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Rating: 
Summary: Indispensable for Independent Travel in Italy
Review:
**Stay or dine where you want**
In high season, Florence swarms with frustrated, angry tourists and locals. Get away from all that. By car or bus you can voyage back in time through the Chianti to visit Volterra, a splendid old-walled town of Etruscan foundation. Sleep well at Villa Nencini and dine at a place where residents like to eat, the bustling Da Beppino -- simple, filling, well-made Tuscan food and wine. In Italy are scores of neglected gems like Bergamo, Sansepulcro, Orvieto, or Ravello where you'll rarely hear or see another American. **No wasted words - just the facts your need**
By using easy to learn symbols (common to all Red guides), a detailed description of a hotel or restaurant gets reduced to an entry no wider than your little finger. For example, one page of hotels in the "historic center" of Rome contains 18 complete entries. The Red Guide has more than 900 pages! The maps alone make the Red Guide valuable -- where else can you get an excellent sreet map of Volterra with hotels and restaurants clearly marked as well as parking, train, and bus stations. Photocopy and enlarge maps for day trips. Supplement the Guida Rossa Italia with The Green Guide - Italy in English -- and you'll be set. ISBN: 2061003605 available at amazon.com. **Get respect from Italians, learn some of "their" language**
You'll stand out as 'molto gentile' -- polite, well brought up. Kindness with a pinch of formality goes a long way to impress Italians. Unlike French, German or Spanish, Italian is not widely spoken outside its homeland. Get started with a basic Pimsleur tape or CD (no books!). Absorb Italian while you commute -- speak out loud, be bold -- after all you'll only look like you're talking on a cell phone. ISBN: 0743525787 available at amazon.com. For the first time, Michelin appends a brief description for every entry. These are in Italian. Without an elementary knowledge of the language, you'll miss out. Take this new wrinkle as a sign that learning some Italian would be a personal enrichment.
Rating:
Summary: Beliefs about ignorance confirmed
Review: As Michelin is the standrad guide and an excelelnt guide in whatever region, I was surprised to look at the ignorant review that the book was not in English. Addresses and dish names are in the language of the country. The guide lists everything in symbols, and unless you cannot recognise these (a babay can) then of course you can not read it. Disappointed to see that this one reviewer confirmed my stereotyed beliefs about regional ignorance. The Michelin Red Guide is the standard for whatever region, and no purchaser will be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: It's the best when you know how to use it
Review: The previous reviewer (who wrote that the Guide is not in English) apparently didn't understand that there is a key in the front of the book and also on a bookmark that explains all of the easily understood symbols with regard to credit cards, parking, elevator, air-conditioning, etc. This is essentially a catalogue of the best hotels and restaurants, along with locator maps. It's terrific. Also, look for the "black car" symbol. If you happen to be staying in a place with the black car symbol, just showing the Michelin Guide (must be for the current year) will get you one free night in the garage. That savings alone will probably be more than the cost of the book. If you feel like splurging, look at the maps in the front for the 1-, 2-, and 3-star restaurants and for the 4- and 5-peak hotels. If you want more modest places, they're listed too.
Rating: 
Summary: BEWARE NOT IN ENGLISH
Review: This book was listed with all the other books in the Italy Travel Guide Section. It should come with a warning that it is not written in English but does not. My high school training in Latin is not enough to understand this book. Caveat Emptor
Rating: 
Summary: Not in English, but good if you want to work for the info
Review: While I can understand the first reviewer's criticism, I can also understand the others here who say this book is helpful. Thing is, everything is in Italian. Yes, there are symbols and a key in English. However, all the descriptions for places are in Italian, and that does me no good. For [the price], a guide should have descriptions in the language I read... But, if you want to work and sort through the symbols and such, then this guide is an excellent source of information.
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