Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg (Lonely Planet Belgium and Luxembourg) (Paperback)

by Leanne Logan (Author), Geert Cole (Author) "Belgium and Luxembourg offer something for (nearly) everyone and all budgets..." (more)
Key Phrases: Grand Place, Grote Markt, Getting There (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
…Lonely Planet, the intrepid traveler's bible...' --Los Angeles Times, April 2005
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Whether your idea of bliss is world-class art, picture-perfect castles and romantic, medieval Bruges or clubbing in Antwerp, acres of chocolate and 800-odd types of beer, Belgium and Luxembourg are more satisfying than a pot of moules et frites. This newly updated, comprehensive guide leads you to the very heart of Europe.

* BE INSPIRED - with highlights and itineraries from Flanders fields to bustling Brussels * GOURMET TREATS - the cream of top restaurants and grand cafes, with a chapter dedicated to Belgium's national brew * BE IN THE KNOW - incisive history and culture of the countries plus French and Flemish language guide * STAY IN STYLE - rest your head in the pick of chambres d'hotes, gits and hotels * EXPLORE THE COUNTRYSIDE - practical walking and cycling coverage from the flat Flanders coast to the scenic Ardennes

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Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 2 edition (June 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740593405
• ISBN-13: 978-1740593403
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #751,469 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #13 in	Books > Travel > Europe > Luxembourg
  #58 in	Books > Travel > Europe > Belgium

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The worst Lonely Planet I have read so far !, April 11, 2006

By	Jochen (Belgium) - See all my reviews

As much as I am faithul to Lonely Planet guidebooks, I was shocked by reading their edition of Belgium & Luxembourg. Not only did we have to wait 2004 to have a LP guidebook for those 2 countries (which must be after about all other regions in the world, even Antarctica, Papua New Guinea and tiny tropical islands), but it's not even half satisfying.

They should have kept the previous title "Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp", as there is frankly not much about the rest of the country. For instance, Belgium has some 3000 castles, but for some reason only 2 (yes, a miserable 2 !) are listed in the Lonely Planet. Same sparsity for the abbeys. Then, the book is heavily centered on Brussels and Flanders, as if the author didn't know more about Wallonia than the average occasional tourist. No mention of towns like Huy, Ciney or Gembloux - in fact they are not even on the guide's map ! No mention of the beautiful stone villages of the Condroz and Meuse Valley. It's like if they had written a guidebook about England without writing about the Cotswolds, Mendips and the country's many castles and stately homes ! It seems that the author is more interested in finding the best pubs and clubs in Antwerp than in historical and cultural sightseeing. There is more than lots of beer and legal drugs in Belgium !

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Lonely Planet disappointment, October 16, 2007

By	Sue and Bill "Sue and Bill" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg (Paperback)

We, too, were shocked with the inadequacies of this guide, (along with the Netherlands guide). What's happened to Lonely Planet? Maps were almost unreadable, information attached to the maps was confusing, streets there were incomplete, addresses were wrong, and the tone was opinionated and unhelpful. To top it off, one of the hotels that was editor's choice cancelled our two-day booking when a full week booking came along from someone else, and we weren't told. No apology, only a remark that we wouldn't like the room with someone else in it. Who selected this place for inclusion in the book with an extra recommendation?

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars My 3 years in Belgium is ending ... this book was a big help!, June 24, 2008

By	JohnnyC (Alexandria, VA (USA)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg (Paperback)

All in all, in my 3 years living in Belgium, I found this a really helpful guide book. Prices are always wrong in guidebooks, but I found the contact information (web, address, phone) nearly always right, and the descriptions accurate.

You will be very challenged to find another guidebook that has this level of coverage of Belgium in its entirety, as most seem to focus on Brussels, Gent, Bruges, and perhaps Antwerp. Belgium seems to typically be an afterthought on most tourists' itineraries.

I really enjoyed the author's picks, both hotels and restaurants. What can I say to the other reviewer where the hotel unfortunately cancelled their booking because they found a group that would pay them more? Is that the authors' fault? No, welcome to Europe, and to Belgium, where the customer is always ... wrong!!

So you're browsing guidebooks, and wondering which one to get?

I would have to say, based on my experience using an earlier edition of this book for the past 3 years (I imagine they're pretty similar!), if you're swinging through Belgium for 2 days, and going to see Brussels and Bruges, this book is probably not the best for you. You'll probably do better with a thinner city-specific guidebook. But if you're going to tour around Belgium, or spend an extended amount of time in a city or two, then the in-depth coverage of this book is a real benefit.

One criticim I do have to echo: Lonely Planet, let's face it, is not known for its maps, and this book is no exception. They're good enough, and I've never NOT been able to find something, but sometimes the maps, er, well, don't necessarily reflect reality.

So all in all, this is a solid book, and if you follow my advice in paragraph 5, I think you'll be happy with it.