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1 comments about Travellers Lithuania (Travellers - Thomas Cook).

1. Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (1/07)
   
   With Baltic republics becoming better known to the Western world, a guide to Lithuania is a welcome addition to any serious traveler's bookshelf. This slim volume of 192 pages should arouse desire to go and see how this part of the world, formerly occupied by the USSR, has evolved and become extremely involved in trade and tourism.
   
   Divided in the usual sections ("Background," "First Steps," "What to See," "Getting Away," and "Directory") it offers a brief, but useful overview of the most important facets of travel in Lithuania. Polly Phillimore's photography is colorful and engaging. While it mostly focuses on the architecture and scenery, it occasionally offers fascinating glimpses into people's lives (mushroom seller on page 56, farmers on page 79 and more). The photographs are the best part of the book as far as I am concerned.
   
   While useful and quite comprehensive for its size, I find "Travellers Lithuania" lacking in depth. The writing also is quite lackluster and vague in certain sections. Take for example this overview: "Museums and galleries are aplenty, particularly in Vilnius, which has enough to keep you busy for many days. Evening entertainment in the cities ranges from the sophisticated to folksy traditions in music. Travelers who consider retail therapy an essential part of a holiday will not be disappointed by the shopping option either." Nothing in this description really makes me want to jump on a plane and go visit Lithuania; and yet the country is absolutely beautiful and totally fascinating.
   
   Since I've been there several times, last time just about a year ago, I read the sections on the areas I've visited with special interest. I was rather disappointed with the selection of restaurants, hotels and attractions in Vilnius. There is so much happening at the moment and it seems to me that very few of the new offerings were included. I would have also appreciated directions on how to get to some of the not-so-centrally located attractions and sights. While the included maps are easy to read and very detailed, I found out that not so many Lithuanians actually do speak English and getting to Pushkin's Museum with the public transportation was quite an adventure.
   
   I would recommend this guidebook, "Travellers Lithuania," to somebody who needs an introduction to Lithuania or somebody who is going there on an organized trip and just wishes to do some additional reading. It would also make excellent reading for an armchair traveler, mostly due to the great photographs. A serious individual traveler, on the other hand, would probably be better served with a more substantial guidebook.

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