The Rough Guide to Wales

Rating:
Summary: Best guidebook I have found
Review: I studied at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth for six months this spring as an American Exchange Student. In preperation, I bought all sorts of guidebooks (AAA's Britian Book, Rick Steve's, just to name a few) They were very good, but the detail and ease of use of the Rough Guide made it the one I used most. I highly reccomend it. A big thank you to Mike Parker, Paul Whitfield, and everyone at Rough Guides.

Rating:
Summary: Could have used more opinions
Review: My husband and I just toured Wales with this book and bought it because of the evaluations from other Amazon readers. I'd like to add my two-cents -- we were disappointed (probably because it came highly recommended). There is lots of information but no opinions so all items read as "this is the facts" == which is good but missing a "trip must see" or a "don't go out of your way" evauation. With a limited time to tour, we would have liked a guide to some of the must-sees.

In all fairness, all the facts are there and correct.

Rating:
Summary: Could have used more opinions
Review: This was the first Rough Guide I bought for the first of my solo
vacations. I chose it after comparing with various other guides,
such as the Blue Guide and others. This provided an immense
amount of detail on all sorts of historical sites, little towns,
etc. and was of great value in planning out my trip. One thing that keeps me from giving it 5 stars is that I later discovered that there are a number of "dark age" monuments (forts, inscribed stones, gravesites, etc.) that it doesn't list; it concentrates on larger places. I would have liked to have seen alot of those, as dark age Britain is an interest of mine. To be fair, other guides leave those things out, too, and I had to find the info in archeological and historical references.

Rating:
Summary: A very useful guide
Review: This was the first Rough Guide I bought for the first of my solo
vacations. I chose it after comparing with various other guides,
such as the Blue Guide and others. This provided an immense
amount of detail on all sorts of historical sites, little towns,
etc. and was of great value in planning out my trip. One thing that keeps me from giving it 5 stars is that I later discovered that there are a number of "dark age" monuments (forts, inscribed stones, gravesites, etc.) that it doesn't list; it concentrates on larger places. I would have liked to have seen alot of those, as dark age Britain is an interest of mine. To be fair, other guides leave those things out, too, and I had to find the info in archeological and historical references.

Rating:
Summary: Wales: A Truly, Madly, Deeply Celtic Nation!
Review: Wales is the Celtic country par excelence and the least known and least written about of all of them that remain - Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Cornwall and Galicia and also possibly Asturias.

This book goes a way to redress the balance with Wales more well known neighbours. Of course living in the permanent shadow of England will always draw attention away from it to more easily identifiable tourist interests such as grand museums, big shops, a wealth of historical buildings and emblematic architecture etc.

The Rough Guide to Wales is indeed a joy to read and a delight to use, it follows the Rough Guide philosophy that has worked with so many other locations, and it makes Wales appear to be a very approachable and friendly place that has a welcome for everyone.

If you are thinking of going native Celtic then think of Wales - if you want to know more or you have decided already then this book is for you.

Regards,

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