Rating: 
Summary: Another Excellent Edition of the Back Door Series
Review: The 'Back Door' series is excellent and provides first-rate reading, even for the seasoned traveller. One of the reviews below ( by Patiwat Panurach) downgrades the book for providing exactly what the series and the synopsis promise. It seems inappropriate to be so critical (2 stars) of the book simply because the reviewer clearly ordered the wrong book for his/her needs.We have travelled a bit, but still find that the Rick Steves books are invaluable and we would recommend them to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Good writing, but little detail, not a replacement for LP
Review: What this book is: - 280 pages of "Travel Skills", guided torwards the first time American traveller - Magnifying glass coverage of specific European locations. 6 pages for Portugal, confined only to Lisbon and Algarve. 4 pages for Spain, covering only Andalucia. 5 pages for Norway. - Good writing, but zero detail. Impossible to plan a trip based on this book alone. I was expecting this to be an insider's Lonely Planet, what I got was dozens of pages on tips like How to Pack, How to Plan an Itinerary, How not to be an Ugly American. If you're planning on buying a single book to plan your European trip, this is probably not for you. If this is your first trip outside the US then maybe this is for you. I can't really see who this book is targeted to. Steve urges you to ignore the tour guides and find the backdoors, but gives only general information on how to actually do that (try to communicate with the locals, use public transport, etc.). Besides that, just his personal picks for nice off-the-beaten-track locations. This book was really not for me. I'm getting the Lonely Planet Europe instead, which doesn't assume I'm a lazy american tourist and actually gives the the information I need to explore a country and get closer to the people, on my own.
Rating:
Summary: for both the novice & the more seasoned traveller
Review: Rick Steves has an enlightened, practical, and ultimately entertaining view on travel. He's an insider, a traveller in-the-know, but he's not blase or jaded. Instead, he invites us with him, into his 'back doors of Europe.' You can't read this book & not want to explore the world!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing Suggestion - Thanks Rick
Review: Traveling Europe last summer, my cousin and I were armed with every travel book that we could carry on a 2 1/2 month expedition throughout Europe. Europe Through the back door provided the most unique and awesome experiences that we had. Gazing onto the majestic scenery in Lake Como, Italy to the personal quarters in the scerene mountains of Switzerland. Rick Steves book was great and I suggest it to anyone who desires to experience Europe to it's fullest extent.
Rating:
Summary: good if you have the time and energy to find Back Doors
Review: this book mentions a lot of cool little towns but it takes a lot of time and effort to find them and depending on how long you are going to be in europe for they might not be worth it. also, although i only went to one or two of the suggested back doors they were both very crowded with american college age students who had heard about it from some other big european travel guide.
Rating:
Summary: Best way to go
Review: Europe Through The Back Door is the best travel guide out there. When planning to travel solo around Europe for a month, Rick Steves was my guide, and I had a great time. Every little secret "Back Door" I went to were amoung my favorite places, with only carriers of this book and no other Americans to be found! This book is also the most enjoyable travel guide to just sit down and read! It is really entertaining. Only complaint is that his focus is more centered to older people and not the young student traveller like me, but its still great. But don't buy it, so all of us "In the know" travellers don't need to share the Cinque Terre!
Rating:
Summary: The only guidebook you'll need!
Review: I have used these guidebooks in the past ... last year, I used the guide to Scandinavia for a month-long tour. The advice was wonderful - we found great little hotels and places to eat. And the information on sites to visit was priceless ... very much "down and dirty." Don't leave home without it!
Rating: 
Summary: Not for an experienced European traveler
Review: Maybe I'm too used to Michelin or Fodors, but I found Through the Back Door to be more on the philosophical benefits of packing light, using the railpass and staying in lesser known places than on seeing, exploring, and experiencing Europe. Much of this material is already covered in packing books and general travel guides (not necessarily European). I agree with several of his picks (and will be sure to check out others on my next trip there), but his recommendations about what to do in these places occupy only a small portion of the book. Already a believer in packing light and meeting the locals, I wanted a book that would cover in more detail the "Back Door" towns that he recommends. My advice would be to get this book from your local library, check out his Back Door towns, photocopy the restaurant/lodging recommendations of those towns, and then get a Michelin guide for more detailed information.
Rating:
Summary: Top notch ... the best overall Europe book available
Review: A must-buy for anyone vacationing in Europe, this book details all the important facts to get you closer to the culture, people and the country or countries you're visiting.
Rating:
Summary: Compulsory reading for first time travellers to Europe
Review: We really enjoyed Rick Steve's pratical ideas & comments so much so that we are jumping a plane next week to Europe. Living in a remote island in the Pacific where any sort of information on travelling to Europe is non existent, Steve's book was a god sent. The book is written in a very easy to read style, with brilliant, and very practical ideas and tips that will make anyones visit a success. Highly recommended.
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