My wife and I have used Rick Steves guidebooks for years in our travels in Europe. Almost without exception the advice has been spot-on perfect. In our recent two-week trip in Spain -- Seville, Granada, Cordoba and the "White Hill Towns" of Andalucia -- we have two strongly suggested new inclusions and one strongly suggested removal from the Spain guidebook.
The addition is Casa Campana, a small hotel in Arcos de la Frontera. It is such an excellent place that we were stunned that it is not included in the recommended places to sleep. Excellent location (between the two cathedrals), historical building, excellent room with comfy bed and shower, delightful owners Jim and Isa, outstanding breakfast, and . . . the best views in Arcos. The owners have built a rooftop lounge area but topped it off with a small "crow's nest" a few steps up from that which commands a view of the town and the hills to the east that is a stunning place to have breakfast in the morning or see the lights of town at night. It is a gem!
The second recommended inclusion is the Casa Museo Don Bosco in the Old Town of Ronda. It is just barely mentioned in the president guidebook, but the small cliffside cafe for drinks and pastries is not. It commands spectacular views of the beautiful country to the west of the city.
The suggested removal is any mention of the House of the Moorish King, also in Ronda. The rip-off admission of 8 euros gets you a pathetic, dried up garden, views of the gorge that are mediocre (and not as good as numerous free ones), a run-down mansion that you cannot enter, no historical information about the one travel trivia tidbit, that the building was built and occupied by the grandson of US President William McKinley, and the opportunity to descend (and then ascend!) 280 dark, moldy and dangerous stairs in a long concrete tunnel. If one is looking for cheap thrills, I would recommend the new zip-lining across the gorge and not this lame rip-off.
Oops, I ended on a downer, so let me add that the Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla and Andalucia's White Hill Towns sections of the Rick Steves Spain guidebook were the backbone (and funny bone) of an absolutely wonderful two-week vacation. I felt sorry for tourists who were not using it!
Al Forsyth
Logan, UT