I’m wondering why it’s so hard to find a Rick Steves book in Barcelona. I ordered the new edition several weeks ago to Germany, where I live, and it only arrived days after I left. On arrival in BCN I went to about 6 bookshops, many praised for their English language and travel sections. Most had lonely planet guides to the city, not a single one had a RS, any edition. Im here for another week but feel lost without Rick!
Anyone know where to get one, or leaving and don’t need theirs anymore?
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
11941 posts
You can download it onto your device. I have the Barcelona book in my kindle that I use on my phone with the Kindle app. My edition is 10 years old, but I still got some info from it while there a week ago. Yours will be new and up-to-date.
Posted by
Portsmouth
6071 posts
Rick Steves is virtually unknown outside of the US and his books are aimed at the American market hence why you won't find them readily available in Europe. The likes of Lonely Planet, Rough Guide et al are widely known and are generally the "go to" travel guides for most Europeans.
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY
5066 posts
I have found them in hotel lobby bookshelves in hotels where his tour groups have stayed. In May, we were in Rome at the Hotel Smeraldo. A group was just ending their stay there and I found 3 different versions of his Rome/Italy books.
If any one knows which hotel in Barcelona they frequent maybe they can let you know. Of maybe email the RS office.
Posted by
New England
836 posts
Yes by all means buy the e-book. Problem solved!
Posted by
Bristol, UK
2190 posts
Yep he’s not known outside of the US. I have never seen one of his books here in England either.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9873 posts
I live in Germany too and have never seen his books in the large bookstore in Frankfurt which has a huge English language section. You just won't find his books overseas.
Posted by
Lake District, England
12132 posts
While it's true you won't find the books, as far as I know, in a bookstore (not that I've looked) the library service has them. My own, Cumbria Libraries (the Lake District), has 9 of them- Greece, Belgium, Barcelona, Croatia/Slovenia, Ireland, France, Spain, Scottish Highlands and Warsaw/Krakow/Gdansk.
And they are in demand, frequently out on loan. The Scottish Highlands one for instance is on loan now. Last time I needed one (as identification to meet someone) I couldn't get the one in my local library (Ireland) as it was on constant loan (with a waiting list)- I had to ILL another from one of the other libraries in the County.
I admit to wondering why someone in the UK would want an American take on the Scottish Highlands, but there you are.
Historically we will have acquired them because someone asked the Library service if they could buy the book for them- that is usually how such eclectic acquisitions come to be made.
I never did follow through later and get hold of the Ireland book to see what it said.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
11941 posts
Maybe the locals want to read an “exotic” point of view.
I’ve never seen any of his books in an English-language bookstore here in France.
Posted by
London and Chester
453 posts
A few years ago I did see them in Stanfords, the travel bookshop in Covent Garden. That is to be expected, as a travel bookshop in Covent shop it will have a very comprehensive range.
Outside of specialist shops like this I really wouldn’t expect to see them. They are produced by an American company for a specific American market.