to one of the many 'regions' of Italy(Venice, Napoli, Firenze etc...) this is the perfect book. With separate maps of most Italian towns and easy to read legends showing the locations of train stations, bus stops and cheaper-then-average hotels/hostels you will have no problem navigating the otherwise precipitous Italian landscape. The focus of most 'Lets Go' books is the lower end hotels so if you're looking for four star elegance you may be slightly dismayed. Nevertheless this volume has excellent introductions to Italian history, culture, food and geography. Separate sections detail concerns for women and the gay/lesbian traveler.
A very helpful guide to Italy, this is slightly superior to the similar 'lonely planet' travel guide. Its sections on Venice, Naples and Palermo are essential to navigating those harder then average cities. The 2004 edition may be slightly inferior to the 2002 edition if you can pick up the older one(not much has changed in Italy so the traveler need not be concerned about hotel closings or the statue of David moving!)

Rating:
Summary: Good Travel Book
Review: Let's Go is one of the best for the young traveller, and this book is no exception. It goes into lots of detail about the different major cities, providing maps, reviews, and suggestions for places to visit off the beaten path.

One of the highlights of this book is the walking tour suggestions--they have directions on how to take several strolls around different Italian cities and see all the major sites.

The book provides a guide for some of the smaller, less known areas in Italy. It's easy enough to find guides for Florence, Rome, Milan, and Venice, but Let's Go provides great food and lodging suggestions for smaller places like Lucca, Assisi, and Ravenna.

The only problem with this book is that it doesn't offer as many budget options as some of their other books. It was hard to find places to stay in Venice that we could afford based on their suggestions. They also did not make it clear that some of the housing options were outside the city limits. Details like those would have been helpful.

That said, the book is still really helpful and full of information. Their budget food options are excellent! We got great food all over Italy for next to nothing thanks to Let's Go and managed to find lots of stuff to do for FREE in Rome when we were almost out of cash.

Rating:
Summary: Good Travel Book
Review: Let's Go is one of the best for the young traveller, and this book is no exception. It goes into lots of detail about the different major cities, providing maps, reviews, and suggestions for places to visit off the beaten path.

One of the highlights of this book is the walking tour suggestions--they have directions on how to take several strolls around different Italian cities and see all the major sites.

The book provides a guide for some of the smaller, less known areas in Italy. It's easy enough to find guides for Florence, Rome, Milan, and Venice, but Let's Go provides great food and lodging suggestions for smaller places like Lucca, Assisi, and Ravenna.

The only problem with this book is that it doesn't offer as many budget options as some of their other books. It was hard to find places to stay in Venice that we could afford based on their suggestions. They also did not make it clear that some of the housing options were outside the city limits. Details like those would have been helpful.

That said, the book is still really helpful and full of information. Their budget food options are excellent! We got great food all over Italy for next to nothing thanks to Let's Go and managed to find lots of stuff to do for FREE in Rome when we were almost out of cash.