Someone has asked "do we need to get a guidebook..." So if you're just flying in and out of Florence and only spending the week with us on The Adventures To Tuscany Tour, then the answer is no, you don't necessarily need a guidebook... Those decades of knowledge & experience is part of what you're paying for when you invest in an organized Tour, and and of course you're getting a lot more "guidance" than most tourists ever get, just by reading these Blog postings! But if you're coming in a couple days early and/or staying a couple of days after The Tour, in Rome, Florence, Lake Como or Venice etc, then you might want to consider having the resources offered by a guidebook.
We think guidebooks are a great idea, and we personally buy tons of them... but again, this is a personal decision, and totally up to each of you individually... From doing this a lot, and from observing others, we can tell you, that in our opinion, the people that get the most out of their investment in their vacation are those that are most "engaged..." Some folks feel they don't want the extra weight of a guidebook in their carry on... A lot of experienced travelers simply cut the pages they need from a "country guidebook" and just staple them together...
(travel-tip: if you're using a guidebook for restaurant or hotel suggestions, make sure you have the most recent edition... often-times, two year old restaurant and hotel recommendations, are just that - 2 years old!). Consider this: a friend gives you a recommendation on a restaurant, and then said "well it was good when we were there, but that was 2 years ago, and I heard the place has new owners..." One bad $100 dining experience, will make you wish you invested in a new guidebook!
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| Rick Steves Italy 2023 - 27th Edition is his latest edition |
One of the very best things about planning trips so far out, is that it gives you the time to read a few good books about your destinations before you get there... If you're an avid reader, this is a great way to get a whole lot more out of your travel experience! For us, reading these books and learning as much as we can about the destinations is almost as much fun as the vacation itself! What was Carly Simon's song - "Anticipation"... In my opinion, travel guidebooks are a lot like exercise equipment... a whole of lot of people buy them, but relatively few people actually use them... while it pretty much goes without saying, you will have a better time if you know the "what, when, why, where's and how's" of the destinations you're touring...
Guidebooks offer something for everyone; if you're a history buff, they usually give you a fair amount of background on how the area and it's people developed over the centuries... if you're a foodie, they'll not only explain the culinary specialities of the area, they'll tell you the best restaurants to go and experience them... if you're an "oenophile" a good guidebook will describe the terroir and the very best places to visit for a wine tour and tasting... if you love the outdoors, many guidebooks will not only point you to the best trails, they'll tell you when to go, how long it will take, and where to find the best vistas... and of course they'll explain the best village to stay in to experience the unique charms of a region, as well as the perfect hotel to fit your style & budget... and lastly of course, they'll advise you on sight-seeing attractions and the best ways to experience them...
But really, the very best thing a good, well-written guidebook does, is to give you that unique and magical "essence & flavor" of a destination... it's scent... it's romance... and it's personality... And these are all things that enhance the travel experience! It was over 40 years ago in 1982, reading Rick Steve's very first guidebook, Europe Through The Back Door that started my love affair for Europe! I strapped on a backpack... put that beat up old guidebook in it with extra pair of jeans and bought the cheapest air tix I could find... and as every poor college kid like myself learned to do; you bought a Eurail Train Pass because the old railcars in Europe had compartments with seats that slid forward & folded flat so you could travel overnight & sleep on the trains... that way you didn't have to pay for a hostel or hotel.
Over the last 40 years, Rick Steve's Guidebooks have taken me all over Europe from hiking in the Alps to swimming in The Mediterranean... His "Italy 2023 ~ 27th edition" is his latest edition (pictured above)... If you want it, you can click here to get it from Amazon . You're down to just a few months now... I hope you're getting excited! I get excited just writing about it! It never, ever, gets old! Reach out if we can help you with anything!
