I was delighted to be sent a new guidebook to review just before my first trip to Athens. The guide to the Greek capital is published by Marco Polo and I’ve enjoyed reading it and finding out about the city in preparation for my trip.
Marco Polo guidebooks
Marco Polo have more than 100 guidebooks covering everywhere from the Algarve to Zakynthos. Each Marco Polo guidebook is written by a local who knows the destination intimately. They all include specially highlighted ‘insider tips’ which are are personal tips from the author.
The book is a good size, just right to fit into a handbag. The cover is plasticised so that it’s waterproof and hard-wearing. There’s a handy pull-out map of the city in a plastic wallet inside the back cover as well as a street atlas within the guide. The guide was published in 2013 and so is pretty much up to date.
Marco Polo Athens
I find the book easy to navigate. I like the fact that the photos in the guide aren’t just of the tourist sites but also of different aspects of the city such as the flea markets and kids skateboarding. The book is divided into clear sections such as Sightseeing, Food & Drink and Where to Stay. The Travel with Kids section covers the attitude to kids in Athens (apparently they’re given a lot of freedom and are allowed to go out with their parents in the evening) and suggests some attractions which kids will particularly enjoy such as the planetarium and the zoo. There’s a helpful section called Great Places for Free which gives tips such as which museum is free on Thursdays and where to catch the free buses which serve the harbour area. If you’re in a rush then head to The Perfect Day section which shows you how to see the city’s highlights in just 24 hours. I like the list of Do’s & Don’ts which is placed prominently inside the back cover next to the pull-out map. It offers local advice such as places to avoid and how to get the best deal on a hire car. The Travel Tips section gives useful, practical information such as how to get from the airport to the city centre.
Giveaway
Marco Polo have 10 guides to give away to Mums do travel readers. If you’d like a chance to win a travel guide and you live in the UK then go to the Marco Polo website and decide which one you’d like. Then enter your details on the Rafflecopter widget below and write the name of the guide you’ve chosen in the Comments section. 10 winners will be picked at random and Marco Polo will send them the guide book which they’ve chosen. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Alisa Moore says
Scotland
Jackie Rushton says
Athens
Dawn Totton says
The New York one would be fab.
Denielle Nicol says
Mauritius
Adrian Clarke says
Corfu as hopefully we will be off there in the summer.
Barbara Handley says
Canada
LEE HARDY says
Would like Rhodes guidebook
katie w says
Paris as would love to visit there
Michelle Stokes says
Any of the Greek Islands
Sarah Parker says
New York
chirag p says
New York
Matthew Waterhouse says
I would love the Athens guide, would like to take the wife there one day
Tobys proud mummy says
I would love the Florida guide as its been years since I last visited and I guess a lot has changed as I would love to take my little one in a couple of years so would be great to get prepared and get some inspiration and tips from a wonderful guide
Gary Topley says
Venice x
Elle Warwick says
Tenerife!!
Carey A says
We are planning a trip to Amsterdam so that would be very helpful
George Williamson says
Scottish Islands, please
Alison clark says
New York – I have wanted to go since i was 18 – I have waited for 18 years and I’m going in may – i can not wait !!
clair downham says
florida please
Ami Tobbell says
Venice please, we are booking thre for our honeymoon x
Kieran McKernan says
Spain
Isabelle Smith says
Amsterdam
SUSAN L HALL says
Australia, please as we are off there in Feb ( VERY EXCITED )
Joanna Sawka says
Paris
david wilson says
india, please
ruth hunter says
paris, please
Chris Fletcher says
I’d love the Istanbul guide
Lisa Wilkinson says
I’d like to win the Croatia one please 🙂
Lucy carter says
I’d like to win the Budapest guidebook as my mum is going there soon
olivia Kirby says
FLorida please
robert sharman says
costa blanca please
Jamie says
California would be great to lip earn about 🙂
Lyndsey Beckford says
New York please 🙂
Laura Vitty says
I’d love one about New York 🙂
Karen Dixon says
New York
Michelle Ferguson says
Malta as going there next year
Michelle Phillips says
California
Bernadette Willis says
Barcelona, as I’m hoping to get their in the spring
Andrea Balderstone says
I would love the guide to Italy please
Andrea Johnson says
Florida please
aideen patel says
Amsterdam 🙂
Veronica Lopez-Smith says
Cambodia or China please!!!
leanne weir says
Australia, please
joanne thomas says
i would love to win the Australia one please as i have been lucky enough to win a holiday there and would love to read up before we go
Keith Hunt says
California
Jade Brookes says
Lanzarote please
Stephen Little says
Paris
Heather Harris says
New York please
Solange says
New York
Kiran Parry says
Australia please
Erica Price says
Naples and Almafi Coast
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Mary @ Over 40 and a Mum to One says
Belgium please
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Stevie says
A bit closer to home, I’d say the Shetlands and other surrounding areas.
Pam Francis Gregory says
Ireland please
Richard Tyler says
Thailand! 🙂
Ashleigh Allan says
Paris!
Jo Evans says
I am of to Paris soon, so a guidebook would be really useful.
Emma Ellams says
Italy please 🙂
Jackie ONeill says
New York would be fab, thanks
Sarah Pybus says
New York, please.
Claire Walmsley says
TURKEY
Claire D says
Austria
Allan Smith says
Australia
Jessica Powell says
Florida x
jayne hall says
new york one please
cat r says
Oslo!
Maxine says
Barcelona as we are planning a weekend away there in the new year
Lorraine Stone says
New York would be fab!
Stephanie Whitehouse says
Albania – we keep planning to go there, but haven’t made it yet
Michael Williams says
Switzerland
kazza ham says
I am going to Chicago in May so that one would be really useful.
Joanne Jackson says
Florida please
Hayley Robson says
Would like Greece as would love to go
Corinne Peat says
Lanzarote!
Natalie England says
I’d like the Athens guidebook – my Dad owned a house there and we love Greece.
Rachael Barnard says
New York
Andrea Williams says
USA Southwest for me please!
Sandra Lane says
The Paris guide please as I would love to visit.
Karen Usher says
Austria
alex fowler says
Paris please
Jo welsh says
Canada
Rich Hill says
My favourite city – Istanbul!
http://www.marco-polo.com/shop/buy-travel-guide/detail/read/istanbul.html
Tracey Parker says
Amsterdam
Pamela Risk says
Ireland because I’ve always wanted to visit and plan to one day.
Di Wareing says
I would like Germany please.
liz ferguson says
australia
Kevin Honey says
Australia, please
Tracy Nixon says
I wouls love their Tenerife guide! Thank you!
The Diary Of A Jewellery Lover says
New York
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melanie stirling says
I would like the Athens one please,my son’s girlfriend lives there so it would be useful to us when we visit.