Amazon.com: Customer reviews: DK Eyewitness Florence and Tuscany (Travel Guide)

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 9, 2021

This small volume covers just about everything you'll need to know and includes full day itineraries should you be looking to do the touring on your own. It's also small enough to put into a purse. You can carry it with you everywhere.

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gumbocat

Changes to Format are Terrible!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 27, 2021

Verified Purchase

This may be my first Amazon review in 16+ years of membership.

I am so very disappointed in the change DK Eyewitness Guide has made to its 2021 books!

I've used DK Eyewitness Guides for 20 years and they've taken me around the world, to known and obscure places. What makes the guide books terrific are the photos that help identify what you are seeing and the schematics of historic buildings. Even when our family takes a fully-guided tour or a cruise, I buy the DK Guides so I can understand in advance what we will see. We always hire private guides when we're on our own and DK helps me think through what I want to see in advance so we can plan accordingly with the private guide.

We were to go to Egypt in 2 weeks for a fully-guided tour. I bought the 2020 Egypt DK Eyewitness Books and they are terrific. Trip was cancelled and we've quickly booked Rome and Florence for same dates. Scrambling to plan and I immediately ordered my guide books. I have books from last trip in 2005 but I wanted updates for restaurants, hotels, etc.

What has changed: historically, Eyewitness includes a section with a list of hotels, restaurants, shopping, etc. at the back of the book. The list was divided by areas of a city/region, it was comprehensive in offering choices from 5 star to 1 star and it explained the pros/cons of each hotel and restaurant. It was easy to flip to the back of the book and scan. The contents of the books have always been divided by regions/parts of city, but it was convenient to keep touring separate from logistics. This was helpful for advance planning of hotels and/or restaurants. Using the Eyewitness Guides made roughing out a tentative itinerary very easy.

NOW, in the midst of the book, embedded in the regions, are one or two dining options and, perhaps one hotel suggestion. AND, the index is no help because the page references are incorrect. For example, in the Rome book, the index says hotel recommendations for the Piazza Navona are on page 129 when, in fact, there is 1 hotel recommendation on page 131. No rankings, just a hotel name and website. This information and format is not helpful on the fly when you need a good place to take a hungry child for lunch.

Last, the cover of the Eyewitness Guides have always been solid and durable. The pages are glossy and heavy. None of mine are worse for wear, even though they've been worn hard. NOW, the cover is flimsy and the paper inside is cheap. I can't imagine the books will survive this trip, much less survive several trips or 20 years like my older copies. All said, with no help on current matters like dining, shopping, etc., I'll probably take my tried and true copies.

DK, return to old format!! This is a very bad downgrade!

11 people found this helpful

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robert m keller

What you need to know before you go.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 25, 2021

Verified Purchase

DK EYEWITNESS I use for research before I step on the plane. I take it with me and look at it during dinner. I travel alone except for Eyewitness.

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aaron

Downgrade from Rolls-Royce to Ford Focus

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 6, 2022

Verified Purchase

I agree with everything that Gumbocat wrote. I just wish I had seen his/her review before I bought the Florence and Venice guidebooks.
Along with Gumbocat's remarks I'd like to add that the old format had detailed walking tour maps for every geographical area with expanded drawings of the area which made using them very easy. Thank God I still have my DK 2018 Rome guidebook.
The old guidebooks were a bit more expensive but worth every penny. They were in a class of their own. Go back to the old format.

2 people found this helpful

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Marjorie

Excellent

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 6, 2022

Verified Purchase

The content is great. The reason that I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the type size is extremely small.

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Nikki

A great overview for planning

Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on October 14, 2022

Verified Purchase

I usually get the Lonely Planet guidebooks but this one was cheaper so I tried it for a change. Wow, so much better in my opinion. The photos alongside comprehensive details gives a great impression and also inspiration.

Julia H Mason

Great book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 6, 2022

Verified Purchase

To use in Florence

Brechin Jim

Brilliant Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 21, 2021

Verified Purchase

Bought a few of these books for reading as cannot get a holiday yet. DK books to me a the perfect blend of information and pictures which gives you a great indication of what you can see and enjoy. having been in this area some years ago was a most refreshing read.

One person found this helpful

Sneed

The paper quality is excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 17, 2022

I just want to counter a previous reviewer who gave this book one star and said it was printed in China.

The paper quality is fine. Excellent even. The inks look vivid. The edge-to-edge printing is perfect.

This is a thorough guide book of Florence and Tuscany.

PC Gaming Fan

Very informative!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 12, 2021

Great little guide very informative but not sure how relevant it is now with the pandemic =(

5 star		75%
4 star		13%
3 star		9%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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