5 comments about Knopf MapGuide: Barcelona (Knopf Mapguides).

1. We've just returned from Barcelona, having brought several pocket guides with us -- this one was the lightest to carry and had the best maps. The city is divided into six sections, each with short descriptions of several attractions and restaurants, and each with a fol-out map to that section. These maps were included metro stops, street names and the places listed, and were augmented by small color photographs. Attraction and restaurant listings include hours, prices and telephone numbers/ The front and back covers fold-out also and give general and metro information and some hotel listings. We found this little guide to be fairly useful, but particularly liked the maps.



2. I brought 5 Barcelona books with me for the trip. This was the only one I carried around throughout my stay there. Great fold out maps and color coded to easily find your destination. It's small and compact, easily fit into a coat jacket or a purse.



3. If you've never tried Knopf MapGuides, you are missing out.
   I've used them in several countries, from Russia to Italy, and I'm never disapppointed. They mark every single street so you never get lost walking between toursits stops.
   
   They are easy to use, thanks to the sections that fold out - no more struggling with big clumsy maps, or straining to read tiny maps in guide books that only label the big streets. They always include a metro map and show metro stops.
   
   The best part is, they have recommendations on everything for each area in the city: entertainment, arts, food, cafes, hotels, etc. Just leave a museum and want to grab a pastry & latte? No problem, there are 4 good choices within the area listed. Want to know a good spot for food within walking distance of your hotel? There are a dozen spots listed.
   
   In Barcelona, I found two amazing spots to eat that wouldn't have been written up anywhere else (in the second eatery they locals looked stunned when we walked in - obviously not a usual place for tourists). Other guidebooks limit the total number of write ups - with the design of the fold out map, Knopf has space for many more. Haven't eaten at a Knopf recommend place that was subpar yet, and I can't say that for my other guidebooks.
   
   The only draw back is Knopf only covers so many cities, but hopefully they'll continue to expand.



4. These are great guides. Very small on size, huge on information! These guides contain all the information that you need.



5. Best travel guide bar none. Fits your pocket or small purse.. Visually great looking.There are actual pictures .... All high recommended hotels different prices..Great maps.. hard to get lost even in Barcelona .. Great recommends for food I am a shopper.. Absolutely great & unusual shops ..None of the bad tourist gear only the styling gear.. .I had four guides to Barcelona this is the one we used every day...We do not go anywhere without this guide if there is one available for the destination I will be traveling to....

3 comments about Window Seat: Europe: Reading the Landscape from the Air.

1. Dicum does it again! I'm one of those people who are glued to the window from take-off to landing, so I loved Window Seat for it's wealth of information and gorgeous aerial photography. I'm pleased to report that Window Seat: Europe delivers the same quality and joy of discovery. I've got a European trip planned for next Spring, and I'm really looking forward to using Window Seat: Europe -- Dicum's genius is in showing us how to enjoy sightseeing from 35,000 feet up!



2. First thing I want to say is that this book is not a "window seat" one as all the pictures included were taken from a satellite.
   The texts are corect and clear and the photgraphs extraordinary.
   I only want to comment something. As a spaniard, I can say that there are not so many whales in the Bay of Biscay, as it is said in pg.75.



3. Window Seat is the ideal companion to anyone who flies - or even armchair fliers who like to look at the world. The book is divided into roughly geographical sections that contain a wealth of information about the earth below. Flying will never be he same for me!

No comments about National Geographic Traveler: Portugal (National Geographic Traveler).

No comments about The Rough Guide to Greece Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map).

5 comments about Insight Guide Italy (Insight Guides Italy).

1. It would be a pity for anyone to travel to Italy - or any other country - without having a handy informative resource on the rich history and culture of the country.

   If your travelling style involves much more than racing through monuments and ticking off the standard "must see" list, because you seek to more deeply understand the present by looking at the past, this might be the perfect handy companion to complement a more practical travel guidebook.

   More than one-quarter of the 400-plus pages are devoted to the history of Italy, with well written sections in Ancient Rome, the Renaissance, and the emergence of the modern Italian state in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. There are also superb featured sections on topics such as the Mafia, Italian fashion, and Italian cinema. These discussions are very compact. While not substituting for in-depth analysis on these topics, they constitute an excellent survey of different phases of contemporary and ancient history of Italy.

   These are the main strengths of this book. It is a wonderful resource to consult while travelling after you have visited a monument, or as you reflect on the rich series of events and forces which have shaped the arts, political life, and institutions of this country.

   Travellers who mainly want a helpful guide on planning travel to Italy and practical information such as museum visiting hours, best driving routes, where to find the best gelattos, etc. will find other travel guides more complete on these topics. You may think about using this book as a complement to one of these more practical guides.




2. I agree with everything the prior reviewer wrote.
   
   I think I bought this in the late 1990s at an roadside Autogrill in Italy. It is essential to find those small villages and nooks and crannies when driving, especially because the signage in the country is smaller and arrives and vanishes much more quickly than we are used to in the States.



3. Insight guides always have fabulous photographs and background information that will help you enjoy your trip even more. This book is just such a gem. I recommend it highly for an educational experience. If you want to know all the cheap places to eat get another book!



4. Simply put....., all of the Insight Books that I have purchased prior to travel have been outstanding.......the only one's I will buy....., great information and lots of photos to go with the info make it an excellent product!



5. We purchased this a couple months before our trip to Italy. It was a great resource which provided all the insight we needed to get the most out of our trip and provide us with the historial background of the area to get maximum appreciation of our sightseeing.

2 comments about Art for Travellers Italy: The Essential Guide to Viewing Italian Renaissance Art.

1. 
   
   It is a very good guide for the amateur, even more remarkable considering that it was written by Australians.
   I am an Italain national myself living in Hawaii for the time being and I know that I will put this guide to good use when I eventually decide to rediscover my own country.
   Highly recommended.



2. I approached this book with some trepidation, since the Renaissance art of Italy is an enormous subject and all but the most intrepid travelers succumb at some point to museum fatigue. However, I was delighted to see that this guide gives very readable background information suitable for people with very little prior exposure to Renaissance art. At the same time it is authoritative and interesting for someone with a deeper knowledge. The fact that the author narrows down the focus to a shorter list of painters and sculptors is very helpful. The illustrations are beautiful. Diagrams of where to find particular works in particular museums, or how to "read" multiple panels in churches can be useful. My only concern is that the book weighs in a bit heavy for a traveler who is packing light. While I would like to have the book with me as a companion while walking through museums, I may have to content myself with notes or (gasp!) cut out pages of particular interest to take with me.

2 comments about Frommer's Britain's Best-Loved Driving Tours (Best Loved Driving Tours).

1. This was the last book I received from a variety of tour books I ordered. I think if had been the first it would have influenced me sufficiently to change the rest.
   It is a tour book providing suggested itineries for short driving tours around Britain. The book is exceptionally well laid out with clear maps, colourful photos and short vingettes of the sights and towns the tours pass through. It may seem shallow, but the layout and ease of reading are the reasons why I rate the book so well.
   The information contained in each vingette is brief, perhaps too brief but I bought the book to get an idea where to go not to learn everything about particular places. Of course there are places not mentioned in the book which I will be going to anyway and I think the suggested driving times are more directed towards British drivers not North Americans or Australians who suffer from a tyranny of distance. The book gives no hint or suggestions for accomodations or restaurants, which is a bit of a pity, especially since each itinary takes two or three days.
   This book should not be your only guide if you are visiting Britain, it is not deep enough and lacks accomodation and eating information, but as far as touring the countryside it does exactly what I bought it for, suggesting short driving itineries.
   The layout is VERY 'DK Publishing' and I would have preferred to have had all my tour books in this format rather than the usual Frommer's. Although having said that I am used to Frommer's and like Frommer's depth and occasional bit of quirkiness.



2. Excellent guide to seeing Britain from behind the wheel.
   This review is for the 6th edition, 2004 printing.
   
   Excellent guide to seeing Britain with a sports car or a classic Bentley. You will enjoy some great driving tours and routes through this historical region of the United Kingdom.
   
   Frommers has recently come out with more "Best-Loved Driving Tours" series ... guides that are not very inexpensive, but are very well researched and quite comprehensive. One will have plenty of driving tours and routes to chose from, whether you like arts and museums, scenic roads and breathtaking views, urban towns and shopping, or just want to experience a regione's culture and life.
   
   Unlike the other Frommer guides that are fatter and heavier, this little book gives you not too many specifics on lodging or eating. It is geared strictly for the person behind the wheel and her or his passengers.
   
   I have had a great experience using this guide and will recommend it to anyone who can afford it. Also, you might want to check to see if your library carries it and check it out for the duration of your visit abroad.
   
   When I backpacked 4 months through Europe I had a copy of the Lonely Planet for Europe (a thick and heavy book) because it covered more cities and esoteric towns, a ripped chapters of all the international youth hostals Europe of the countries I visited, and as primary guide for nominal cities and capitals I used Frommers (ripped the book and kept only chapters of countries planning to visit - so I can keep the weight down).

No comments about StyleCity Paris, Third Edition (Style City).

No comments about Wallpaper City Guide: Moscow (Wallpaper City Guides) (Wallpaper City Guides).

3 comments about The Rough Guide to Paris Map 2 (Rough Guide City Maps).

1. I used this map for my recent trip to Paris. I also includes Metro (=subway) map.



2. I bought this map because I thought it would give a wider view of Paris, as I'm taking a vacation there toward the end of the year and I am thinking that it will be necessary to stay in a hotel a bit out of the center of Paris in order get an affordable nightly rate. Unfortunately it cuts off right before it gets to the 20th in the east of Paris.



3. You cant go wrong with this one unless you are just looking for an overview. Metro stops clearly marked and excellent detail!!!