Lonely Planet Spain [Paperback]

Damien Simonis (Author), Tim Nollen (Author), Fionn Davenport (Author), John Noble (Author), Susan Forsyth (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lonely Planet Spain | Publication Date: April 1999

This guide to Spain has a section on food, wine and architecture; the best places for trekking; and a language guide to Castilian and Basque. There is also coverage of the best places to trek, ski, cycle, surf, swim and dive.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there, chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.

Here is an imagination-fueling guide on how to experience the best Spain has to offer. With lively features on Spanish history; coverage of Spanish Catalan, Basque, and Galician languages; more than 145 maps, including metro maps for Madrid and Barcelona; details on outdoor activities, including national parks; chapters on Madrid and Barcelona; plus hundreds of options for food and accommodations no matter what your budget, you'll be hard-pressed to limit your stay. --Kathryn True

Product Details

• Paperback: 1008 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 2nd edition (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 086442633X
• ISBN-13: 978-0864426338
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,385,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Success has gone to their heads!, July 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Spain (Paperback)

After checking out an older edition of LP's Spain guide ('98 or '97) I decided to order the '99 edition here. When it arrived I noticed immediately that the book was only about 2/3 the size of previous editions. After perusing the contents I could see why. The book contained less content and many more references to other LP guidebooks (eg Trekking in Spain, city guides, etc.) Lonely Planet has obviously pared down their info in each guide in an effort to sell more books! While not a terribly surprising tactic in today's marketplace I nevertheless felt a little cheated. At $21.95 I don't think I'll buy again!

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cultural information useful, hotel and rest info lacking, October 4, 2000

By 

Wilbur L. Matthews II (San Antonio, TX, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Spain (Paperback)

In the past I have used lonely planet guides several times after a trip to Peru in which the guide was absolutely indespensible. Spain, however, is another story. While LP was useful for walking tours and highlighting major attractions, with good museum and monument descriptions, the hotel and restaraunt recommendations were virtually useless. By this I mean that most recommended restaurants were sketchy looking except for the "expensive" ones and the hotel guide quoted wrong prices and gives no insight into the hotels. Maybe I hadn't realized that I have outgrown Lonely Planet hotels, but then again maybe un-air-conditioned hotels in 100 degree heat (without fans even) are not worth putting in a travel book. The third world seems to be their purview.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The 'Ol Standby, September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet Spain (Paperback)

This book continues the impressively comprehensive and reliable tradition of their namesake. We used this book in conjunction with Rick Steves' and were overall very satisfied, even considering that we were mid-range travellers. LP covers every nook and cranny of the country with thorough and accurate information. The maps are excellent. The commentary is informative. The organization is easy to follow and understand. My main critique is that the book might be too objective: it's often unclear if the guide is actually recommending a restaurant, hotel, or sight, or just merely mentioning that it exists. A "star" system to the sights, or a "don't miss eating here" section would be helpful. (Try Rick Steves, for example.) Still, the book is a solid, can't-go-wrong pick for an overall guide.