2 comments about Canary Islands (Regional Guide).

1. this book has been very helpful to me with allot of good recomendations for hotels , restaurants and things to do on all the islands seperately .
   
   As with most Lonely Planet books they are presice and honest . The only thing i would have hoped for , was a bit more pictures , but never the less i was very pleased with this .



2. This book was extremely valuable during our recent stay on the island of Tenerife, just outside of Puerto de la Cruz.
   I would have liked to see more photographs but otherwise and excellent book and well worth the price.

1 comments about The Rough Guide to Portugal Country Map (Rough Guide City Maps).

1. What a sturdy map that can really take a beating. More importantly, it's easy to read and travels/refolds well. If you've never driven in Portugal, you're in for a treat. Consider yourself warned. This map will be invaluable as you get lost over and over again, wondering where the sign was before you hit the roundabout. This map is comprehensive and easy to follow.

4 comments about The Rough Guide to Barcelona Map (Rough Guide City Maps).

1. 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.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.

1 comments about The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain.

1. This book has breathtaking photographs of lovely exotic Spain. A true delight and pleasurable experience. A wonderful addition to your coffee table for everyone to enjoy. I have received many compliments on this inspiring magnificent book. It would make a great gift.

3 comments about Divided Soul.

1. David Alan Harvey is a member of Magnum Photos and often shoots for the National Geographic. This collection of images is superb. Harvey does not rest on his laurels. This is color street photography at its best -- and not many photographers are good at it. The compositions are exciting and the colors are part of the composition. The images cover many Spanish-speaking countries over many years and show a love for life. The reproduction of the images is excellent -- much better than the reproduction of the images in his book on Cuba. The lighting he captures is just wonderful. This book speaks to the soul.



2. This book is pure magic. Harvey has managed to capture the spirit of people's hearts and souls in a way that leaves you speechless... page after page of stunning images that say so much more than these 'people', this 'place'... to my mind, like the best in art and poetry, this book is conveying eternal truths - of beauty, freedom and passion - told through the 'everyday' moments of 'everyday' people, through the 'ballet' of the street.
   This is a love-affair with Latin culture, over 30 years of work. If you're into photography, art, humanity, in vibrant full colour, Divided Soul has it all... personally, I found it irresistible!!!



3. I think among the many good street photographers shooting with color filmonly a few really succeded. David Harvey is one of the best. It is a nice book, although it could be nicer one with a bit more imaginative photo editing and much crisper design. Nevertheless this is is a good example of the an excellent resources for the photography students, particularly those interested in Spanish visual culture.

5 comments about Madrid (City Guide).

1. First and foremost, this book states that the Madrid Metro is "safe". This is not true for foreign males! The central part of the Metro (near the art museums and the city center) is rife with pick-pockets. We caught 1 attempt each day, or first 3 days there. The perpetrators were not, as some claim, "South Americans".

   Many restaurants listed are gone. All prices in the book are quoted in pisitas, which is annoying now that everything is in Euros.

   The maps are barely useful, being rather too small to read street names easily.

   I have enjoyed other Lonley Planet Guides very much, but this one is a real stinker.




2. I spent 5 days in Madrid last August and found this book to be a useful guide. it will lead you to a good time in madrid, which consists of going to the museums, a bull fight and eating a lot. also, i recommend going to one of the sherry bars mentioned in the book.



3. Looking at the dates, it seems like the reader reviews for this book are all for the old guide. The new version just came out, and I think it looks and reads a lot better, so maybe it's time to put up some new reader reviews.



4. I have been reading the last 3 editions of Lonely Planet Madrid and it contains tons of innaccurate information over and over.
   As in Spain one can not fine a lot of Australian wines, they draw the conclusion that "Spaniards do not take leaps into the unknown"
   It is like everytime they make a new edition the stay 2 days in Madrid and take everything of the last edition, fading Madrid's feeling, culture, way of life and thinking.
   
   Photography is also awful but this is just my opinion.



5. I bought this book recently (the new edition). I have read through it in planning my upcoming trip. Although I have yet to test the accuracy of the information in person, the book strikes me as practical. First, the book is paperback and fairly slender-- so not too bulky or heavy to actually carry around while you're traveling. The second thing that struck me is that it provides maps, including a metro line map. Although the maps may not be the most user friendly with their small print, they'll do fine for the trip planning stage of the trip (I usually get a good city map for navigation once I arrive to my destination city). The sections seem thorough, with an entire chapter on the history of the city. I was pleased with the day trip chapter as well, which lists many options for day trips, how you can get there, what you can do there, and how long it takes to travel there.
   As far as the accuracy issue, I have yet to find a guidebook that is completely accurate. That being the case, I view them as one source of information among many and do not rely exclusively on a single guidebook.

3 comments about Iberia: Spanish Travels and Reflections.

1. I read (and looked at) Iberia while preparing to visit Spain in 1969. I had already read Hawaii and Caravans by Michener, which are 2 great stories, but this photo essay about Spain astounded me. Although I thought I was prepared, I knew how to speak Spanish, I had lived in Peru for about 3 years, I had seen bullfights, I knew about geography, etc, Michener's short but in depth reflections about places in Spain made me hungry for a trip there, to try to experience some of what he wrote about. The photos are an integral part of this book, I can't remember the name of the photographer.

   This book should still be in print! I'll look in a library now.




2. In the summer of 1976 I read this book shortly after Franco died and before I arrived for a years's study in Madrid. I found it a terrific read. I arrived in Spain with more knowledge than most of my American friends.
   I have just finished re-reading it. My 17 year old daughter is going to summer school this year in Tarragona for a month, to work on her Spanish skills. I hope she enjoys this as much as I did.
   My wife and I have returned to Spain on numerous occasions, to vacation, to visit friends, to just visit. We are never bored. This book was and is a large part of that.



3. Published in 1968, 'Iberia' is James Michener's tribute to Spain, drawn from his travels there beginning in the 1930s through the late 60s. Not only does he describe the different regions of Spain, but as he does in his novels, he delves into Spain's culture, politics and history and even its ecology (there is a beautiful chapter written about Las Marismas, a large swampland in the south). This is a wonderfully written and fascinating book, and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about or travel to Spain.

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..

1 comments about Michelin Portugal Madere/Portugal & Madeira (Michelin).

1. We spent the last two weeks traveling by car in Portugal from Lisbon to the top and northeast corner of the country; over 2500 km.

   This map was vastly better than the smaller maps we had. It worked particularly well in giving us a clearer picture of what the routes would be like. We discovered no errors.

   It also contains an index of cities and villages.

   Not 5 stars for the following reasons: many small villages not on the map. (To an extent this is unavoidable given that there are so many small villages.) Also, there's no cross milage chart.

   Even more valuable would have been a chart of estimated driving times between major cities. It was all too easy to get stuck behind (very) slow moving trucks in the hilly areas. The 'N' roads, which look like major highways on the map, usually have just one lane in each direction. In addition, they can be endlessly twisty, leaving little opportunity to pass.

No comments about Fast Talk Spanish - Essential Language for Short Trips (Lonely Planet).