Reviews for 

Italy: Instructions for Use

Reviewers are Raving:

Selected by About.com Italy for Visitors as their #1 Guidebook recommendation!

“A perfect travel companion—and the perfect complement to any other Italian guidebook. [A] practical, concise and thorough guide of what to do before you even board your flight to Italy, and what to do once you arrive and are overwhelmed by the newness of it all.” —Sandy Fenton, "AAA: Let's Talk Travel"

"An antidote to the hulking volumes that offer encyclopedic amounts of information on a locale, McElroy’s book is designed more along the lines of a operating manual. There are no suggestions for where to stay in Capri or how to see the Vatican in a day. Rather, this book enlightens readers on the how-to’s of traveling in Italy: when to go, how to get there, what to pack, how to read road signs, which class to ride in on a train, how to use Italian phones, what to order for an aperitivo and why the tabaccaio is a resourceful shop, even if you don’t smoke. For first-time visitors, it’s a boon. McElroy, who spends a few months a year in Italy, explains everything travelers need to know in order to blend in and enjoy their trip. Each chapter is color-coded for easy reference, and Italian vocabulary words augment every section." —Publisher's Weekly

“Italy: Instructions for Use by Nan McElroy [is a] tiny compendium of tips for avoiding or finessing life’s daily (and often unforeseen) little hassles.—The San Francisco Chronicle

"Once in a great while a perfect little travel resource book gets sent to me for review. Italy: Instructions for Use by Nan McElroy is one of those books. [It] provides just enough useful day-to-day information to make your trip enjoyable without weighting you down."—Travel Consumer.com

"[I]f this is your first trip and you want to keep advice on Italian travel basics at your fingertips, Italy: Instructions for Use is a handy and helpful tool.—Europe for Visitors

"This elegant little guide is designed for easy reference; it’s portable, illustrated, color-coded, and includes an extensive appendix, index, and an English/Italian vocabulary. In short, you'll have the answers to your questions available as you travel, not back on a web site or the fat, heavy travel guide that you decided to leave at home."—InItaly.com

"I've been traveling in Italy for over 20 years and seldom do I find a book as useful and eye-opening as Italy: Instructions for Use.... I found lots of little interesting bits of information I have not seen in other guidebooks like charts comparing sample travel times and cost estimates for driving v. taking the train or comparing the costs of a rail pass vs sample single train tickets."—Martha Bakerjian, About.com Guide to Italy for Visitors

"This light, compact guide is perfect for anyone traveling to Italy"—The RebeccaReview.com

This is a pocket-sized guide book to travel in Italy. It is crammed with useful information and phrases. It also sports lovely pictures and illustrations of Italy and how to navigate it. There is just enough information organized in a readily accessible format that allows a traveler to quickly find what is needed and use it. We especially liked the convenient size and scope of the book. We rated it five hearts (highest honor).—Heartland Reviews

[Italy: Instructions for Use] "includes little gems that a traveler only learns after much trial and error. This knowledge will undoubtedly allow the reader to avoid many common tourist mistakes; save time and money, and reduce travel frustration.—Suite 101 Travel Tips

"Oh, how I wish we had tucked a copy of Italy: Instructions for Use into our luggage before setting out on our first visit....Thank you, Nan McElroy."—GreenLightWrite

"Italy: Instructions For Use is a "must-have" reference before sojourning into Italy, for business or for pleasure." —Midwest Book Reviews

"From ordering coffee to catching a train, my wife and I found ourselves actually saying, ‘Well, what does Nan say to do in this situation?’"—Louisville Courier-Journal

Industry Professionals are saying: 

"When you are traveling in an unfamiliar country, you need to understand how things work. Where can I park? What do the blue lines mean? Do I pay for my coffee when I order? Basic, everyday things, that are not the same as where you live. What you need is an instruction manual. And now, for Italy, you have one! Italy: Instructions for Use is small enough to fit into your hip pocket but contains everything that you need to know for survival in Italy. If you are heading to Italy, slip this book into your pocket - it will make your trip easier and let you get into the swing of things from the moment you arrive."—Pauline Kenny, "Slow Travel," www.slowtrav.com 

"Practical, concise and thorough, [Italy: Instructions for Use] is an ambitious attempt at breaking down the intricacies of getting around in a country where regulations are interpretable and never set in stone!"—Nicole Franchini, author of Karen Brown's Charming Bed and Breakfasts, Italy.

A recommended book by Thomas Guide to Italy