Rome City Guide by Lonely Planet book review

Title:

Rome City Guide - 5th edition
(Lonely Planet, 2008) ISBN 978-1741046595

Theme:

Lonely Planet's Rome guidebook describes Roman neighbourhoods and attractions like the Pantheon, Borghese Gallery Museum, St. Peter's Basilica, Colosseum, Piazza Navona, the Capitoline Museums, Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, Caracalla Baths, National Roman Museum (Palazzo Altemps) and Trevi Fountain. Readers learn about best places to shop (e.g., Ghezzi, Retro and Volpetti), where and what to eat (from the high-end Fabio Baldassare to cheap places for aperitivo or snacks) and where to stay (e.g., Daphne Inn, the Beehive and Hotel Campo de Fiori).

Sample Items:

A four-hour walking tour of Ancient Rome takes in Il Vittoriano with more white marble than the Colosseum, Piazza del Campidoglio with Michelangelo's impressive piazza, the world's oldest public Capitoline Museums, the famous Roman Forum ruins, the spectacular 50,000-seat Colosseum, the exclusive Ancient Roman neighborhood of Palatino, the enormous chariot race track of Circo Massimo and the ancient lie detector called Bocca della Verita.

The Excursions section describes day trips from Rome to Ostia Antica, Cerveteri, Tarquinia, Orvieto, Viterbo and Perugia. Sidebars provide information on distance from Rome, direction, travel time and how to get there by car, train and bus.

Notable Elements:

A sidebar describes the evolution of ice cream from snow to sorbet to gelato and other Roman treats like grattachecca (crushed ice with syrup). It includes a list of gelaterias, directions, phone numbers and recommendations like the cardamom ice cream at Al Settimo Gelo and the organic ice cream at Ara Coeli. Also in the Eating section is information on where to find the best pizza in Rome (Pizzeria da Baffetto, Dar Poeta, Panattoni, Pizzeria Remo and Forno di Campo de' Fiori).

A shopping sidebar, Holy Socks!, informs readers about the Pantheon shopping district where priests shop for ceremonial capes and cardinals buy red socks. It provides the address for Anniable Gamarelli, tailors who make the pope's clothing. Another sidebar tells stories about what happens to the coins thrown into the Trevi Fountain. An average of €3,000 from 58 countries is collected weekly from the Trevi Fountain and sent to charity.

Tone / Style:

Lonely Planet's Rome City Guide is comprehensive and filled with helpful tips.

A sidebar explains how to avoid lineups at the Colosseum, e.g., buy the Roma Pass. Discount shopping provides addresses and bus directions to designer clothing outlets like Castel Romano, Designer Outlet and Discount dell'Alta Moda. Another lists six free things to see in Rome — Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Bocca della Verita, St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums on the last Sunday of the month.

Visuals:

Small color photos illustrate the Introducing Rome and Highlights sections at the front of the 324-page guide book and the Festivals and Events section in the middle.

Maps illustrate regions of the city, like Villa Borghese and northern Rome, with locations of art galleries, museums, stadiums, hotels, shopping districts, restaurants, embassies and tourist sights like the catacombs, basilicas and villas.

An excellent tear-out Rome City map, inside the back cover, contains information with useful phrases, emergency phone numbers and typical rates for public transport tickets, car parking, bicycle and motor bike rentals.

Author:

Duncan Garwood and Abigail Hole

Claim to fame:

Author of several Italian guides, Duncan Garwood has lived in Rome since 1999.

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