Best of Europe 2013 Book
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I recently purchased the Best of Europe 2013 for my daughter who is planning a trip to Europe. She had previuosly used the 2009 Best of Europe when she was studying abroad and found it an invaluable resource. I am extremely disappointed when she received it to discover that Prague was no longer included in the Best of Europe book. This is one of her primary destinations. I assumed that it was still included as it was in your 2009 version of the book and the book description on amazon erroneously lists this as one of the countries covered in the 2013 version. When I went back and checked the contents page view and the description here on Rick Steve's website, I see that it is not listed. I will obviously be returning this book as it does not meet my daughter's needs but I am interested in knowing why it was not included in the Best of Europe book? Are you no longer recommending it as "best destination"?
Debbie Musumeci in Bethel, CT USA 02/16/2013
In any Rick Steves book, I think there should be a mention of the 90-day limit to travel without a visa within the Schengen zone. While most readers are planning on staying for less than this time, some, like myself, may be planning on staying longer and need to be aware of this visa limitation. I did not know about this until after I booked my plane ticket since it was not mentioned in any guide book, and I had to change my plans after realizing this visa limitation.
Megan Lewis in Benicia, CA USA 01/13/2013
As usual -- it would be difficult to "second guess" you. But perhaps a short annex (or tone box)about nearby Bratislava in the page on Vienna. It is so close -- and most of the readers would enjoy this side trip.
Richard J. Quigley in Arlington, VA USA 06/21/2012
Should have been added to Switzerland guidebook
Sandra in Salley, Fl USA 06/19/2012
Very, very well done.
p bax in Vancouver, BC Canada 10/30/2011
This is not in reference to any book, but I think Rick Steves should do a book on Iceland! Or at least include Iceland in one of his Europe books.
TL in PORTLAND, OR USA 10/24/2011
For Self-Guided Walking tours described in Rick Steves guide books, they place numbered circles on the corresponding map indicating points of interest and a little key near the map for the name of each point of interest.
What would be nice is if they also numbered the text headings in the book that describe each stop in detail. That way you can go in reverse. See a point on the map, then easily find the description of that point in the long text descriptions.
Likewise, as you are reading the text descriptions outlined in the Self-Guided Walk, you could see the number and right away jump to that spot on the map. It's just faster and easier for the reader.
This goes for all Rick Steves guide books.
Lindsey in Seattle, WA USA 09/05/2011
We have done five trips following RS' advice & have always used money belts. Once in Strasbourg, France, the wife of the couple with whom we were traveling refused to use a belt. While she watched a "fight" in the square, she lost her valuables from her shoulder purse. We did not even notice that her purse had been picked until an hour or two later. So, in general, I am a believer in using money belts for large sums, passports, etc., especially for women.
For men, however, I think there is a safe and more comfortable alternative. On this summer's trip to Central/Eastern Europe, every shirt and pants that I brought had a HIDDEN pocket with a zipper somewhere. I kept my passport in the zippered shirt pocket and my debt card + money in the hidden zippered pant's pocket. I doubt that these hidden zippered pockets can be picked any easier than a money belt and is a lot more comfortable.
I doubt that women's clothes have these types of pockets, so they are probably stuck with the money belt.
Finally, Americans are not used to pick pockets. In the good ole USA, thieves simply put a gun in our face and take our money. In Europe, guns are not allowed, so the art of picking pockets has developed over the ages, and they are extremely good and innovative at it!
Larry Iversen in Bremerton, WA USA 07/04/2011
I agree with the poster who wished that the "At a Glance" pages were included...saves a lot of flipping back and forth. I will be purchasing the 2012 edition and hope these pages are included in that volume.
[Editor's Note: Due to a limit on the number of pages in the book, we will not be adding the "At a Glance" sidebars to Rick Steves' Best of Europe.]
Terri in Quilcene, WA USA 05/22/2011
Improve GPS capabilities of all RS guides.
Do this by a) including addresses for all things listed (tourist info office(!), suggested parking lot, etc.), and b) Ensuring the name of the site includes the common european GPS nomenclature (ex: "castle" in GPS is "Schloss" in German, etc.).
I live in Germany, and travelling by car like I used to without a GPS is just plain foolish. On foot I have little trouble finding things in RS books using his detailed directions from some reference point (train station, etc.). With a car, I have trouble figuring out where to dump the car on arrival in a city with respect to what I want to visit, how to find the Tourist Info office, etc. With an address - it's a breeze.
Oh, and if you need a college kid here in Europe to do this research, my kid is available.... ; )
Brian in Böblingen, BV Germany 04/18/2011
PLEASE , I beg of you Rick, make these changes to your restaurant maps. Have a key on the restaurant map, that shows the following:
A circle slash sign with the day of the week, like S, M, T, W, TH, F, SA---so I know the place is closed without having to flip back to the page with the description.
Have an L indiciating this place serves lunch only- so if you are looking for dinner that night-you don't waste your time flipping back to description page
Have the page number that the description of the restaurant is on, next to the restaurant listing on the map, this would save time when flipping back and forth between map page and description page.
on the description page for the restaurant, at the end of the description, have the corresponding number for the restaurant map.
This would make your restaurant map much more user friendly. They could also be employed to improve the hotel map
Uno mas pregunta, Could you please include the page number when you reference something else in your book,
Such as Rome 2009---on page 65 under Spanish Steps, you say For more info see Night Walk across Rome Chapter- no page number? Dude, major bummer. I noticed some things in the book have corresponding page numbers and some don't? What's up?
Lo siento, pero uno mas pregunta--what happened to the City at a Glance pages? I loved those, especially once you added the corresponding page numbers for more info on the sights. It gave me a quick glance at the best of the best in that city without going through the whole chapter
Whew! I am done. I've been on four of your tours-Loved them, but now that I've done it without a tour guide, well Rick was with us everywhere we went. My daughter kept asking me where is Rick, hold Rick, why is Rick telling us to go here? You left Rick at the toilet in the Roman Forum? Go back and get him! I doubt I will do another RS tour, unless I was going as a guide. :) I love traveling in Europe so much, I would work for free, working on updating the guidebooks would be fun too! Lucky RS, he makes a living doing something he loves.
Dawnya Brown in Saint George, Ut USA 04/02/2011