Dorling Kindersley

Gillian Price

DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide: Venice will lead you straight to the very best on offer. Whether you're looking for the things not to miss at the Top 10 sights, or want to find the best nightspots, this guide is the perfect pocket-sized companion. Rely on dozens of Top 10 lists, from the Top 10 museums to the Top 10 events and festivals; there's even a list of the Top 10 things to avoid. The guide is divided by area with restaurant reviews for each, as well as recommendations for hotels, bars and places to shop. You'll find the insider knowledge every visitor needs and explore every corner effortlessly with DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide: Venice and its FREE pull-out map. DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide: Venice - showing you what others only tell you.

Venice - Top 10 Eyewitness Travel Guide

This guidebook to the Greek island of Corfu describes a selection of 22 superb day walks throughout the island, along with the 150km Corfu Trail. The day walks range from 3.5 to 18km in length, and begin from a number of popular holiday destinations across the island, including Corfu Town (home of the Durrell family), Kalami, Paleokastritsa, Agios Georgios north and south, Liapades and Benitses. The 10-stage Corfu Trail starts near Kavos at the island's southernmost tip and ends at Agios Spiridonas, its northerly promontory. The Corfu Trail is suitable for both novice and experienced walkers, and can be walked year round, however accommodation is easier to find between May to October. The wide range of day walks provides a taste of the many different landscapes of the island from coastal paths and beaches to olive groves and wooded hills. Alongside detailed route descriptions and clear maps, the guidebook has notes on Corfu's plants and wildlife, food and drink, and useful advice on travel to and around the island. It includes suggestions for where to stay, as well as a glossary of useful expressions. Corfu is the greenest of the Greek islands and one of the most accessible; the walks described avoid the crowded resorts and allow you to experience the laidback atmosphere and varied natural landscapes of this beautiful island.

The Corfu Trail and 22 day-walks

Walking and Trekking on Corfu

Northern Italy's famous Alta Via long-distance walking routes are spread across the Dolomites, running roughly north to south and reaching as far as the Austrian border. There are six of these routes, and they increase in difficulty: Alta Via 1 has few exposed sections and is suitable for novice alpine trekkers; AV2 is much more challenging, only suitable for experienced alpine trekkers with a good head for heights, while AVs 3-6 have extended via ferrata sections and considerable exposure. AVs 1 and 2 are described in detail in this guidebook. The 120km AV1 is described over 11 day stages; AV.

Alta Via 1 and Alta Via 2

Trekking in the Dolomites

The Alta Via 1 is one of Italy's most famous and most popular long-distance routes and is the easiest of six Alta Via routes that traverse the magnificent Dolomites. The hut-to-hut trail extends 115km from Lago di Braies to La Pissa, boasting spectacular alpine vistas. Although it demands a moderate level of fitness, it is well waymarked and follows clear well-trodden paths, making for an ideal introduction to trekking in the Dolomites. Welcoming refuges offer meals and accommodation along the way, though camping is also possible on the middle stages (restrictions apply elsewhere). The route is presented in 11 stages, each with overview statistics, a brief summary of the day's walking and detailed route description illustrated with clear mapping. There are also comprehensive notes on the huts the route passes, with contact details and tips on facilities available. The intro includes advice on transport, accommodation and equipment, plus suggestions for creating shorter itineraries should time be limited, and there are facts about local points of interest and background information on the region's geology, plants and wildlife. A handy map booklet is also included, showing the full route of AV1 on 1:25,000 Kompass mapping, so you don't have to carry paper maps. Famed for their striking jagged peaks and sheer rock faces, the Dolomites also bear stark reminders of the turbulent World War I years in the shape of trenches and barracks. The AV1 is a wonderful way to experience the celebrated scenery: (weather permitting) an estimated 80% of the Dolomites can be seen from the trail, with highlights including fantastic views of the Tofane, Pelmo and Civetta and the iconic Marmolada with its glacier. If this is your first visit to the region, you'll soon see why so many fall under its spell!

Includes 1:25,000 Map Booklet

Alta Via 1 - Trekking in the Dolomites

With spectacular mountain landscapes, beautiful rugged coast, forests, maquis and striking river gorges, Corsica is a walker's paradise. This guidebook details five of the islands's most popular shorter treks: the 2-day coastal Sentier du Douanier (Customs Officer's Path) around Cap Corse; two coast-to-coast routes through the central mountains, the 11-day Mare a Mare Nord and the 5-day Mare a Mare Sud; and two 'coast and mountains' routes, the 10-day Mare e Monti and the 5-day Mare e Monti Sud. (Corsica's famous 190km GR20 trail is described in a separate Cicerone guide.) The routes can be linked to create longer excursions and accommodation is provided by a mixture of walkers' hostels, B&Bs and hotels; camping is also an option. The guide presents each of the waymarked trails in daily stages averaging around 12-13km per day, with route description, mapping and notes on accommodation options. There is advice on how to get to Corsica, when to go and what to take, plus accommodation listings, useful contacts and a French/Corsican-English glossary. The guide also offers a wealth of information about the island's rich plant and wildlife. Considerably easier than the challenging GR20, these trails offer a more accessible option for trekkers wishing to experience the 'real' Corsica, away from the bustling coastal resorts. You'll find enchanting scenery - towering forests, gushing cascades, turquoise coves, aromatic maquis, rugged mountains and quiet villages nestling on hillsides of chestnut woods - not to mention a favourable climate and delicious local cuisine. Don't be surprised if you fall under the island's spell!

Five mountain and coastal treks including the Mare a Mare and Mare e Monti

Short Treks on Corsica

The first English-language walking and trekking guide to the Maritime Alps, on the border of Italy and France. 18 walks and 6 treks including a 5-day traverse of the Parc National du Mercantour and a 7-day traverse of the Parco Naturale delle Alpi Marittime, written by Alpine expert Gillian Price. Great for novice walkers and seasoned trekkers.

Walks and Treks in the Maritime Alps

Guidebook to walking and trekking in the Maritime Alps on the border of Italy and France, just north of Nice. It includes 18 graded day walks, on both the French and the Italian sides, ranging from 6km to 20km in length and suitable for a range of abilities. There are also 6 longer treks, including a 5-day traverse of the Parc National du Mercantour and a 7-day traverse of the Parco Naturale delle Alpi Marittime. Detailed route descriptions sit alongside colour maps, and there is full information about accommodation options down in the valleys and up in the mountains. Useful French-English and Italian-English glossaries of walking terminology are included, too. Rising to over 3000m above the sun-drenched French Riviera, the Maritime Alps form the western edge of the mighty Alpine chain. Wildflower lovers will also appreciate the remarkable range of flowers, including many unique to the area. Worlds away from the hustle and bustle and crowds of the coast this is a marvellous area for novice walkers and seasoned long-distance trekkers alike.

The Mercantour and Alpi Marittime Parks

Walking on the Amalfi Coast describes 32 day-walks, ranging from 3km to 11km in length. The walks explore the Sorrento Peninsula, Amalfi Coast and Monti Lattari, as well as the islands of Capri and Ischia in the Gulf of Naples. The whole area is crisscrossed by ancient mule tracks, pilgrim routes and goat tracks, offering a variety of walking from family strolls to strenuous treks across terrain from paved paths to verdant hillside paths and rough volcanic scree. Split into the five sections of Ischia, Capri, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi, each walk is accompanied by relevant public transport information as well as a sketch map. The book also provides local and practical information, accommodation options and an Italian-English glossary. The steep southern edge of the Sorrento peninsula, famous for its medieval villages perched atop plunging cliffs, with their near-vertical vineyards and lemon orchards, is recognised as a World Heritage Site. This coastline, the rugged landscape behind, crowned by the Monti Lattari, and the idyllic islands of Capri and Ischia together make a perfect holiday destination for walkers.

Ischia, Capri, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi

Walking on the Amalfi Coast

Guidebook to 20 varied day walks and one 10-stage trek on Corfu, the greenest of the Greek islands. The day walks are spread across the whole island and visit olive groves, coastal paths, sandy beachs, lush hillsides and picturesque villages. The Corfu Trail runs from Kavos in the south to Agios Spyridonas on the northern coast.

The Corfu Trail and 20 Outstanding Day-Walks

This pocket field guide to identifying 230 common Alpine flowers is packed with all the information you need to recognise your favourites while out in the mountains. Designed for the non-specialist, this little handbook is arranged by colour and also includes a glossary of flower parts and an introduction which describes the amazing lengths that these tiny gems go to to survive at altitude. Alpine expert author Gillian Price says: 'It never ceases to amaze me that such tiny plants can spend months on end buried under metres of snow and ice - weathering temperatures as low as minus 25°C - then sprout back to life when things thaw out and warm up. In springtime you can spot the fragile purple petals of the Alpine Snowbell pushing their way through snow - they contain an anti-freeze that enables them to melt it. Masters of adaptation and survival, alpine flowers can trap insects, store precious water, expel excess minerals and fool insects.' Each flower entry includes a clear photograph and essential description along with its name in English, Latin, German, French and Italian and interesting information about the origins of some of the more curious flower names. Each one is also indexed by its English and its Latin name so you can follow up a hunch about a name or find out more about a flower.

How to recognise 230 alpine flowers

Alpine Flowers

This guidebook describes 20 walks around Lakes Garda and Iseo in Northern Italy. The routes range from 4 to 13km in length and are graded 1 to 3. There is something for everyone, from easy leisurely strolls for first-time walkers to strenuous climbs up panoramic peaks. The clear maps, inspirational photographs and information about accommodation and public transport options help to make this guidebook an ideal companion to exploring the exceptional scenery, views and culture of the Italian Lakes. A basic English-Italian glossary is also included. Formed by ancient glaciers and hemmed in by awesome towering cliffs, Lago di Garda boasts a superb network of well-marked trails exploring alpine ridges and peaks, in addition to ancient stepped ways to fascinating industrial archeology sites. The southern shores are very Mediterranean in flavour, lined with olive groves and vineyards. Beautiful Lago d'Iseo is one of Italy's well-kept secrets. Well out of view until you actually reach its shores, it boasts an attractive mountainous island, appropriately named Monteisola.

Day walks in the Italian Lakes

Walking Lake Garda and Iseo

This guidebook describes two treks in the Bernina region of the Swiss-Italian Alps. The Tour of the Bernina covers 119km in nine stages circling the Piz Bernina massif. Five days are spent in Switzerland and four in Italy, however a number of inviting extensions and detours are also described which add at least two days to the total. The tour is suitable for trekkers with basic alpine walking experience. While the highest point reached is 3002m, there are no glacier crossings en route. The Alta Via Valmalenco in Italy is a shorter, 8-stage trek over 94km, but is a more challenging route suitable for trekkers with more experience. Almost every stage of both treks can be accessed from a valley floor and public transport, opening the door to multiple variants and shorter treks. Detailed stage by stage route descriptions are given in combination with plenty of background and practical information.

Gillian Price

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