Customer Reviews

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Northern Spain

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Easy to follow/use with bits of information about a lot of different places in Galicia (the place we visited--only section we used). Not the book for finding restaurants or places to stay. Thin enough to carry along. Nice pictures, good general information on top sites as well as on travel in Spain itself.

I can't come up with anything that would be missing. A lot of information, presented in an attractive way. Many illustrations, where to eat, where to stay etc. Everything is just in there.

I am a fan of the Eyewitness Travel Guides, because they are very strong on the sight-seeing part of a trip - which are the most tourist-friendly towns to stay in, what are the important sights to see, and what is the history of the region. Not so strong on hotels or restaurants, but now with the internet I always book my hotels ahead of time anyway. Their guides are always fabulous on their photographs, and on diagrams of large buildings or sites, like the diagram of Santiago de Compestela. The Northern Spain guide is also much more comprehensive than just the northern Spain section in the big Eyewitness guidebook of Spain, so if you're spending all your time in Northern Spain, this is the book to get.

In anticipation of our upcoming trip to Northern Spain, I visited several websites, and also read some of the other books I have on Spain. I was never really able to get a good 'picture' of the territory, however, until I read this book.

The Guide is organized around each region in Northern Spain; Galicia, Asturias/Cantabria, Basque Country, Navarra/La Rioja, Central/Eastern Pyrenees. Each region is also color coded, so if you want to read about the Basque Country, for example, just look for the blue tabs. There is a brief section on the history of Northern Spain, coupled with detailed information about each region.

When we travelled elsewhere in Spain, we read various books. While useful information was learned, it would have been sufficient to get by with only taking the Eyewitness guide with us while there. The maps included in these books are detailed, accurate, and very useful.

Like most Eyewitness guides, the photos are extensive and beautiful; buildings, art, beaches, castles, parks, heck, even photos of wine bottles and food ( :> ).

There is a small language guide in the back of the book, but do yourself a favor and learn more of the language than what you'll get from a guidebook such as this. We just got back from Madrid (and last year, Barcelona), and while you can get by with English at the popular sites, your experience will be richer if you can speak/understand some of the language. I gather this is especially important in Northern Spain, given the different dialects/languages (Basque, Spanish, Catalan).

As I research our upcoming trip, I'll look to other books and websites, but I'm impressed with how this book lays it all out for the reader in a straight-forward, accessible manner.

While I LOVE most DK travel guides this has an embarrassing lack of coverage on the area's premiere walk. The Camino de Comp. Santiago adds a huge historical,spiritual and cultural dimension to the whole of the north of Spain and to all but ignore it is inexcusable. Jim Holland

i've purchased many products from your source, have liked them, and will continue to do so, however, this book is totally worthless...it says things like "here, you can see the blankety-blank" period!...buy rick steves' instead who says "IF you are interested in (pick a subject) you will find this interesting, but if you are short on time and/or don't like long lines and/or have teenagers along and/or are inclined to fear heights (or whatever) then skip it...the (bah-blah-blah place (an alternative attraction) is less crowded or whatever....."...also this "eyewitness" book is too disjointed...needs better categorizing....