City Walks: Rome: 50 Adventures on Foot    by Martha Fay Order:  USA  Can Chronicle, 2008 (2008) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Though my general approach to city exploration is to simply wander and enjoy the fruits of serendipity, some cities have specific sites that I don't want to miss - and Rome is certainly one of them. City Walks card sets offer a new approach to sightseeing in the major cities of the world. Those who like to be systematic can go through the entire deck in order. Those like me, who prefer surprises, can pick a walk at random, or simply wander and then find a card to match what has been discovered. City Walks: Rome includes an overall map with fifty numbered Rome Walks marked on it, from Piazza del Popolo to Ostia Antica, with well known sites - like The Coliseum, The Aventine Hill and The Catacombs South of Rome - in between. Summary information covers A Taste of Rome ('an open-air museum with a street life that is among the most vibrant to be found in Europe'); How to Use these Cards ('carefully chosen to offer a rich sampling of Rome's many neighborhoods and its hidden delights'); and Getting Around Rome. Each card starts with a sentence summarizing the walk, e.g. 'Fascinating and horrifying, the Coliseum is a site of great human cruelty and unmatched architectural splendor.' Next comes how to get there (bus and metro), followed by historical context, details of what to see, facts and statistics. While most travelers will supplement this with more in-depth information, such tomes can be left behind with baggage, while exploring ancient and modern Rome via City Walks: Rome, a handy, minimalist guide to fifty varied adventures. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Travel books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews