Book Description
See where Henry's wives lost their heads at the Tower of London p162. Discover Puglia, the beautiful "heel" of Italy's boot p785. Find the best ski resorts - and where to hit the runs without breaking the bank p51. Visit the world's smallest country p720. Written by an expert team of 20 travellers and award-winning journalists. Inspirational itineraries help you plot your path. Incorporates 1848 of your traveller tips and suggestions.
Customer Reviews:
Best Preparation You'll Do!.......2007-08-12
We have now completed three trips of Europe and Great Britain - all of which were fantastic, mainly because of the knowledge this book brings you. The ability to be able to be able to budget properly, know the good and bad parts of town and the true highlights of a location makes it worth every cent. Nothing really goes out of date either so even after a couple of years, it is still a very useful book to have and one that I would highly recommend taking with you (instead of those three shirts that you'll never wear!). Obviously you have to chose what suits your tastes and budgets but this book gives you the best arrangement of options available in any one location. We haven't been disappointed yet.
The bible of traveling.......2007-08-10
Absolutely a must if you are going to travel around in Europe. With detailed explanations from budget travelers to high-end vacations.
this needs to be in your backpack.......2007-05-23
Complete, detailed information about most places the typical eurail traveller will go. I'm in the middle of a four week trip through Europe and have found it to be valuable. You don't need a book to help you find a party.
Almost Complete.......2007-05-15
This book is a little TOO complete. Aside from its large physical presence, it had a little too much encyclopedia information and not enough about partying. I would suggest also scooping up a Party Europe Guidebook and picking and choosing the information needed from Lonely Planet. That's how I did it and it worked fairly well.
Book Description
Imagine the roar of 50,000 spectators as gladiators fought hippopotami at Rome's Colosseum, p. 427. Feel your knees tremble as you teeter over Tara Canyon in Durmitor National Park, p. 563. Feast on butter-bean and garlic soup from a steaming cauldron in Fes labyrinthine medina, p. 598. Relish the scent of the pines as you stretch out on Bene beach, p. 153.
Fourteen countries, 18 authors and over 4500 hours of on-the-ground research. Itineraries charting highlights from must-see monuments to little-visited mountains. Don't just take our word for it; see what travellers are saying at lonelyplanet.com
Book Description
Independent and indispensable, this up-to-date guide to Western Europe will take you around Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.
- 168 detailed maps
- hand-picked places to stay and eat for all budgets
- the lowdown on the highlights, from the Eiffel Tower to the Acropolis
- road-tested tips on getting around the region
- comprehensive language guide
Customer Reviews:
Quite complete.......2005-02-21
We're getting ready to go on a trip through Europe and picked up this book to help in our planning. Its 2" thick so it's a pretty big book but also covers all the main cities. One-page maps are provided which is nice to have before arriving in a new place. It has attractions, museums, walks, places to stay that range from the hostels to pensions and smaller hotels. Having traveled through Europe as a teen using the Let's Go series, I figured this is the next step - good adventures off the beat path but nt roughing it quite as much as I did 25 years ago. Excellent resource!
Wonderful book.......2005-02-05
Excellent reading. Wondered if I went to the same school with the author.
anthony.greicius@jpl.nasa.gov
Lonely Planet the Navigator.......2005-01-01
Arm with this book and maps you got from the tourist infomration is pretty much what you would need on a trip. In fact, there are times that you would only need this book to get around the city to find a specific sight or even a restaurant in the heart of a city. Me and my buddies were using this book on our 7 weeks tour and had no problem at all. The description of the accomodations is very close to reality. The language section helps a lot to get around the city. The only drawback is that the transportation information is not detail enough for you to find the place you want, that's why you should always use this book with the maps you got from the tourist information.
You're going to LOVE EUROPE! .......2004-09-24
I've been to Europe >50 times, nearly all countries. Here are my reviews of the best guides to meet you r exact needs.....I hope these are helpful and that you have a great visit! I always gauge the quality of my visit by how much I remember a year later......this review is designed to help you get the guide that will be sure YOU remember your trip many years into the future. Travel Safe and enjoy yourself to the max!
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet has City and Out To Eat Guides. They are all about the experience so they focus on doing, being, getting there, and this means they have the best detailed information, including both inexpensive and really spectacular restaurants and hotels, out-of-the-way places, weird things to see and do, the list is endless.
Rick Steves' books are not recommended. They may be an interesting read but their helpfulness is very poor. They don't do well on updates, transportation details, or anything but the first-time-tourist routine and even that is somewhat superficial on anything but the mega-major sites.
Frommer's
These are time tested guides that pride themselves on being updated annually. Although I think the guides below provide information that is in more depth or more concise (depending on what the guide is known for), if your main concern is that the guide has very little old or outdated information, then this would be a good guide for you.
Blue Guides
Without doubt, the best of the walks guides.... the Blue Guide has been around since 1918 and has extremely well designed walks with lots of unique little side stops to hit on just about any interest you have. If you want to pick up the feel of the city, this is the best book to do that for you. This is one that you end up packing on your 10th trip, by which time it is well worn.
MapGuide
MapGuide is very easy to use and has the best location information for hotels, tourist attractions, museums, churches etc. that they manage to keep fairly up to date. It's great for teaching you how to use the public transportation system. The text sections are quick overviews, not reviews, but the strong suite here is brevity, not depth. I strongly recommend this for your first few times learning your way around the classic tourist sites and experiences. MapGuide is excellent as long as you are staying pretty much in the center of the city.
Time Out
The Time Out guides are very good. Easy reading, short reviews of restaurants, hotels, and other sites, with good public transport maps that go beyond the city centre. Many people who buy more than one guidebook end up liking this one best!
Let's Go
Let's Go is a great guide series that specializes in the niche interest details that turn a trip into a great and memorable experience. Started by and for college students, these guides are famous for the details provided by people who used the book the previous year. They continue to focus on providing a great experience inexpensively. If you want to know about the top restaurants, this is not for you (use Fodor's or Michelin). Let's Go does have a bewildering array of different guides though. Here's which is what:
Budget Guide is the main guide with incredibly detailed information and reviews on everything you can think of.
City Guide is just as intense but restricted to the single city.
PocketGuide is even smaller and features condensed information
MapGuide's are very good maps with public transportation and some other information (like museum hours, etc.)
Michelin
Famous for their quality reviews, the Red Michelin Guides are for hotels & Restaurants, the Green Michelin Guides are for main tourist destinations. However, the English language Green guide is the one most people use and it has now been supplemented with hotel and restaurant information. These are the serious review guides as the famous Michelin ratings are issued via these books.
Fodor's
Fodor's is the best selling guide among Americans. They have a bewildering array of different guides. Here's which is what:
The Gold Guide is the main book with good reviews of everything and lots of tours, walks, and just about everything else you could think of. It's not called the Gold guide for nothing though....it assumes you have money and are willing to spend it.
SeeIt! is a concise guide that extracts the most popular items from the Gold Guide
PocketGuide is designed for a quick first visit
UpCLOSE for independent travel that is cheap and well thought out
CityPack is a plastic pocket map with some guide information
Exploring is for cultural interests, lots of photos and designed to supplement the Gold guide
Customer Reviews:
Better than no guidebook at all.......2007-03-09
I chose this guidebook because I was still unsure about where I wanted to go in the area. As has been said before, the chapter on Slovenia is great. I found the chapter and maps on Serbia and Montenegro to not be very helpful. The maps would be much more useful if they had street names in both Roman and Cyrillic alphabets (where applicable).
Decent, but not a standalone.......2006-12-08
I used this book during a trip through Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania, and Montenegro in June 2006.
I'm not sure if there's another book that covers all of these countries so I have no basis for comparison. But while this book provided a skeleton for my trip, it could have been much better. I only give it two stars because it got me through the trip and I didn't die.
Pro:
Good overview of countries (even if it lacked depth).
Good basic info, good food section.
Cons:
Maps were unreliable even in major cities like Belgrade. Not only were the streets wrong on occasion but their icons were off quite frequently, which led to hours of walking around in circles--always fun!
Not enough detail in general. In particular, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, and transport options all need lots of expansion.
Language section was not sufficient at all. Eight pages total to cover four languages. If this is your only language guide and if you don't speak Russian, get ready for lots of hand signals and gestures.
Transport portions were often wrong and some sections directly contradicted others. Some may be because the text is dated but you can travel from Bosnia through Serbia to Kosovo by overnight bus. You can also take an overnight train from Montenegro to Belgrade.
Nearly 100 pages (of 422) are devoted to Croatia. First, this section wouldn't be sufficient for a full Croatia trip and (most importantly) it leaves little room to cover the other six countries + Kosovo. They should cut it and add more content elsewhere.
Information on safety, crime, corruption was spotty. Some places were surprisingly friendly--Kosovo in particular--while others were quite hairy--Albania and parts of Macedonia.
Bottom line: It's certainly lighter than taking 7 books but don't expect lots of depth. And it needs an update.
Too little of everything.......2006-06-22
I agree with the previous reviewe, this book is too superficial and not really necessary for anyone. Those travelling to Croatia and Slovenia will be much better of with Lonely Planet: Croatia or Lonely Planet: Slovenia. Those going to Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia or Albania will find that this book does not provide much information about any of those countries.
Given the fact that there already are a number of guides to Croatia and Slovenia, their inclusion in this guide could be questioned. Taking a little bit more time and publishing individual guidebooks on the rest of the countries covered in this book would have been a far better option instead of a short summary that won't be beneficial to anyone.
Bradt has published extensive guides on each country in the Balkans, as well as city guides to Ljubljana, Dubrovnik and Belgrade. You might find the Lonely Planet guide to Croatia better than Bradt's Croatia guide, but otherwise any traveller to South Eastern Europe or the Adriatic coast should stick to Bradt for more extensive coverage.
Superficial coverage.......2006-03-23
A pretty typical Lonely Planet Guide, with good practical information on travel through the region.
The problem with the book is that it barely skims the surface of most of the destinations it covers. (If it isn't clear from the title, "Western Balkans" translates to the nations that used to be part of Yugoslavia, and Albania.) If you plan to spend a lot of time in Croatia and or Slovenia, LP's individual country guides for these too countries offer far more depth and detail. For the other countries (Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia and Albania) you're probably better off with the Bradt guides. (Or buy both.) LP only touches on a handful of major cities in each country. Given the low page count, the writers/editors could have easily expanded the coverage by just expanding the book!
Book Description
One union, one currency - and an abundance of languages; Europe's intrigue lies in its variety. When you find yourself on a busy feast day in Chios, in a smoky Maltese kazin, or courtside at a Basque pelota match, don't let the moment escape - say something!
Covers: Basque, Catalan, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Maltese, Portuguese, Scottish Gaelic, Spanish, Turkish & Welsh
- join in the sport & festivals from Athens to Belfast
- menu decoders for trying the tastiest local dishes
- tools to help you break the ice and plunge in
- essential transport talk to get you from Ankara to Lisbon
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Quick Reference.......2006-07-15
An excellent quick reference for all your travel language necessities in Europe. And it's a handy little size too.
Minority languages.......2005-06-15
it is great to see the smaller langauges of Europe in this guide!!
WE DO EXIST REMEMBER!!
Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, Basque and Catalan take their positions as European languages of note!
All BRITISH and SPANISH people should know some words in THEIR lesser used languages! Otherwise they are not really British/Spanish!!!
Even covers Welsh! .......2005-03-18
If you plan to travel all over Europe, this book may get you through and save the time and trouble of carrying a different phrasebook for each country. It is small, just slightly larger than the average palm and full of basic phrases.
It doesn't cover every language but DOES include Basque, Catalan, Welsh, Spanish, Turkish, Italian, Dutch, French, German and a wealth of others.
WHat I especially liked:
1. The tips on how to break the ice in each country and join in conversations
2.Menu decoders and suggestions for each country
3.Essential words to get you through transportation checkpoints and on your way
4. Some of the basic sports and festivals in each country.
5. Written FOR the traveler with a strong emphasis on the most essential situations when a phrasebook might be needed.
compact comprehensivephrasebook with pronunciation.......2002-07-12
This book has several advantages over other phrasebooks:
* Its got most of Europe (except Eastern) covered, including Irish!
* It is small - about the size of two decks of cards.
* It has the english phrase, the phrase in the translated language and then in blue how you actually pronounce the phrase. The pronunciations are spot on - the best thing about this book.
* It has phrases on absolutely everything - I even got to use my Greek phrase for "I would not like it extracted please" when I spoke to a greek student at the Oktoberfest who was studying dentistry. Everything's covered: getting on buses, going to the laundromat, getting directions, etc. About 20 pages on each language with everything that you will need to get by for a while.
* It's cheap and all in one book.
* A must have for anybody going to Europe who doesn't speak all their languages - I think that's everyone.
Very Useful but Missed out on Eastern Europe.......2001-12-14
This book is a useful guidebook to many languages of Europe, however some of the omissions are a bit strange; It includes Catalan and Basque but not Eastern European, or Scandinavian languages. It's convenience lies in being able to look up the same phrases for different languages.
I suspect it covers a lot of material from other Lonely Planet Phrasebooks, such as the Spanish one, just not as comprehensively.
Book Description
Backpacking through Europe for the first time changes your life. New friendships are forged over a bottle of cheap wine; old friends go their separate ways; you fall in love in the first town and forget about it in the second. You get bored with wearing the same clothes, tired of sleeping in crowded dorms…yet you still have an unforgettable, fantastic time.
In Rite of Passage, backpackers taking their all-important first visit to Europe tell it like it really is. They describe crossing the language barrier in Corfu, meeting the locals in Prague, surviving hostel life in London, finding love in Paris and overindulging in Greece.
Rite of Passage is the perfect companion for backpackers - the stories are raw and fresh, inspirational and honest, and cut straight to the heart of the European travel experience.
Customer Reviews:
A Captivating Bundle of Inspiring Travel Short Stories.......2006-12-29
Pretty much all the reviewers seem to be in agreement that this is a very worthwhile read. Anyone who has the slightest bit of interest in travel or adventure will not be disappointed. The collections of short stories of travels in Europe are easy to read and entertaining. The very fitting title explains how a lot of North American and Australian youngsters start out in the independent international travel world. Most common of Americans who wish to get their feet wet in the monumental first time experience of going abroad. These riveting stories capture the array emotions a young traveler might experience from felicity, excitement, enthusiasm, to pure awe from being in a strange surrounding and not having the smallest clue about what your doing.
Organized into a series of independent stories in a host of European countries; each of them always seem to have some sort of twist or surprise ending. In between the chapters are excepts from the Lonely Planet travel forum, usually with advice or jokes from young travelers. There really is no other book like it in print today-travelers experiencing Europe for the first time, carrying nothing more than a backpack.
At first, I was a bit skeptical of reading very broad and boring sounding "travel literature" genre, imagining it would resemble a personal journal filled with long stale entries filled with personal grievances about life. This was not the case with "Rite of Passage". Every short story has something unique and promising in the end. Most of them are humorous and inspiring, all of them arouse excitement in anyone from someone on board a plane heading to Europe to a travel-hungry day dreamer at home. This book will most likely wet your appetite for more about European travel.
A great read........2006-02-23
I'm preparing for a trip to Europe, and reading firsthand accounts prepared me for a lot of backpacking quirks that traditional guidebooks don't convey. Will be taking this with me on my trip!
Tells it like it is.......2005-11-16
I purchased this book 4 months after returning from my own lengthy backpacking trip. Within the first few essays I was in tears. It so perfectly captures the experience of traveling abroad that it immediately made me wistful for my own trip, even the stressful and absurd parts. I disagree with the idea that these are cliched or second-rate depictions of teen-angst, and as someone who's been in many of the situations described, I can only say that it's clear that anyone who thinks so has not actually taken a backpacking trip. Somehow it never boils down to the museums and monuments you saw, but you look back fondly on the late night sitting in the courtyard of your hostel with 4 strangers drinking wine and telling stories.
This book is a must-read for anyone who has taken this "rite of passage" trip. You will find yourself gasping for breath as you alternately laugh in recognition, or cry in wistfulness. For those who love to travel or are considering a trip, definitely read this book, but I might recommend waiting until you get back, as your appreciation will be much deeper.
Recommended!.......2005-03-03
Great short essays that really get you in the mood to wanna pick up your bags and leave! even the "scary" stories of europe wanted to just make you get up and go on an adventure yourself. Fastest book i've ever read, never put it down!
Good Prep for European Adventures.......2004-09-17
As only a high school student, many of the books essays contained nothing I was preparing to experience, but read it, nevertheless, as I prepared to embark on my first trip to Europe (a language-immersion program). The book was utterly fascinating. There were enough catchy, intriguing tales of excitement abroad that when there was the occasional one I did not like, I could merely skip to the next. While some stories contained more mature topics, all were enjoyable, and many made me laugh out loud. This book is definitely appropriate for young teens and above, and is a great ice-breaker for those awaiting a first trip to Europe, or a way to somehow remember one's first journey overseas.
Book Description
Savor a glass of limuncell after a day climbing the steps and tracing the ramparts of Valletta, p. 65
Let your hair down in the Paceville party zone or at Rabat's open-air nightclubs, p. 87, p. 129.
Scratch your head and ponder the who, what, when, and why of prehistoric temples, p. 142.
Hire a centuries-old farmhouse for poolside R&R in a sleepy Gozitan village, p. 150.
One author, one fireworks festival, one serious Eurovision disappointment, 10 boat rides, 12 pastizzi, no rabbits harmed in the making of this book.
Diving & Snorkelling chapter highlights all the best dive spots.
Customer Reviews:
Guidebook with good pictures, maps and sugestions. But not a fact book.......2007-05-21
Typical LP book, more or less what I need and packed with facts. But on the hotel pages, I am surprised to see so few hotels get listed, considering a destination like Malta must offer much much more options at all ranges.
What I also would like to see is information about sea links to Sicilly and Tunisia, a day-trip or an organized tour. There is hardly any mentioning of such. You've made all the way to malta, and Sicilly is just an hour and a half away, it is definitely worth of considering visiting.
All in all, a typical LP book with almost all information you will need.
The perfect "in a nutshell" guide.......2007-02-10
Malta is one of those rare gems that still exist in the world. From its gorgeous coastlines, to the fascinating medieval strongholds, to the very life/flavor of the island itself, this is one of those places that captures the best society has offered from the last two-thousand years.
Lonely Planet does a fine job with their Malta/Gozo edition. Like most of their traveler friendly guides, it captures all the necessary information without overdoing it. For anyone brand new to the island, this book is like the gentle hand that guides you without sullying all the wonderful surprises that await you in Malta, a place I find as one of the worlds least appreciated attractions.
This book will offer advice, but from different perspectives, and the writing comes directly from those that have experienced what they cover. You won't get any "hearsay" junk with this guide. It is right on the money with everything it discusses; from restaurants, to travel accommodations, to tourist attractions, and far more. The maps are excellent and quite beneficial. I found myself spending a good half-hour to hour each night reading this AFTER we were already staying there, just to make certain I was getting every bit of flavor from my vacation as I could. It seems there is very little that this guide doesn't cover, for it even covers its history in a brief, but concise manner.
For those who live or already very familiar with the Malta/Gozo area, there won't be much information here that you probably don't already know. However, if you are traveling to this wonderful place for the very first time, get this book! It is well worth the money and will be indispensable as you try to make the most out of your excursion. I envy anyone who has yet to visit Malta for the 1st time, for there is nothing like the first trip!
Informative and useful.......2006-03-09
Like other Lonely Planet guide books, this one is informative and contains useful information for the traveler. Some historical information, good overview, maps, suggested itineraries, etc.
Do not understand this question, but the book I bought was Lonley Planet's Malta and Gozo.......2005-09-20
Super....could not have enjoyed my holiday as much without it!
A guide for Malta.......2005-06-14
A good book for anyone who hasn't been to Malta before and wants to know what to expect. Plus learn about Malta's history.
Malta property
(...)
Amazon.com
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there, chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.
Journey north with Lonely Planet and discover wonders for travelers of any budget. LP's Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe Islands contains more than 100 maps; details on food and accommodations; advice on trekking routes and organized tours; notes on Arctic phenomena, flora, and fauna; extensive transportation details; plus useful arts and culture sections. The author's intriguing sidebars range from pieces on "Puffin Release" and "Wild Island Cuisine" to "Plutonium Peril in Pituffik." --Kathryn True
Book Description
Pack your bags for an unparalleled polar experience. Whether it's raving in Reykjavik, dogsledding in Disko Bay or fishing in the Faroes, this value-packed guide to one of the world's final frontiers will guarantee you make the most of the midnight sun.
- 106 detailed maps, including hiking routes
- extensive listings of places to say, eat and be entertained
- Icelandic, Greenlandic and Faroese language sections
- all the transport options from ice breakers to bicycles
Customer Reviews:
For the Faroes get LP's Scandinavian Europe book instead.......2007-08-23
The LP Iceland, Greenland and Faroes book reviewed here is now outdated. It has been superseded by specific books on Greenland and on Iceland while if you're looking for the latest practical info on the Faroe Islands you'll now need to buy the Scandinavian Europe book. Although that doesn't have a huge coverage of the islands, it should be fine for a one-week trip - indeed the Bradt Faroes book is by comparison almost over detailed with stuff that's of little real help while the Bradt town maps have some serious errors.
Indispensable.......2004-08-16
I don't think this book ever left my hand from the moment I stepped off the plane at Keflavik Airport until I loaded my bags into the Flybus for the return trip. This was the only book I was able to find specifically on Iceland, with enough information on Reykjavik and the surrounding towns to give me a little confidence while exploring this breathtaking land. The section on South Central Iceland is a must read for anyone planning to see the Golden Circle.
Nothing about the birds?.......2003-09-28
Iceland is famous for its millions of seabirds, especially puffins, that nest on the cliffs and shores. Unfortunately they all depart by September 1 (the puffins often in mid-August), and nowhere did I find that information, although I admit I didn't read the Lonely Planet guide from cover to cover. A group of us who visited in mid-September were very disappointed. In fairness, the other Iceland guides don't seem to warn of this either, nor do the travel brochures.
Be aware of the agenda.......2003-09-10
While this travel gudie does cover Iceland in detail, one needs to be careful to note that lonely planet does have their own agenda. Many of the hotels they reccommend over other establishments are not the best accomodations. Their may even be other hotels in the area where they say there are no other places to stay. And from a guide in the west fjords, some of their contact information as well as their descriptions may be far off.
Icelandic History.......2003-09-07
I have for sometime been an enthusiatic user of Lonely Planet guides for travels in Asia and in Europe. The guides I have used have been excellent sources, not only about the countries and their people but of the historical perspectives on how the country became what it is.
For this reason, I was disappointed with the contents of the Facts about Iceland section of the Lonely Planet Iceland Guide. Throughout the guide, there are political biased and incorrect statements about Iceland's recent history, especially regarding Iceland's relations with the United States.
Regarding the Post -Indepence section of the guide, American troops stayed on a Keflavik after the end of the war by treaty, mutually arrived at by the two governments. The American forces had come to Iceland by invitation of the Icelandic Government during WordWar II to preserve their security. Iceland has never had armed forces of her own.
Iceland willingly became a member of NATO to serve her own interests,especially regarding security during the Cold War.
There are other politically biased and incorrect statements in the guide regarding this time period. I e-mailed what I thought was a polite message to Lonely Planet advising them to have another look at their history sections, but I received no reply. I, and I suspect a lot of others, feel that a travel guide should not be a political forum.
Amazon.com
Lonely Planet guides pride themselves on going places few other guidebooks ever venture--you'll find Lonely Planet guides to Antarctica, Papua New Guinea, and Cambodia, to name only a few of their more far-flung destinations. But even when this series is covering a more popular destination such as Western Europe, the spirit of discovery that imbues more obscure titles is still present. In Lonely Planet Western Europe on a Shoestring the authors and researchers have done their best to make budget travel both fun and fulfilling. There's plenty of back story on every destination, practical information about embassies, newspapers, bookshops, and medical and emergency services plus comprehensive coverage of sights and entertainments. Though the book is primarily geared toward budget travelers, the authors do include the occasional splurge. Best of all, the book contains 200 detailed maps and brief language guides in the back to French, Dutch, German, Italian, Greek, Spanish, and Portuguese. Whether you're planning a whirlwind tour of 12 European countries in three weeks or intending to stay awhile, Lonely Planet Western Europe will get you started out on the right foot.
Book Description
Whether you dream of lazing on golden Mediterranean beaches, exploring centuries-old Bavarian streets or nursing a pint in a snug Irish pub, Western Europe always inspires with its variety and volume of iconic attractions. With so much to choose from, this insightful and comprehensive guide enables you to find your perfect multi-country trip.
• BE IN THE KNOW - incisive history, arts and culture coverage takes you from ancient Greece and Rome to London's Tate Modern
• FIND YOUR WAY - inspiring highlights and itineraries, practical directories and grid-referenced maps help you plan your own Grand Tour
• DINE OUT - whether you crave fish & chips, perfect pasta or award-winning haute cuisine, our extended listings take you to the very best places to eat
• REST YOUR HEAD - handpicked sleeping options for every budget, including comfy cottage guesthouses, stylish modern hostels and elegant Georgian hotels
Customer Reviews:
LP is a guide, not an itinerary.......2006-04-14
I have taken several extensive (3+months) trips to Europe and, having used most of the major European travel guides in the past, I have always been impressed with the relative superiority of LP. I think what most unhappy reviews of these travel guides miss is that these books are all tailored to a very specific market, i.e. "Let's Go" is not for anyone over the age of 30 who wants a serious, non-party oriented European trip; Rick Steves' targets middle-aged and older travelers who need hand-holding because they have little or no experience planning and executing trips abroad; Fodor's is for older adults for whom money is not a real concern; and Lonely Planet is for budget-conscious backpackers of most ages who are looking to spend the least money possible and don't mind roughing it a bit to see the sights. Therefore, you are not going to find the best restaraunts/ hotels in LP, you are going to find the cheapest reasonable local resources that often have an unusual or quirky twist.
From my experience, the LP directions on traveling to/from places, finding train stations, airports, etc. are the most useful thing about the book and well worth the price. However, they don't publish train timetables and don't pretend to give that kind of info because it often changes. You can look that up online. That said, there are some flaws in the books as far as clarity in descriptions for a few point-to-point connections, which can be bit confusing. The book can only cover so much, though. All in all, I've had few hitches in using these guides and highly recommend them to other travelers.
great guide.......2006-02-22
For the price it's worth it. I only miss some full color maps.
Not Worth It.......2006-01-27
This guidebook covers the countries of western Europe. However, it seems that Lonely Planet tried to cover too much in this guidebook, so most of the descriptions of sights are barely more than a few sentences and a phone number. It's better to think of this as a giant checklist of places you could visit while in Europe, but don't rely on this for any amount of information. If you're looking for travel and sightseeing information, it's better to get the individual country books for the countries that you are going to travel to. To tell the truth, I bought this because I'm planning a multi-country trip in Europe, so I was hoping that this would contain exstensive information about getting between countries by train, but I was really disappointed to find that the information on this was severely lacking. If you your looking for something like that, Thomas Cook's Europe by rail books are better. Save your money and buy something else.
Europe bound.......2005-08-18
In planning our trip to England, France and Spain, this book has been tremendously useful. There are endless resources (thankfully, online resources too) which have proven helpful. The maps are also important and valuable tools.
I recommend this series of books for those embarking on a European vacation.
Un buen libro de referencia.......2002-04-11
Recientemente hice mi primer viaje a 8 ciudades europeas (Londres, Bruselas, Berna, Roma, Florencia, Barcelona, Madrid y Paris) usando este libro, usando sus recomendaciones en hoteles, museos y otras atracciones, lo único que deberían mejorar son los mapas, pero se complementa bien con los mapas que regalan en las agencias de información turística. Muy buen libro, muy actualizado.
Book Description
Planning a trip to Europe? Lonely Planet's expertise will help you island-hop the Aegean, cruise the fjords of Norway and flamenco dance the nights away in Barcelona with all the savvy of a local.
Coverage: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.
- snapshot profiles of 36 countries in the region, including all the highlights you won't want to miss
- full-colour country maps with itineraries to suit three days, three months or beyond
- advice on getting the ticket to suit you, organising visas on the hop and what to do if your passport gets stolen
- solve the mysteries of Eurail, Inter-Rail and Busabout - we've got the lowdown on train and bus passes, including a Eurail pass map
- tips on saving money on the road, bargaining and tipping
- essential health warnings and everything you need to know about staying healthy
Customer Reviews:
not much detail but stil useful.......2003-12-09
This book is not very detailed. it has 2 main sections. the first part ha basic travel information such as packing , getting around, hostels and transportation.
The second, more useful section comprises of country information. for the 35 countries covered there is a map and to 4 pages of text for each country with background country information. details on visa requirements, expected costs, other resources ( books, film, internet). The most useful aspect is the suggested itenarys by country. suggested travel itenarys are provided for each country for various durations, 3 days, 1 week , 2 weeks and a month. these are also marked out on the map to give the reader an idea of how much travel is involved.
This book is useful to those considering a European trip as it can help one find the places they may want to visit. It would be of little use to anyone in Europe as there are no local maps or details on where to stay, eat and drink.
The Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring guide would be a good companion to this book. use this book in your planning stages then use the shoestring guide in your travels
As with all LP guides it has many interesting first person anecdotes that make interesting reading.
Scant Information.......2000-12-19
Admittedly, this is not meant to be a replacement for books such as Europe on a Shoestring, but i found it just a little lacking in information that would be useful for planning a trip. Perhaps a good source for complete beginners who know nothing about Europe, but if people wish to travel Europe, perhaps they would be better off with a more in depth guide
Great Place to Start Planning.......2000-11-10
This book is excellent. I lived in Europe and travelled with my parents so I am aware of traveling needs. However, I've never planned it before or gone solo. This book covers every part of your planning and gives you the basics on what to see in each country depending on how much time you have. If my trip is a as much fun as reading this book was then I'm going to have an experience of a lifetime. This is for anyone who is not sure where to go but knows that they want to go to Europe.
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Books Index
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General
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Lonely Planet Eastern Europe
Let's Go 2007 Western Europe (Let's Go Western Europe)
Lonely Planet Scandinavian Europe (Lonely Planet Scandinavian Europe)
Lonely Planet Central Europe
Europe by Eurail 2007, 31st: Touring Europe by Train (Europe By Eurail)
