Venice

Roger Williams has produced a wonderful addition to the Eyewitness Travel series, this one on Barcelona, one of the great cities of Europe, indeed the world. His outline of four great days in Barcelona is particularly good; as he writes, "Days are long in Barcelona. The morning extends until well after midday, with lunch often starting around 2pm, and the late opening hours mean that afternoon merges into evening. With so much time at your disposal, you'll want to make the most of your visit with a bit of planning." Williams's four day itineraries cover Histoirc Treasures, Gaudi Greats, Art for Art's Sake, and Family Fun -- and the family fun is great for adults too. With so many riches, Eyewitness's detailed descriptions add a level of background that help put the history of this complex city in context. Best of all, Eyewitness has continued to update this excellent guide on a yearly basis. A further way to enrich your visit to BarcelonaStyle. The magazine publishes a wonderful hard cover magazine that is found in all of the rooms of the four and five star hotels in town. The company twice a year publishes free "little sister" copies of the big book, which are very handy for touring and which can be obtained through the website. Upscale advertising, of course, but tremendous content and beautiful pictures add an element of real Style to your visit to this wonderful city. Robert C. Ross 2009

Insight's City Guides combine stunning photography with literate text and a smattering of basic travel information. The Insight Venice guide is worth adding to your bookshelf, but its practical advice is getting a bit long in the tooth and its heft makes it less than ideal as a take-along guide. - Durant Imboden, Venice for Visitors, http://govenice.miningco.co