The Marco Polo guide to Rome was our trusty companion during our five-day visit to the city. We gave it a thorough ‘road test’. The result was a thumbs up.
We appreciated the handy size – not too big, but large enough not to get lost in the depths of a rucksack. The maps were detailed and the print was clear enough to decipher even when on the move. The guide is full of handy, practical tips which are highlighted in the text and provide ways of avoiding queues; saving money and helping the visitor make the most of their precious time.
Sections on where to eat and stay are divided to reflect different budgets. The sightseeing pages are sub-divided by areas of Rome allowing users to plan their days with minimal time spent travelling between locations. Many of the key sights and buildings of the city have a brief but informative summary describing them. Helpfully the guide has some pages identifying places to visit should it rain and places that have free entry. We followed two of the three suggested walks and found that these linked up important landmarks and took us into areas we might not have otherwise explored.
Although our guide was dated 2012, we did find that prices had jumped by the time we visited (eg a day-pass on the buses/metro cost €6, not the €4 mentioned). And being cautious British we would have appreciated some firmer guidance on whether the water was safe to drink from Rome’s innumerable drinking fountains; but these are minor points compared to the pages of helpful information which made for a thoroughly enjoyable visit to this vibrant city. ISBN 978 3829706773. £5.99. www.marco-polo.com