Rating: 
Summary: More to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Review: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Rick StevesI like Rick Steves' travel philosophy, which is basically not to stay in hotels, pack a lunch, and travel frugally. There is some good information in this book. It helped us several times on a trip to Germany and Austria. The coverage about the Mittelrhein is informative. I liked Steves' map of the castles between Koblenz and Bingen. Largely due to his coverage of the town of Bacharach, we spent two nights there. We were not alone. I actually saw a tourist walking down the street with a copy of this book in his hand. One place offering lodging had a sign out front about being mentioned in this book. Despite these things, Bacharach is a charming town, where one can walk everywhere or take a boat to the next town. The town is surrounded by vineyards, and the local wine that can be tried in several establishments in town is exceptionally good. In Rothenburg, Steve's book came in handy late one afternoon, upon arriving after the tourist office had closed. Being in a walled city as evening approaches with no prospect of a place to stay can be a little traumatic. We studied the book, bought a city map, and navigated the twisting medieval streets to a place mentioned. We got a room. The host was a pleasant elderly gentleman, who offered a good room at a reasonable price. Moving on to Salzburg, Austria, Steves' book failed us somewhat. We got caught in a lot of traffic, could not find the accommodation area he described, although stopping to ask several times, eventually gave up in frustration, and went to Berchtesgaden, Germany, not too far away. The book had very little information on Berchtesgaden although there were many charming places to stay there and in other smaller towns along the way. The country inn where we stayed was very pleasant. There were some great views of the mountains from the grounds. The Berchtesgaden area is truly beautiful, but one would not have known this from Steves' book. I do give Rick Steves credit for directing us to the town of Reutte in Tyrol. The cozy farmhouse where we stayed in Ehenbickl, an adjacent town, had been in the owners' family for 700 years. The hospitality was second to none. Reutte is situated on the Lech River about a twenty-minute drive from Neuschwanstein, perhaps the most touristy place in Germany. On the whole, this book by Rick Steves was quite helpful to us. However, his coverage is somewhat hit or miss. He does cover many interesting places to visit. However, he leaves just as many out and skips over others. Berchtesgaden would be a case in point. He also dismisses the city of Heidelberg, one of the most beautiful cities in Germany in a few sentences as being too tourist-oriented. This is ironic because Rothenburg, though worth a trip, is about as oriented to tourism as a town can be. Despite some shortcomings, Rick Steves' book is still a good travel book.My advice, however, would be not to bind yourself to it, like the tourist I saw in Bacharach. Use the Internet to locate places to stay in the German speaking world and send e-mail to make reservations. In local inns and farmhouses, you will not have to give a credit card number. They will actually trust you. Austria has exceptional web pages. There one can find some of the most serene, beautiful farmhouse accommodations, at inexpensive prices, in Europe. Gute Reise! (Have a nice trip.)
Rating:
Summary: More to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Review: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Rick Steves I like Rick Steves' travel philosophy, which is basically not to stay in hotels, pack a lunch, and travel frugally. There is some good information in this book. It helped us several times on a trip to Germany and Austria. The coverage about the Mittelrhein is informative. I liked Steves' map of the castles between Koblenz and Bingen. Largely due to his coverage of the town of Bacharach, we spent two nights there. We were not alone. I actually saw a tourist walking down the street with a copy of this book in his hand. One place offering lodging had a sign out front about being mentioned in this book. Despite these things, Bacharach is a charming town, where one can walk everywhere or take a boat to the next town. The town is surrounded by vineyards, and the local wine that can be tried in several establishments in town is exceptionally good. In Rothenburg, Steve's book came in handy late one afternoon, upon arriving after the tourist office had closed. Being in a walled city as evening approaches with no prospect of a place to stay can be a little traumatic. We studied the book, bought a city map, and navigated the twisting medieval streets to a place mentioned. We got a room. The host was a pleasant elderly gentleman, who offered a good room at a reasonable price. Moving on to Salzburg, Austria, Steves' book failed us somewhat. We got caught in a lot of traffic, could not find the accommodation area he described, although stopping to ask several times, eventually gave up in frustration, and went to Berchtesgaden, Germany, not too far away. The book had very little information on Berchtesgaden although there were many charming places to stay there and in other smaller towns along the way. The country inn where we stayed was very pleasant. There were some great views of the mountains from the grounds. The Berchtesgaden area is truly beautiful, but one would not have known this from Steves' book. I do give Rick Steves credit for directing us to the town of Reutte in Tyrol. The cozy farmhouse where we stayed in Ehenbickl, an adjacent town, had been in the owners' family for 700 years. The hospitality was second to none. Reutte is situated on the Lech River about a twenty-minute drive from Neuschwanstein, perhaps the most touristy place in Germany. On the whole, this book by Rick Steves was quite helpful to us. However, his coverage is somewhat hit or miss. He does cover many interesting places to visit. However, he leaves just as many out and skips over others. Berchtesgaden would be a case in point. He also dismisses the city of Heidelberg, one of the most beautiful cities in Germany in a few sentences as being too tourist-oriented. This is ironic because Rothenburg, though worth a trip, is about as oriented to tourism as a town can be. Despite some shortcomings, Rick Steves' book is still a good travel book.My advice, however, would be not to bind yourself to it, like the tourist I saw in Bacharach. Use the Internet to locate places to stay in the German speaking world and send e-mail to make reservations. In local inns and farmhouses, you will not have to give a credit card number. They will actually trust you. Austria has exceptional web pages. There one can find some of the most serene, beautiful farmhouse accommodations, at inexpensive prices, in Europe. Gute Reise! (Have a nice trip.)
Rating: 
Summary: Don't always follow his advise!
Review: I love his shows and most of what is suggested is fine.However my wife and I found that many times his "backroads"approach is more suited for someone who has traveled and visited these places several times. For someone making a first visit some of his suggestions of what to skip and avoid is a bad idea. For example, he suggested avoiding the town on Lake Titisee at all costs - too touristy! We made a wrong turn and ended up there and thought it was beautiful - yes it was crowded but very much worth a stop. His suggestions in Switzerand to stay in Gimmelwald and NOT in touristy Grindelwald is a joke. As he puts it "they feed the cows better in Gimmelwald than the people". Gimmelwald is pretty just like everything else in the area, but Grindelwald in my opinion is a much smarter place to stay - more convenient to the trains and cable cars and hikes, more eating choices, lots of shopping, and plenty of hotels to choose from. Hey Rick, places are touristy for a reason! There's actually something to do and see and somewhere to eat and sleep!
Rating:
Summary: Indespensible but not perfect
Review: I used this book on a visit last September to the Berner Oberland and Lake Geneva area and found it indespensible but not perfect. If you want spectacular beauty, picturesque Swiss mountain villages, lots of cowbells, and efficient transportation, then the Berner Oberland is your heaven. Rick's book provides great maps, train schedules, and hiking recommendations (I particularly loved the valley walk with the cows). But, I agree with the reviewer below from Atlanta on comments about where to stay. Unless you want isolation, do not stay in tiny Gimmelwald. In addition to Grindelwald, I recommend Wengen, which was the most convenient town for me. My balcony view from the Wengener Hof hotel was breathtaking and reasonably priced (and easily reserved over the internet). Grindelwald is certainly a good alternative, and is the best for shopping. With regard to Lake Geneva, Rick is not a big fan, but I definitely recommend a visit. Lausanne is the most beautiful city, I took a great cruise of the Lake, Yvoire is a well preserved (and yes, touristy) small French town with great views of the Lake, and Chateau Chillon was very worthwhile. I didn't have time for Geneva, but hope to return some day. The tourist train from Interlaken to Montreaux was unforgettable, but avoid Montreaux except for the chateau. I highly recommend a Swiss rail pass - I bought one from Rick's site and it was a great convenience in both of my destinations.
Rating:
Summary: Indespensible but not perfect
Review: I used this book on a visit last September to the Berner Oberland and Lake Geneva area and found it indespensible but not perfect. If you want spectacular beauty, picturesque Swiss mountain villages, lots of cowbells, and efficient transportation, then the Berner Oberland is your heaven. Rick's book provides great maps, train schedules, and hiking recommendations (I particularly loved the valley walk with the cows). But, I agree with the reviewer below from Atlanta on comments about where to stay. Unless you want isolation, do not stay in tiny Gimmelwald. In addition to Grindelwald, I recommend Wengen, which was the most convenient town for me. My balcony view from the Wengener Hof hotel was breathtaking and reasonably priced (and easily reserved over the internet). Grindelwald is certainly a good alternative, and is the best for shopping. With regard to Lake Geneva, Rick is not a big fan, but I definitely recommend a visit. Lausanne is the most beautiful city, I took a great cruise of the Lake, Yvoire is a well preserved (and yes, touristy) small French town with great views of the Lake, and Chateau Chillon was very worthwhile. I didn't have time for Geneva, but hope to return some day. The tourist train from Interlaken to Montreaux was unforgettable, but avoid Montreaux except for the chateau. I highly recommend a Swiss rail pass - I bought one from Rick's site and it was a great convenience in both of my destinations.
Rating:
Summary: Indispensable travel companion
Review: My wife and I spent two weeks in Germany last summer (1998) using this book as our main travel guide. I like to use Rick Steves travel books along with a Frommmers or Fodors. This gives me two perspectives and more of a balanced idea of what to see and where to stay. The biggest problem with Rick Steves recommendations is: he's become so popular lately that many of the places he suggests become deluged with other Rick Steves followers. Oh well. That's why I also like to have at least one other tour book to refer to. But the great thing about Steves guides is that he boils travel destinations down to their essence, covering the 'best' stuff and leaving the reader to work out the details. And that's part of the fun of travel. Steves books are light and compact so they fit easily in your pocket, etc. The maps could use some cleaning up--they seem to be drawn and lettered by hand, which is a nice touch but somewhat hard to read at times. I guess the best thing about this and other Steves books is that they are written in a frank and conversational style, as if you were getting 'the straight scoop' from a friend, with a lot of 'be sure to . . 'and 'be careful of . . .' I hope Rick Steves doesn't sell out too soon. These little books are reliable and, for me, indispensable when I travel. I have used other books of his when travelling in Russia, Great Britain and France--all very good.
Rating:
Summary: Don't forget to pack Rick Steves in the suitcase
Review: Packing Rick Steves into the backpack is typically a good idea before flying to Europe. His off-the-beaten-path approach is an excellent way to feel more like a temporary local than a tourbus tourist. Thanks to Rick, my mother and I slept beneath feather down comforters in a 500-year-old guesthouse in Rothenberg, chatted with a local winemaker in the Rhine Valley about the eis wine his family has been making for 400 years and much more. However, readers looking for the perfect backdoor experience must remember that any town recommended by Rick Steves is destined to become flooded by scores of Rick Steves readers. To avoid this, we took another of Rick's suggestions by traveling deep into the off season. Overall, this is a gem of a book filled with solid advice written in a laid back style even if the maps leave a bit to be desired. To have the most of the book, however, I would again follow Rick's advice by taking the best of his suggestions, but leaving the door open to discover new back doors as well.
Rating:
Summary: Don't forget to pack Rick Steves in the suitcase
Review: Packing Rick Steves into the backpack is typically a good idea before flying to Europe. His off-the-beaten-path approach is an excellent way to feel more like a temporary local than a tourbus tourist. Thanks to Rick, my mother and I slept beneath feather down comforters in a 500-year-old guesthouse in Rothenberg, chatted with a local winemaker in the Rhine Valley about the eis wine his family has been making for 400 years and much more. However, readers looking for the perfect backdoor experience must remember that any town recommended by Rick Steves is destined to become flooded by scores of Rick Steves readers. To avoid this, we took another of Rick's suggestions by traveling deep into the off season. Overall, this is a gem of a book filled with solid advice written in a laid back style even if the maps leave a bit to be desired. To have the most of the book, however, I would again follow Rick's advice by taking the best of his suggestions, but leaving the door open to discover new back doors as well.
Rating:
Summary: Steves' offers a good compass to European vacationers
Review: PROs: Rick Steves packs this travel guide with useful and accurate information, honest opinions, travel inspiration, and enjoyable writing. It is easy and entertaining to read - chock full of Steves' (sometimes corny) humor. I can pick it up and read it again and again, and each time I feel the adventurer within is ready for another. For anyone planning a European vacation, Steves' guides are a necessity. With his guidance on travel tips as well as the "nitty gritty", your dreams of a fantastic vacation can easily be a reality. CONs: Because of its honest & opinionated nature, this book is not as comprehensive as others. It is a wonderful vacation guide; however if you are going to be spending a great deal of time in Europe (i.e. on an exchange program) it is wise to purchase an accompanying book to guide you through the destinations that Steves does not cover in this guide. (I have found the Lonely Planet series to be excellent.) And don't skimp... as Steves himself says, "guidebooks are $15.oo tools for $3,000.oo experiences." I highly recommend this book as a compass for all European vacations. Bon Voyage!
Rating:
Summary: Great Travel Book
Review: Rick Steves' book packs great information in a wonderful format. He is short and to the point and many areas from German culture, historical high points, and places to eat and stay. The only critism that I have is the maps in this book are terrible. It is difficult if not impossible to preplan your vacation with the maps provided.
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