37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Warning: may induce a chronic case of the travel bug!, January 3, 2010
This review is from: Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2010: The Travel Skills Handbook (Paperback)
First of all, congratulations: this book will fundamentally change how you travel. If you're new to the world of Rick Steves AND planning your first trip to Europe, a special congratulations to you: you will not regret picking up this book. In many ways, Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD) is the bible of traveling the Rick Steves way. It's more than just travel tips and advice--although there is much of that--it is an entire travel philosophy based on experiencing a culture like a local, resulting in more fun, greater understanding, and less money spent. Steves' philosophy focuses on thinking of travel in terms of experiences and not destinations, being a participant instead of an observer. Steves' blend of detail-oriented pragmatism and big-picture philosophy comes from decades of his own travel experiences as well as leading other travelers through Europe. The result is a travel philosophy--and wealth of guidebooks--that allow the independent traveler to maximize his or her time in Europe ... and keep him or her awake at night thinking of ways to go back!
ETBD starts with 400+ pages full of practical travel advice centering around planning, packing, sleeping, eating, getting around, etc. that is absolutely essential for beginning travelers, and is surprisingly useful even for more experienced travelers. Getting the details right is often the difference between a disappointing and a great vacation, and in many cases "less is more" when it comes to travel success. Steves packs a lot of information into this section, but his writing style is clear and conversational, making it a joy to read (especially if you're used to the usual dry presentation of "practical information" found at the start of most guide books).
After taking in this massive amount of valuable information, you will hopefully be itching to jump on the next plane to Europe. In the second half of the book, Steves introduces some of his favorite "back doors": places that are more often than not off the beaten path and give you a chance to experience the "real", non-touristy Europe. Unfortunately, in some cases Steves is a victim of his own success: some of these "back doors" have now become more mainstream thanks to the popularity of Steves' guides (and other guides' taking his recommendations). The Cinque Terre, which is perhaps the epitome of Steves' back doors is such a place. However, even these places retain their magic outside of the midday tour group rush, meaning that these are still must-visit places. Even still, I would say that these no-longer-true-back-doors ... "side doors", shall we say? ... are the exception rather than the norm. I think of my trip to Gimmelwald--another of Steves' favorite back doors--a few years ago and was amazed at how pristine, still, and non-touristy it was: the mountain calm was broken only by the occasional bleating of a goat or a far-off avalanche. This is not to discount the big city experience--one has not been to Europe without seeing London, Paris, or Rome--but to highlight the fact that there are a wealth of experiences off the beaten path. Many of my fondest European memories are from these "back door" locales.
What more can I say? I consider Steves' ETBD an essential--perhaps *the* essential--read before a trip to Europe. If you enjoy and agree with Steves' travel philosophy, and chances are you will, pick up his guides specific to the country or countries of interest to you. Most of all, as Rick would say, keep on traveling!
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent "Users Manual" for Europe, December 13, 2009
This review is from: Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2010: The Travel Skills Handbook (Paperback)
This book is chock full of critical information on planning and executing your European trip. Even if you are an experienced traveler, this is a goldmine of information and tips. This is geared toward the type of traveler that likes to design his/her own trip rather than hop on a bus with a guide and a bunch of fellow citizens. Rick's point is that individual travel gets you in closer contact with the people and cultures you are there to experience. It is also geared for the budget to moderate traveler, not as much for the rock-bottom 100 pennies a day group.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A 'must' for any Europe-bound traveler, December 17, 2009
This review is from: Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2010: The Travel Skills Handbook (Paperback)
Candid and from author Rick Steves' experience is his EUROPE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR 2010, a handbook covering everything from how to pack and travel smoothly by public transport to avoiding crowds, tourist scams, and understanding cultural and local differences. A 'must' for any Europe-bound traveler.
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