The Rough Guide to Iceland 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

by David Leffman (Author), James Proctor (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Probably the best Iceland guidebook ... As always the Rough Guide is the one to get if you're touring around ... packed with relevant information."

Product Description
This guide to Iceland gives information on hotels, hostels and camping, and covers sites and stories of Viking sagas. There is advice on swimming in hot springs, climbing volcanoes, and tackling the icefields of Europe's largest glacier.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 2 Sub edition (April 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843532891
• ISBN-13: 978-1843532897
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #266,199 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #5 in	Books > History > Americas > Greenland
  #12 in	Books > History > Europe > Iceland
  #17 in	Books > Travel > Europe > Iceland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and well-designed, April 13, 2005

By	Nada O'Neal "noneal" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm coming slowly to the conclusion that the Rough Guides may simply be the best series out there. This particular Rough Guide is certainly the best guidebook to Iceland. It lovingly details every section of the country, and has pithy, relevant remarks on accomodations, places to eat, and things to see.

What I really love is the logical and thorough way in which it divides up any given area. Any time it introduces a new place, it gives you a comprehensive and sweeping overview, and then proceeds to lay out details district by district. You're left with a very clear picture of the area, and the comfort of knowing that additional details are available to you if you need to refer to them later. The maps are likewise extremely clear, providing plenty of detail while allowing you to get a sense of the overall lay of the terrain at a glance.

I've also found that a number of guidebooks for Iceland have a way of speaking negatively or dismissively of aspects of the country - especially Lonely Planet. This Rough Guide honestly mentions problems - hitchhiking is unreliable, cycling is hard, the bus is expensive, etc. - but it never gives you the impression that you might just be better off staying home. The book was written as if the author really loved Iceland, which was quite refreshing.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Planning Resource, August 13, 2005

By	Douglas R. Melin (Findlay, OH, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having spent over three years in motion overseas, I have come to appreciate a guidebook that can blend the practical and cultural in a concise treatment. The Rough Guide to Iceland does this skillfully, and it is well-organized to boot. You'd use the Rough Guide to plan and layout your trip and then keep it by your side as your interpretive companion

While the Lonely Planet guide to Iceland contains more detail on logistics, it is not particularly user-friendly. That being said, I'll buy a copy of the Lonely Planet Guide to supplement the Rough Guide. Lonely Planet Guides have seen me through more difficulties than I can count, and I'm sure the Iceland edition will get me out of a few jams while I circle the country.

But if I could use only one book, it would be the Rough Guide

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Provides a Good Overview, August 25, 2005

By	Frostman (Arlington, VA United States) - See all my reviews

It is always hard to read reviews for travel books. One person's treasure is another person's waste of money.

For the Rough Guide to Iceland 2, I found this to be a good book for casual traveling through the country. The book's 20 "must see and do things" was helpful and interesting. The maps were good, and from what I could tell, had a pretty thorough list of accommodations and going-ons.

While it did provide some information on the popular treks, I was a little disappointed in the amount of information on outdoor activities. I mean, c'mon, this is Iceland!

I would recommend this to someone going to Iceland. However, if you are going off the beaten track as I did, you will need to supplement this book with some internet research.