Book Description
This fully revised and thoroughly updated sixth edition of the Rough Guide to Turkey is your ultimate handbook to this fascinating country.A full colour section introduces Turkey''s highlights, from the markets of Istanbul to the rock churches of Cappadocia. There are informed accounts of the country''s wide-ranging sights and incisive reviews of the best places to eat, sleep and drink in every price range. Throughout the guide there is practical advice on everything from bazaar shopping to chartering a yacht. The authors also provide expert background on Turkish history, literature, music and film and the guide comes complete with easy-to-read maps for every region.
The Rough Guide to Turkey is your ultimate handbook to this fascinating country.
Customer Reviews:
do not rely on this book.......2007-08-30
Do not rely on this book. Despite the 2007 copyright, it is way, way out of date and will seriously harm your trip. It certainly harmed out trip.
1) Prices are way off--not just by 10 or 20% but by hundreds of per cent. For example, things listed as $20 sometimes cost $50.
2) The list of hotels is way out of date for every place we went. Some hotels had actually gone out of business years prior to 2007, which is this book's copyright. If you are considering a trip later than 2007, this problem will be still worse. This was true in Marmaris and Bergama and probably many other places.
3) Maps were wrong. Not just inaccurate, but wrong. For example, the location in Marmaris of the ferry to Rhodes was wrong. This was disastrous for us, possibly causing us to miss the ferry. Also, the streets on the map were labelled with names while the actual street signs used numbers instead of names. This may have been due to a renaming of the streets prior to 2007, and the book's map should have reflected the what the signs say.
4) Schedules were wrong. For example, the dolmuses to Troy do NOT leave every 20 minutes as the book says, but every hour, even during peak season.
5) The index is quite incomplete. You should be able to look up a name of a museum, for example in the index and find it in seconds. However, with such an incomplete index, finding information in the book can be a lengthly project--difficult on a busy street corner.
I certainly hope they fix this book, but in its present state it should be avoided--there are other books on travelling in Turkey to use in the meantime.
Very disappointing - Not Recommended.......2007-07-18
This is a review of the latest (2007) edition of this book.
This was a difficult review for me to write since I have been a fan of "Rough Guides" (and before that, "Real Guides") for some time. While it is a so-so catalog of sights, restaurants, and bars (although disorganized, as others have pointed out), the book is listless and oddly detached in its discussion of Turkey. A quick read of the "basics" can easily convince the reader that it is very difficult to obtain a coffee in Istanbul, the tap water is akin to sewage ("orange"), and a glass of wine? Forget it, the fundamentalists have taken over. Sounds like great fun, eh? Of course all the aforementioned observations are totally untrue. I found the book depressing and sour in tone, if not misleading. Indeed, the book addresses the reader as if he or she were planning a trip to a far off prison farm. For alternatives, try A Hedonist's Guide to Istanbul by Nick Hackworth or the Lonely Planet guide. Although not perfect, both will instill you with the excitement and awe that Turkey can (and does) inspire.
The last Rough Guide I will buy.......2007-05-22
I found the Rough Guide to Turkey extremely frustrating. It is the most poorly organized travel book I have used. Even good information, if poorly organized, becomes useless. I found myself frequently having to piece together information from 3 or 4 different sections to decipher anything useful.
Transportation information: useless.
Accommodation listing: mixed. Of two hotels marked with their highest recommendation, one was very good, the other the worst we stayed in. After that we stopped using the book's suggestions, and just asked other travelers.
Historical information: good, concise, interesting.
Site and activity information: incomplete or incorrect.
We were traveling independently by public transportation for 9 days throughout northern and western Turkey. Whenever I saw another traveler with a different guide book, I begged to borrow it. My Rough Guide ended up in the trash can.
The best guide book possible.......2003-05-20
The Rough Guide to Turkey is extremely comprehensive and fun. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Turkey, not only to those who will be visiting.
Comprehensive, opinionated, and sensible.......2003-02-15
I used this book for a driving trip along the western and southern coasts, beginning in Istanbul, remaining west of Ankara, and concluding in Antalya.
I was impressed with this book. I found its lodging and restaurant recommendations quite useful and reliable, though they are not as low-budget as, say, Let's Go. However, Turkey is so inexpensive that even the budget-conscious need not stay or eat at the cheapest places. I like the fact that lodging recommendations are located on clear maps with numbers keyed to the text--this simple thing is often absent in guides to Turkey, and what a pain when you're constantly in new places! Nightlife is covered, as is the nearest post office and local travel agency for that last-minute flight back to Istanbul that you were sure you wouldn't need because you would be driving back yourself.
Contemporary, historical, and archaelogical information is surprisingly detailed and plentiful. When the authors do not like something, they can be stinging. While some might find this approach annoying (it is very English), I buy a travel book for its opinions, so long as these opinions are based on real knowledge.
In sum, if you were to take only one travel book to Turkey, and if you wanted to cover major parts of the country, this Rough Guide would be ideal. Add a Blue Guide Turkey, a couple of really good atlases, and perhaps a book devoted to Istanbul, and you should be set.
Customer Reviews:
very good.......2007-07-27
This map is excellent because it can get wet and be folded in every way, it will not brake, because of it's material. It misses a metro map, though, but you can get one for free in many places in Barcelona, so it's not a problem.
Wonderfully Useful Map.......2006-11-10
My wife and I spent 6 days in Barcelona and this map was great. While many teensy streets are not shown (including the one where we rented an apartment), to do so would probably expand the size of the map to the size of a barn.
As it is, we navigated our way around perfectly with the map in hand. It shows the Old City in expanded view, details the subway system, includes outlying areas like Parc Guell, clearly labels and demarcates all the attractions and was indispensable.
Best of all, it has a rain-shedding coating that allowed me to fold and refold and bend and generally torture the map endlessly and it's still in excellent condition and can probably be used for another 3 trips.
Get it! You won't regret this purchase.
Barcelona, The Rough Guide Map.......2006-11-10
The Rough Guide plastic waterproof map series provides a durable and easy-to-read product. The Barcelona map depicts different geographic areas at various scales, supplemented by not only an excellent street index but also recommendations for shopping, eating, drinking, venues and hotels. All in all, an outstanding pocket guide to facinating Barcelona.
I used this map for two weeks..........2005-04-28
I used this map daily during a two week stay in Barcelona.
It was indespensible.
The Rough Guide map has a number of nice features. It shows
the location of many locations of interest. Not only
the standard tourists sites, but resturants and hotels.
The map is also accurate and detailed.
The sterling feature of this map is that it is printed on
tough material (some kind of plastic). So it could survive
two weeks of being folded and unfolded without ripping.
The durability of the Rough Guide maps is a huge selling
point and I recommend them for any destination, not just
Barcelona.
The only thing that the map is missing is a map of the
Metro which is the primary way to get around Barcelona.
However, free maps are available at the offices that
sell tickets at the major metro stations.
Book Description
The Rough Guide to Spain is your definitive handbook to one of Europe’s most thrilling countries. From the mesmerizing Moorish monuments of Andalucia to Guadi’s spectacular masterpieces in Catalunya, the 36-page full-colour section introduces all of the country’s highlights. The guide includes detailed listings for all the top places to stay, eat and drink whatever your budget, plus the brand-new âAuthors’ Pick’ feature will highlight the very best options. There is plenty of practical advice on a host of outdoor activities, from windsurfing in Tarfifa to walking the Camino de Santiago. The guide takes an informed look at Spain’s history, architecture and many fiestas and comes complete with maps and plans for every region.
The Rough Guide to Spain is like having a local friend plan your trip.
Customer Reviews:
They tell it like it is!!.......2007-07-05
The authors of this guidebook give lots of interesting information--along with their frank opinions!! As the book is so thick, they really can cover many, many places in Spain. We used the Galicia section for our trip, and it helped me decide in which places to stay/not stay as well as where to go on day trips. If they think the beach is ugly, they will say just that! If they like the architecture in a town, they will offer their opinion.
Because it is so thick, it is not a book that I carried around during the day.
recommended.......2007-05-17
I traveled for three weeks driving in southern and central Spain with this 2007 Rough Guide to Spain, a 2007 DK Eyewitness Travel Spain book, and a 2004 Frommer's Spain's Best Loved Driving Tours guidebook. While each had some information the others didn't, the Rough Guide was the most informative and most used...therefore the one I'd recommend taking.
Times for museums/attractions and prices (in Euros) was accurate. The cultural information helped understand their culture. The historical information helped also. I didn't depend on the specific accommodations listed...I would typically just go into an area with many listed places (typically tourist area with nice walking right outside the room) and ask around until I find someplace. [Note: This method can be a real problem during festivals (which Spain has no scarcity of...) when rooms may be in few supply....or in high season (I traveled in early/mid May...when the flowers were out in the countryside and it wasn't too hot).]
You won't find a book that has "everything" you want to know, so consider buying a couple (like I did) or just getting one and get the most out of it you can.
Whatever you do...enjoy your trip.
'Ta Luego.....
Customer Reviews:
Florence/Sienna map.......2007-03-17
The Rough Guide map of Florence and Sienna was easy to use. I could fold it anyway I wanted and when finished, fold it back to its original position. Rain made no impact. After lots of use, it still looks brand new.
Great map.......2006-08-06
This was the best map of Florence for our trip. It's waterproof and rip proof. The sleeve it comes in is also really helpful to carry it around in your bag or pocket. I used it in conjunction with the Florence and Tuscany (Eyewitness Travel Guides) and was extremely satisfied with both.
Like all Rough Guide maps, the Florence & Siena map is excellent.......2006-05-13
After using the excellent Rough Guide map of Barcelona, I purchase
Rough Guide maps when ever they are published for my destination. What I love
about these maps is that they are complete, accurate and very
tough. You can carry them around in your pocket, bend them and
sweat on them and they still remain as usable as ever.
This map has Florence on one side and Siena on the other (there
is a certain historical elegance for this choice). I did not
get a chance to test the map in Florence, but I did use it
during the five days I spent in Siena in April of 2006.
Siena, which competed with Florence for centuries, was finally
crushed by Florence and it took centuries for the city to recover.
As a result, Siena never developed the way Florence did and
much of the character of the old city remains, including the
original walls and the twisty streets with four or five story
brick buildings. This gives the streets of Siena the feeling
of a maze, since you can rarely see landmarks like the Siena
Duomo (cathedral). I constantly found myself going the wrong
direction. Even though Siena is small, I constantly used the
Rough Guide map while I was there.
Book Description
The Rough Guide to Europe 2006 edition is the indispensable budget guide to the continent. There is a 24-page full-colour section containing a selective and subjective taste of the continent''s highlights. The guide contains over 100 maps and a variety of itineraries to help you plan your trip. There are up-to-the minute accounts of all the main attractions, from London''s legendary club scene to the best beaches in Greece. It includes comprehensive lowdowns on Europe''s coolest festivals, finest museums and most exciting outdoor activities. There are also plenty of lively reviews of the best-value places to eat, drink and sleep. The practical focus is on budget travel, with everything students and backpackers need to know to get the most from a trip Â- covering everything from InterRail passes and budget airlines to cycling and organised trips. Â
Customer Reviews:
Good book for the individual traveller.......2007-01-16
It is a good book that gives travellers very useful information about each European country,which is what many people are looking for. As the same time, there is a lack of information on the travelling link between each country.
I am really looking forward to use this book in my next travel to the south of Europe in the Spring
A must for a European trip.......2006-09-03
What I like best about the Rough Guides is that they give critical reviews. They will point out the tourist traps and will give negative reviews. I find that Frommer's and Fodor's rarely point out the negatives to a particular... The rough guide is very critical and is a great balance to these other guides.
If you aren't interested in "roughing" it and staying in lower priced hotels.. the guides are still very useful in rating attractions, and areas in which to stay... but you will need another book to look at more moderate and luxury hotels.
I would definitely read this book before going to Europe.
A Great Buy for the Average Traveler.......2006-01-31
The Rough Guide To Europe 2006 is a great book to pick up if you're not the most adventurous but more-so the average traveler looking for a great time in some of the best known or little known towns and cities. The guide provides an easy to read and discover map legend that will help you decide what route to choose whether you're using car, train, or other means of transportation to get around. However, I do enjoy the highly detailed country maps of Fodor's Europe more for getting around country to country.
The introduction itself gives you a nice opening to Europe even if you've been there previously. This shows you top five catagories about some of the best places to go, where to eat, what events to check out and a host of other features. After reading through the introduction you'll find the Europe Itineraries - this section will give you good ideas about where to go if you plan to travel from place to place in different regions. The writers even go as far as to write out a Grand Tour featuring the top 12 cities to visit in order to really take in Europe at it's finest spots. Although, this is only for those that can afford such a trip. Each town and city is covered very well, some more detailed than others of course.
For personal opinion I like that they added Morocco even though it is not a part of Europe. This is a rather unique and wonderful country to visit. In many cities you'll be able to see snake charmers, street performers, and a host of lovely family created items that you will desperatly want to take home with you. On a sad note, information on Iceland is not present again even though the country's largest city Reykjavík is rising as a popular vacationing spot for parties. The country itself is a wonder to view and is sorely missed from this guide, however this does not hold it back from receiving a 5-star rating as there is other material available that will make up for the loss. For information on Iceland I suggest buying Fodor's Europe.
I travel a lot so these (Rough Guide to Europe and Fodor's Europe) are the two European Guides I pick up each year to stay updated. I hope that this review has been helpful to those who took the time to read it. Good luck on all of your journeys.
Excellent Overviews for the Business Traveler.......2006-01-12
I travel to Europe a couple times a year for business. I needed a guide book that would help me find the main sites to see in various European countries during my trips. (I rarely go to the same city twice.)
The Rough Guides are GREAT guide books. They are not for the backpacker crowd like Lonely Planet tends to be, nor the rich. Rough Guides cater to that middle crowd - me. Their single country or city guides go into great detail on each location. Don't miss these guidebooks if you are traveling extensively in one country. However, that's too much for my 2-3 day visits. That's where the "Rough Guide to Europe" comes in.
The Guide covers 30 countries. It gives a brief history, tips on culture, hotel and dining recommendations. It lists details on the top sightseeing sites. The photos and maps are better than many other publishers' single-country guide books. On my 2005 trips I found I was just as informed as my colleagues who invested (weight being a larger consideration than cost) in a single country guidebook.
"The Rough Guide to Europe" has plenty of information for the business or limited time traveler. If you are going to spend a week in a country sightseeing upgrade to a single country guidebook.
Happy travels!
Book Description
Explore every corner of this beautiful island (North & South) with the revised eigth edition of The Rough Guide to Ireland. The 24-page, full-colour introduction will inspire you on where to go and what to see, from the spectacular scenary of the west coast and the strange geometry of the Giant''s Causeway to the wild Aran Islands and lively bars of Dublin City. In addition, there are three, full-colour, 4-page inserts: ''Irish Music'', ''Under-rated Cuisine'' and ''Lively Festivals''. The guide includes listings for all the very best hotels and restaurants, plus information on all the top bars, shops and the best places to hear traditional Irish Music. The guide takes a detailed look at Ireland''s history and culture with details on everything from the megalithic remains at Brú na Bóinne to how to play the uilleann pipes. The guide comes complete with maps and plans for the whole island.
Customer Reviews:
Always a great guide.......2007-06-08
This was the 3rd "Rough Guide" I've used, and in my opinion they are the best resources for travel to new countries. They not only cover the "standard" areas and sites in detail - including a good range of lodging and dining options - but also take you off the beaten track, exposing nice gems not covered in other books.
If you like to really EXPLORE a country, rather than find the next good shopping area or find the most economical place to sleep, this book and ALL of the "Rough Guides" are for you!
Almost Blue.......2007-05-29
I was weaned on the Blue Guides when I first did international travel. I loved the detail about towns and historic sites in those guides along with the suggested tours. The Rough Guide lived up to this standard for me. It provided a good level of detail to enjoy our touring with an organzization of the information that made sense.
Great!.......2007-03-08
This book is wonderful! Full of pictures, text, history, everything you want to know. My mom actually picked it up, started reading it and asked if she could keep it. (She will be getting her own copy shortly). Great book! Very thorough.
The Rough Guide to Ireland 8 (Rough Guide Travel Guides).......2006-11-10
This was a very good guide in most ways, which helped us in our travels. Its a great addition for any trip to Ireland but would also advice purchasing serveral other Ireland guide books to compliment what this one lacked. The one thing all these books lacked was the amazing back roads that made our trip so very much better.
Great Book, especially when traveling in the countryside.......1998-01-14
I used this book during by trip to Ireland last summer. It was extremely helpful when I got out of the cities and was in the countryside. The books directions got me to several sites in County Meath and Donegal that I don't think I would have found without it.
I ended up spending 3 nights in the Trim area which wasn't covered in the other guide books I looked at. Very useful and complete, I highly recommend it.
Customer Reviews:
Travel Map of Venice, Italy.......2007-03-28
This is a great map of the city on water resistance paper. Will be with us while spending time in Venice. Have marked on it the location of items we wish to visit. We also have the Rome Rough Guide Map that we are taking on our trip.
Perfect in a city where a map is a must-have!.......2007-01-17
This was a great map! If you want to go anywhere in Venice other than the Rialto bridge or St. mark's square, you will need a map. I put this map through hell, folding it every which way and even dropping it in a rain puddle - oops :) the map stood up to my abuse perfectly and was great for getting us around. we didn't have to find the TI to get a map, and i liked it way better than the nice map our hotel gave us. I highly recommend this map and will use others when we travel!
This was my 1st Rough Guide Map and IT WAS AWESOME!.......2007-01-06
I can't even count how many times we used it on our trip to Venice, because Venice is one of those cities that once you go off the main streets, you will get lost without a map.
I love that it's rip-proof and water-proof, because I've used other maps and hate when they get worn from folding and un-folding. And since we'll be going to Berlin soon, I ordered the Rough Guide Berlin Map.
It had every street in Venice on it, which when you're navigating your way back to a main street or canal it totally helpful.
Venice guide.......2006-11-10
The book filled in and added some supplemental information. The book was not used as much as planned as sufficient information was also available via the internet and the local residents.
I love Rough Guide maps and the Venice map is no exception.......2006-05-13
I spent six days in Venice in April of 2006. After using the
excellent Rough Guide map of Barcelona, I purchase Rough Guide
maps when ever they are published for my destination. What I love
about these maps is that they are complete, accurate and very
tough. You can carry them around in your pocket, bend them and
sweat on them and they still remain as usable as ever.
You cannot get lost in Venice in the sense that you don't know
how to get back to somewhere familiar because there is always
a waterbus stop nearby that you can take to some place you know.
But the twisty pedestrian streets can be very confusing, ending
in canals, so it can be difficult to get from place to place
or to find a place you want to go to. For this you want the
Rough Guide map. I walked all over Venice, including some off
the beaten track areas where I saw very few tourists.
In summary: for Venice my advice is get a wasterbus pass for the
days you are in Venice and get the Rough Guide map. Oh, and
unless you like crowds and higher costs, don't stay in San Marco.
Book Description
Introduction
The mere mention of Sweden conjures up resonant images: snow-capped peaks, reindeer wandering in deep green forests and the 24-hour daylight of the midnight sun - not to mention notions of a standard of living that's one of the highest in the world. But beyond the household names of ABBA, IKEA and Volvo, Sweden is relatively unknown. The largest of the Scandinavian countries, with an area twice that of Britain (and roughly that of California), but a population of barely nine million, Sweden is still one of Europe's best-kept secrets. Its cities are safe, carefree places where the cheap public transport runs on time and life is relaxed. Sweden's countryside boasts pine and birch forest as far as the eye can see, crystal-clear lakes perfect for a summer afternoon dip, not to mention possibly the purest air you'll ever breathe; the country's south and west coasts feature some of the most exquisite beaches in Europe.
Forget anything you've heard about Sweden's reputedly high prices - over recent years, the Swedish krona has depreciated significantly against most other Western currencies, putting Sweden within the scope of many visitors' budgets. For accommodation, there's a range of decent hotels, guesthouses and hostels to suit every pocket, and many hotels drop their prices in summer (and at weekends all year round). What's more, Sweden is now one of the least expensive countries to reach from within Europe: air fares of just 99 from London to Stockholm have opened up the country as never before.
The Swedes
The other Nordic nations love to make fun of the Swedes. Witness the joke about the ten Nordic men stranded on a desert island. On day one, the two Finns have felled half the trees on the island for firewood. On day two, the two Norwegians have constructed a fishing boat from some of the wood to catch fish for supper. On day three, the Danes have set up a co-operative to organize all the work. On day four, the Icelanders decide to lift everyone's spirits with tales of the brave men of the ancient sagas. And on day five, the two Swedes are still waiting to be introduced to each other.
It is certainly true that the Swedes aren't the easiest of people to get to know, and are often thought of by foreigners as being distant and reserved. On the whole, Swedes are straight-talking, saying what they mean with a minimum of words and fuss. Many visitors interpret this as lack of interest in conversation or even downright rudeness, but both are unlikely to be the case; it's worth noting the fact that the Finns think the Swedes are too talkative. In short, overt expressions of emotion and raucous conversations punctuated with wild gesticulations are not the name of the game in Sweden - at least until the weekend when, in many parts of the country, beer and aquavit help people throw off their inhibitions. Many tourists come to Sweden looking forward to wild sex and easy pick-ups. Most return home disappointed. Somehow over the years the open Swedish attitude to nudity and sexuality has become confused with sex. Contrary to popular belief though, Sweden isn't populated solely with people waiting for any opportunity to tear their clothes off and make passionate love under the midnight sun. People may talk about sex openly, but when it comes down to it the Swedes can be rather puritanical. Nudity, though often seen, is not really looked at, and is quite unrelated to sex: go to a beach in Sweden on a hot summer's day and you'll doubtless see people sunbathing naked, but this state of affairs is certainly not an invitation for a love-in. However, the Swedes' liberal and open attitude to virtually every aspect of life is certainly one of their most enviable qualities; people are generally left to do their own thing providing it doesn't impinge on the rights and freedoms of others. In Sweden, rights go hand-in-hand with duties, and there's a strong sense of civic obligation (count how few times you see people dropping litter, for example), which in turn makes for a well- rounded and stable society.
Customer Reviews:
The Bluff Guide to Sweden.......2007-08-30
I am sorry for being contrarian, but I feel I need to set the record straight. Being from Norrland (North Sweden) I appreciate that the authors give Norrland and the country side more attention than some other books. However, the book contains some grave omissions, inaccuracies, and is replete with highly subjective opinions that are presented as facts. You don't want any of this in a guide book.
Three years ago we visited the Ice Hotel in Northern Sweden. It was a mixed American-Swedish group of ten people, including five kids age three to ten. We had a blast, it was a lot of fun, and all of us, except my wife, slept really well. For example, my five year old daughter slept like a princess on the Ice bed. The furniture was made of Ice, the lamps, the chandeliers, the art was made from ice and we drank from cups made of ice.
The kids played with spark sleds and in the snow, and we went on a long dog sled ride. There were some truly breath taking ice art in the hotel, including statues of moose, dogsleds, people, motorcycles, and monsters. There were laughter and smiles 36 hours straight, and still we did not have time to do many of the other exciting things you can do here like, reindeer sled rides, moose safari, ice theater shows, snow mobile rides, ice fishing, etc. In my (and many others) opinion this is one of the best tourist attractions in Sweden.
Unlike us, the authors of this book could not sleep, and they also claimed that no one else could either. They also did a strange sort of (mandatory) run in their undergarments to their room. We did nothing of the sort. I disagree with their less positive description of the ice hotel experience, but what I object to is that their negative experience colored their description of the ice hotel.
A few examples of irritating errors in the book are;
(1) The authors claim that the word "älg" means "Elk" (through out the book and in the dictionary). However, if you lookup the word "Elk" in wikipedia you will see a photo of an animal that has never been seen in Sweden. The truth is that "älg" means "Moose". However, it should be noted that in Europe Moose is sometimes referred to as "Elk", but this is not explained, instead the reader is misled (there are 300,000 Moose in northern Sweden).
(2) The city of Jönköping is pronounced "Yunn-Chupping" not "Yurn-Churping" as the authors claim.
However, their biggest mistake, in fact a giant whopper (a lie), is in regard to the way they treat the Ice Hockey capital of the world.
Örnsköldsvik was once named the Ice Hockey capital of the world because of the many Ice Hockey legends that have come out of this town (for example Peter Forsberg and Markus Näslund). There are also eleven NHL players from this town, even though it is a fairly small town. Because of this strange fact it has received a lot of attention world wide and hockey enthusiasts often come to visit Örnsköldsvik, as if it was a sort of Mekka.
Örnsköldsvik is located at the northern tip of what is called the "High Coast" a coastal area of mountains, mountainous Islands and beautiful fjords, and it also has a lot of interesting attractions. One of them is a reconstructed Iron Age village (with actors and the whole bit) that was erected close to a real Iron Age archeological find. Örnsköldsvik also have an indoor water park that people from all over Northern Sweden come to visit, several good ski slopes, as well as the most modern and prominent ice hockey arena in Northern Sweden. In addition Örnsköldsvik is an important port (especially for all the Islands in the Archipelago around the High Coast). It is the education and media and entertainment center of the region in which it is located.
The book "Lonely Planet Sweden" only has one page on Örnsköldsvik out of 36 for the entire North Sweden. The book "The Rough Guide to Sweden" only has zero pages out of 130 for the entire North Sweden. In fact many lesser towns and villages surrounding Örnsköldsvik are described in detail and with enthusiasm while the only thing ever mentioned on Örnsköldsvik in this book is the following sentence on page 330:
"..from the High coast bridge at the mouth of the Ångerman River to varvsberget, the hill overlooking the Center of Örnsköldsvik, a dreadfully dull place where you'd do well not to get stuck"
This is, of course, not an oversight or a misunderstanding, it is a load of horse @#& done with the intent of offending somebody. The question is who and why? One of the authors is British and they are not happy that Ice Hockey is more popular than soccer in North and East Europe. My guess is that this was their attempt to unload on the entire Ice Hockey community. The British are also not happy about Americans playing football instead of soccer, so if these authors would ever write about Wisconsin; it would be Green Bay who gets it next time. Personal vendettas or irresponsible expression of opinions have no place in a Guide book. Since it was also done in a dishonest fashion I renamed the book to "The Bluff Guide to Sweden"
Accurate and with Attitude.......2005-04-26
I lived in Sweden for a year, and this book was hands-down the best guide to the place I found. In fact, when I traveled around the country I left the other guides behind and took this one with me. Not only is the Rough Guide small enough to cart around conveniently, it has consistently accurate information. I also admire the attention the guide gives to areas outside of the big cities. Sweden is a country of small towns, really, and the guide pays a lot of attention to their attractions. Rough guides have never been afraid to be candid, either. I walked into a coffeehouse in Lund one day, took a look around, and felt instantly at home. I looked in the Rough Guide, and read that this was the place to be if you were a pretentious intellectual and wanted to be among similar effette poseurs. Yep, that was me, and that was the place. I had a great time. Tak sa miket, Rough Guide.
Covers the big and small cities........2003-07-02
I have always wanted to go to Sweden. I started learning Swedish when I was 14, and I started a pen-pal friendship with a Sweden at the same time. When I was 21 I finally made a trip to Sweden (March 2002) for 2 weeks and I used the May 2002 edition of this book.
I spent my time in three cities: Stockholm, Umeå, and Skellefteå. Most guidebooks that I looked at covered the south of Sweden quite well at the expense of the North. This guidebook used 25% of its space to write about the two largest cities and 60% to write about the rest of Sweden. (The remaining 15% of the book deals with formalities of getting to/into Sweden, language, food, etc.)
The section on Stockholm was fantastic, and since the chapter was organized based on each island or section of the city, it was very easy to read. You could plot out which part of the city you wanted to visit each day with ease. The book specifies open/close times very well (although you always double check). As someone traveling in the winter, I appreciated that fact! Some guidebooks don't list the months that something is open!
Whereas some guidebooks have 2 paragraphs on Umeå and Skellefteå, this one had 6 and 3, respectively. The cities are described well and the information is as much as you'll probably need.
Another nice feature is that the guide features fairly detailed information about getting to/from each city, even the small ones.
The third section of the book, about history, food, money, language, etc was well laid out, and the history section was as complete as most general tourists would want it.
The book caters to a variety of tourists as it lists a wide (very wide) variety of accomodations, restaurants, activities, and methods of travel. Other guidebooks aimed at "poor college students" seem to cover mostly pubs and nightclubs at the expense of museums. Guidebooks aimed at the "one trip to Europe in a lifetime let's use all of our stock earnings" books seem to cover hotels at the expense of hostels. This book covers both.
Overall, a very good buy.
An excellent guide to a wonderful place........2000-09-03
Sweden is a wonderful travel destination. It is beautiful country that manages to be both very tranquil and very dynamic. However, like most Americans, I was totally ignorant about Sweden. In fact, I don't think I would ever have gone there if I hadn't found this book in the public library. It got me interested enough to spend a few weeks in Sweden, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I will definitely go back!
The book was very detailed and accurate, and went well beyond the average travel guide in the level of interesting detail about almost everything you could possibly encounter in Sweden. Although the book was published in 1997 and I went in 1999, most of the hotel and restaurant information was still accurate. The book also provides a good introduction to the history and culture of Sweden.
review of rough guide to sweden.......2000-02-07
I throughly enjoyed reading this book, about a country which so little is understood, I baffled as to why nobody has discovered this fancisating guide to a wonderfully exciting, beautiful country. It's a must that you visit the beautiful,wonderous, exciting, young and vibrant and little known cities in northern europe Stockholm. Stockholm has been described as the "The Venice of the North". But Stockholm is far more beautiful, spacious, less crowded but best of all it has 24,000 islands in it's archipalego to discover. Don,t take my word for it GO!
Book Description
The Rough Guide to Iceland is your complete handbook to uncovering the delights of Europe’s largest glacier. From Reykjavik’s nightlife to the dramatic Western Fjords and table-top mountains to the rich birdlife of Lake Myvatn, the full-colour introduction highlights all the âthings-not-to-miss’. For every town and village there are insider reviews of the all best places to stay, eat and drink, both on and off the beaten track, with the new âAuthor’s Pick’ feature highlighting the very best options. There is plenty of practical advice for a host of outdoor activities, from skiing on the Vatnajökull glacier to whale-watching and viewing the Northern Lights. The guide also looks at Iceland''s rich Viking history and its extraordinary geology and wildlife.
The Rough Guide to Iceland is like having a local friend plan your trip!
Customer Reviews:
Just returned.......2007-09-13
Very organised and detailed guide book. Each section has a "highlights" introduction, allowing for an easy and quick planing of the next day tour.
All detailed we have used (phone numbers, email addresses) were up-to-date.
The context chapter, encompassing Iceland history and overview on geography is a good reading - just what you need when you have an hour to read, and would like to know more on the place you visit.
Loaded with useful information.......2003-09-29
I've not used other Rough Guides before, but a friend swears by them, so I tried this one for Iceland. I also got the Insight Guide, which had pretty pictures and background info but little else. The Rough Guide was infinitely more useful, and I totally relied on it during a weeklong trip around Iceland. We drove all the way around the ring road and out to the Westfjords, and the only incorrect piece of information we found in the entire book was the price at one guest house. Plenty of info on where to stay and eat, what to see and do, and background information was useful and interesting. My one criticism is the maps, they are small and only of small regions of the country (but what are you going to do in such a small book?). It would have been nice to have a large, comprehensive map of the island, so we bought a large road map in addition. The book was particularly useful in the isolated parts of Iceland where 'towns' on maps consisted only of a single house or 2. It was comforting to know the Rough Guide contained accurate information we could rely on to find a place to stop on those remote roads.
A Good First Effort for a Great Series.......2001-09-06
The ROUGH GUIDE series has produced some wonderful books -- I am particularly fond of the titles on France and Scotland, which I have used extensively. This is their first crack at Iceland, and it is a commendable, if not outstanding, effort.
As a result of a recent 15-day trip to Iceland, I can say that it is mostly reliable but far from exhaustive. For one thing, the emphasis is on sleeping bag accommodations exclusively. (Okay, maybe I'm not quite so "rough" a traveler: Two weeks in the same smelly down bag is not my idea of comfortable travel.) Also, the book omits many very viable accommodation options, such as the Bolti farmhouse at Skaftafell. Also many oustanding restaurants such as the well-known Bautinn in Akureyri are unaccountably missing.
What did this guide have to say about my guesthouse in Reykjavik (the excellent Baldursbra)? Only that it had "rather narrow beds and unfortunate floral curtains." Good grief! Firstly, the size of single beds in Iceland tends to be quite standard: No extra inches were shaved off. Secondly, the curtains were indeed floral but not so aggressively bad as suggested by the writers of the guide, who appear to have been suffering from a bad hair day.
On the plus side, the "Basics" and "Contexts" sections are both useful and entertaining introductions to travel in this most fascinating of destinations. I've always regarded a good bibliography as an asset to any guide, and this one has an excellent one. Included is a helpful summary of the key Icelandic sagas, a knowledge of which is essential to understanding the uniqueness of Iceland.
You won't go far wrong with this guide, but there is room for improvement in editions to come. For now, I recommend the 2001 Edition of the Lonely Planet Guide as being the most authoritative guide.
So much to see!.......2001-06-15
We had a 3-day stopover in Iceland, and used the Rough Guide as our main source of information. The information in the book was accurate and very useful, especially when driving in the less populated areas. It was nice to know which towns had fuel stations, cafes, guesthouses, etc. It was a little confusing when we drove east from Vik, and the book was written as if driving west toward Vik, but we managed.
The sections on culture and history were also very useful when planning a trip to a place we'd never been before. This book and a good map (1250 ISK at the tourist information desk) is all you should need for a great trip.
Customer Reviews:
Great guide for Norway.......2007-08-13
I like this and and the Frommer's guide best for Norway. They both have good maps and good information on a lot of the places you would like to visit and good info on the best tours. You do have to be careful that either a tour hasn't been cancelled or the time has changed since the book was written. We found that in Bergen. I thought both the Rough Guide Norway and Frommer's had much more specific info on tours and things to do than the Fodor's and Lonely Planet books do. And the Rough Guide has interesting insights, eg. how you might want take the Lysefjord cruise and bus tour if you have the time because you see it from within the fjord and above it. Also, I generally like Rick Steve's guides but his Scandinavia guide is not complete enough unless you are doing his intinerary. His book does have a lot on Oslo and Bergen. But, for example, it has nothing on Alesund (pronounced Oh-le-sund) which is a great coastal town to visit. And in general it has limited info on the coastal towns, which are pretty cool. Just as an aside, I really liked the Geiranger fjord. Lysefjord was neat with all its cliffs (and goats)but the Geiranger fjord is just beautiful and there are many excursions from the little town of Geiranger with fabulous views from above. Norway is a great place to visit. Most people speak English (though not all). In my mind it is still not quite as spectacular as Alaska but it is really beautiful. The views from the windy, hillside, hairpin-turn roads are breathtaking. Also, I found the views from a car or bus through the country better than the famous railroad from Flam to Myrdal. The views from the train were great but it moves so fast and you go through so many tunnels that I felt it was hard to really see the spectacular views.
Travel Advice without the Sell Job.......2006-09-09
Most travel guides consist of lots of photographs taken on the best weather days, bumper sticker location descriptions, a few travel hints, and listings of high-end accomodations. The Rough Guide to Norway (2006 edition) aims at a somewhat more demanding audience, those readers who have already decided to visit Norway and want honest and substantive travel narrative, along with practical details about a range of accomodations and travel possibilities.
This rough guide is densely packed with the kind of information one gets from the locals or experienced travelers. It favors maps, graphics, and written description over photographs, although a nice selection is included. The guide is oriented on the principal regions of Norway, counting Oslo as its own major attraction, with enough description to allow the visitor to make his or her own choices about what to see. A useful amount of historical background is provided without overwhelming the reader; Norway's Viking heritage plays prominently. The information about hiking and other outdoor activities is sufficient to permit advance planning while pointing the enthusiast in the right direction for more information. The discussion on accomodations includes the whole range of facilities, including hostels. The discussion on transportation should be followed closely; transportation means are limited in most of Norway and travel often requires linking bus, train, and ferry schedules.
This guide is highly recommended to those planning a vacation in the wonderful country of Norway.
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