Customer Reviews

Michelin the Green Guide Scandinavia/Finland (Michelin Green Guides)

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

 

 

For my 20-day trip to Sweden and Denmark, I picked up several travel books (Lonely Planet Denmark and Scandinavia, Fodor's Scandinavia, Michelin the Green Guide Scandinavia Finland, Rick Steves' Scandinavia 2003 by Rick Steves, and Frommer's Scandinavia). Out of all of these books, the most consistent and most accurate are Michelin and Lonely Plant books.

I tried hotels recommended by Frommer and Fodor and was very disappointed (mind you, these had stars next to the write-ups). I tried one restaurant recommended by Frommer (w/ a star) and got sick afterwards. Silly me, I tired another (w/ a star) to give another chance and the meal was very mediocre. Same deal with Fodor. Where as Lonely Planet just gave facts about hotels and was very pleased with how things turned out. Hotels and meals matched the expectation that the book gave, so no unpleasant surprises.

I used the Lonely Planet Denmark book so much during the trip, I brought the Lonely Planet Scandinavia book in Denmark.... even though it was $...! It was well worth $....

As for Rick Steves, obviously, he only highlighted what he liked. There were some places that I loved in Sweden and Denmark that he suggest to skip.

For my next trip, I'm only buying Lonely Planet and Michelin books.

There are some interesting notes about the region, but I was quite surprised by how few maps were in this guide--which is why I chose Michelin in the first place.

This guide provides good information on Denmark, Sweden and Norway. I cannot comment on Finland since it was ommited from our Scandinavian Tour. The information on historical places was more than enough and accurate. This guide pointed to us the exact location of rock carvings in the Tanum area (Sweden), something that the signs on location failed to do!. The suggested "green" routes were magnificent. Me and Jonas really felt that we did not waste our time and that every one of these routes (both in Sweden and Norway) were "golden" ones. The general maps are not detailed but those of the "green" routes are, with precise indications of views and panoramas. You don't expect accomodation listings in the "green" guides (that's what the "red" are for). We were surprised although that Michelin failed to give a star rating (we would give 3 stars) to the magnificent town of Alesund, but merely underlined it! If we did not experiment on our own we would have missed one of the most beautifull Norwegian towns in the "Jugend" style. I think that for a 1st edition, this guide is a very good effort. It can guide you to the splendours of Scandinavia and comparing it after our trip with other guides I think that I would go back with my Michelin again.

in the Norwegian roads. In Europe, on the Michelin maps, an E-road is, so we thought, a nice 4 or more lane, limited access highway with speed limits of around 100 km/hr or more. No, no, not in most of Norway. In that beautiful land an E-road is a two lane country road that goes right through the middle of every village along the route, forcing you to slow to 30 or 35 km/hr, or get a ticket. So if you are going to use this map to determine distances and times, do not assume that you will go 600 km in 5 or 6 hours or less. It will take longer!

I will go farther and say that in my home state, many of the the E-roads in Norway would not even be given a road number, just a name: like The Ridgecrest-Randsburg Road.

Also, do not assume that every town and village is on the map. They are not. Lots are not.

Have a lovely trip. Drive carefully and obey every damn traffic law including avoiding DUIs.

The Michelin series of maps are the best around for the areas that they cover.

In conjunction with the appropriate Green Guide (sights to see) and Red Guide (places to stay and dine) they provide an integrated set of tools that make travel on your own easy.