Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland 1998 (Serial) [Paperback]

Rick Steves (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1998 | Series: Serial

"Rick Steves' Germany Austria & Switzerland 1998" takes visitors from the Rhine to Bavaria through Germany's medieval heartland. In Austria and Switzerland, scenic riverside towns, a beautiful lakes district, and small ski villages await independent travelers wishing to make the most of their trip and see the real soul of the countries they are visiting. 40 maps .

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Beautifully ornate Neuschwanstein Castle, frothy beer at Oktoberfest, skiers schussing down the slopes and dodging snowflakes in the Tirol, Julie Andrews and the The Sound of Music--Germany, Austria, and Switzerland conjure up countless fairy-tale images. There are so many, in fact, that making decisions about how to spend your time in the region may be difficult. Enter Rick Steves. He began traveling, and writing about travel, at the green age of 14. Since then, his ineluctable Eurocentric passion has developed into his livelihood, with a series of guide books, a Web site, a tour company, and a public television program. Steves believes that you should use your travel time--and your money--wisely; see what's representative of the countries you plan to visit; and allow room for "magic moments." To that end, Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland 1998 provides just enough information to guide you to "the best" attractions, but at a reasonable cost.

Each country section begins with quick facts--size, currency, population--then quickly gets into the meat of the guide: ranked lists of sights (from "worth getting up early and skipping breakfast for" to "worth knowing about"), maps, and recommendations on transportation, accommodations, and where to dine. Those whose wanderlust must be confined to a period of days should follow one of the suggested itineraries; they're intended to give you a taste of the region without pushing you into sensory overload. If you're staying for five days, visit Munich, Bavaria, and Salzburg; if you've got a full week, then add Rothenburg and take a breather. Or, in the name of Rick Steves, find a "Back Door angle" and create your own plan.

For those who expect their guide books to entertain as well as inform, Steves's high-on-life approach will be a good fit. (If you detest puns and can't tolerate occasional hyperbole, then you should probably try a guide of a different flavor.) Of the Swiss, he writes that "like Boy Scouts ... [they] count cleanliness, neatness, punctuality, tolerance, independence, thrift, and hard work as virtues, and they love pocketknives." He also expounds, briefly, on the virtues of German cuisine: "Nutella is a chocolate-hazelnut spread that may change your life." Who can argue with that? --Heidi Robinson

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: John Muir Pubns; 1998 edition edition (January 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562613863
• ISBN-13: 978-1562613860
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,153,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written by a real person with a sense of humor!, March 26, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Ft. Worth) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland 1998 (Serial) (Paperback)

Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland guide is a laid-back tour of all the "undiscovered nooks and crannies" of the region. Like all of his guides, this one is enjoyable just to read. His guide is personalized, definitely written by a real person with a sense of humor.

If you plan to do more than just read Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland, you have chosen THE BEST guide possible if you enjoy meeting locals, learning about cultures, and traveling off the beaten path. I have found that in many of the places Steves' writes about, the only other English-speakers you will meet will be Steves' followers. He also includes names and descriptions of restaurant, pension, hostel, hotel, and shop proprietors so that you can go in and say "hi!" Steves' constantly updates his books and you can be sure that the person behind the counter is the one described in his book. You will be greeted enthusiastically by these people because Rick is a well-known nice guy to them. In some cases you will receive discounts with these proprietors (I received a free town map from a shopkeep in Rothenburg o.b. because I carried Steves' book with me).

If this is your first trip to Europe and you are interested in seeing the most popular tourist attractions, or if you feel more comfortable in a tourist situation, take along a mainstream guide like "Let's Go" to use in conjunction with Steves' guide. His off-the-beaten path approach is great for students, families, solo-women travelers, groups, and senior citizens. I have seen all of these types with his book.

Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland is the best guide you can get. The experiences you will have will leave you longing to return to his "undiscovered nooks and crannies."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars For those who want to confirm their stereotypes!, September 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Rick Steves' Germany, Austria & Switzerland 1998 (Serial) (Paperback)

If you are going to Europe hoping to find that Germany consists of Neuschwanstein, oompah bands, and wurst, Switzerland is all Heidi, cheese, and chocolate, and Austria the Sound of Music personified, you might find this guide useful. I have found that there are a lot of American travelers who take this approach to international travel, and the book will definitely guide you toward these experiences. On my fifth visit to the region, however, I wanted to appreciate the variety of these countries, and I was struck by the limitations of Steves' approach.

I will admit that my budget was what originally motivated me to buy the book, but I found that I got more bang for my buck by asking locals where to stay or eat - although I have to admit that since I couldn't try out every place listed, I may have simply chosen the wrong options. I also quickly realized that many of the towns in which I decided to stay (I made very few advance reservations, preferring to leave my options open) were not included in the book.

What disturbed me far more was the number of times, while trying to telephone places listed in the book, I was told that I had a wrong number. After this happened repeatedly, I threw the book out halfway through my trip.

Although I agree with a previous reviewer that the book was pleasantly written, I found Steves very dismissive of some cities, without recognition that people's tastes vary. In Heidelberg, for example, I have experienced wonderful walks along the Philosophenweg, terrific concerts in the churches, and generally great hospitality. Yes, there are American military bases nearby which mean that a lot of English is spoken, but that hasn't ruined the town for me. In Rothenburg, on the other hand, which Steves loves (and I have to agree that it is physically a charming town), I found everyone so geared up for tourists this summer that I had a hard time practicing my German, and there was a general surliness in the atmosphere which made for a less-than-enjoyable experience. Steves just doesn't include a town if he doesn't personally like it, leaving a traveler who either wants to or needs to stay there stranded.

Overall, I have to conclude that I wouldn't use this guidebook again. I haven't given it the lowest rating because I was not very pleased with any of the options available this year - my advice, if you don't need to make plans in advance and can wait until you get to Germany, is to buy a guidebook there. Both the German guides (in German) and the British ones (in English) available there were far more interesting and accurate.