Lonely Planet Estonia Latvia & Lithuania (Lonely Planet Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) (Paperback)

by Nicola Williams (Author), Cathryn Kemp (Author), Debra Herrmann (Author) "Until the early 20th century, the ethnic iden of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were denied or suppressed..." (more)
Key Phrases: air livonia, song bowl, lossi plats, Getting There, Baltic Sea, Curonian Spit (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
The most comprehensive guide to the area, with a chapter on Russia's noncontiguous Kaliningrad region, this guide combines background information, cultural insights, and information on practicalities. Outdoor activities range from stork spotting to bobsledding and bungee jumping.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
Best for curious and independent-minded travelers' --Wall Street Journal
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 3rd edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740591321
• ISBN-13: 978-1740591324
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #785,412 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #10 in	Books > Travel > Europe > Latvia
  #12 in	Books > Travel > Europe > Estonia
  #16 in	Books > Travel > Europe > Lithuania

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No improvement upon the old edition, July 29, 2003

By	Andrius Uzkalnis (Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The best thing about this edition is its stunningly beautiful cover. It goes downhill from there.

The previous edition (was it around 1995?) was really, really very good; ahead of everyone in the business. I wrote a glowing review at that time. Since then, the countries have moved on at an amazin pace, but LP did not manage to catch up.

Cultural information is still good (and that is the area where fewest changes were needed). It is not as good with practicalities: the book is full of small inaccuracies - money, costs, payment options, transport information all suffer from lazy, complacent research.

Another sad fact is that the authors seem to draw upon their one-off impressions: waiters tipping themselves by not giving you the change, what's that about? Credit cards accepted in "main cities and towns" - well, hello, when did you last go to any of the countries? These things go on and on.

As for "Getting There" information, one wonders which planet are Lonely Planet researchers living on. Has anyone told them about the Internet? About cheap offers from the airlines? How long can continue with their ridiculously irrelevant drivel about bucket shops and courier flights?

A good thing that can be said about this Lonely Plant is that it is not of trademark "bleeding-heart" variety and that anti-American propaganda still has not found its way into it. You will have to get the Iceland guidebook if you want some of the most bitter, biased and unwelcome LP campaigning.

Overall, it seems like Lonely Planet is cutting costs, and the most recent thing that they have chopped off is proper research and verification. This is unfortunate, for the start was really good.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars By far the best guide to Lithuania, July 13, 1998

By	"petersv" (St. Charles, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania (Serial) (Paperback)

I am a fairly frequent visitor to Vilnius, and can confirm that this is by far the best guide to Vilnius and the rest of Lithuania, whether as to culture, history, or current attractions. (Leaving aside, of course, the invaluable Vilnius in Your Pocket which you should buy at the airport). I haven't been to Tallin since 1993, but the Estonian section seemed very good too. The Vilnius section of the competing Let's Go Guide to Eastern Europe is riddled with errors.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate, detailed and competent, August 27, 2000

By	Andrius Uzkalnis (Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lonely Planet Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania (Scandinavian and Baltic Europe) (Paperback)

In common with our Lonely Planet publications, the book is extremely strong on research and honesty; the latter sometimes can border with cynicism, but then I do not see anything wrong with this. It is perhaps a good idea to have realistic expectations.

For getting around, lodging and day-to-day needs, the book is superb (although upon arrival, you will also want to buy one of locally published "In Your Pocket" guides - these remarkable and inexpensive magazines are in the league of their own).

Unless you already know a lot about the history and spirit of the Baltic states, you may long for some more pictures and articles where timetables and opening times are NOT mentioned. In this case, Baltic States by Insight Guides can be recommended as a supplement - but by no means as a substitute.

The Baltic countries, which do not have a streamlined and shrink-wrapped tourist industry, are a destination where a Lonely Planet guide is needed, whatever your budget. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are friendly and well-developed, but even premium-paying customers can seldom expect to be steered through their holiday or business trip without a bit of understanding how things work. This book is a perfect tool fitting this purpose.