Rating: 
Summary: Don't go without it!
Review: If you are going to travel to more than one or two European countries and therefore can't bring a specialized book for each one of them then believe me, you don't want to leave this book at home!
Rating: 
Summary: wonderful~
Review: It was very useful of my trip. It's the best of guide-books. WONDERFUL~
Rating:
Summary: The only guide for backpackers
Review: It's the only guide to take when backpacking Europe. It's simply the easiest to read and most informative. I also highly recommend taking Geneva Nights, by 24-year-old international legend Clint Borgen. It's seriously entertaining and appeals to those in the traveling mode. Both books are a must for those traveling to Europe.
Rating: 
Summary: Solid but undercooked.
Review: Lonely Planet is a great guidebook series, but their true worth shines only in their individual country guides, not in this massive tome. Sure it's got all of Europe in here, but Europe is a BIG place. If you only mean to go to major cities, this will be a great book to have, and the maps are well worth it. Spend 5 minutes off the beaten track and you'll need to do something else. I know where every English language bookstore is in every city in Europe now. I would find them and do additional reseach. The basic problem with this book is that editorial concerns triumphed over real meaty information. I ended up buying :P Hungary for my time in that wonderful country, because this book skimped on any real information outside Budapest. Trust me, if you're going rural than getting the individual guides is well worth it.
Rating:
Summary: A good compromise
Review: My sister and I have almost worn out our copy of Europe on a Shoestring over the past couple of years, and it has been invaluable. Lonely Planet only publishes travel-related books and this experience shows in the class, presentation and accuracy of their guides. If you are looking for a travel guide to Europe with a good balance of detail and portability, LP's Europe on a Shoestring will serve you well. Positives: As well as a good, clear layout, good maps and an easy to use index, I like the fact that LP also gives you a lot of background information about each country or region. Whereas "Let's Go" will often just give you a line or two (or even worse, a joke) about each country, LP's summaries are accurate and of great interest (and invaluable for passing the time on those long train rides!). Also, if you are aiming to stick to a budget, the many tips for saving money scattered throughout the guide will definitely help you get there. Negatives: Obviously, there are compromises in compiling such a broad volume: anyone looking for masses of detail about a certain country or planning to spend more than about a week in one region should check out LP's guidebooks to each country instead. Also, with the rapid pace of change in Europe, especially in the East, expect to find that some things have changed since this volume was published (something the editors anticipate in their introduction). Anyone travelling for shorter periods in Europe will find this book a refreshing and valuable travel companion: it is almost certainly the best book of its size and one which will help you to get the maximum out of your travels in Europe.
Rating:
Summary: A GOOD CONTINENTAL COVERAGE
Review: Of all the continental single-volume books that Lonely Planet has produced, this is the best. This book is a valuable all-in-one guide that any visitor touring Europe can depend on. Some forty countries (including Morocco and Turkey) were discussed in detail. Well-illustrated maps and superb index are among its strongest qualities. But note that the single European currency, Euro, came into circulation a year after the publication of this Second Edition. As a result, all the prices in the E.U. zone are listed in the outdated pre-Euro currencies of individual nations. Another weak point is this: instead of including Russia, (as a full country), Lonely Planet decided to pick only the Saint Petersburg city.
Rating:
Summary: The best way to backpack Europe
Review: The best guide i could have got while travelling. I backpacked alone around Europe for two months, and this book was pretty useful!
The book contents are just what you need while travelling, it gives you great detail of each country, starting with information about the country itself as well as lodging,money,food,dangers,entertainment,exchange rates, you can find everything you need to spend a great time while travelling.
This book is a very useful guide while travelling alone or in group, your best friend during the trip.
Rating:
Summary: Follow this guide and you'll miss out on so much
Review: This book isn't as good as Lets Go's version as it is written more for an American audience. It doesn't include what it should and has been drastically thickened with a lot of [stuff] backpackers don't need to know and more importantly do not want to carry the weight of those pages around. Who cares about restaurants, up market hotels and other places backpackers are unlikely to go. More supermarket listings would be more helpful and pointing out when what is listed is a 7 Eleven, Spar, Quix type place and not actually a supermarket would also be good as these places aren't budget friendly. The information on the actual towns, cities and national parks listed is ever increasing which is good, but the number of places is fast declining. This is because they want you to buy all their individual versions like Lonley Planet Germany, France, Eastern Europe etc. Like you're really going to carry around twenty books and spend more than you will for your trip on books. You will be better of buying an older version as more places are listed although hostel information won't be as up to date. Obviously Euro Dollar prices won't be used either but remember the price information is usually drastically wrong anyway. For an overview of the entire continent of Europe this should concentrate on having as many places as possible not just the main ones. The whole differentiation of backpackers from tourists is that we see places package tours don't go. While this book is good to find the location of hostels that's about it. Prices of course go up the day after the book is published. You're better off to go by word of mouth from other backpackers to find quality hostels. There aren't as many hostels listed in this book as there are on web sites...Buy this book if you know nothing about where you are going and read it on the train/bus before getting there but don't have it out when you arrive or you'll be hassled by homeless people and be a target for thieves. You should always look like you know exactly where you are going when you arrive somewhere, it's way safer that way.
Rating:
Summary: Follow this guide and you'll miss out on so much
Review: This book isn�t as good as Lets Go�s version as it is written more for an American audience. It doesn�t include what it should and has been drastically thickened with a lot of [stuff] backpackers don�t need to know and more importantly do not want to carry the weight of those pages around. Who cares about restaurants, up market hotels and other places backpackers are unlikely to go. More supermarket listings would be more helpful and pointing out when what is listed is a 7 Eleven, Spar, Quix type place and not actually a supermarket would also be good as these places aren�t budget friendly. The information on the actual towns, cities and national parks listed is ever increasing which is good, but the number of places is fast declining. This is because they want you to buy all their individual versions like Lonley Planet Germany, France, Eastern Europe etc. Like you�re really going to carry around twenty books and spend more than you will for your trip on books. You will be better of buying an older version as more places are listed although hostel information won�t be as up to date. Obviously Euro Dollar prices won�t be used either but remember the price information is usually drastically wrong anyway. For an overview of the entire continent of Europe this should concentrate on having as many places as possible not just the main ones. The whole differentiation of backpackers from tourists is that we see places package tours don�t go. While this book is good to find the location of hostels that�s about it. Prices of course go up the day after the book is published. You�re better off to go by word of mouth from other backpackers to find quality hostels. There aren�t as many hostels listed in this book as there are on web sites...Buy this book if you know nothing about where you are going and read it on the train/bus before getting there but don�t have it out when you arrive or you�ll be hassled by homeless people and be a target for thieves. You should always look like you know exactly where you are going when you arrive somewhere, it�s way safer that way.
Rating:
Summary: Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring
Review: This book was absolutely invaluable to me as I backpacked across Europe. We relied on it for hostels, maps, attractions and restaurants. There were one or two times where we found innaccurate information, so if you're using an older edition, be sure to call ahead before rearranging your trip around something you read. It also isn't as detailed as the more focused Lonely Planets, but, as anyone who has backpacked knows, you don't want to haul around more than one of these guidebooks. I've used Rough Guide and Fodder's, and Lonely Planet is definitely my favorite.
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