Just returned from 6 weeks ,Lisbon to Rome guidebooks in hand! One thing we wished for were better detailed maps in our guidebooks. The TIs were no always open to get local maps when we arrived. One example was arriving in Aix em Provence by bus and trying to orient our position.(bus station under construction didn't help) Maybe in future guidebooks the maps could be superimposed with a satellite image. Yes we did manage in all of our destinations but we think that the guidebook maps need improvement. Our guidebooks were a great asset to our trip and we will continue to buy them and use them. Thanks!
Posted by
2081 posts
@ William,
thats good to know for my travels there in the future.
I can guess what guide books you used, but would you mind saying so. I use/buy whatever i need and that will include others like Lonely Planet and Frommers.
Just a note, i do a quick look at the maps in Ricks books and usually suppliment using google maps and do a print. Its not the best way, but it has help me find places that RS doesnt cover and sometimes the local TI map also.
by the way, im currently looking into getting an e notebook so i can go paperless. it will be intersting to see how it works out next year.
on my last trip i got dis oriented several times and found out my internal compass is broke. Im use to orthoganal streets and when it comes to the older european cities i need more help. I do "ask" when possible too.
happy trails.
Posted by
OP
Brick, NJ, USA
12 posts
Yes I am Bias toward Rick Steves Guidebooks and use them exclusively. I carry a small laptop but no printer. I study google earth maps when I can and take screen shots with my Iphone but there are times when our movements are spontaneous (the most fun!!!). Rick and his people do a great job with the guidebooks,its just sometimes the maps are lacking in detail that is needed for faster and better orientation. Rick always wants feedback so I'm doing my part. My next backdoor adventure is going to include a GPS navigator and an international phone plan. I kept telling my wife we were hopelessly lost and its part of the fun of travel.......she was not humored. ;)
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
You may want to also post this on the Guidebook Feedback page: http://www.ricksteves.com/books/feedback/index.cfm
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32741 posts
Rick's maps have always been worthy of a little improvement; but if your tourbook was from the last couple of years the maps are an entire universe better than they used to be. They were always the subject of jokes with me and my friends. Now that a real scale map is at the front of the book, as well as the old style hand-drawn ones, there is much more help. Nevertheless they could still use improvement.
All-in-all I find RS guidebooks very helpful, and for novices they can be a real lifeline. They are less helpful when you want to get off the beaten path. The previous suggestion to use Google Earth is an excellent one.
Posted by
2 posts
We also have found the hand drawn maps less than accurate/helpful. The commentary on the sights, accomodation and food are what make RS excellent. We have learned to supplement RS maps with Google map printouts or other guide books.
Posted by
53 posts
We just returned from Spain and supplemented our maps with an iPad app called CityMaps2go. Worked well in all the cities we went to (Madrid, Sevilla, Granada, Córdoba, and Barcelona). Note that I said "supplemented", since I do not carry the iPad around with me. Nevertheless, it was a good planning tool since we downloaded all the maps stateside and were able to use them to plan our trip.