Book more practical than TV show

Rick Steeves sometimes get a bad rap because many have seen his TV shows, which sometimes come across as simple and lacking detail. His books though are much more practical, and his hotel recommendations have, in my experience in France, Spain, and Italy, never missed. For whatever reason, his influence seems to be greatest on tourists to Italy relative Spain or France.

My biggest criticism about Rick Steeves is that he seems to have little interest in food, and his restaurant recommendations are not as good ( I follow the Michelin guide for those).

Save your money

Rick Steve's books are all about saving your money. You should start by not purchasing this book. Potential purchasers should be aware that Rick Steve's books are aimed at a particular segment of segment of the tourist market, that is, those people who want clear and practical advice about how to get about Italy as quickly and cheaply as possible, ticking off the "essential" bits; but don't care very much about what they eat, where they eat, where they sleep or why things are the way they are. Last of all they want to spend their time with other tourists who think the same way. If this discription does not fit you, then there may be other books you might consider such as the Blue Guides or HV Morton.

Great Book

Just got back from Italy and this was a must for me. I rust Rick Steves with all my European Trips. If you want to travel but are on a budget than this is the book for you.