Guide books
For me a good, current guide book is a necessity for all but the most simple of traveling. What book is best for you is a matter of personal preference. Spend an hour at the bookstore thumbing through the offering before making a decision. Another option is to hit the Library before a trip; any decent library will have current versions of guide books. If you only need the book for the trip, you can save the $ and just borrow it for the duration.For Italy as a whole, I like the "Rough Guide" for thorough complete coverage (Let's Go, Lonely Planet, Frommers, & Fodors, are all excellent as well). DK's Eyewitness Travel series is well done, heavy in pics and light on details. No doubt the Rick Steves' Italy guide does a great job with the 5-Terre, he also brings package tours over to 5-Terre from the states. His guides always have practical & entertaining advice, with a focus on specific...
