Rick Steves’ Pocket Florence includes the following walks and tours:
Renaissance Walk
Accademia Tour: Michelangelo’s David
Uffizi Gallery Tour
Bargello Tour
Duomo Museum Tour
Gene Openshaw is a writer, composer, tour guide, and lecturer on art and history. Specializing in writing walking tours of Europe's cultural sights, Gene has coauthored 10 of Rick's books and contributes to Rick's public television series. As a composer, Gene has written a full-length opera (Matter), a violin sonata, and dozens of songs. He lives near Seattle with his daughter, and roots for the Mariners in good times and bad.
1. Stick to a one bag limit: Rick’s self-imposed limit is 20 pounds in a 9" × 22" × 14" carry-on-size bag, which fits in an airplane's overhead bin!
2. Do a tourist test in town: Before flying to Europe, do a tourist test. Pack up completely, go into town, and practice being a tourist for an hour. Fully loaded, the goal is to be able to enjoy window-shopping. Can’t? Stagger home and thin things out.
3. Scrutinize: Spread everything out on the living room floor. Pick up each item one at a time and scrutinize it. Ask if the item is needed enough to justify carrying it around all summer.
4. When in doubt, leave it out: Don't pack for the worst-case scenario. Pack for the best-case scenario and simply buy something abroad to get out of any jams. Bring layers rather than taking a heavy coat. Think in terms of what can be left out—not what will be handy on the trip.
5. Pack light and bring the right guidebook: Whether traveling for three weeks or three months, pack exactly the same. Go casual, simple, and very light. Bring the right guidebook for your trip. Remember, there are two kinds of tourists—those who pack light and those who wish they had.
Wild_FlowerNM
Posted Fri Feb 21 00:00:00 EST 2014
Much information in an easy to read format. Full of history, culture, recommendations, and travel tips as only Rick Steves can research and write it. The book is small and lightweight to fit into a small purse or bag to carry with you. Will take it to Florence with me.
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Overview
Rick Steves’ Pocket guidebooks truly are a “tour guide in your pocket.” Each colorful, compact 280-page book includes Rick’s advice for prioritizing your time, whether you're spending 1 or 7 days in a city. Everything a busy traveler needs is easy to access: a neighborhood overview, city walks and tours, sights, handy food and accommodations charts, an appendix packed with information on trip planning and ...