Lonely Planet Europe On A Shoestring by Sarah Johnstone, China Williams, Reuben Acciano
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Book Reviews of Lonely Planet Europe On A Shoestring
Book Review: No guidebook is perfect...
Summary: 4 Stars
... but I find the Lonely Planet guides to be better than most. Obviously this book covers a very large area, so it goes for breadth rather than depth. If you want to explore a country outside the major cities, get a local guide. This book contains a good amount of details about major Western countries- specifically Britain, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. If you are planning on travelling through the Balkans, Eastern Central Europe, the Baltics or Scandinavia, you should know that this guide only provides information about the major cities and tourist centers, and will not guide you away from the beaten path. Also, be aware that the book does not include Belarus or the Ukraine.
Lonely Planet provides excellent maps, directions to attractions, and instructions for using the local transport (very useful), along with a language guide. Their advice regarding where to go and what to see, along with what to stay away from, is usually quite good.
The main problem with this book is price inaccuracies. Naturally, prices change, so it is to be expected that the restaraunt, hotel and attraction prices cited in the guide may not be entirely accurate, but a person should be able to take it as truth when a guide says that ________ is the cheapest place to get food/accomodation/internet access... Lonely Planet misses a lot of budget traveler's gems and focuses mainly on expensive things in city centers. If you take the metro/bus/whatever a few stops away from the center in most of these towns, you can find hostels/restaraunts/internet cafes which are much cheaper than those listed in the book. It's worth the 10 extra minutes of travel time if you truly need to travel "on a shoestring."
Book Review: Good overall
Summary: 4 Stars
I've bought this and other books in the series. As others have mentioned, they give a good overview of major European cities. The information is helpful and it covers a lot of ground.
It can be a little cumbersome to carry around/use while abroad. In the past, I have had success getting the binding removed(you can do it at most copy centers i.e. kinkos) and making smaller booklets by stapling together sections that had a common focus. This way, you don't have to handle the giant manual to find an address and you can leave the parts you don't need at home.
One thing to keep in mind is this series doesn't get updated as often as others. This book specifically was released February 1st of 2005. Because the information has been out there for a while, the info will be out of date and some of the places to stay/eat could be pretty busy with others who bought the same book. Just something to keep in mind.
Book Review: Brief Observations
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this book when I went to Europe and would like to make two quick observations about it.
1. The dining options which are outlined in this book are not cheap. Some of them are pretty good, but when I want something on a shoestring I won't be looking in this book. This is especially true in the Prague. This book only gave information about central Prague locations when cheaper places are all outside the tourism district.
2. Guard this book with your life. Other tourists want it and they will want to steal it. Believe me when I tell you this, as my book was stolen.
Apart from that, it's a good book, get it.
Book Review: Great help in research
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this book very well aware that prices change and so do places but I was more after the run down of what the countries had to offer. With the information that it provides I can make out a rough estimate on costs for a very large trip I am about to take. I have a lot of these books and have always found them very to be handy. You could always look on the net for information about places but I work on a computer all day and the last thing I want to do when I'm at home is to be searching on the web. It's much handier to have the information at hand at my leisure.Book Review: Essential, perfect for a road trip
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought Europe in a Shoestring as a preparation for my move from Italy to the UK. The book is an excellent reference for accomodation and eating, plus it gives the essential info on places to see and where to go.
I'm planning to travel through Germany, France, Luxemburg and Belgium, spending a day and an half in each destination. I wouldn't suggest this guide for detailed notions and longer stays.