Enfilade

The tenth edition for Venice appeared last year. While I’ve always thought of Blue Guides as reliably informative, this updated edition is also engaging, fun to read, and handsomely designed. If you’ve not tried a Blue Guide recently, it’s worth another look. –CH

Alta Macadam, Blue Guide Venice: Tenth Edition (London: Somerset Books, 2024), 495 pages, ISBN: ‎978-1905131945, $25.

Full color throughout, with photographs, diagrams, site plans, and detailed maps.

The 10th edition of this accessible, detailed guide to Venice is an essential handbook for any traveler who wants to fully understand the existence and future challenges of this unique and extraordinary city, as well as its history, art, architecture, cuisine, and culture.

Completely updated, this new edition is in full colour, with photographs, plans, and illustrations, as well as detailed and accurate maps of the labyrinthine streets and canals. There is also a section of practical tips, ideas on food and wine, and how to navigate the transportation system. The depth of information and quality of research make this book the very best guide for the independent cultural traveler, as well as for all students of art history, architecture, and Italian culture. Ideal as an on-site guide or as a desk resource.

Art historian Alta Macadam lives in Fiesole, on the hillside above Florence.