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TRAVEL GUIDES AND INDEPENDENT ADVICE
The classic guide book series for history, art and architecture. Beautifully presented, meticulously researched, clearly laid out.
“designed for the traveller who desires to understand more fully what he or she sees”
Award winning maps | Detailed floorplans | Architectural drawings | Expert glossaries | Reliable recommendations
New Blue Guides
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Blue Guide European Turkey
1st edition, 2025. The area west of Istanbul, around the Sea of Marmara, is where the…
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Blue Guide Sicily
Fully revised 10th edition of this popular Blue Guide, by Sicily resident and tour guide Ellen…
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Blue Guide Trentino & the South Tyrol
An easy-to-carry guide that tours this beautiful region of north Italy, detailing its history, architecture, art,…
Articles
We publish articles by Blue Guides writers and editors reviewing books and exhibitions and giving updates on the beautiful and historic destinations covered in our series. We also share comments and updates on each individual title – do feel free to add your own comments or to contact us.
WHERE TO FIND BLUE GUIDE VENICE
For reasons best known to themselves—actually probably not even known to them but only to a faceless and not very clever algorithm—Amazon UK choose…
Popes by the name of Leo
White smoke above the Vatican recently announced the election of Chicago-born Robert Prevost as pope, the 266th incumbent of the Chair of St Peter.…
Electing a new Pope: The Conclave
Farewell and Rest In Peace to His Holiness Pope Francis, who died on 21st April 2025. The task now must be to find a…
Siena: The Rise of Painting
“Siena: The Rise of Painting” at the National Gallery, London. Exhibition review. The Background In the late 13th century, the Tuscan city of Siena grew…
Further Resources: Rome
Recent Updates
Blue Guide New York

Update: Special Reprint Edition
Carol von Pressentin Wright’s classic Blue Guide to New York City, relied on by tour guides, residents and visitors alike since its first edition in 1983, is now available in a special reprint edition… read more »
See Blue Guide New York
What Others Say
“guide books in the grand tradition of thoroughness and objectivity” Georgia Review;
“the Blue Guides still hold the cultural high ground” Sunday Times;
“a gold standard for accuracy and depth” Daily Telegraph.
Blue Guide Venice – Recent Amazon Review


The best got better
“You know what to expect from a Blue Guide – a solid and detailed survey of the art and architecture, free of pretension, fashion and recommendations of what’s ‘happening’. And so this new edition is satisfying and unsurprising, except it’s now illustrated fully in colour! And not just the photos – the maps, plans and drawings get a clarifying colourful spruce up too. It’s like a Dorling Kindersley guide mated with a Blue Guide. Almost, there’s still more text than pics. Anyway, this guide is now even more the best to get.”
See Blue Guide Venice
Further Reviews

Blue Danube
Blue Danube, a sister imprint to Blue Guides, focuses on literature, history and travel in Central Europe.