Rating: 
Summary: The Path to Treasures in Europe
Review: A well thought through and organized title. Definitely helped me in uncovering the treasures of Europe, and led me to places I had never been before, not even in my hometown (in the Netherlands). Also includes excellent travel tips and suggestions for culture, food, health and a convenient language guide.
Rating: 
Summary: Too big, poor choices, for large guide
Review: Completely absent are good details about points of interest and restaurants, especially in sections for Florence, Venice, Oxford. Many authors means varied levels of expertise, so while the Barcelona section pointed us to some good, non-touristic restaurants, the Italy section was appalling.Example: The only restaurants Florence has to offer the independant traveller, per this guide, are a handful of places with Japanese on the menu (dead give-away locals aren't wasting their lira there), overpriced... I was glad to have my Europe by the Back Door with me, or I'd never have found the good authentic places in my brief stay there. In Rome, the restaurant choices are simply glossed over (oh, they do get specific about where to find McDonalds). Simply, the guide just wasn't enough for our five country, six week stay. Was so glad for the other guides I brought along. A waste & a shame. LP has spread itself too thin... they are great for Asian destinations (and I have blindly and happily used them for many Asian travels), only sporadically good for Europe. Paris LP is excellent, for example.
Rating:
Summary: Too big, poor choices, for large guide
Review: Completely absent are good details about points of interest and restaurants, especially in sections for Florence, Venice, Oxford. Many authors means varied levels of expertise, so while the Barcelona section pointed us to some good, non-touristic restaurants, the Italy section was appalling. Example: The only restaurants Florence has to offer the independant traveller, per this guide, are a handful of places with Japanese on the menu (dead give-away locals aren't wasting their lira there), overpriced... I was glad to have my Europe by the Back Door with me, or I'd never have found the good authentic places in my brief stay there. In Rome, the restaurant choices are simply glossed over (oh, they do get specific about where to find McDonalds). Simply, the guide just wasn't enough for our five country, six week stay. Was so glad for the other guides I brought along. A waste & a shame. LP has spread itself too thin... they are great for Asian destinations (and I have blindly and happily used them for many Asian travels), only sporadically good for Europe. Paris LP is excellent, for example.
Rating: 
Summary: See Western Europe on Just One Book!
Review: Despite its obvious leaning toward budget travel, LP's Western Europe guidebook is all you need to find your way about the continent. It's tips on restaurants and sights to see is near-on faultless, and the bit nobody should miss: The preamble to each chapter includes all of the most important things like dangers and annoyances, and transport options to reach all your favourite sights. Best of all are the maps - if you only take one guidebook/map, then save some room for LP's Western Europe.
Rating:
Summary: Very useful!
Review: Extremely happy with Western Europe (from Lonely Planet). Glad my friend showed it & recommended it to me. I especially like the fact that it's very brief but includes many towns/cities. Not very comprehensive, but who wants to carry around a 5-volume of European cities? Sometimes, you happen to be in an area that you don't plan to visit, but would like to know if the area has anything to offer. And this book gives you such insight! Great in terms of having campsites of all the cities, as well as other reasonable accommodation. Highly recommend it to all. Wish I had found out about it sooner.
Rating:
Summary: Very useful!
Review: Extremely happy with Western Europe (from Lonely Planet). Glad my friend showed it & recommended it to me. I especially like the fact that it's very brief but includes many towns/cities. Not very comprehensive, but who wants to carry around a 5-volume of European cities? Sometimes, you happen to be in an area that you don't plan to visit, but would like to know if the area has anything to offer. And this book gives you such insight! Great in terms of having campsites of all the cities, as well as other reasonable accommodation. Highly recommend it to all. Wish I had found out about it sooner.
Rating:
Summary: Very useful!
Review: Extremely happy with Western Europe (from Lonely Planet). Glad my friend showed it & recommended it to me. I especially like the fact that it's very brief but includes many towns/cities. Not very comprehensive, but who wants to carry around a 5-volume of European cities? Sometimes, you happen to be in an area that you don't plan to visit, but would like to know if the area has anything to offer. And this book gives you such insight! Great in terms of having campsites of all the cities, as well as other reasonable accommodation. Highly recommend it to all. Wish I had found out about it sooner.
Rating:
Summary: Don't leave home without it
Review: I backpacked UK and France in 1996 with it. It's full of information that any backpacker or first time traveller will find invaluable such as itineraries, nuggets of history and accommodation of course. Totally indispensable. Other than an interesting read on a boring train journey, its sheer volume takes up a chunk of valuable space in the backpack besides adding a few more pounds. Also, if u are only visiting 2 or 3 countries (like I did), consider rebinding it into several lighter and more portable copies.
Rating:
Summary: Superb & Essential
Review: I carried a copy of this book around on my Contiki trip in August of '96. Found it extremely helpful, if not essential. Gave fantastic overviews of all the countries I was to experience, covering all the travel topics that Lonely Planet are so well known for! Typical Lonely Planet superb standard. Could easily be considered as the 'Travelers Bible'.
Rating:
Summary: Always great for the beaten path.
Review: I have always been a Lonely Planet fan, and Western Europe is no exception, after reading this guide doesnt it inspire you to be a travel writer? Theese people though, know what they are doing. Europe is easy territory to cover. There are no tough issues to research nor would one have any trouble listing many a good hotels in First world Europe. The task is to remain fresh and inspiring, in a land that has been traveled and written on for centuries, and Lonely planet suceeds in Europe again and again. Each country has an introductory section that explains the history and cultural differences. Then each author goes onto cover the main cities and tiny towns in down to earth indepth coverage. They provide thorough updates and night life coverage, tour listings and landmark sights. It simply is a must for one who plans a cross country European trip.
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