stever

The trip is Florence 4 nts, Orvieto 3 nts, Rome 4 nts, Capri 3 nts, and Positano 5 nts, all starting on Sept 8, tomorrow!

Stressed to the max and nervous and excited about job stuff and the trip. Trying to cut down on book weight if possible. I have 20+ pages of notes I've glommed from previous posts here over many months that we are taking, though I trimmed the excess space off the edges of the pages . I am definitely taking the 2 "Top 10 Eyewitness Guides" as they fit in my back pocket for dragging with me during the day and I like the pretty pics. It helps us decide "Ooh, I like the look of that museum or fountain - let's check THAT out". Frommers and Rick Steves have no such pics.

Then I went to the library (we don't want to buy travel books) and all they had was Frommers 2006 Italy, Let's Go Italy 2006 and Rick Steve's 2005 Italy, all of which look great. Would you take 2 and deal with all that weight and space? We're trying to be minimalistic where we can though I do have alot of room in my travel checked luggage.

Other than that, I brought "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Folett for late night fun reading as a result of reading the "Which book are you reading now" thread on Fodors. I think about 990 people have responded so far over 2 years and this book comes up alot. It's 900+ pages, a library book, but it's a soft back so not too heavy.

I couldn't find "Fodors Italy" at the library so that's out. They did have the "Let's Go Italy" book so I snagged it too, and it says budget on the front of it... I just don't know which would be the best between the 3. I have loved Rick Steve's books in the past as he cuts through the BS and basically says, "Here's the stuff you REALLY want to do because of this..."

Thoughts? Take more than one of the really heavy ones as Rick Steves alone isn't enough info? BTW, I could only find the Rome Top 10 and the Naples/Amalfi Coast Top 10 but not Florence. They were out of it.

This is my last day to decide. Help!

Steve R

RebeccaYouSee

Whew. Take it easy, thats my first response. Your best bet would be to copy the relevant chapters DOUBLESIDED from the books. You can even shrink the font to fit 4 pgs on one 8x11. But really, no matter which book you bring, they usually all say the same things. It sounds like you're all set for the "Highlights of Italy" tour. Believe me, you WONT See it all, and you'll go crazy if you try. So, sit back, keep your eyes open and go with the flow.
See the Amalfi coast- sit on the right side of the bus/car. See the leaning tower and the highlights of Firenze, but Relax. Its called a Vacation for a reason.
HAVE FUN
Rebecca in Naples

SRS

Pillars of the Earth is a terrific book.

I would bring Rick Steves for sure because he gives info on pratical things about a place, such as which way to head out of train station, where is the bathroom, and the like.

I've never used Let's Go so no opinion. And Frommers is usually good too, but is it big? That's my 2 cents.

We just got back on Sunday from various Italian locations - you'll have a great trip!!!

Sally

missypie

Bring Rick Steves. I like his walking tours of places.

ellenem

For Italy I usually check three guidebooks: Rick Steves for concise travel information about the areas he covers, Let's Go for concise, comprehensive travel information of all of Italy, and Michelin Green for history.

I bring the entire Michelin Green and that is the book I carry when touring around. The other two guides are arranged geographically, so I rip the books in half (or thirds, whatever) and take only the part of the book I need.

ebiddix

I suggest Rick, mostly for the tours. Not so much to take the tours (although I do like them...), but we often find that we are next to "Place A" and if we can find it on one of his tours, it helps us figure out what else is nearby. We use them a lot in Rome to concentrate on one area at a time.

Have a great trip and tell Rome "hi" for me!

Erika

Amanda23

I would bring the Let's Go - we had it in Italy and i really enjoyed the layout of the book, the concise descriptions, and the information was consistently up to date and accurate...

alan64

I found the Let's Go guide essential when I was 18 and backpacking through Europe. Now that I'm a few decades older I don't find it very useful. If you're 25 or under & on a very tight budget I'd take it, but otherwise I wouldn't bother.

I agree with those that suggest the Rick Steves book, since his practical info is quite good and his books are pretty light. I happen to be a big fan of Frommer's, so I usually take that + a Rick Steves book. However, since you've got the Eyewitness books I think you can skip the Frommer's.

If you have time to Xerox (or write them down, or print from their web site) a few restaurant recommendations from the Frommer's guide that sound good to you, I'd suggest that. I've been happy with their 'star' recommendations.

Have a great trip! In Orvieto, be sure to do the underground cave tour. Also, I had a very good dinner at the Tipica Trattoria Etrusca a couple minutes from the Duomo.

suze

I don't bring any guidebooks with me.

I read them ahead of time and leave them at home. I also wouldn't choose such a big book as a novel to read for pleasure. I'd bet money no way you are going to read 900+ pages on your trip.

I'm simply not willing to haul the weight (whether you have room in the suitcase or not, somehow you will have to drag everything place to place on your trip, and since they are library books you'll need to bring them back home with you).

I bring at the most one small paperback novel that I pick up at the airport shops on my way out of town and leave behind if I finish it.

My focus is not on books when I travel, but about getting out and seeing and doing things. In the evening I'd rather attempt to read the local paper or a magazine or watch TV in Italian. I collect maps and information along the way at train stations, a tourist bureau, or hotel lobbies about things to do.

ira

Hi S,

>I have 20+ pages of notes...<

That should be more than enough.

How much is there in Orvieto, Capri and Positano that you would need a guidebook?

Leilei

Hi Stever,
I agree with those who are suggesting that you are taking too much. I love the Eyewitness books, but they are just too heavy- I use them for planning and to have in my travel library. Rick Steves has a lot of good info- and since there aren't any pretty pictures, I don't mind tearing out what I will need and taking that. It is also a good idea to copy other info that might fill in where RS is lacking. Each book provides bits of info that you won't get anywhere else. If you take copies,you can just toss it as you move on.
Have a great trip!

suze

I don't understand the need to have a guidebook with pretty pictures... you're in Europe(!) take a look around you instead -lol!!!

thursdaysd

Stever - buy the Rick Steves and tear it up. I usually buy Lonely Planet as well and rip it up too. The Eyewitness guides, as others have said, are just too heavy to take with you. Pretty picture books are for planning, not traveling. I've never used Frommers, Let's Go would be fine if you're young, otherwise go for LP. When you consider how much this trip is costing, what percentage of that will up-to-date guidebooks cost you?

alan64

The regular Eyewitness books are very heavy to lug around (I use them for planning but leave them at home). However, Stever's got the much smaller Top 10 versions. Even so, they may be superfluous if one also has a Rick Steves book since any top 10 site's probably also mentioned by him.

If the Eyewitness Top 10 has a good city map in it then they could be useful. I find the sketch maps in RS books to be helpful only for a few-block radius but not to guide me all around a big city.

strass

I used Let's Go when I was in college and right after I graduated, but now I find it a little too geared toward the backpacker set (I'm 30 and usually don't stay in hostels anymore). I'd bring Rick Steves or Frommer's, depending on which better suits your plans and taste. Make photocopies of the one you decide to leave at home. And relax--you're going to have a great time!

stever

You all have offered excellent advice. Maybe I need to stick a crowbar in my wallet and head to the Staples copy store and get busy copying like a madman. I could get most of the pertinent Rick Steves stuff, and the Frommers stuff for ALOT less weight overall, AND, I could ditch my heavy Pillars of the Earth book for my smaller library book I was going to return today "The Life of Pi". It's not tiny and light, but I need a book for the plane and down time at night in the room.

Or, if I was really crazy, I could... copy the first 80 pages of the novel? Just kidding.

Gosh you guys have come up with some great ideas. I luv ya all. Oh, it's time for a big group hug .

Cheers,
Steve R

tcreath

I always bring a few guidebooks with me. Nothing is worse than coming home and realizing that you missed something really amazing!

I always bring Rick Steves and then I tear out sections of my other guidebooks as needed. I never bring more than two, as they are just too heavy.

Have a wonderful trip!
Tracy

laurie_ann

I have used all these books at different times. I think you would be fine with your top 10 books and one other, either Rick Steves or Lets Go. Both have good practical information such as how to get out of the airport or train station, what hours the museum keeps, etc that will complement your "top 10". You might consider something that I have observed when I have used them. Wherever you go you will be in the company of other tourists who use them too. (That's why I would rely more on the individual notes you have taken if you are interested to keep off the beaten path.) RS tends to be a mixed crowd of value loving folks of all ages who maybe aren't too adventurous. LG tends to be more students and backpackers. Nothing wrong with either. But you might enjoy the one kind more than the other. Have a great trip!

laurie_ann

P.S. if you own the book and want to take just a portion of it, take it to Kinko's or some such place and ask them to cut the binding off. I just did it the other day to a couple of guide books for $1.50 each. It works better than tearing out the pages yourself. You can then staple a few pages together and tuck them in another guide book or do like I did and put them in a small 3-ring notebook with my other notes organized by place and other categories.

stever

Yeah, they're all library books so I don't have the luxury of tearing stuff out. Not really into buying them... don't laugh, we're just ... uh, not cheap but thrifty. Yeah, that's it, thrifty. I plan on copying stuff stuff today at the Staples, unless I get lazy or too busy with work today and just take the 2 Eyewitness Top 10 books (they're not heavy or bulky and fit nicely in my back pocket) and the Rick Steve's book and all that awful bulk. I'll tell ya, don't laugh at the Eyewitness Top Ten book and all those great pics. It really helps the clueless people like me decide if I want to see that cool looking thing or blow off that boring looking thing by visual picture.

Steve R