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Title: Blue Guide Rome, Ninth Edition (Blue Guide Rome)
ISBN: 0393328872
Author:
Alta MacAdam
Publicate Date: 2006-04-19
Publish: 2006-04-19
List Price: $28.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $16.83
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $16.94
Amazon Merchant Price: $19.11
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| Customer Review: |
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1: You can find better...
I would advise those considering purchasing this book to look elsewhere. Don't believe the hype that is generated around these guides. I purchased The Rome Blue Guide, because I had heard so much about it. I had avoided buying it in the past because of the cost. I decided to purchase it, and I was so disappointed. The historical sections of the book are excellent, but the travel guide sections are horribly written, far too judgmental and often inaccurate.
I was aghast to see cities, buildings and monuments described in such brutal terms as "ugly" -- this word is used many times throughout the book to describe locations in and around Rome. Read the section on Tivoli and tell me that the authors do not have something against it? Tivoli is one of the gems of Lazio, and anyone who has ever visited it would be hard-pressed to say otherwise. And there's much more to do there than see the Tivoli Gardens or Hadrian's Villa.
I found the whole compilation to be poorly organized. For what the book costs, I was expecting better writing and a better (and less personal) assessment of the Eternal City and its offerings. The authors make for decent historians but the practical portions are useless, I'm afraid. There's a snobbish tone to the book that is bound to put most readers off, and many of their suggestions in the book reinforce this.
Lonely Planet, Frommers, Rough Guides...they make for better value and are more accurate and much more useful. Steer clear of this work!
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2: Essential for Rome
The Blue Guides, while excellent, are not usually my go-to guides for travel. They usually tell me more than I want or need to know, and their lack of practical information means you can only use it in conjunction with another guide. Rome was an exception. There's simply so much there, and sites are often so poorly labelled and have so little information, that I found I actually needed to carry it around with me. In fact, my original Blue Guide was in a bag that BA lost, and after attempting to see the Roman Forum without it, I found an English-language store and paid 29 for a new copy. It's that essential.
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3: Definitive
My husband and I travel every chance we get, and wherever we go, we take two guidebooks, one with color photos and overviews of major sites, and the other, the Blue Guide for the city or region in question. Blue Guides are not the practical choice for making reservations, finding out prices, or navigating the local transportation choices. When it comes to detail, however, about history, culture, not-to-be-missed or off-the-beaten-track treasures, they have no equal. City Guide Rome is no exception. Rome is a city best explored on foot, and this edition contains more than 25 guided walks. Because of this resource, we discovered San Clemente, with its amazing subterranean world beyond the Coliseum, the remarkable early Christian Church of St Agnese Fuori le Mure, and the lovely Roseto rose gardens. The background information provided for all listings is well researched, detailed, and interesting. Blue Guide Rome is worth every penny for travelers in search of an in-depth adventure.
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4: Definitive
My husband and I travel every chance we get, and wherever we go, we take two guidebooks, one with color photos and overviews of major sites, and the other, the Blue Guide for the city or region in question. Blue Guides are not the practical choice for making reservations, finding out prices, or navigating the local transportation choices. When it comes to detail, however, about history, culture, not-to-be-missed or off-the-beaten-track treasures, they have no equal. City Guide Rome is no exception. Because of this resource, we discovered San Clemente, with its amazing subterranean world beyond the Coliseum, the remarkable early Christian Church of St Agnese Fuori le Mure, and the lovely Roseto rose gardens. The background information provided for all listings is well researched, detailed, and interesting. Blue Guide Rome is worth every penny for travelers in search of an in-depth adventure.
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5: Best for history
The Blue Guides are all stellar tools and this one was a gem this Summer.
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