Rick Steves Rome
Great book! Just got back from Rome, and got So much use out of it! If you plan on visiting the Vatican and its museums his tips on avoiding the lines really worked! Like sneaking out of the back entrance at the Sistine Chapel into St Peters, the sign said for tour groups only, well no one was going through so we chanced it, and we passed a bunch of security guards and no one stopped us! Also avoiding lines at the colosseum tips worked, we also did some of his tours, they were great, and quite funny! Only thing that was different were some of the prices for tickets such as the Roma Pass, add at least 2-5 euros more than the 2008 book states.

Spot on...as usual
I'm an American living in Europe and our family does a lot of traveling. I wouldn't dream of going anywhere without a Rick Steves' travel guide in my bag. I even find myself thinking "what would Rick Steves do in this situation?" I have so many of his books and his information is always accurate in where to go, what to do, even the attitudes of the wait staff at restaurants (Rick Steves' Prague). I do not know how he manages it! What I do know is that I love tapping into his guidebooks. I get so much more out of our trips utilizing his information.

Great Book
Rick Steves' books are always amazing. Detailed, yet easy to read. His humor comes out and he is bluntly honest with you about what's worth it and what's not.

Great guide, but beware of it's success
This book was tremendously helpful during a May 2008 trip to Rome. It wasn't perfect but provided lots of good travel information.

The good:
- Covers most of the popular sites, and goes into the more detail for the important sites.
- Ranks each site with a level of importance/significance - this is very useful when deciding what sites are worthwhile and/or important. I agree with most site rankings.

The bad:
- Many prices are incorrect (add 1-2 euros to many museum and ticket prices).
- Some time information is incorrect (double check via phone if you are on or near holidays, weekends, or beginning/end of day).
- Overview maps (b/w hand drawn appearance) lack street level detail making them difficult to use for navigation.
- Street maps (color, in front of book) also lack sufficient street level detail. You may need a more detailed map from your hotel to navigate the complex city streets.

The worst problem with the 2008 edition may be its success. Every restaurant (and also the hotels) were mobbed by people with a Rick Steves guide. I've never seen so many people with the same book all trying to go to the same place. It kind of spoiled some of the magic since we were often surrounded by American travelers and not the eclectic mix of people you would expect on such a trip.

The best guide book
We have been to Rome twice and this is by far the best guide book. It has the latest information and contains everything you need. He gives you information you want and tells you things you wouldn't think to think of. I especially like the step by step instructions on how to get from place to place and the history behind it all. And he's funny!