Knopf Guide: Rome (Knopf Guides)

By Alfred A. Knopf Publishing Company

Book Overview

"You can lose yourself in a guide, but you won't get lost in the city." --Town & Country Once the most powerful city in the world, the heart of an empire that stretched from northern Africa to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375711090
• ISBN13: 9780375711091
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Knopf
• Length: 560 Pages
• Weight: 1.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.2" x 4.4"

Customer Reviews

A good supplemental guide, but don't rely on it exclusively

The Knopf Guide to Rome was one of about 6-7 tour books my fiance and I brought along on a recent trip to Rome (yes, we like to be thorough!) This is a good book to browse through before your trip to get a concise, well-illustrated guide to Roman history, art and culture. There is also detailed information on sights not to be missed in many churches and museums, broken down by neighborhoods (in the "Itineraries" section). Of all the books we brought, we found this one the most useful when we stumbled across a small church here or there and wanted to look up information on it, to make sure we didn't miss any important art or other artifacts. That said, I would definitely not rely on this guide for more practical information on visiting the city, as that section of the book is last and almost seems like it's included as an afterthought. Coupled with a book such as Rick Steves' Rome, however, and you'd have a pretty powerful combination of guides for seeing the sites and doing so with good information behind you.

One of the best guidebooks on Italy

This book has kept my interest on every page and it is well written with great photos. This book is good for a repeat visitor to Rome as well as a first time tourist. I would rank it in my top 5 guidebooks.

Best comprehensive Rome travel book

As I stated in the review to the Paris Knopf guide, this set of books, for cities, is the best. This book has good maps of the Forums, and the Coliseum areas, and incredible amounts of historical information about almost every nook and cranny of the City. As I stated for this book-set before.1) Go get a Michelin or other similar urban map, or buy one when you get to the City. 2) Dont use the hotels/restaraunts section of the book. Info is dated, but this is to be expected.3) Get Rick Steves for tricks and shortcuts, the Knopf book wont give you these.Enjoy!

An Excellent Book, but Choose Wisely

This book is an excellent SUPPLEMENTAL guidebook to Roma. I've been twice now, and I'm about to go back again (this time with my wife!). The first time I went I took a Let's Go guidebook, the second time both LG & the Knopf guide. The Knopf guide is far superior in terms of background and relevance for the sites you will see, but if you're making reservations yourself you'll need another resource. I suggest Lonely Planet. (That Let's Go attitude only works so long - I've become disenchanted with the entire series, and have jumped ship to Lonely Planet - they're much more adult in presentation and style. I would not recommend Let's Go to anyone, even college students.)

Guidebook for the mind

Excellent historical and cultural introduction to the fountainhead of civilization. Great information on self-conducted walks filled with photographs, dates and erudite summary. The perfect companion to the intelligent visitor, or even resident! The only drawback to this atypical guidebook is precisely that; to those looking for where to eat, and which nightclub to go, look at the LetsGo.