Italian Survival Guide: The Language and Culture You Need to Travel with Confidence in Italy

I have bought just about every book on Italy and this is one of the best! It has great tips and information! Unlike other books, I find this information to be truthful! I lived in Italy and now take students on exchanges every year. This book has really helped them! I think it's a must! :-)

Elizabeth Bingham's Italian Survival Guide is clear and concise in its presentation of the most important information a traveler needs to use while traveling in Italy. The guide is organized well; therefore, finding the information one wants is not difficult. The pronunciation guide is invaluable. The book itself is not so big that a person gets lost in it when trying to find a specific piece of information. The cultural notes are short and to the point, so that one can read them quickly and gain important information about interacting with the people of Italy. I would be apt to photocopy the information on the inside front and back covers to carry along on daily excursions. Overall, this guide would be extremely helpful to take on a trip to Italy!

I read the cultural insights on Italy first. They are great! The practical hints are superb. Even though I speak Italian, I will take this book with me when I go to Italy.

Bingham's book Italian Survival Guide is a must-have resource to pack in your travel bag for Italy! This book is practical; including pronunciation guides for many of the common phrases used to interact with native Italians. I particularly appreciated the Culture Note sections interspersed through the book. I visited Rome and Florence last year, and found these sections accurate and insightful--a big help to the traveler who does not want to look like a tourist! This book is invaluable and I plan to have a copy stuffed in my handbag when I return to Italy in 2009!

This guide is as practical and useful as Bingham's German Survival Guide. While the vocabulary lessons are helpful, the culture notes are priceless. This is a great introduction to both the Italian language and to Italy and the length is just right so that the traveler with little time to prep should not be overwhelmed.