The Rough Guide to First-Time Europe 5 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

~ Louis CasaBianca (Author) "Every year thousands of people head to Europe for the first time, and I'd guess all of them want the best trip they can get..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, First-Time Europe, New Zealand (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

INTRODUCTION

I know you’re at least thinking about going to Europe, or you wouldn’t be reading this book. Every year thousands of people just like you head to Europe for the first time, and I’d guess all of them want the best trip they can get for the money. This book is intended to help someone taking one of those trips see Europe as cheaply and as enjoyably as possible. The first time I traveled to Europe I just picked up and went, and had to learn the hard way. That trip was a wonderful experience, but it would have been much easier, and certainly less expensive, if someone who had been there before had given me his or her advice. Now, several years and much European travel later, this book contains the advice I give to friends before their first trip.

The very first and most important piece of advice I can give you is one word: GO! If you have the time, and can find the money somewhere, anywhere, just GO! You will not regret it, I promise you. When you walk into St Peter’s in Rome and look down a central aisle longer than two football fields, over the spot where Charlemagne was crowned twelve centuries ago, and then give a glance to the right and see Michelangelo’s Pietá, you will not regret going. When you sit on a beach in the Greek Islands and watch the sun set into the Aegean Sea, and listen to the others on that beach laughing and chatting in six languages as the ouzo and wine get passed around, you will not regret the time and money it took to get there. When you wake up in Paris and have a choice between going to the Eiffel Tower, or the Louvre, or Versailles, or Notre Dame, or the Cathedral at Chartres, or a dozen other wonders only a walk or a train ride away, your trip will seem very cheap indeed. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t try to go as inexpensively as possible; in fact, this book is written in large part to help you do just that. But later in life, when you look back and ask yourself whether it was worth it to go when you did, I promise you the answer will be "Yes." If you have the time and the money, do it. If you have the time, but think you don’t have the money, keep reading, and maybe I can show you that Europe for a few weeks, or for a summer, can be a lot cheaper than you think.

And, if the whole process of going seems like too much of a bother, too much planning and time, remember the following: by spending a summer in Europe you will visit countries that are both much older and very different from your own, and gain a new perspective on your own country as a result. You will meet people who happily live lives very different from your own. And you will see some of the greatest creations of the human mind and spirit: legendary wonders of art and architecture that form a large part of the collective heritage of the human race. That’s why you’re going to Europe, not to hunt for the cheapest hostel or the best rate of exchange. Remember this during all the dry talk about money and packs and all that practical stuff.

About the Author

Louis Casabianca first visited Europe on a three-month Eurail pass. This soon turned into an extended ten-month trip, including long detours to Russia and the Middle East. He has since had just about every conceivable adventure (and misadventure) during countless trips to the continent. When not on the road, he lives in Santa Monica, California.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 5th edition (April 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843530457
• ISBN-13: 978-1843530459
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #746,362 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Introductory Book of Them All !!!, March 14, 2001

By	Dillon Sutherland (Wise, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First-Time Europe: A Rough Guide Special (Paperback)

While planning my first time trip to Europe, I bought several guidebooks: Frommer's Europe, Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door, Lonley Planet's Europe While all of these are excellent guides, this one is the best if you are planning your first trip abroad or even to learn new things and gain a better perspective of budget travel. After you read this book, you must read Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door. Rick's book is equally as good with a little more depth and a different perspective. Side note - buy your rail tickets from Rick Steve.(ricksteve.com) He sends you one of his books at no cost and sends a video on how to use your rail tickets. His website is the best for travel to Europe that I have found so far. Anyway, buy this book - it will save you hundreds in Europe or abroad and totally prepare you for your trip!!!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All aspects of preparing for a trip are covered, July 4, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First-Time Europe: A Rough Guide Special (Paperback)

Now in a completely updated fourth edition, Louis CasaBianca's First-Time Europe continues to be a premiere, "user friendly" travel guide for the novice traveler to Europe. All aspects of preparing for a trip are covered including getting a passport, securing economical air transportation, selecting rail passes, what to pack, and planning ahead of time on where to go and what to see. While in Europe, readers will have access to invaluable, practical information on best value accommodations, navigating the sights, and traveling from city to city. The informative text is enhanced with eight pages of color maps and all the major rail routes. First-Time Europe is replete with money-saving tips, as well as advice for staying health, keeping out of trouble, staying in touch, itinerary suggestions, and more! If you are planning your first trip to Europe (or a second, third, or fourth!), begin by browsing through Louis CasaBianca's First-Time Europe!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required for First Time Travelers to Europe..., May 3, 2005

By	Casey Allen "Geographer" (All Over The World, as time permits of course...) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you have never been to Europe and are thinking of traveling there independently (or, perhaps even with a tour, although tour guides tend to dislike "educated" tourists...) you NEED this book! I only wish I had such a book to guide me when I began traveling many years ago.

As the book itself states, it is NOT a guidebook for sites to see, lodging, specific costs, etc. What it DOES do (and rather well...) is outline the skills and tools you need to travel successfully--and not just in Europe, as the skills Mr. Casablanca relates are applicable in any travel situation.

Being a well-traveled person myself, anytime someone asks me how I "do it", or if I hear of someone planning a trip to Europe for the first time, I ask them if they have read this book. If not, I tell them it is REQUIRED reading if you want your independent trip to go smoothly. Many of the tips and ideas laid-out in the book I had to learn by experience--not always a joyful thing when traveling. While I value experience in travel, if you can save yourself a few headaches, why not??

As I mentioned eariler, the skills outlined in this book are fully transferable across continents and local regions. The book gives you practical ways of dealing with almost any situation you will encounter--anywhere in the world. The information given is well-researched, easy to follow, and never goes out of style...it's always useful.