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RS Books: Barcelona + Seville/Andalusia OR General Spain 2018

Posted by (Pittsburgh, PA) on

Hello all. I have a question regarding which Rick Steves books to purchase for an upcoming trip.

Background: I am flying into Barcelona for a three-night stay, after which I am flying into Granada for a six-night tour of Andalusia, including stops in Granada, Ronda, Seville and possibly Cordoba.

I have noticed that there are separate Rick Steves volumes to focus solely on Barcelona and Andalusia. The newest Rick Steves book on Spain, however, covers the entire country, including Madrid, Toledo, Basque Country i.e. places I won't be visiting on my trip.

Should I buy the newer, presumably more up-to-date general guide, or go for the more specialized, regional volumes? Is there a major difference in content or recommendations?

Posted by
380 posts

Took a glance in Shop Online, the total cost for Barcelona and Seville/Granada, it's $34.98. Whereas, the Spain book is $24.99.
The content in the Snapshot books is the same as the entire country book. If you know you will probably never go to the other parts of the country then the smaller book might make sense for convenience to carry.

But, as some people do on this website, you could tear out the needed chapters. If you're returning in a few years, I don't think the guidebook would be too outdated. The basic information should not change. Prices may increase, hours may change, or some restaurants may close, but the major sites are still going to be at the same place. You just do some Internet searches to get more current information.
I have a 2015 Ireland book. We had to cancel the trip. We will try again in 2019. I do not plan to buy a new book.

Posted by
16895 posts

The southern snapshot contains chapters excerpted from the latest Spain 2018. The Barcelona book is older, but does include more self-guided walking tours descriptions, which some might consider just the "gravy." The "meat" of the Barcelona coverage in Spain 2018 is enough for most trips. Travelers with an older book can also find selected updates online.

Posted by
162 posts

Thanks all for the help! "Spain 2018" it is.

Excited to read another Rick Steves guidebook!

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