Rome: Blue Guide by Alta Macadam

I personally recommend this book for lovers of art, history, architecture, statues, fountains, religion etc. in Rome, Italy. In other words, if you are completely obsessed with knowing the why, when & where of everything you see in Rome (like I am), this is the book for you. It tells you every single painting in every single public building in Rome – or if you know just the artist or name of the artwork – it tells you where it is right down to the floor and room. If a church is under restoration, it tells you where you will find the specific piece of art you are looking for that had been moved to another church or museum for the duration of the restoration. Area by area, hill by hill, street by street, it provides a map and detailed guide as to every historic building in Rome and how to get you there. Every fountain, every manhole cover and every gate you pass, this book will tell you all about and from my experience, there isn’t any structure or cobblestone that doesn’t have a history or story to tell. For instance, I was looking for one of my ancestor’s paintings from the 1500’s that I knew was hanging in the Vatican Museum. The book told me exactly which room, which wall and what it was hanging next to and of course all the details. It even tells you short cuts in museums to avoid crowds or the long way. For travelers who want to go out of the city, it takes you to the breathtaking Tivoli, Hadrian’s Villa, Ostia Antica and the Alban Hills. There’s a Blue Guide for other areas and cities in Italy.

I buy one every time I go to Rome and believe me, restorations go on all over Rome all the time and if you are really interested in knowing the Italian culture and history of Rome, this is the book. Read it before you travel or even if you aren’t going to Rome.