These days, the coronavirus makes the front pages of all online media. So we decided to propose a topic to distract you a little bit and start dreaming about your next trip.
If you are planning to visit Italy, it is essential to know which is the Best Italy Travel Guide. So we will tell you our opinion about that.
Introduction
We love traveling in our country, and once we reach our destination, we do not want to miss any of the things to see. For this reason, it is important to know which is the best travel guide to use.
First of all, we have to say that the internet can be an excellent source of information. It can be used both to choose the most important places to visit, but also the best restaurants or hotels where to stay.
But when it comes to travel seriously, you can’t help but have in your hands a real paper travel guide to browse, read, and read again.
Initially, our approach was to compare different guides, such as Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, National Geographic, and of course, DK Eyewitness. Before each trip, both in Italy and abroad, we would read two or three guides to extract the most interesting information from each one. But after years of experience, we can say, without doubt, that in our opinion the DK Eyewitness guides are absolutely the best.
Now let’s try to explain why, in our opinion, DK Eyewitness are the Best Italy Travel Guides.
DK Eyewitness Italy Travel Guide
DK Eyewitness Rome Travel Guide
DK Eyewitness Venice Travel Guide
Best Italy Travel Guides DK Eyewitness – The Essential Intro Section and its Impressive Illustrations
All self-respecting guides have a section dedicated to the history of the country or city they are talking about.
The exciting and beneficial thing about DK Eyewitness guides is that there is always a short introduction of a few pages to get the first smattering.
In these first pages, you can find a specific proposal of itineraries not to be missed, based on the length of your stay.
Afterward, always in a few pages, you have a precise picture of the geographical location of the city with a map divided by zones. Believe us, it will be very useful.
In addition to this, all DK Eyewitness guides are equipped with a removable and laminated map. You will find it very helpful for a general overview of the city. Even in the days of Google Maps.
For those who want to explore the historical aspects, they can also find several pages that retrace the main milestones of the city or the country.
These are usually the most boring pages of all travel guides. Almost all of us are tempted to skip them to get to the hearth of the content.
But there is a fantastic thing about this guide, which differentiates it from all the others. We really love the numerous illustrations that enrich each of these pages. There are graphics, photos stand drawings that will draw your attention to the many historical, cultural, social aspects in a smart and very effective way.
The textual part of this historical and geographical section is very concise, but always exhaustive. You will find all the information you really need, together with many images of monuments, famous characters, and works of art that will make you immediately appreciate the wonders of the town or country you are going to visit.
The Very Useful Breakdown by Districts
DK Eyewitness guides always divide the city or region into areas or neighborhoods.
This is essential because it gives you a visual overview of the main places of interest and attractions that you will find in each of them.
The images and illustrations are the main focus of these pages and will be especially useful when you are on site.
There is, first of all, a first section called “overview” which indicates the main attractions of each district, sometimes divided by type: churches, museums, fountains, …
DK Eyewitness Italy Travel Guide
In the central part of the page, you will find a three-dimensional drawing of the neighborhood or monument to visit. On the sides of this drawing, there are photographs of the points of interest. So, when you are actually on the spot, you simply have to follow the itinerary recommended by the guide and search with your own eyes the places photographed in the guide.
Your travel experience will be even more exciting.
We’ll give you a few examples in these pictures.
If you’re in Venice and you’re thinking of taking a Vaporetto or gondola tour, for example, DK Eyewitness guide will show you which palaces or bridges to see along your route. Sitting comfortably on the boat, all you have to do is look at the pictures in the guide and then search for the real buildings around you. They are exactly where the guide says.
DK Eyewitness Venice Travel Guide
If you are in Rome and can’t wait to find yourself at the Trevi Fountain, you will discover that it is located in the Quirinale district.
DK Eywitness Rome Travel Guide proposes you a very useful three-dimensional reproduction of the area. In this way, you won’t miss any of the things to see in this neighborhood.
DK Eyewitness Rome Travel Guide
You will also find a useful recommended itinerary, to be taken on foot. It is dashed in red inside the illustrated drawing.
This way, you won’t miss any of the things to see in each neighborhood, and you will be able to find and identify them from the photos on the page.
Of course, this is just visual facilitation, but really very useful. Then in the following pages of the guide, you will find, for each attraction, a detailed card with an address, opening hours, website, telephone number, and public transport to reach it.
Attractions not to be missed are marked with a star, as in the case of the Trevi Fountain. As for all the others, however, you can decide whether or not to visit them. That depends on the time you have at your disposal and on your personal interests.
Don’t forget that in the initial pages of the guide, there are always tips on what you must see, considering how many days your stay lasts.
The Best Italy Travel Guide DK Eyewitness A Timeless Guide
All the information contained in the first part of this guide really makes it a timeless tool. It is not necessary to have the most up-to-date edition with you. Because historical and tourist information is always valid.
Of course, probably the opening hours may be subject to changes, but nowadays for this sort of information, it is always better to rely directly on the web.
DK Eyewitness – Tourist Information – Where to Sleep – Where to Eat
As in any self-respecting guide, the second part of each DK Eyewitness Guide is dedicated to general tourist information.
You will find dozens and dozens of recommended hotels and restaurants. There are indeed thousands of resources online for this kind of information. But, anyway, we recommend that you also dwell on this part for some things in particular, such as the following.
Shop Now for Your Next DK Eyewitness Travel Guide
Where to stay
In the first part of this section you can find the list of the main hotels, area by area. But there are also other useful tips on:
- which area to choose
- what to do if you travel with children or disabled people
- how to book
- what kind of facilities are available
Where to Eat
The firts part of this section contains some practical information about the types of places where you can eat in Italy.
Italy offers very unique places and sometimes different from what you can find in the rest of the world:
- Restaurants
- Taverns
- Trattorias
- Venues for the Aperitive
For example, in Venice, you should not miss the famous “bacari”.
In the “Where to Eat” section, you will find useful tips on what are the typical dishes of the city or region you are visiting.
In Italy, practically every town has its own characteristic dishes, and they are all worth trying.
DK Eyewitness Italy Travel Guide
DK Eyewitness Rome Travel Guide
DK Eyewitness Venice Travel Guide
Shopping
The shopping section is also very useful to find out what are the typical products of the city or region you are visiting.
In this section, you will find tips on what to buy and where to buy. Food, souvenirs, clothes, local handicrafts, you will be spoilt for choice.
DK Eyewitness – Practical information – How to Get There – How to Get Around
The last section of these guides is no less important than the others.
You will always find appropriate tips on how to get there and how to get around.
Also important are tips on how to dress, for example, if you enter Italian churches.
There is also all the practical information that a guide should have:
- what to pack
- who to contact or where to go if you have a health problem
- local currency and banks
- how to contact law enforcement
- media
The Best Italy Travel Guide for Your First Trip
DK Eyewitness Italy Travel Guide
At this point, the question is: which guide to choose? A generic one or a city-specific one?
If you are planning your first trip to Italy and therefore do not know much about our country, perhaps it is better to start with a general guide that covers the whole territory.
We suggest you buy DK Eyewitness Italy.
If you are planning to stay a few days in each of our beautiful cities, then you should definitely have the appropriate guide.
The following are the main ones.
Get Now Your DK Eyewitness Italy Travel Guide
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