Italian Guidebooks
Rome & Vatican City

City of the Soul: A Walk in Rome
by William Murray

"Rome is so many things, but most of all, perhaps, a city of ghosts, of memories, of visions, of time remembered and faithfully honored," writes Murray (Janet, My Mother and Me) in this highly evocative, largely personal guide to the Italian capital, the latest addition to the Crown Journeys series. Having spent much of his childhood and early adulthood in Rome, Murray has many ghosts, memories and visions to exhume. Thankfully for readers, he keeps the reminiscing to a minimum and fits up a straightforward and well-researched but still romantic-and even, at times, funny-portrait of the city and its people. "Rome is nothing if not a feast for the eyes," Murray muses, and his descriptions of the city's many churches, ruins, fountains and piazzas display his quirky assessments: the Palazzo Venezia reminds him of "an old-fashioned typewriter," the Piazza Navona is "God's waiting room" and the Coliseum boasts a "great yawning façade staring out... to testify to the city's imperial past." Murray doesn't hesitate to share negative depictions, either: the Campo dei Fiori, "not one of Rome's prettier scenes," is "hemmed in by the burnt-orange and amber-colored houses around it, and an air of doom seems to hang over it, even at noon on crowded market days." Like a nice walk, Murray's work is leisurely yet not too long, inspiring daydreams of zooming around town on a Vespa in an espresso-induced state of ecstasy.

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Little-Known Museums in and Around Rome
by Rachel Kaplan

Travel & Leisure Rachel Kaplan's charming and informative guides to the little-known museums of Paris, London, and Berlin have won enthusiastic praise. "Wonderful color illustrations make perusing a joy," raved Library Journal of the Paris guide. A brilliant museum companion," said CondE Nast Traveler's website about the London book. Now, Kaplan reveals the enchantments of 30 often-overlooked museums in the city and nearby countryside. Ranging from the Burcardo Theater Museum and the Sabine Olive Oil Museum to the new ACEA Art Center at the Montemartini Power Station and the Rome Museum of Criminology, the varied venues offer something for everyone. Maps, addresses, phone numbers, and hours are included. kAPLAN, author of three previous Abrams guidebooks, has written articles for many international publications. 175 illustrations, 100 in full color.

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Café Life Rome: A Guidebook to the Cafés and Bars of the Eternal City
by Joe Wolff, Roger Paperno (Photographer)

The cafe is indisputably central to Roman life. Café Life Rome is the first guidebook dedicated solely to the cafés and bars of Rome. Instead of relying on city guides with cursory listings, this book, with its rich photography and informed descriptions, steers travelers through Rome's 5,000 bars to the perfect cafe. Café Life Rome focuses on thirty of the best, in four different areas of the city. Some of these establishments are hundreds of years old and some are relatively young, but each has a story to tell. These cafés also offer food and drink at reasonable prices, or a specialty of the house worth a small splurge. Visitors will be able to choose a comfortable bar close to their accommodations, make it a hangout of their own and watch the romani at close quarters. It may even be a place where Hemingway or Fellini came to unwind, too.

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City Secrets: Rome
by Robert Kahn (Editor)

In City Secrets: Rome, a number of architects, artists, writers, archaeologists, and historians at the prestigious American Academy in Rome write of their favorite spots in the city. Reading this book is like attending a reception at the academy and listening to academy residents offer glowing accounts of some of Rome's many treasures. Although rather small in size, it could serve as a delightful vade-mecum for tourists in Rome and provide them with an artful insight into Rome's familiar or not-so-familiar attractions.

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In the Footsteps of Popes: A Spirited Guide to the Treasures of the Vatican
by Enrico Bruschini (Author)

Most travel guides are long on information and short on wisdom; readers going to Rome will find plenty of both in Enrico Bruschini's In the Footsteps of Popes. Bruschini, a noted expert on the Vatican, writes with the enthusiasm of Rick Steves and the calm assurance of a Fodor's guide, with a depth of knowledge about religious and art history that exceeds them both. His book is literally a step-by-step guide through the Vatican's museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica, with photographs and histories of every major point of interest, from the Pietà to Raphael's Transfiguration. Bruschini candidly informs readers of his opinions about what's worth seeing and what can be skipped. And he breathes fresh life even into descriptions of the best-known sites, as when he reminds readers of the familiar story of Michelangelo's creation of the Sistine Chapel's frescoes: for four years he worked lying on his back, "the paint dripping in his eyes." Details like that make In the Footsteps of Popes a valuable addition to the growing body of guides for spiritual travelers.

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Hidden Rome
by Frank J. Korn

A veteran of dozens of trips to Rome, the author delivers a fascinating insider's look at the "Mother City of us all." In this tome that seems tailor-made for the In Italy Online reader, Korn reveals how tourists, while rushing through the "must see" sights listed in conventional guides, are missing treasures steeped in just as much history yet without the crowds and hassles. A delightful read, Hidden Rome looks at Christian Rome, pagan Rome, architectural Rome, and the "Roman's Rome." It details many one-day trips like Assisi, Palestrina, and Frascati. It includes such oddities as the secret society of talking statues, an ancient lie detector, the history of Roman graffiti, and more. The book explains not so much what to see but how to see and is perfect for armchair travelers, vacation planners, students going abroad, and those reminiscing about past trips.

Frank J. Korn, professor of classical studies at Seton Hall University, is the author of hundreds of articles and six books, including Paulist Press's™ A Catholic's Guide to Rome. An internationally recognized expert on Rome, he has lectured at such places as Yale and the Institute for Vatican Studies. Korn studied in Rome as a Fulbright Scholar at the American Academy.

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The Pligrim’s Italy: A Travel Guide to the Saints
by James & Colleen Heater

The footsteps of pilgrims have echoed continuously through the halls of time, as seekers of all faiths search for deeper meaning and purpose in their lives. The tangible vibrations of the saints and their shrines provide a direct personal experience of Divinity and transform lives. This is the power of pilgrimage.

Italy has long been the destination of countless pilgrims, yet The Pilgrim’s Italy is the first comprehensive guide to the spiritual side of this ancient country. This unique guidebook offers all that is needed to visit profound pilgrimage sites, meditate on the lives of saints, and feel their blessings. Through step-by-step instruction, the authors provide simple meditation techniques to enhance the pilgrim’s experience, as well as a wealth of practical information to make the journey a pleasant one.

Features include:

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Traveling With the Saints in Italy: Contemporary Pilgrimages on Ancient Paths
by Lucinda Vardey

Pilgrimages have long been a vital part of Italy's heritage. Yet visiting its sacred sites seems an overwhelming challenge for the modern traveler: what to see, where to go, how much time to spend in each place? In her new book, Lucinda Vardey provides solutions and guidance. In recognizing the genius of many of Italy's well-known--and some lesser-known--saints, she offers ten pilgrimages (to all parts of the country), for one or two days or a week, in a unique format of biography of early masters such as St. Benedict, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Catherine of Siena and more contemporary teachers, Blessed Pope John 23rd and St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio). After learning of the life of each saint, there is a summary of their spiritual teaching, a pilgrim prayer and suggestions for intention, itinerary, maps and detailed directions to the prime places to visit in that person's life (many documented for the first time). Also provided are sidebars on religious art and artists and a four-day retreat in Rome.

Lucinda Vardey is a teacher, retreat guide and writer of spiritual subjects, with a special emphasis on the interface between eastern and western teachings and feminine spirituality. Born in England, she now lives in Canada with her husband, John Dalla Costa, and in Italy where they run a retreat house in Tuscany. She is the editor of God in All Worlds: An Anthology of Contemporary Spiritual Writing, The Flowering of the Soul: A Book of Prayers by Women, and compiler of the New York Times bestseller, Mother Teresa's Simple Path. She lives part of the year in Tuscany and has led Italian pilgrimages for over six years.

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Romewalks Audio Guide
by Anya Shetterly, Maria Tucci (Narrator)

Completely revised and updated for the first time since 1984, this classic guide proves to readers that most of the Eternal City's treasures lie not in her museums, but in her streets. Romewalks leads visitors on extraordinary tours through Campo dei Fiori, the Piazza Navona, and the Jewish Ghetto, among others, sharing history, anecdotes, and gossip. Photos. Maps.

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The Heritage Guide Rome: The Eternal City and the Vatican, Their Churches, Museums, Monuments and Archeological Sites (Heritage Guides)
by Touring Club Italiano, Touring Club of Italy

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Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Rome
by Melanie Mize (Author)

Looking for a travel guide that goes where other guides fear to tread? One that rides roughshod over ad-copy puffery to smartly deliver the real scoop on a destination's sites and attractions? One that dares to be honest, hip, and fun? Look no more. Frommer's Irreverent Travel Guides are wickedly irreverent, unabashedly honest, and downright hilarious, and provide an insider's perspective on which attractions are overrated tourist traps and which are the secret gems that locals love. You'll get the lowdown on restaurants, lodging, and shopping, and even find out what the locals think of you.

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Frommer's® Rome
by Darwin Porter (Author), Danforth Prince (Author)

Completely reorganized, this guide covers the trendiest hotels, dines with the hottest chefs, and keeps the Eternal City up all night with everything from elegant cafes to sizzling discos. It also includes more than 20 new maps, and the authors have included opinionated "Best Bets" sections to point readers to their favorite hotels and restaurants for any occasion, whim, or wallet.

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Frommer's Rome Past & Present
by Frommer's, Romolo Augusto Staccioli

A practical and unique guide, Rome Past Present appeals to the kid in all of us, with photographs of 18 of Rome's most important sites as they are today and illustrated acetate overlays showing each site in its heyday. In addition, a straight-forward text and additional photographs help bring the Eternal City to life.

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Fodor's Around Rome With Kids: 68 Great Things to Do Together

The book focuses on 68 terrific ideas for family days, from museums and puppet theaters to skyscrapers and parks. Written by parents who live Rome, this book is smart about what kids like--and about what parents need. All the details for planning are included: addresses, phone numbers, admission prices, and age-appropriateness. "Hey, Kids!" info boxes provide fun facts and interesting trivia about the destination, and "Kid-Friendly Eats" features recommend three or four places to grab a bite to eat nearby. Fun to read and easy to use, this handy little guide makes it easy to plan an enjoyable, hassle-free day with children. A perfect idea book for every city parent and grandparent, and an indispensable aid for families on vacation.

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A Thousand Bells at Noon: A Roman's Guide to the Secrets and Pleasures of His Native City
by G. Franco Romagnoli

An accomplished chef, restaurateur, and documentary filmmaker rediscovers the extraordinary delights of his native Rome after an extended, decades-long absence. Although standard travel guides focus on Rome's infinite number of prominent and offbeat tourist sights, Romagnoli concentrates on the people, the feelings, the shared history, and the unique culture that epitomizes a less tangible, far more tantalizing aspect of Rome. By contemplating and analyzing the city's human texture, he provides an insider's view into the central core of one of the world's urban treasures. While strolling through the districts and streets of his beloved Roma, he encounters and interviews countless natives willing to share their unique perspective on the Roman persona and lifestyle. Both the Rome of antiquity and the modern city are well represented in this distinctive tribute.

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A Catholic's Guide to Rome: Discovering the Soul of the Eternal City
by Frank J. Korn

The Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, Editor-in-Chief, First Things
Those on their very first visit will be grateful for this splendid guide.

The Catholic Advocate (Newark)
This is a book for those who have been there, and those who would like to be!

Library Journal
It provides the religious pilgrim with contemporary details and historical traditions surrounding the important churches and shrines of the city.

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Hidden Rome
by Frank J. Korn

In this informative new book, Frank Korn reveals long-preserved secrets of the Eternal City. Where else but in Rome will you find a church with the name "Where are you going?" Or be able to take an ancient lie detector test? Or peer through a single keyhole and see three sovereign countries in one shot? These are among the scores of fascinating oddities, offbeat features and unexplored places that Korn discusses. Learn about the cupolas of Rome, tracing back to the 6th century; discover the rioni fountains, which symbolize the interest or character of the neighborhood where they are located; or observe the pagan priest of the Vatican, a famous 1st-century marble sculpture. Korn reveals how tourists, while rushing through the "must-see" sights of the city, are missing treasures like these, steeped in just as much history but without the crowds. If you just don't have time to luxuriate in the bubble bath whirlpool tub of Georgina Masson's Companion Guide to Rome, then treat yourself to this book, the next best thing, which also details many one-day trips like Assisi, Palestrina, and Frascati.

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Companion Guide to Rome
by Georgina Masson

This was the original Companion Guide, and as far as generations of Rome aficionados are concerned, no guidebook has ever come even close to equaling its mastery. Our beloved Georgina is the Pied Piper of Rome! She walks you through the streets of the Eternal City like any other guide, but no one can match her bewitching blend of erudition and enthusiasm. Whether you consider yourself a scholar or a casual traveler, she will bring Rome alive for you, introducing you to a colorful caravan of emperors, popes, painters, sculptors, sinners, and saints who will soon populate every nook and cranny of the ancient city. If you are going to be in Rome for more than a heartbeat, do yourself a favor and take this book along with you. Don't try to read it at home: it will mean nothing. Stuff it in your backpack and pore over it as you rest your laurels on a 7th-century ruin.

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Michelin Green Guide to Rome

While spending a few days in the Eternal City, you may want to visit some of its numerous sights and monuments, to explore the locations and scenes captured in the classic film La Dolce Vita, to plunge into the bustle of an open-air market or to cross the Tiber to Trastevere in search of a typical trattoria. Full index for cross-referencing sights, dates and important historical figures.Includes over 100 illustrations and 80 local maps and floor plans for orientation.

Trade Paperback, 315 pages

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Eyewitness Travel Guide to Rome
by Olivia Ercoli, Ros Belford, Roberta Mitchell, Rodney Palmer

Too bad the essence of Rome can't be bottled and exported to a corner store near you. If it could, you could pick up a weekend's worth of Rome along with your pint of milk and Snickers bar, and you'd probably never get to repainting the stairs, doing the laundry, or watching that new video release. Instead you'd be gawking at St. Peter's, ogling the Temple of Vesta, devouring saltimbocca in a trattoria, and sipping Sangiovese at a wine bar. You might not even get to the Snickers bar. Okay, DK never said they're trying to bottle Rome. But they do a stand-up job of imbuing their guidebook with the spirit, attitude, and élan of Rome. They don't just provide information about where to stay and what to do when you're there (though they do, in fact, provide all those necessary details), they go beyond the pragmatic and mundane to revel in Rome's glory. They stimulate the appetite for a Roman holiday. The gorgeous pictures and engaging text draw you in. They inspire you to read and dream, set your travel date, and visit Rome for real.

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Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide (Oxford Archaeological Guides)
by Amanda Claridge, Judith Toms, Tony Cubberley

The city of Rome is the largest archeological site in the world. If your idea of a good Roman holiday is uncovering the archeological mysteries of the Roman Empire, then Oxford Archeological Guides: Rome is your ideal guidebook.

For such a detailed guide, this book is remarkably readable. Of the Field of Mars (Campus Martius), Claridge writes,

It is the one part of Rome which continued to be quite densely inhabited after the C9 AD, becoming the center of the late medieval and Renaissance city, and is still densely inhabited today, an extraordinary blend of past and present even for Rome. The Stock Exchange occupies a Roman temple, the boiler-rooms of the offices of the Senate are set in the ruins of Roman thermal baths, a modern theatre nestles in the shell of a Roman theatre. Many of the streets are on the lines of ancient streets, and the walls of the buildings on either side of them are often balanced directly on top of Roman walls.

Among this Oxford guide's special features are 200 site plans, maps, diagrams, and photographs; a cultural and historical overview; a chronological overview; and a glossary of essential terms. It uses star ratings to help you plan your days and divides Rome into 12 main areas: the Roman Forum, Upper Via Sacra, Palatine Hill, Imperial Forums, Campus Martius, Capitoline Hill, Circus Flaminius to Circus Maximus, Colosseum Valley and Esquiline Hill, Caelian Hill and the Via Appia, other sites, museums, and catacombs. Shaded sidebars add anecdotal interest, covering issues such as the Seven Hills, Jupiter's Dining Room, Tomb of Bibulus, the "Province" Reliefs, Madam Lucretia, Nero's New Palace, and Gladiatorial Shows.

(Click here for an excerpt, as well as price and order information)

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