willowjane

We are traveling to Italy the end of May. I am getting ready to post my itinerary for critique soon, but I have a question or two before I do so. I was reading of a pretty good Rick Steve's audio guide for Trastevere walk in Rome and for the basilica of Santa maria Assunta in Torcello near Venice. I can't seem to find the audio guide for Torcello? Am I just not seeing it or is it no longer in existence? Does anyone know of other audio good audio guides? I wouldn't mind to pay for something if it was worthwhile. We have private tours scheduled for most of the big experiences but I am trying to find a few things for the other sites. Besides a smartphone what else can we use for the audio guides? Some in our group have the old "shuffle" from apple - would that work? Thanks in advance for any help. I struggle with all the new techonology!

adrienne

Here's the site but I don't see anything about Torcello or the islands. You could copy pages from a guide book. Torcello is wonderful.

adrienne

OK - here's the site:

http://www.ricksteves.com/news/trave...udio-tours.htm

willowjane

Thank you Adrienne. I am very excited to visit the islands and see the Basilica. If you have any other "must sees" I would love to hear them! This is the place I have always dreamed (really dreamed) I would visit. I cannot wait! We have 3 full days in Venice and I am filling those days up now. We have a private tour the first 1/2 of our first full day and then I figured we would have a full day of the islands and then the other day La Fenice and...I am very open to suggestions.

adrienne

There are a lot of obvious things to see. I loved Miracoli church and taking a vaporetto ride on the grand canal at night to see the palazzi lit up. I did a gondola ride once and thought it would be cheesey but it was a great experience. Be sure to ride the small canals rather than the grand canal.

There's lots of information here on Venice if you do a search and other people will have their favorite things to see and do.

If you see something you want to buy in a shop don't put it off since you may never find the shop again. I still think about the red straw purse that I didn't buy and could not find the shop again. It's been 15 years and I'm still wishing I had bought it.

willowjane

I have looked at many trip reports, even your trip report from a while ago to help with ideas for Italy as we are doing Rome, Venice and the lakes! I really have done some research.haha

kybourbon

I d/l Rick Steves' audio tours on ITunes.

My all time favorite trip report for Italy is Theresa10's. A few posts have been deleted (people were giving her a hard time about breaking it into paragraphs, etc.) so a few responses don't make sense as a result.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...i-loved-it.cfm

Mimar

You can use an iPod or any MP3 player -- depending on what format the podcasts are in.

We tried this for the first time last year in Athens. Each of us had the podcast. In the archeological museum, they'd changed the exhibits, so things weren't in the same order. It didn't work as well as the usual in-museum audiocast where you press a number to hear about an exhibit or a painting. We wouldn't be on the same exhibit at the same time. We gave the whole thing up after a short while.

hollywoodsc

I used Rick Steves podcasts for walking tours of Florence and Ostia Antica and both were fabulous. I loved that I didn't need to carry, or be constantly looking, at a map. I downloaded onto my Ipod and was able to stop and start when I wanted. Hope you find the ones for you, they really are a great tool.

nytraveler

Strongly reco that you also consult something with a lot more info than that of the infamous Steeeeves. Try the Michelin green guide - which has a wealth of information and provides a much less biased view than does the dreaded Ricky.