Customer Reviews

Rick Steves' Spain & Portugal 1999 (Serial)

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

 

 

This book is great for what it tries to be: an easy and concise resource to guide you through a 3 week tour of Spain and Portugal. He confidently steers you to the major and minor (though equally fun and interesting) attractions with his star system, and suggests good budget hotels and eateries (show the book to a few hotels and get a 10% discount). His descriptions about prices and schedules are accurate. While we heartily recommend the book, it must be used to supplement another, more detailed guidebook (we used Lonely Planet). Other critiques: (1) his indifference towards the Gaudi architecture scene in Barcelona, which were among our favorite sights; (2) his fast and furious pace (needs more down time); and (3) meager explanations for certain sights. Nonetheless, Spain is great, go there!

My friends and I bought this book for our 10 day romp through southern Spain as a way to just familiarize ourselves with the area. Well, as Spain turned out to be more challenging than we expected, we'd sooner leave our passports behind than Rick's guidebook!

His opinions on attractions were right on the money (when we didn't listen to him, we wished we did!!) and we saw things we never would have seen trusting another guidebook.

If you're headed for Spain, forget the other books and just pack this one as an essential for your trip..Oh, and do as Rick says and go to Morocco. You'll never forget it!!

Thank's to this book we saw more in less time! If your'e driving across Spain and Portugal, Rick Steves will help you manuever big city traffic, parking, and accomadations. We stayed in old castles and a 19th century mansion overlooking the Moorish ruins!

I found this guide VERY knowledgeable and made my trip to Spain and Portugal really fun and efficient. The only critique is that Rick doesnt mention visiting the new Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao Spain, it was truly magnificent. This is a perfect guide for Students and more thrifty travellers who want to see the world and like pleasant accomodations.

Rick Steve's Guidebook does have great ideas however, I am disapointed that there is no mention of Northern Spain (e.g. Santiago). It is a bit disapointing when he notes an itenerary for a three week stay in Spain but makes no mention of Galicia. Not only that but the tone is very apathetic towards Spaniards versus let's say his guidebook to Germany. Nonetheless, the book is informative for those who are going for 1 or 2 weeks...