This is just a random post...I thought that I would be able to get away without ordering travel books and just look everything up on the internet. WRONG!!! It takes so much time finding the information and then trying to sort out details....I am glad someone like RS has already done that for us. I ordered three books off Amazon 2 are RS 2009 Paris and Rome the other is a Foder book on Munich and Bavaria. Now my husband can read and report back to me! LOL
Posted by
SF Bay Area, CA
2030 posts
Right Laura -- I do a lot of research on line also, but always take a Rick Steves' guidebook with me when I travel. It is my "bible" - a one-stop reference for everything I really need to know to exist and get around. I've been to Paris several times and know a lot, but still wouldn't go there without the latest RS guidebook as a backup reference for the important details. I find other fun guidebooks too and supplement the info -- particularly for shopping!
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
Yes Laura, the book "Rick Steves' PARIS 2009" is a good and wonderful book. I am reading it, as I plan my visit at Paris in May of 2009. In Paris I will do the self - guided walking tour of Marais : directions for that are in Rick Steves' PARIS book, on pages 263 - 272. And, Fodor's travel guide books are now much better than they were several years ago. (The publisher and editor and writers of the FODOR's books did an energetic effort to try to compete against Rick Steves).
Posted by
Salt Lake City
1528 posts
Perry suggested the local library. It is a good place to start. I like different travel books for different purposes. Rick is very thorough on a few places. Some other books cover more ground. For an area like Munich/Bavaria I like Michelin Green Guide to lay out my route and Lonely Planet to take with me. At the public library you can sample and decide what works best for you.
Regards, Gary
Posted by
southwest, Missouri, U.S.A.
1717 posts
Laura, an other travel guide book on Paris that I like is "PARIS smart guide" from INSIGHT GUIDES. Compiled by Michael Macaroon. (Discovery Channel). The First Edition of this book has a Copyright date of 2008. Published by Apa Publications GmbH & Co. Distributed in the United States of America by Langenscheidt, Inc. This book is small, a light weight, not a high price to buy, and well organized. I like its maps of the floors in Musee du Louvre. I like its selections of eateries in various locations in the city. I like the many small color photographs in this book. - photographs of all kinds of things in Paris. Look at the photographs of the interior of Hotel Ermitage located in an old residential neighborhood close to Sacre - Coeur. Not expensive.
Posted by
Sheboygan, Wisc., USA
934 posts
I cant imagine traveling without a current book.I always buy a book the year before travel.Then after using it to research I give it to the other couple traveling with us and buy the current book.I also find that info in the book is helpful to other persons traveling that you might meet.If they dont have info on an area they are going to I find I can provide it for them.