Naples & the Almalfi Coast (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

Turtleback - September, 2003 - DK ADULT
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By: DK Publishing
ISBN: 0789495694

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Reviews by readers

An Essential Travel Book

This book on Naples and the Amalfi Coast has been the best and most valuable guide book to the region. This Eyewitness guide, as is the case with the entire series, is very nicely laid out. The map of Naples under the front cover is color coded and provides highlights in each. The colors of the map relate to the sections in the book relating to the main areas of the city. The book nicely covers the history of Naples, art and architecture and culture, the environment and items of local interest.

Each section of the book that covers an area of Naples beings with a map numbered for the locations of items of interest. Each of the numbered locations is then described with a picture proving relevant information (sometimes in a colored box labeled "Visitor Checklist") such as opening times, how to get there and the main items to see. Important buildings, such as the Duomo, are illustrated with a colored cutaway drawing, showing a bit of the exterior and the interior plan, with the location of art work and places of special interest. Each page is full of information and often the photograph of the site brings something of interest to my attention that I may not pay any attention to in an un-illustrated book. The Amalfi Coast follows the chapters on Naples and is described in the same fashion. A map of the coast with number sights begins this section. Places, such as Pompeii and Herculaneum, are given a good overview with descriptions of the main sights and photographs. For surrounding areas like Capri and Ischia (covered on only 2 pages) there is not a lot of information which makes an additional book necessary. There is good information on how to get to destinations in the Naples area.

The descriptions are succinct and well-written, the aim being not to waste words or space. The Traveler Needs section provides good information on hotels, restaurants and shopping. Although I used additional guide books to discover information about hotels and restaurants I also referred to this book. The final section, Survival Guide, is a wealth of information about getting around Naples and the Amalfi coast. For example, this book is the only one I saw that had a map of the Metro stops in Naples, and you can tie this map to the detailed maps of the city to determine how the stops are connected. The several pages of maps are the best that I have seen in a guidebook: you can find any location on Naples using these maps. The maps are easy to access and follow from page to page and have detailed information like where pharmacies are located.

This guidebook is the kind that always finds a place in my luggage. It is easy to become familiar with an unfamiliar place and is a storehouse of practical information.

DK EYEWITNESS HISTORY AND GUIDE OF NAPLES AND THE ALMALFI COAST EDITION 2005

QUICK INFORMATION:

The Dk Eyewitness travel guide is firstly what it says it is - A Guide. It is there to help you with advice to resource you with useful information for your forth-coming travels. I have used several DK Eyewitness Guides, as there is a vast range and found them to be useful for my certain plan of action. I have especially used these while travelling in Italy.

These Guides I would suggest are for the following - if you are combining a holiday with a spot of sightseeing, require a history element, maybe taking off and having you own little adventure, wish to partake in travelling in your own style by bus, hydrofoil or train this is the guide for you. I do not advise this particular guidebook for backpackers or people travelling off the beaten track. There is no hidden treasure here for you.

Second quick checkpoint when purchasing an edition of this book, please check that you have the most recent and up to date version.

Example: I was using edition 2005 but had notice this certain edition had not been updated since 2003. a necessary factor of any travel guide is to require the latest information most editions of these books are usually updated yearly.

BOOK OVERVIEW:

This book is extremely well planned and laid out, even showing you how to use this book guide. It covers History, Art, Architecture,Culture, as well as Churches, Volcanoes, Museums, Roman ruins, Islands and Beaches. It starts with an introduction to Naples, Followed by Naples area by area. it comes with a survival guide of practical information on travel and has a Naples map and street finder.

Each section of this book has been broken down; an area of Naples has been mapped out and numbered for the items of tourist interest, where to go, location, places to see or an object being described with a picture. It also shows interior and exterior of buildings with photographs and illustrated design. This book has beautiful glossy pages; it is not just for reading its showing you. What I loved was the fact that it had a visitors checklist such as opening times of shops, museums, etc. Areas of Naples are all colour coded.

This book them follows through in sections and chapters with surrounding areas, Phlegraean fields, Cumae, Portici and the Vesuvian Villas, Mount Vesuvius, Herculaneum, Pompeii, The Sorrento Peninsula, The Amalfi Coast, Along the Sorrento Coast, Paestum, Caserta, Capri, Ischia and Procida. Information on these places are about a page to two pages each, I found it was enough to get by on as when I was travelling around the biggest source for me is word of mouth, speaking to the locals or fellow holiday makers. Road maps, motorways the famous coastline is all shown. For the drivers section Naples can be tricky watch those trams, red traffic lights are more of a suggestion than a stop sign, traffic in Naples can be grid locked, down the coast while looking at the amazing scenery don't forget to keep one eye on the road. Drivers buckle up and good luck.

At the back of the book there are many tips on being safe, Chemists/Pharmacy are all marked and listed, an importance in any city. Information on hotels, restaurants, cafe, bars and festivals, Bank Holidays. More important for me, ladies shopping, even what time of year the sales start and when the markets are on. Men be vigilant keep those wallets in a safe place. It also has an Italian phase page, please try to give the language a go, it's courteous and appreciated, the Italians have a sense of humour and even if you say it incorrectly remember.............. it whether their laughing with us or at us that count.

MY TIPS:

Read the book in advance before travelling; use the internet as another source of information. For example, I needed to find out about the hydrofoil timetables and price list, also if they were running from Naples to Amalfi Coast in September. The guidebook had already told me about the metro del mare hydrofoil service, so I typed in metro del mare as a key word via internet, the information is at your fingertips. Timetables, Routes and Prices can also be obtained from key words in this book for Ferries crossing, Trains, Public bus, best places to obtain your tickets from, also try the Summer in Italy web site just by typing in Summer in Italy, Hotels try Trip Advisor lots of information is given. Guidebooks in general do not list times and prices because they frequently change; also another unpredictability would be the weather, take everything into account how you travel about.

This book I found to be a wonderful source of information, many holiday makers were browsing through it while I was there, fascinated by it even. The history element was my keen interest, also the fact with all the information I'd obtained from this book plus the internet, I simply got off my flight in Naples and set out, so this book comes highly recommended from me, take this guide with you, good luck, stay sharp in the city have a fantastic time.