4 comments about Frommer's Portugal (Frommer's Complete).

1. I went to Portugal November of '98' and had purchased several books before my trip. I found this book very acurate and helpful. I was nervous because this book had no pictures or photos, I had to just trust it. It was right on the mark. The best place we stayed was in Sintra in a bueatiful bed and breakfast among Sequia Trees, and was average in price.



2. I went on a trip with a bunch of friends and between all of us we had every travel book on portugal that's been published so I had the chance to compare Frommer's to the other guides.
   
   Pros: Great restuarant/bar and hotel tips. All the restaurant tips were spot on. We used this guide almost every night to find places to eat and go out. Very informative about the historical/architectural significance of the sites.
   
   Cons: Poor maps - not much detail and street names and sites are not labeled. The book could also use a bit more description on how to get places. We took a side trip to Sintra and the Let's Go guide was much more useful for getting to and from the sites.
   
   Overall the book caters to a wealthier traveler than some of the other guides. Restaraurants that were listed as "moderate" in Frommers were listed as "Expensive" in some of the other guides. However, Frommers was very accurate when giving price ranges for the restaurants.



3. I heard a lot about how good are frommer's guides,and I had my experience using other companies guides for different countries,but I did not find a guide that is worst than this one.
   I came from Portugal a week ago, I spent nearly a week in Lisbon and I could write a much more useful guide than this easily.
   It all started upon arrival, the guide gave us wrong information on transportation from the airport to the City Centre including wrong prices and the travel info kiosk saved us.When it comes to restaurants and Cafes it suggested the worst with one or two exceptions.It gave us wrong closing time for a restaurant and when we arrived there paying the taxi driver 10 Euros, we discoverd that the restaurant closed already.The maps of Lisbon had wrong srreet names that are different than the names on the signs and on the map that we bought from there.In conclusion if you want to screw some one send him to Portugal with a Frommer's Portugal guide.



4. We just got back from a 30 day trip to Spain and Portugal yesterday.. I feel so compelled to write a review about this book so no one has to rely and or depend on this guide book going to portugal in future.. Here is my two cents about this guide book...
   If you get a hold of this book for free ( I wouldn't spend any money on this guide book ), read it at home to get a general overview of portugal but do not rely on the detailed information because we actually found the hard way how incorrect some of the information was...
   I would suggest spending your money on lonely planet only when it comes to europe.. our spain lonely planet book was very accurate and we depended on it for 22 days on the road...
   here is a few of the "cons" about frommers portugal..
   
   Did not have any information how to get to or from the airport from lisbon... that is basic information any guide book should have about the capital city of the country...
   
   Do not even bother looking for maps.. The few maps that are in the book lack detail and are NOT accurate... NO MAP ON EVORA... one of the major touristic cities of portugal...
   
   Lack of detail in general and too much history....
   
   Anyway, that's how I feel about this guide book.. that is sucks and should never be published so no traveller gets a hold of it like me who borrowe it from library and a last minute thing thought I could at least use it.. Wrong..

5 comments about Lisbon (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

1. Eyewitness Travel Guides are really great value and this is a very nice guide book. Take an Eyewitness Guide and a Cadogan Guide (if available) and you will have all the information you might possibly need. Forget the competition. This is the kind of intelligent tour guide you have been waiting for.

   The introduction is a beautifully illustrated time line of Portuguese history since the 1200s. The city and surrounding area is then broken up into sections and each is introduced by use of picture-driven accounts and easy to read descriptions of what you will encounter. There are nice maps and each area is described in such illuminating detail that you cannot help but get up early and get down to it. Each place of interest is preceded by a list of opening times, map locations and details of how to get there by using public transport.

   It's all highly readable and also gives useful tips on where to eat, what to do, where to stay and how to get about. The nice thing about the hotels and eating guides is the way this book breaks down its recommendations by price - allowing travellers of varying budgets to enjoy their time in this fascinating of cities.

   This is a very good book indeed.




2. I found this travel guide really useful.It gives you a lot of information about places to see, things to go, how to use the public transport, accommodation, etc... Apart from that, this book also gives you a brief historical explanation of the city, its origins and development which I quite liked.



3. DK always seems to be the forerunner with beautiful photo's to help you figure out what you don't want to miss on your trip. A little light in some of the history, so I didn't give 5 stars. A VERY useful guide!!



4. Lisbon is one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the world and this is a great guide to this great city: it gives you a lot of information about places to see, things to do, how to use the public transport, accommodation, etc.
   
   Also the book itself is rather beautiful, has lots of pictures, great illustrations and maps. This edition is a must have for anyone exploring the capital of Portugal.
   
   I also strongly recommend the «Lisbon Top 10» from DK and «Eyewitness Travel Guide to Portugal».



5. We bought this book for a recent trip to Lisbon. We found it to be out of date. Descriptions were not always accurate, addresses were wrong, opening hours were often not correct. If it were updated, it would be a useful guide.

5 comments about Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago.

1. Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/06)
   
   In 2001, Susan Alcorn and her husband Ralph journeyed to northern Spain to hike the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage Trail. This incredible journey took them over 400 miles through a vast array of landscapes and adventures. What I really loved about this book is that while Alcorn is journaling her current experiences, she is also educating us on the history and culture of the areas that they pass through. This gives much richer detail to the story. It is also interesting to read about how this part of Spain differs from the American culture.
   
   Initially, I wanted to read this story to learn about someone else's adventure, however after having read it, I have gained the desire to do this pilgrimage myself. Alcorn doesn't sugar coat her experiences, there are some rough patches along the way. Reading her journal, I learned about the positive and negative aspects of such a journey. The personal growth that she gains from this experience seems to overcome
   everything. She has also taken on much grander challenges since this one.
   
   I highly recommend this book to armchair travelers and to those who are willing to take on an adventure like this. The daily accounts of Alcorn's experiences would prepare you for the journey and the historical information would really enrich your experience. This would be the perfect piece of equipment to have in your backpack!



2. A good book with a lot of history and also where you are, how to get there. A must to walkers of the camino.



3. Camino Chronicle: Walking To Santiago is the travel journal of a wife who walked across Northern Spain in 2001, following a venerable pilgrimage trail called the Camino de Santiago, retracing the footsteps of such famous historical figures as Charlemagne, St. Francis of Assisi, King Fernando and Queen Isabel. Historical notes and personal experiences and inspiration blend into a highly readable day-by-day account, and numerous legends or cultural notes on Spain about everything from bullfighting to Spanish Olives are included, with their own quick-reference index. A most enjoyable tour especially recommended for armchair travelers, and the next best experience to flying to Spain and hiking the pilgrimage trail personally.



4. I had heard a podcast interview with Susan about the Camino and read her website, so my expectations for the book were very high. I think it does a good job of laying out the experiences of being a pilgrim and the unique one of being on the Way during 9/11. She is complete in her descriptions and the book is well laid out.
   Having just read a few Camino books so far I think they fall into three categories: Logistical descriptions that help you with day to day planning, Historical anthologies that explain the importance of the Camino and its various sites, and personal accounts of individuals experiences.
   Camino Chronicle is the later and a balanced book to read.



5. Camino Chronicle details Susan and Ralph Alcorn's 500-mile, 36-day trip on the Spanish leg of the Camino de Santiago to Santiago de Compostela.
   
   What makes Camino Chronicle unique and a very enjoyable read is its rich, multi-faceted approach.
   
   Author Susan Alcorn weaves journal entries from the trip with historical and cultural information, letters from home as they walk the Camino on September 11th 2001, reflective comments on the impact of the journey
   as well as practical tips on how to prepare for such a pilgrimage.
   
   The daily journal entries pull you into the experience. They're honest. Susan talks about her initial apprehension, the discomforts of the long-distance hike, the challenges of securing refugio accommodations.
   As the trip progresses, we see our hikers ground themselves in the moment, in the company of fellow pilgrims and in their surroundings which Susan describes with a clear and vivid voice.
   The side notes on local legends, such as the legend of the river of death or the chickens of Santo Domingo, add a touch of magic to the trip. Insights on local olive production or bullfighting customs add depth to the experience.
   
   Clearly, the journey is more than just a 36-day hike, and the book does a great job at describing the experience in all of its aspects.
   
   If you're considering a similar trip or looking for a thoughtful, informative and entertaining read, I highly recommend it.

1 comments about Portuguese: Lonely Planet Phrasebook.

1. Lonely planet never fails to provide the best travel books. This tiny book provides a wealth of useful information. What I like about this book is that it focuses specifically on communicating in Portugal, rather than Brazil. It is well organized into several handy cagetories such as directions, shopping, lodging, etc. The front contains standard info such as numbers, days of the week, and survival phrases, while the back contains a mini-dictionary.
   
   The best part about this book is the fact that it not only gives the Portuguese phrase with its English equivalent, it also provides a spelled-out phonetic pronunciation. Out of all the study material I have, these simple phonetic spell-outs have been the greatest help in my pronunciation, and I now have nearly perfected my portuguese accent.
   I've seen similar Portuguese pocket books, and they just don't compare to this one.

5 comments about Pamplona: Running the Bulls, Bars and Barrios in Fiesta de San Fermin.

1. There are many stories about Pamplona,
   some true, some not. Most are inaccurate.
   Mouton has found a way to report the History
   with the Present that makes it both valuable
   to historians as well as first timers.

   If you are a first timer - get this book so that you
   are prepared. If you go there often, get it as
   well. This way you won't have to struggle to
   remember everything - which is hard to do because
   it seems like one big wonderful dream.

   One could argue that Pamplona is better than anything
   Hemingway wrote, since it incorporates the history
   with the present day scene.

   Lastly, Mouton is an experienced runner and has helpful
   tips on how to run. Running gives you an experience
   that Hemingway never had.

   Enjoy.




2. "A Day in the Life of Fiesta" is another way to think of Mouton's account of the sometimes-overwhelming sensory experience of the Fiesta of San Fermin, a.k.a. the Running of the Bulls. The author's descriptive and literary talents allow one to vicariously experience both a day and the entire week of the infamous fiesta. It is perhaps cliché to say that Mouton has hit a home run or a bull's-eye with this book, but it is also highly accurate. I've attended fiesta many times over the past two decades and can confidently say that Mouton has brought this world-renowned fiesta to life with words - and as any veteran fiesta-goer will tell you, this is no easy accomplishment.

   In reading this book you will come as close as possible to feeling the immense energy of fiesta, of smelling, tasting, dancing, hearing and rejoicing in the fiesta experience without actually being there. For veterans it will spark fiesta flashbacks and a longing to return. For potential fiesta goers it may just provide enough of a description to catalyze you into finally buying that plane ticket.

   I first attended fiesta upon graduating college and those first few years were a blur of collegiate-style binging and revelry. Luckily I could remember enough about each year that I kept coming back. I had been infected with the fiesta spirit. In hindsight my only wish is that I had had a book like this one to read back then. What has taken so many years to learn and appreciate about the joys and beauty of fiesta would have been learned much faster with this account of and guide to the fiesta experience.

   Most people who have attended fiesta will usually avoid trying to explain the experience to the potential traveler and will respond with "Just go and see for yourself. You will love it." At last there is an excellent piece of writing to do justice to the "what is it like?" question. Mouton's literary accomplishment is highly commendable. The benchmark has been set. Veteran fiesta goers will have many "ah-ha" moments as they read and potential newcomers now have a starting platform from which they can maximize their first fiesta experience.




3. The best book I have ever read on San Fermin!!!!! It captures the very heart and soul of fiesta-the Alegria. If you have already been-it will make you ache to go back again and again! If you haven't been-read this first and you will enjoy it much more. I went in 2005, thinking it would be a once in a lifetime event-and after reading this I booked a hotel for next summer, and may not ever miss another year!! Viva San Fermin! Read this book. As Michener said himself "This book is the next best thing to going to Fiesta itself".



4. The best book ever written about Sanfermines, the festival of San Fermin known to many as the running of the bulls. This truly is a guide to Fiesta. No other work published will better educate and prepare you for this event. A well written must for all who plan on attending and immersing themselves in the spirit of Fiesta.
   
   Held each year in Pamplona, Spain in July, Sanfermines is much more than the daily spectacle of the encierros or "the running of the bulls" early each morning and much more than the corrida de toros in the Plaza de Toros late each afternoon. The fiesta is a celebration of family and life in Navarra.
   
   Fiesta belongs to the Navarrans, and has for centuries; however the gracious citizens of Iruña (Basque for Pamplona) have opened their arms to the people of the world, inviting all to participate in what has often been described as one of the most exhilarating experiences on planet earth.
   
   Of course you should read Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises", however if you buy only one book before heading to Sanfermines, it should be Ray Mouton's "Pamplona: Running the Bulls, Bars and Barrios in Fiesta de San Fermin."



5. I truely enjoyed this book. Someday I will get there and also live the legend of this city that Ernest made popular- though it was doing just fine without him.
   
   Good writing takes you to a place you have not been before and Ray Mouton does it with this book.

2 comments about Northern Spain (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. Easy to follow/use with bits of information about a lot of different places in Galicia (the place we visited--only section we used). Not the book for finding restaurants or places to stay. Thin enough to carry along. Nice pictures, good general information on top sites as well as on travel in Spain itself.



2. I can't come up with anything that would be missing. A lot of information, presented in an attractive way. Many illustrations, where to eat, where to stay etc. Everything is just in there.

3 comments about Frommer's Madrid: With side trips to Salamance & Avila.

1. I went to Madrid by myself last year and relied on this book for most things. I had a great time!!!! The maps and walking tours gave me a good sense of the city to then go back and explore on my own and the night spots that I chose from the book were a lot of fun and I met very nice people.



2. Book is good, but not what I ordered. I ordered "Frommer's Madrid: With side trips to Salamance & Avila." I received Frommer's Madrid.
   Decided to keep it anyway, as I was not going to take the side trips after all.
   But I should have been advised of the different book I would be receiving.



3. We bought this book for our trip to Madrid. The restaurant reviews were mostly dead on, but the review of our hotel forgot to mention that the hotel charged 10 Euro/day for TV (Gran Hotel Conde Dueque). DO NOT rely on the maps in the book, they're not accurate and have some of the Metro stops several blocks off. We had a great time by following suggestions in the book and would buy it again.

5 comments about Barcelona (City Guide).

1. My boyfriend and I had three days to spend in Barcelona and I'm so glad we had this book. It was super up-to-date (i.e., warning us ahead of time that the cable cars at Montjuic were under construction and non-operational) and the views on the suggested walking tours -- especially the Modernisme walking tour -- were gorgeous.
   
   Most importantly, the eating guide within was very helpful.



2. This is a nice, detailed map of the main part of Barcelona's city. It has all of the major sites labeled right on the map, and it includes all streets, even the very small ones. It also has a subway map, which is a necessity. It doesn't include much of the outskirts, but that is fine for a map of this size. The plastic covering on the map has come in handy, but it isn't completely sealed, so it did leak in a little water when I used it in the rain. Glad I bought it - I would buy it again!



3. I've always found LP guidebooks helpful - they fit our budget, have an interesting range of suggestions for sights to see, and are usually dead-on with descriptions. This was the first one that let us down on our travels. It is very frustrating for two people new to a city to make their way, starving at 3 pm, to a "highly recommended" restaurant and find it no longer in business. And this happened to us thrice! Two restaurants had closed down, and one had changed name and ownership. We had also taken DK's Real City Barcelona guide, and this was much more useful. Its choices were affordable (look for the check mark next to the listing that indicates a good deal), diverse and filled with locals - always a positive sign.
   I did still use Lonely Planet for planning itineraries for our days in Barcelona, but feel the book has lost some of the go-to quality that I once associated with LP guides. Time for a new edition, and one that thoroughly investigates what goes between the covers!



4. This book definitely needs to be updated. I was able to use it for general information, but when it came to actually getting around and practical advice for restaurants, hotels, etc., I found the Top Ten guide much more helpful. In retrospect, I would not have purchased this book.



5. This book is filled with helpful information about hotels, transportation and sights. I have found that I like Rick Steve's books even better. Both are helpful for travel planning.

5 comments about The Alhambra (Wonders of the World).

1. This little book is packed with the author's detailed opinions about the history of this marvel. It's good reading to prepare one for a visit, but it left me wondering if the legends that the author debunks may not be a prophecy of what tomorrow's scholars may think of this work.



2. Visiting the Alhambra is a once in a lifetime, must do event. See it first from the plaza adjacent to the little church of St. Nicholas across the valley. And when you do finally go in to the Alhambra, bring this guide.
   
   It's the sort of guide one might have had when visiting this place two hundred years ago--more Baedeker than Lonely Planet. It emphasizes the wonder of the place rather than entrance prices and opening times. Written in a narrative style that plays up the history of this magnificent palace, it is a joy to read both before and during one's visit. In fact, a careful reading of the book prior to visiting the Alhambra is bound to enhance the visit tremendously (as, after all, the Alhambra is so popular you'll be limited to a 15 to 30-minute window to make your entrance into the most stunning part of the complex, the Nasrid palace.) For that reason you'll want to know ahead of time what you'll be looking at, because once you're inside the rooms and courtyards go by in a blur--a gorgeous procession of delicate columns and sparkling fountains. If you're trying to read your guidebook for the first time in the midst of it all, you'll miss most of it. Once you are inside, you're much better off just using the book for a quick consultation as you enter each new room, gallery, or alcove.
   
   Irwin's 'Alhambra' tells you what you really need to know about this place (one of Europe's most magnificent palaces) including the unfortunate fact that much of what you will see (or are seeing) has been recreated; the presumed use of each area of the palace is at best an educated guess (and at worst, a shot in the dark). Even some of the carved inscriptions are misleading (assuming you can read medieval Arabic). As Irwin notes: "...Contreras, who knew no Arabic, rearranged them [the inscriptions] in such a way that it is no longer possible to make sense of them" (p. 47, hardbound). Regardless, there is beauty in this truth, and this book has it in spades. Your standard tourist guidebook will not confront you with such sincerity (although you'll need it for the basics mentioned above: entrance prices, opening times, etc., as Irwin is not concerned with those).
   
   The hardbound version of Irwin's 'The Alhambra' makes a great keepsake to remind you of your visit, and you can put it on your shelf next to the copy of Washington Irvings' 'Tales of the Alhambra' you picked up in the gift shop. Bottom line--if you are going to visit the Alhambra, do it right: bring this book, and read it ahead of time.



3. The good: debunks some of the myths, gives a good background to some of the names and how the appearance was radically altered by perceptions of what people thought (and what they wanted to think) represented Moorish architecture.
   
   The bad: He spends so much time explaining why this or that is not true that we almost learn about the Alhambra by what it is not. He never really gets has a together, narrative history here, which makes it difficult to get a 'grasp' on the place by just reading this book alone.
   
   Also He unfairly criticizes Irving's Tales of The Alhambra (apparently Washington Irving was at once dull, but too imaginative, prejudiced against Moors but sympathetic to Bobadil, cheering for the Spanish yet anti-Catholic - and yes Irwin contradicts himself on the same page!) while (strangely) praising movies like the 7th Voyage of Sindbad (which was filmed there). Shows a lack of understanding or depth about Orientalist Art, which doesn't stop him from talking about it.
   
   The guide he suggested to buy, available at the site and in Granada, is far better- (unfortunately not available in the US) its published by Ediciones Edilux, called "in focus' in English and available online if you google it.



4. The book gives a good overview of the history of Alhambra palace and Islamic Spain. Some minor translation problems as the author try to root some of the names of the various rooms in the palace to its Arabic origin. Nonetheless, the book is well written, and is an excellent source for beginners on the Alhambra palace.



5. Page one, paragraph one has two glaring errors. First, there are indeed figurative paintings in the Alhambra. They are painted on leather decorating the ceilings of the recesses in the Hall of Kings. Second, Columbus did not present his plan to cross the Atlantic to Ferdinand and Isabella at the Alhambra but at Santa Fe, their encampment several miles outside of Granada.
   I didn't bother to read further. This book promised to be worthless.

2 comments about Streetwise Seville Map - Laminated City Street Map of Seville, Spain.

1. I Love these Streetwise maps! The are a durable plastic construction and compact, EASY to take and use anywhere, rain or shine! They are also very detailied and clearly laid out! I highly reccomend them! I have several!



2. Its great. Very handy, easy to open. Finally no more coffee stains while looking for a street. I do recommend this map to anybody. You always open it on the right spot.