Please suggest one or two guide books.We are a middle-class couple in our fifties who are planning our first trip to Italy in late September. Two weeks in Rome, Florence, Venice, Como. (Already have our hotels).

For Tuscany our favorite was the Rough Guide. Insight Guides with all the pictures and diagrams are great to have with you, but not necessarily to lug around every day.

I really like the Fodors city packs for Rome and Florence. It has a large detailed map for finding streets. The actual guidebook narrows down the sites by listing the top 20 sites. This helps you to avoid getting overwhelmed. For a phrase book Rick Steves pocket phrase book for French Italian and German is great. Then you can use it on future trips to Germany and France!!! I also like the Lets Go series for finding hotels but since you already have hotels, I wouldn't bother with it.

Rick Steves is popular, Frommers and Lonely Planet are helpful also. Good luck and have fun!

I'd highly recommend a combination of Rick Steves and National Geographic. The Eyewitness guides are also good, but I prefer National Geographic over Eyewitness. You will love Italy!!

For historical sites and museums, the "Blue Guide" is my favorite. But Rome, Florence and Venice are seperate books. Regards, Walter

I like Michelin (green) and Cadogan guides for most general purposes. Blue Guides are very good for more in-depth info (not practical stuff re earing and sleeping, though).

Oops, I meant Eyewitness, not Insight. Sorry.<BR><BR>Alan, here's a suggestion: Since you are obviously getting a lot of different recommendations here, why don't you go to your local library and check out a bunch of different guides for the same area. They will probably be a year or two out of date, but as you look them over, you will discover which ones you like best, in terms of organization, style, or focus. Then you can go out and buy the current editions of those guides.

ttt