Florence, Italy: AAA Travel Guide

The AAA books are small enough to fit into the pocket of most jackets and in most purses, but they are not as small as the Top Ten Eyewitness Guides. I own several of the AAA guides to cities in Europe and always take them with me. For ease of use they cannot be beat.

What I like about the AAA Travel Guide to Florence, Italy:

• The primary reason I like these guidebooks is that they give you just enough information on each attraction and focus on a few restaurants and shops so you are not overwhelmed with information. I still think the best way to find a good restaurant is to ask at the hotel where you are staying. You know with your own neighborhood bistro the quality may vary by season and the hotel will know what is good.  Plus the hotel can give you good directions to a restaurant they recommend. No matter how good the maps are in a guidebook, it is hard to find small restaurants and shops in the narrow alleys and streets of Florence.
• These travel guides are spiral bound making them easy to open and read especially when you are moving around. Because they are spiral bound you can open the book to the site you are visiting and leave it there rather than continually having to flip through pages to find what you are looking for.
• The guide is for one city only so you do not need to carry a big book that has all the sites to see in Sicily, when you are only going to Florence.
• There is a short section on the history of Florence as well as the culture of the city including such things as food and fashion.
• These books tell you what you need to do in the first two hours after you arrive in a city and give the location of the tourist information offices.
• Each book has a “Getting Your Bearings” section for each part of the city as well as what to do if you have one day, two days, etc. They even have suggestions for lunch and dinner taking all the guesswork out of your visit.
• Highlights of museums and sites are bullet pointed.
• Tip boxes are scattered throughout the books giving you tips such as arrive early or buy your ticket on-line, etc.
• There is a section on excursions that includes side trips to Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca and Pisa.
• A section on recommended walks through the city is accompanied by maps. The directions are very specific i.e. walk straight ahead, turn right into Via del Monte alle Croci. It makes it easy even for those of us who can get lost walking to our front door from the end of our driveway.
• For each city there is a section on Where to Eat and Drink, Where to Shop and Where to be Entertained
• The end of each guide is devoted to practicalities such as How to Tip, Clothing Sizes, Health information and a short Italian to English Dictionary. Because these books are small enough to carry with you the dictionary is actually helpful.
• Addresses, hours of operation, phone numbers and a cost guide are included for each entry.