Rick Steves' Easy Access Europe: A Guide for Travelers with Limited Mobility [Paperback]

Rick Steves (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rick Steves | Publication Date: May 4, 2006

From train and rail pass skills to strategies for visiting open-air folk museums, who else but Rick Steves teaches travelers the skills they really need when traveling through Europe? Most guidebooks don't address the needs of travelers with limited mobility, but Rick Steves believes in comfortable and successful travel for everyone.

Rick Steves’ Easy Access Europe focuses on Amsterdam, Bruges, London, Paris, and the Rhine. It provides tips on getting around easily whether you're in a wheelchair or just need to walk slowly. America’s top authority on travel to Europe, Rick Steves has done the legwork, discovered the secrets, and made the mistakes — so travelers don't have to. Completely revised and updated, Rick’s time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.

His tips include: accessibility ratings for all sights, hotels, and restaurants, dependable recommendations for traveling on a budget, roll or stroll tours of historic neighborhoods, and advice from other travelers with physical challenges. Smart ideas are offered on everything from social etiquette to booking a hotel and ordering food. This book is an essential item on any European traveler’s checklist.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 2nd edition (May 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566919991
• ISBN-13: 978-1566919999
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #924,939 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #16 in Books > Travel > Specialty Travel > Special Needs

More About the Author

Rick Steves advocates smart, affordable, perspective-broadening travel. As host and writer of the popular public television series Rick Steves' Europe, and best-selling author of 40 European travel books, he encourages Americans to travel as "temporary locals." He helps American travelers connect much more intimately and authentically with Europe -- and Europeans -- for a fraction of what mainstream tourists pay.

Over the past 20 years, Rick has hosted over 100 travel shows for public television, and numerous pledge specials (raising millions of dollars for local stations). His Rick Steves' Europe TV series is carried by over 300 stations, reaching 95 percent of U.S. markets. Rick has also created two award-winning specials for public television: Rick Steves' European Christmas and the ground-breaking Rick Steves' Iran. Rick writes and co-produces his television programs through his company, Back Door Productions.

Rick Steves also hosts a weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves. With a broader approach to travel everywhere, in each hour-long program Rick interviews guest travel expert, followed by listener call-ins. Travel with Rick Steves airs across the country and has spawned a popular podcast. Rick has also created a series of audio walking tour podcasts for museums and neighborhoods in Paris, Rome, Florence and Venice (with more tours, including London, coming in 2010).

Rick self-published the first edition of his travel skills book, Europe Through the Back Door (now updated annually), in 1980. He has also written more than 40 other country, city and regional guidebooks, phrase books, and "snapshot" guides. For several years, Rick Steves' Italy has been the bestselling international guidebook sold in the U.S. In 2009, Rick tackled a new genre of travel writing with Travel as a Political Act, reflecting on how a life of travel has broadened his own perspectives, and travel can be a significant force for peace and understanding in the world. Rick's books are published by Avalon Travel, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

In addition to his guidebooks, TV and radio work, Rick is a syndicated newspaper columnist with the Tribune Media Services. He appears frequently on television, radio, and online as the leading authority on European travel.

Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. By the time he reached 18, Rick jokes, "I realized I didn't need my parents to travel!" He began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD), a business which has grown from a one-man operation to a company with a well-traveled staff of 70 full-time employees. ETBD offers free travel information through its travel center, website (www.ricksteves.com), European Railpass Guide, and free travel newsletters. ETBD also runs a successful European tour program with more than 300 departures -- attracting around 10,000 travelers -- annually.

Rick is outspoken on the need for Americans to fit better into our planet by broadening their perspectives through travel. He is also committed to his own neighborhood. He's an active member of the Lutheran church (and has hosted the ELCA's national video productions). He's a board member of NORML (working to reform marijuana laws in the USA). And Rick has provided his local YWCA with a 24-unit apartment building with which to house homeless mothers.

Rick Steves spends about a third of every year in Europe, researching guidebooks, filming TV shows, and making new discoveries for travelers. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful, June 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Rick Steves' Easy Access Europe: A Guide for Travelers with Limited Mobility (Paperback)

This book is helping me plan a trip to Europe with my Aunt, who is a great travel companion, but doesn't quite have the physical stamina of years past. I like the accessibility codes, and recomendations for "easy access" Euro cities. My Aunt likes the larger type. Really a useful book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Made My Trip, November 30, 2009

By 

S. Carasco - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rick Steves' Easy Access Europe: A Guide for Travelers with Limited Mobility (Paperback)

This book was very helpful in making my first trip to Europe enjoyable and accessible.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful!, September 8, 2009

By 

J. Martin (N C) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rick Steves' Easy Access Europe: A Guide for Travelers with Limited Mobility (Paperback)

This book is great! It helped us to know where to go at each location in order to find accessible entrances and special rates. It made our vacation a real success. London was especially accessible and the people were very helpful. There are family bathrooms everywhere in London. Paris was a little more difficult but still nice.