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Short trip- old Rick Steves guidebook useful?

We are taking a short city break to Amsterdam in a couple if weeks. Is the 2018/2019 guidebook worth it? I'm surprised it's still full price but the new edition doesn't get released until April.

Knowing museum times, restaurants etc may not be accurate, is it still a good one for self guided walking tours etc?

We've used lots of rick steves books in the past and found they vary in utility by city, ie some are heavier on evergreen content, and wondering how the Amsterdam one might compare.

Thanks!

Posted by
1587 posts

Museum times and even the list of museums definitely isn’t reliable. The “Guidebook updates for the Netherlands” section on the RS website hasn’t been updated since early 2020. You can easily tell this, because the updates mentions things that are scheduled to happen in 2020.

In early 2022, 3 major museums in Amsterdam closed. 1 of them (Hermitage Amsterdam) closed permanently. The other 2 (Resistance museum and Amsterdam museum) closed for major renovations. I used the feedback form on the website to report these closures. I received no response other than the automated message that my feedback was received. No mention was made anywhere on the website. I filed the same report a couple of months later, again zero response. No even a “thanks, but we’re too busy to update our website”

I’m now of course very curious to see if my updates have at least made the book. The Resistance museum has reopened in the meantime, but the Amsterdam museum is still closed for the coming years and the Amsterdam Hermitage won’t reopen at all.

Posted by
10186 posts

Yes, for walks and the like, I still find the old guides useful.

Since you are aware you need to check opening times for sites, etc, you'll be fine using the older book for reference in my opinion.

(I just bought it a couple of weeks ago for my trip this past weekend to Amsterdam.)

Posted by
8876 posts

If you are content with using an older guide, consider checking one out at the library or getting one from a thrift shop. I do this all the time. No guidebook is up to date enough that I wouldn’t check opening hours, etc, online.

I wanted to add that the Diamond Museum in Amsterdam is a complete waste of money and time. I know you like museums, but don’t be tempted by this one.

Posted by
2659 posts

The page of common phrases/restaurant words at the back is always useful.
I tear out and laminate it to carry along.

Posted by
2607 posts

I used the older guidebook for my trip last year and it was fine. I would check restaurants/museums online, even with a newer guidebook.

Posted by
1014 posts

"No mention was made anywhere on the website."

I appreciate the expectation, and I'd like it to be that way as the Webmaster, but the process is that any incoming information needs to be vetted (either in person or otherwise) and then added to the copy/text of the book. Once we know it will be published in the next book or is a confirmed correction on something in a previously published book, then it is provided to the web crew for the online Guidebook Updates. I'm not sure if we (Web) are behind or if our Book Dept hasn't provided these changes you cited.

I do know that our Book Dept has been more than swamped trying to update of our guidebooks after the pandemic hiatus. It's like twice the work for the same volume of staff. Thanks for your patience as it will take a full cycle to get back to normal. And thank you, Dutch Traveler, for the updates you submitted! We do review all of them, so I'm sure it helped. With apologies, we aren't in a position to report back as to how each piece of info was used or applied or give status updates. Also, re seeing a line item that indicates that something will be open in 2020, that only means that bullet was added before that time. Other line items in the updates can be added later, and we wouldn't go back and change the previous "opening in 2020" reference.

To more directly answer the OP's question, the Guidebook Updates (find it in the footer) should help with the older book. If you decide to forgo the book, we do have 3 audio tours for free in our Rick Steves Audio Europe app. There would be more written walking tours in the guidebook, and I expect those largely haven't changed.

Posted by
1587 posts

@Webmaster; Thanks for your comment. I fully understand that you want to confirm updates before you post them, but the updates I submitted can be confirmed very easily by simply checking the websites of the museums in question. It would also have been nice to receive some sort of explanation from your side as to why my updates haven’t been processed or why I didn’t hear anything. It’s a bit discouraging to try and help you, but then receive no response whatsoever from your side.
The explanation you have given me now makes sense, but it would have been nice to hear it a bit sooner.

Should you wish to confirm my updates;
The Amsterdam Hermitage is closed indefinitely due to the war in Ukraine; https://hermitage.nl/documents/209/PRESS_RELEASE___Hermitage_breaks_ties_with_Russia.pdf

The Amsterdam museum is closed for major renovations with no opening date set. Part of the collection of the Amsterdam Museum is now temporarily housed in the building that used to house the Hermitage Museum https://www.amsterdammuseum.nl/en/info/opening-amsterdam-museum