Customer Reviews

Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 1998 (16th ed)

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My wife and I used numerous books for our trip to Italy and France last year. (Our first ever to Europe). We bought Let's Go, Eyewitness, and the Rick Steve's Italy and France books. They were all very helpful, but Rick's books proved to be the best for down and dirty information to make the trip easier and more memorable. Not only are his practical tips worth their salt, but if you agree with his travel philosophy you will have much more success by following his suggestions. The other books are good in certain areas: Let's Go: additional places to stay in case your first choice(s) are full, Eyewitness: Great for pictures and facts so you know where to go when you are there. Everywhere we went travelers had these with them. We were on a tighter timeline so we studied before we left and left these heavy books at home. Rick's books are full of the basic information you need to avoid delays and prepare yourself for cultural differences so you enjoy them. I could go on forever...

This book teaches American travellers how to visit Europe so that they actually experience Europe. He explains how to travel lightly, happily, and inexpensively. Worried about a language barrier? Learn how to overcome that imaginary barrier and experience Europe for real.

THIS WAS A CRITICAL BOOK FOR US, WHEN WE WERE BACKPACKING IN EUROPE IN 1993; WE ARE 50 YEARS OLD, AND STAYED AND YOUTH HOSTELS, AND TRAVELED BY EURORAIL. WITHOUT THIS BOOK WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE TRIP NEARLY AS SUCCESSFULL AS IT WAS. WE SPENT SIX MONTHS IN EUROPE AND THE BOOK WAS OUR BIBLE, AND WE TOOK AND USED IT EVERWHERE.

THERE IS NO REASON PEOPLE OUR AGE CANNOT MAKE THE TYPE OF TRIP WE DID, IF THEY ARE EQUIPPED WITH THIS BOOK, AND ALL THE OTHER ADVISE WE RECEIVED FROM RICK STEVES.

THANK YOU TERRY AND TRISH BRIMHALL

Professor Steves gives his insights on the whys, wherefors and hows of travel. This book is for everyone, promoting a perspective of travel that is light on the budget and heavy on personality and culture. A must for anyone seeking a true experience of Europe (or any othere country for that matter). After reading this book, you'll laugh at your friends who're bragging about the four-star hotels they stayed at in Paris. They had a gold-trimmed bed; so what?!? Your maid invited you to dinner at a small underground cafe with some of her friends.

Rick Steves is the best when it comes to traveling in Europe, having fun, learning lots, and "making memories..." This new edition from the "Europe Through the Back Door" series is by far, the BEST of the BEST...Better than "Let's Go," and more fit for the personal budgeted traveler. From the tiptop of Norway to the boot of the Mediterranean, Rick gives workable, practical, and useable advice on how to "do it all" without Spending it all. Take this guide with you, everytime, and then pass it on! You will be glad that you did, and so will your friends!

This guide is perfect for the traveller on a budget who doesn't want to be fettered by tour group intineraries, but values just a little bit of pertinent advice! Europe Through the Back Door will help you experience the best of Europe at your own pace, and save deutschemarks and francs at the same time. Steves writes in a clear, to-the-point style, with just the right mix of history and humor. Whether it's the "essential" sights such as the Louvre or the Colosseum, or off-the-beaten-path villages like Gimmelwald, this guide provides insightful information regarding accommodations and restaurants as well as tips on changing money and doing laundry. Over the years Steves has cultivated relationships with many of the establishments he highlights in his book, and travelers will find that this often works to their advantage in terms of friendly receptions and discounts at hotels and pensions. This book gets my highest recommendation.

Everytime I open a Rick Steves book or turn on an episode of his travel show, I know that I am in for a fun, entertaining, and informative presentation. Steves is a travel writer for the common man. He doesn't go into the trendy, touristy destinations. He likes to take his readers into places that they may have never have heard of before. And most of the places he reviews are affordable and accessible. No "lifestyles of the rich and famous" here, just fun and adventure. If you are planning a trip to Europe, I highly recommend that you check out this book. Even the price of the book is more affordable than many rival guides.

My boyfriend and I work at jobs with insultingly low hourly wages, yet we vacation in Europe, all thanks to the encouragement and advice of Rick Steves. Other books may show you how to travel even cheaper, but who wants to sleep under a bush in the park? Using the road-tested information in this book will allow anyone travel lighter, go further and see more without blowing a huge amount of money. Steves shows you what to pack, how to pack, how to plan an itinerary that covers the most ground (quantity AND quality), how to spend less and get more, public transportation strategies, and lots of recommendations on what to see and where to stay.

The most important message in this book is how to change your attitude: about what it takes to be a world traveler, about the people you'll meet and the experiences you can have. If you decide in your head you can't afford to travel, you won't. If you decide the French are going to be nasty, you'll perceive them that way and act accordingly. On the other hand if you open yourself and your mind to the wonderful possibilities and experiences you could have and can afford, you'll have a wonderful time. Europe Through the Back Door changed my mind, and it can change yours, too.