I have had the opportunity to review numerous travel books from different companies over the years and for the first time, I believe “Rome 2019” is the first travel book I have reviewed from DK Travel/DK Eyewitness.
One of the things that I like for travel books to have is a lot of photos which emphasize the beauty of the location.
And having read through various parts of “Rome 2019”, DK Travel is actually very well done and as for photos, the booklet features many!
The chapters are broken down as follows:
Discover
- Welcome to Rome
- Reasons to Love Roam
- Explore Roam
- Getting to Know Rome
- Itineraries
- Rome Your Way
- A Year in Rome
- A Brief History
The “Discover” section is well-done as it shows the beauty of Rome, top places to visit and things to do but one thing you don’t really see but is featured is a brief history of Rome and Italy.
Experience
- Capitol
- Forum and Palatine
- Piazza della Rotonda
- Piazza Navona
- Piazza di Spagna and Villa Borghese
- Campo de Fiori
- Qurinal and Monti
- Esquiline
- Lateran
- Caracalla
- Aventine
- Trastevere
- Janiculum
- Vatican
- Via Veneto
- Beyond the Centre
The “Experience” portion is fantastic as it shows a map and it shows key areas to visit and you get a brief history of each area and tips for that area.. Not only do you get photos but you get the artwork of the importance of a location’s architecture and more!
There is also details for price guide for people on a budget to people who like to splurge. Locations of metro station, train station, streetcar, bus station and more!
Need to Know
- Before you Go
- Getting Around
- Practical Information
- Index
- Phrase Book
- Announcements
The “Need to Know” section goes into ways for one to plan for their trip, information about customs information, passports, visas, closures, emergency medical care and more!
Also, included on the second to last page of the book is a map with details of the location which is another great incentive to have if you are traveling to Rome.
Overall, the “Rome 2019” book from DK Travel is the type of travel guide I myself would look for. From information of what is near tourist areas to areas going another path, it helps to look in this book which is already setup for the reader to know where things are located within walking distance but also where key establishments are in the area and also restaurants that fit your budget.
This is important because unless you plan diligently, have printed up guides, rent a pocket wifi to have access to google or google maps, it helps to have this booklet which is small enough to fit in your backpack or bag and helpful even if you have to carry it around with you to easily to search locations worth visiting.
Personally, this is a well-done travel guide and it’s not bloated with information. It keeps things simple, showcases the beauty of the location but also gives you important information that a traveler needs.
I love the history facts and other factoids listed from page to page, but if there was one thing that I did wish it included, information for travelers who want to know about key areas that people should be careful for and major emergency information (ie. earthquake or some natural disaster). Some travel guides do include this information, DK Travel’s “Rome 2019” doesn’t.
The book does a great job in promoting tourism in Rome and selects many key areas for people to visit and why but tries to keep away anything negative.
But if anything, one should protect themselves from pickpocketing and scams (ie. people trying to help you with your luggage, fake petitions, “Gold Ring” tricks) and do your research prior to visiting Rome.
But overall, for a guide that showcases Rome 2019 and the awesome locations to visit, I highly recommend DK Travel/DK Eyewitness’ “Rome 2019”!
