Venice guidebook?

I think Venice may be my next destination. I visited it for only 3
days a few years back, just hitting the cultural high points. But I
was so intrigued by the old and compact and fascinating architecture
that I thought at the time "I could have a good time just wandering
around". Someone here on this newsgroup cited spending three weeks in
Venice alone.

So I'm looking for a guidebook that focuses on the history of Venice,
with a lot of good maps and detail for out-of-the-way places to visit,
and for more than the main island. I would be booking a place to stay
in advance, so I wouldn't even need anything that devoted lots of pages
to hotels and restaurants.

What would you suggest?

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

In ,
Dan Stephenson typed:

I think Venice may be my next destination. I visited it for
only 3
days a few years back, just hitting the cultural high points.
But I
was so intrigued by the old and compact and fascinating
architecture
that I thought at the time "I could have a good time just
wandering
around". Someone here on this newsgroup cited spending three
weeks in
Venice alone.

So I'm looking for a guidebook that focuses on the history of
Venice,
with a lot of good maps and detail for out-of-the-way places to
visit,
and for more than the main island. I would be booking a place
to stay
in advance, so I wouldn't even need anything that devoted lots
of
pages to hotels and restaurants.

What would you suggest?


The Knopf Guide to Venice.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

"Ken Blake" wrote in message
...
In ,
Dan Stephenson typed:

I think Venice may be my next destination. I visited it for only 3
days a few years back, just hitting the cultural high points. But I
was so intrigued by the old and compact and fascinating architecture
that I thought at the time "I could have a good time just wandering
around". Someone here on this newsgroup cited spending three weeks in
Venice alone.

So I'm looking for a guidebook that focuses on the history of Venice,
with a lot of good maps and detail for out-of-the-way places to visit,
and for more than the main island. I would be booking a place to stay
in advance, so I wouldn't even need anything that devoted lots of
pages to hotels and restaurants.

What would you suggest?


The Knopf Guide to Venice.

Blue Guide to Venice is scholarly yet accessible and gives a comprehensive
coverage.

Alec

In article , Alec
wrote:

What would you suggest?


The Knopf Guide to Venice.

Blue Guide to Venice is scholarly yet accessible and gives a comprehensive
coverage.

Thanks for the leads, I'll look them up.

Is this Blue Guide related to the Michelin Green Guides?

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from US Parks and all over Europe:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

"Dan Stephenson" wrote in message
...
In article , Alec
wrote:

What would you suggest?


The Knopf Guide to Venice.

Blue Guide to Venice is scholarly yet accessible and gives a
comprehensive
coverage.

Thanks for the leads, I'll look them up.

Is this Blue Guide related to the Michelin Green Guides?

No. Blue Guide is 'notionally' modelled on 'Guide Bleu' of France, but is a
completely English product published by A&C Black (London). Their first
guide was published in the 1960's I believe. Last revision was in 2001, 7th
ed. See http://www.tesco.com/books/product.aspx?R=0713654554

Alec

Dan Stephenson typed:

I think Venice may be my next destination. I visited it for only 3
days a few years back, just hitting the cultural high points. But I
was so intrigued by the old and compact and fascinating architecture
that I thought at the time "I could have a good time just wandering
around". Someone here on this newsgroup cited spending three weeks in
Venice alone.

So I'm looking for a guidebook that focuses on the history of Venice,
with a lot of good maps and detail for out-of-the-way places to visit,
and for more than the main island. I would be booking a place to stay
in advance, so I wouldn't even need anything that devoted lots of
pages to hotels and restaurants.

What would you suggest?

I have just returned last week after a two week stay in Venice and I found
this book indispensible, "Venice - An Architectural Guide / Edwina Biucchi
and Simon Pilling".

http://www.chrysalisbooks.co.uk/book/071348781X

The Insight guide is very good--extremely visualc, and they practically
cover every building, street by street, and have a history of Venice at the
start of the book, with more nice graphics of major historical events.

Here is something I forgot to mention in my previous post. It might be of
interest.

You now have to pay to go into many of the churches but it isn't much
considering the value of the stuff to see. There is an organization which
have put together an itinerary to guide you around the 15 most important. It
costs Euro 2.50 per person per church normally but you buy a ticket for Euro
9.00 pp at any one of the churches which covers all 15. You get a list of
the churches on a map and you turn up at the church of your choice and show
your ticket. They then give you a printed card of the highlights to see. The
point being that it leads you on a little navigation exercise where you see
bits of Venice you probably didn't even know existed. They also do one for
the museums.

You can find the details at :

http://www.chorusvenezia.org/index1.htm