Travel Resources

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June 1, 2011

For future planning, I thought I might list the various sources used in preparing for my Italy trip.

One Stop Shopping
By far, the biggest resource was the Rick Steves travel company. I don’t want to sound like an advertising agency, but the Edmonds location really was one stop shopping. Travel classes, travel consultation, train ticket office, books, travel gear, TV shows, travel library. And on the website there was even more, like free audio tours for iPods, sample tour itineraries, the graffiti wall, and “tips and tricks.” Most of all, I liked that the company was not concerned about pressuring visitors to sign up for a tour. Their philosophy is that they simply want people to go to Europe, whether it’s with a tour or not.


Recommended Reading
I ended up buying several books to prep for my travels. Most of the books I abused like a college text book, highlighting passages and writing in the margins. One book I even cut up into sections. While this idea is sacrilegious to some, who would no more write in a book than cut off their own arm, you need to remember that it is a reference book for you to use and abuse; it is not a sacred text. It is really the easiest way to figure out what to do and where to go.

The Art of Traveling Solo, Stephanie Lee
This pamphlet is a basic introduction for solo female travelers. I call it an introduction, because those who have already done extensive research or have traveled alone already may find the information besides-the-point. I read this before going to other resources and found it useful as a starting point in deciding upon my own travel style and needs. The pamphlet is available in hard copy or PDF; I recommend PDF.

Rick Steves Italy Guidebook, Rick Steves
“Uncle Rick,” as one of his tour guides calls him, has put together a very useful guide book. With short and accurate descriptions of the different sights, transportation methods, and lodging, to name a few, this became my primary guidebook. Breaking taboo, I cut my book into sections, leaving the glue binding intact to hold the pages of each section together. This will prove to be incredibly helpful, because I won't have to take the entire book out while strolling in Venice, I can take just the Venice pages and leave Rome in my luggage pack at the hostel. Also included is a sturdy map of Italy, which I marked up during the planning process. (Also see Rick Steves Rome, Venice, and Florence books.)

Rick Steves Italian Phrade Book, Rick Steves
The book is laid out with the English word or phrase, followed by the Italian translation, and then the quasi-phonetic pronunciation. For example, (English) Good day, (Italian) Buon giorno, (pronunciation) bwon-jor-noh, with the inflection bolded. Simple, easy to use, compact, highly recommended.

Frommer’s Rome Day to Day
Rome is a huge city, and I wasn’t quite sure how to schedule out my days while visiting. How much time should I allocate to see the Coliseum, for example. The book suggests several daily itineraries and recommended time for each museum, monument, or activity. This was very useful in planning my time. I also picked up Florence and Tuscany Day to Day.

100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go, Susan Van Allen
This book poses a unique view of Italy, focusing on female figures such as Venus and the Virgin Mary and the impact they’ve had on the country’s social customs and history. I liked this twist and found some of the passages amusing, as the author relates ancient romantic entanglements to today’s Hollywood scandals. An excellent casual read for sitting in a coffee shop, the book has very short chapters which can be read in any order.


Internet Resources
Rick Steves - Tried and true travel information.
Women on the Road - Information for solo women travelers.
TravelBlog - Forums and blogs full of information about locations all over the world.
Frommers - Forums about all kinds of subjects, mostly from travelers on a budget
TripAdvisor - Reviews from former travelers on hotels, restaurants, and destinations.

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