i've been condensing all of our guide books into a master, uber-guide book for our quickly approaching trip. i think i've done an ok job for the majority of the places we'll be visiting, but just can't bring myself to type up ALL of the things i've highlighted in all of the books. in particular, i have a guide book for the last city i'll be visiting--barcelona--and am contemplating just taking the book, even though i know i probably shouldn't (i'm packing light in both mass and weight) so...are there places one can buy english language tour books in europe? can i walk in to the TI in barcelona and pick up this very same lonely planet city guide? because if so, there's really no reason for me to schlep it around for three weeks prior. i'd do the 'rip it apart and staple it back together' thing, but as it is a city guide--and as i'll be there for a week--darn near all of it is helpful.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
I've never seen any of the common guide books, or any guide books for that matter, in a TI. They have local phamplets, advertising brouchures, and such. Free stuff.
What they do have are great little local maps. Also the know about everything around. If they mark up a map for you, you don't need anything else.
We carry only a Michelin Green Guide, if one exists, for the countries we'll visit -- often if we even already been there a few times. Those things are great.
I'd think the chances of trying to find and english language bookstore, and finding what you'd be looking for are slim.
Posted by
Katy, Texas, USA
204 posts
This website is provided by Rick Steves' Europe Thru The Back Door books. Try them. They are miles better than Michelin or any other.
cml
Posted by
Katy, Texas, USA
204 posts
This website is provided by Rick Steves' Europe Thru The Back Door books. Try them. They are miles better than Michelin or any other. I have been over most of Europe and I have always found Rick's books in larger cities like Rome, Paris, London, etc.
cml
Posted by
OP
Macungie, PA, USA
463 posts
@Charles--don't worry, i've WAY more than done my share of rick steves book buying! i just got a second copy of ETBD as an engagement gift for a friend this past weekend--and i own the country (and cigt) guides for every country we've contemplated--including the ones we're actually visiting!
and @everyoen else--drat. i was afraid of that. this packing light thing is DIFFICULT! i have the lonely planet iphone apps--that i got for free during the 'volcano relief sale'--they kind of suck. a lot of historical info and nothing practical (other than offline maps). i guess i'm either spending hours typing out the highlights--and there are a LOT of highlights--or i'm schlepping. thanks for the input!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23623 posts
All the TIs will have excellent local information, pamplets, maps, etcs in English for the tourist. However, do not remember seeing much in the way of guide books. For each area/city we made a one page notes of places to see and eat but do not take guide books. Hit the TI and pickup the materials that support our one page notes. The exception to that is the Steves' walking tours which we copy and take with us.
This last time we also put these and some other information into Goggle Docs which we could access from our notebook. Didn't refer to it as much as I thought we might.
Posted by
OP
Macungie, PA, USA
463 posts
@Frank--after reading your response, i'm thinking i'm WAY over planning. i have a really hard time letting go of things like this--but really, what would happen if i left the book at home? i'd find NOTHING to do in barcelona for a week? clearly that's not going to happen! thanks for the reality check. i'm going to seriously work on letting go. it is hard--i'm a teacher, and thus a planner!
Posted by
Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
629 posts
I bought a Lonely Planet city guide and a small translation booklet at a bookstore in Madrid. Don't know if that would be the case in Barcelona?
Posted by
Edmonton, AB, Canada
668 posts
If you really need the info in your book, can you not sscan teh bages you need? If you only want text, you can user an OCR program into Word and edit as required. Much faster than typing.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9215 posts
Train stations and airports ususally have guide books in English for sale. Plus, I bet if you google Barcelona, English bookstore, you will come up with a store. I too, have never seen any books for sale in a TI.
Many cities have their own iphone aps and more are coming, and they are usally quite cheap. Ask around, perhaps visit Trip Advisor and see which ones are recommended.
Have you thought about doing a bike tour or walking tour while in Barcelona? Doing one of these will probably show you many additional sites and give you wonderful information that probably is not in any guidebook. These tours are usually so reasonable, it really makes sense to add one in your very first day in a city. Going rate for most cities is 10-20€ p.p. for a 3-4 hour tour.
Posted by
Lake Oswego, Oregon
1329 posts
Tracy - How about dumping your England material as you leave England and your France material as you leave France. You'll still have a heavier load on your way to England but you can lighten it as you go along. I think you'll be sorry not to bring your Barcelona book if you leave it at home.
Posted by
Hays
104 posts
Lonely Planet sells PDF files of individual chapters and entire books on their websites. If you are bringing a device that can display PDF files, you could look for the city guide there. You'll have to weigh (!) the convenience against the cost.
But I might suggest just to bring the book, as others have suggested.
Posted by
Honolulu/Seattle, HI/WA, USA
2787 posts
I have gone to Europe every summer for 3 or 4 weeks for the last 10 years and have always taken along an entire guide book for the country(s) I am visiting. I just got back from 3 weeks in Turkey and my RS 21" (+/-) roller bag weighed 28 pounds leaving Seattle which included 2 guide books. Pack light and take the books.