Rick Steves' Venice 2009 (Rick Steves)
by Rick Steves
from Avalon Travel Publishing
A Thousand Days in Venice (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
by Marlena De Blasi
from Ballantine Books
He saw her across the Piazza San Marco and fell in love from afar. When he sees her again in a Venice café a year later, he knows it is fate. He knows little English; and she, a divorced American chef, speaks only food-based Italian. Marlena thinks she is incapable of intimacy, that her heart has lost its capacity for romantic love. But within months of their first meeting, she has packed up her house in St. Louis to marry Fernando—“the stranger,” as she calls him—and live in that achingly lovely city in which they met.
Vibrant but vaguely baffled by this bold move, Marlena is overwhelmed by the sheer foreignness of her new home, its rituals and customs. But there are delicious moments when Venice opens up its arms to Marlena. She cooks an American feast of Mississippi caviar, cornbread, and fried onions for the locals . . . and takes the tango she learned in the Poughkeepsie middle school gym to a candlelit trattorÃa near the Rialto Bridge. All the while, she and Fernando, two disparate souls, build an extraordinary life of passion and possibility.
Featuring Marlena’s own incredible recipes, A Thousand Days in Venice is the enchanting true story of a woman who opens her heart—and falls in love with both a man and a city.
Streetwise Venice Map - Laminated Center City Street Map of Venice, Italy - Folding pocket size travel map (Streetwise)
by Streetwise Maps
from Streetwise Maps
Streetwise Venice Map - Laminated Center City Street Map of Venice, Italy - Folding pocket size travel map
This map covers the following areas:
Main Venice, Italy Map 1:8,400
Murano Island Map 1:22,000
Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu
by Laurence Bergreen
from Knopf
Drawing on original writings and walking in the footsteps of Marco Polo himself, Laurence Bergreen's Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu is the most definitive biography of the legendary traveler to date, separating the man from his considerable myth.
Look inside Marco Polo (Click on thumbnails to see a larger image):  |  |  |
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Marco Polo timeline (All dates given in the Julian calendar): 1215 - Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan and Marco Polo's mentor, is born. 1254 - Marco Polo born in Venice, although one tradition locates his birthplace in the Venetian colony of Dalmatia. 1260 - Kublai Khan becomes leader of the Mongols and in 1271 founds the Yuan ("Origin") Dynasty. 1271 - Young Marco Polo leaves Venice with his father Niccolo and uncle Maffeo, bound for the court of Kublai Khan. 1274 - Kublai Khan oversees a failed Mongol invasion of Japan, as the Mongols, masters of the Steppe, meet their match at sea. 1275 - The three Polos arrive in Shang-du, Kublai Khan's summer palace immortalized by Samuel Taylor Coleridge as Xanadu; Marco begins his years in the service of the Khan. 1276 - 1293 - Marco travels throughout Asia, reaching the coast of India, and possibly Zanzibar, gathering intelligence for Kublai Khan and serving as a tax collector for the Yuan (Mongol) dynasty. 1281 - Kublai Khan's second failed invasion of Japan, a serious blow to his prestige. 1292 - The Polos escort Princess Kokachin to Persia to marry, their last formal service to Kublai Khan before departing. 1294 - Kublai Khan dies, freeing the Polo family, who undertake a dangerous return voyage by sea. 1295 - Marco, his father, and uncle, arrive in Venice after their 24-year absence. They have been away for so long that their fellow Venetians do not recognize them. 1298 - Marco is captured by the Genoese in the Battle of Curzola, according to some accounts, and confined to a cell in Genoa with a romance writer, Rustichello of Pisa, to whom he dictates his adventures in China, his reminiscences of Kublai Khan, his life among the Mongols. 1300 - Safely back in Venice, Marco Polo marries Donata Badoer; the couple has three daughters. 1324 - As manuscript versions of his exploits spread throughout Europe, Marco Polo dies in Venice, claiming that he did not reveal the half of his experiences in his remarkable Travels.
As the most celebrated European to explore Asia, Marco Polo was the original global traveler and the earliest bridge between East and West. A universal icon of adventure and discovery, he has inspired six centuries of popular fascination and spurious mythology. Now, from the acclaimed author of Over the Edge of the World: Magellan’s Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe (“Superb . . . A first-rate historical page turner”—The New York Times)—comes the first fully authoritative biography of one of the most enchanting figures in world history. In this masterly work, Marco Polo’s incredible odyssey—along the Silk Road and through all the fantastic circumstances of his life—is chronicled in sumptuous and illuminating detail.
We meet him as a callow young man, the scion of a wealthy Venetian merchant family, only seventeen when he sets out in 1271 with his father and uncle on their journey to Asia. We see him gain the confidence of Kublai Khan, the world’s most feared and powerful leader, and watch him become a trusted diplomat and intelligence agent in the ruler’s inner circle. We are privy to his far-flung adventures on behalf of the Khan, living among the Mongols and other tribes, and traveling to magical cities, some far advanced over the West. We learn the customs of the Khan’s court, both erotic and mercantile, and Polo’s uncanny ability to adapt to them. We follow him on his journey back to Venice, laden with riches, the latest inventions, and twenty-four years’ worth of extraordinary tales.
And we see his collaboration with the famed writer Rustichello of Pisa, who immediately saw in Polo the story of a lifetime; enlivened by his genius for observation, Polo’s tales needed little embellishment. Recorded by Rustichello as the two languished as prisoners of war in a Genoese jail, the Travels would explode the notion of non-Europeans as untutored savages and stand as the definitive description of China until the nineteenth century.
Drawing on original sources in more than half a dozen languages, and on his own travels along Polo’s route in China and Mongolia, Bergreen explores the lingering controversies surrounding Polo’s legend, settling age-old questions and testing others for significance. Synthesizing history, biography, and travelogue, this is the timely chronicle of a man who extended the boundaries of human knowledge and imagination. Destined to be the definitive account of its subject for decades to come, Marco Polo takes us on a journey to the limits of history—and beyond.
Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide to Venice (Eyewitness Travel Top 10)
by DK Publishing
from DK Travel
Frommer's Northern Italy: Including Venice, Milan & the Lakes (Frommer's Complete)
by John Moretti
from Frommers
Completely updated every edition! Frommer's Northern Italy is much more detailed and comprehensive than the major competition--it's simply the most reliable and in-depth guide you can buy.
It's personally researched and full of candid opinions. Our author has chosen the very best places to stay, from the grand hotels of Florence to charming and affordable inns and small hotels in Tuscany. And of course, we'll make sure that you dine memorably, whether you're splurging on a world-class restaurant in Florence or looking for a little-known trattoria that serves all the classics.
Wherever you go, you'll rely on Frommer's for authoritative but fun-to-use coverage of all the historic, artistic, and cultural treasures. You'll get a complete shopper's guide and the latest trip-planning advice on everything from bargain airfares to rail passes.
Venice from the Ground Up (From the Ground Up)
by James H. S. McGregor
from Belknap Press
Venice came to life on spongy mudflats at the edge of the habitable world. Protected in a tidal estuary from barbarian invaders and Byzantine overlords, the fishermen, salt gatherers, and traders who settled there crafted an amphibious way of life unlike anything the Roman Empire had ever known. In an astonishing feat of narrative history, James H. S. McGregor recreates this world-turned-upside-down, with its waterways rather than roads, its boats tethered alongside dwellings, and its livelihood harvested from the sea.
McGregor begins with the river currents that poured into the shallow Lagoon, carving channels in its bed and depositing islands of silt. He then describes the imaginative responses of Venetians to the demands and opportunities of this harsh environment—transforming the channels into canals, reclaiming salt marshes for the construction of massive churches, erecting a thriving marketplace and stately palaces along the Grand Canal. Through McGregor’s eyes, we witness the flowering of Venice’s restless creativity in the elaborate mosaics of St. Mark’s soaring basilica, the expressive paintings in smaller neighborhood churches, and the colorful religious festivals—but also in theatrical productions, gambling casinos, and masked revelry, which reveal the city’s less pious and orderly face.
McGregor tells his unique history of Venice by drawing on a crumbling, tide-threatened cityscape and a treasure-trove of art that can still be seen in place today. The narrative follows both a chronological and geographical organization, so that readers can trace the city’s evolution chapter by chapter and visitors can explore it district by district on foot and by boat.
(20061101)Venice & The Veneto (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
by DK Publishing
from DK Travel
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more comprehensive, engrossing, and just plain fun-to-read guidebook than the Eyewitness Travel Guide: Venice and the Veneto. Spilling over with all sorts of useful information for the traveler, you'll find three-dimensional drawings, floor plans, and detailed neighborhood maps, as well as timelines, charts--even the most scenic canal routes. Broken down into four sections--"Venice," the "Veneto Region" (which takes in Verona and the Dolomites), "Traveler's Needs," and "Survival Guide"--the guide paints a complete picture of the area. Readers will especially love the hundreds of color photos of everything from Venice's famous Rialto Bridge to the lavish costumes worn for Carnival. You'll also find illustrated neighborhood walks (including San Marco, Dorsoduro, and the Castello), room-by-room explanations of the Doge's Palace and the Basilica San Marco, and the best cafes (Caffe Florian), hotels (the Gritti Palace), and bars (Harry's, the birthplace of the bellini). --Jill Fergus
Areas covered include: San Marco, San Polo, Santa Croce, Castello, Dorsosuro, Cannaregio, the Lagoon Islands, the Veneto Plain, Verona, Lake Garda, and the Dolomites.
This Is Venice
by M. Sasek
from Universe
On the heels of the runaway bestsellers This is New York and This is Paris, Universe is pleased to reissue another title from M. Sasek's beloved and nostalgic children's travel series.
Like the other Sasek classics, This is Venice is a facsimile edition of his original book from the 1960s and is still timely and current in every way. The brilliant, vibrant illustrations have been meticulously preserved, remaining true to his vision more than 40 years later and, where applicable, facts have been updated for the twenty-first century, appearing on a "This is...Today" page at the back of the book. The stylish, charming illustrations, coupled with Sasek's witty, playful narrative, makes for a perfect souvenir that will delight both children and their parents, many of whom will remember this book from their childhood.
This is Venice, first published in 1961, presents indelible impressions of romantic, watery Venice, where under a brilliant blue sky Sasek the gondolier navigates the winding canals to visit such famous and glorious landmarks as the Palazzo Grassi, Piazza San Marco, Doges Palace, and the Accademia di Belle Arti.
Fodor's Essential Italy, 1st Edition: Rome, Florence, Venice & the Top Spots In Between (Fodor's Gold Guides)
by Fodor's
from Fodor's
Rome, Florence, and Venice: those magical names are at the top of everyone’s “must-see” list for Italy. First-time visitors design their itineraries around them, while Italy veterans return to them again and again, knowing that the old saying about Rome, “A lifetime is not enough,” equally applies to Florence and Venice.
This guide gives travelers what they want: the same high-quality coverage as in Fodor's other Italy guides, but with a focus on the most popular destinations. The resulting book is slimmer and lighter than competing guides, but it’s filled with great Fodor’s features and information that’s rich and varied enough to suit any taste.
• Includes itineraries showing readers how to see the best of Italy at their own pace, with maximum fun and minimum fatigue
• Magazine-like “In Focus” features include topics such as Ancient Rome, The Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi, Siena's Campo & the Palio, Who's Who in Renaissance (Florence), Cruising the Grand Canal (Venice), Palladio Country, Emilia One Tast at a Time, The Fashionista's Milan, and The Cinque Terre.
• Thorough coverage of the surrounding highlights, including Tuscany, Milan, and the Cinque Terre
• 8-page color insert
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