Let's Go 2005 Europe

by Stuart J. Robinson

Completely revised and updated for 2005, Let's Go: Europe is your comprehensive guide to the European landmass. Our original bestseller, updated for the forty-fifth consecutive year, covers thirty-six countries from Andorra to the Ukraine. This year's update features improved suggested itineraries and brand-new themed trips, so you can make the most of your time, whether you have three days or three months. Expanded outdoors coverage, from volcano-hiking...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312335466
• ISBN13: 9780312335465
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: Let's Go Publications
• Length: 1082 Pages
• Weight: 1.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 5.2" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Go Away Hotels & Restaurants, Bring Back Hostels & Towns

As each new yearly edition emerges from the Let's Go camp more and more less popular towns (but still sensational must visit places) vanish from this once great collection of facts and information. They are being squeezed out to make way for an expanded hotel and restaurant scene something of which backpackers can not afford to patronise nor want to. More supermarket addresses instead would be beneficial. Sure some tourists eat at these places and spend hundreds of dollars a night for somewhere to sleep away from other travellers but these rich or short holiday travellers are not what Let's Go's roots were all about. Let's Go was originally a backpacker book which provided a comprehensive list of backpacker hostels in most large cities and small towns throughout the Europe (for the Europe edition) along with basic information on what there was to see or attract you to stop there. Now most of those small towns are gone. Nottingham, England (where Robin Hood hang out), Titisee and Schluchsee in the Black Forrest Germany are gone from previous years. Freiburg is not the Black Forrest experience, just the nearest big city but Let's Go will have you believe it is. All Northern Ireland now lists are Belfast and Causeway Coast. What about Londonderry (Derry) the only medieval walled city on the island of the Republic of and Northern Ireland. What is going on with hostel listings? Each year more and more of them disappear. I know of at least 21 backpacker hostels in Dublin yet Let's Go lists only 6 and some towns do not even have a hostel listing even though there are hostels there. This means backpackers may not go somewhere at all out of fear there is nowhere to stay which is not the case. Pisa, Italy has no hostel listings when the Centro Turistico Madonna dell' Acqua Hostel a short walk from the famous leaning one (can be found at V. Pietrasantina 15). Inverness, Scotland has only one hostel listed, I know of 7. Either the quality of staff in the research department has gone downhill or hostels now have to pay to be listed. If this is the case it should be mentioned before each city's hostel listings so the unsuspecting reader who thinks they are getting unbiased coverage is aware. Lauterbrunnen probably the best nature town in Switzerland (surrounded by numerous waterfalls and the Alps) was listed but has also disappeared. It is sad to think some people (who only go where their guide book takes them) may go to Europe, backpack for a few months and only find out when they meet other backpackers that they missed out on a gem of an experience. What will Let's Go 2015 contain just London, Barcelona, Paris, Berlin and a few other cities? If you've never been to Europe then this book will be of some benefit to you but due to lack of coverage if you're planning on visiting the real Europe you'll have to research elsewhere as well. Get a second hand edition from the late 90's if you can instead. Let's Go needs to rediscover its root

Europe on the cheap...

Let's Go is THE guidebook for cheap traveling, especially for students. It's secret? It's written by students, mainly for students...It's strength is that it has a lot of truly budget accomodations listed -- hostels, etc. -- in practically every city in Europe. The main weakness? Because it is put together by students, who by definition are amateurs, the writing can sometimes be weak, the info can be out of date or wrong, and the reviews of lodging and sights are incredibly uneven. (For example, when I used Let's Go almost exclusively for a 3-month Europe trip, some of their $10-25/night budget accomodations listed were fantastic -- but others were dumps unworthy of a listing in any guidebook). The problem is that, unlike a Lonely Planet or a Rick Steves guidebook, which are written by professionals, Let's Go has had hundreds of writers over the years, with students writing about one country but not all the others...If you are unlucky enough to go to a country reviewed by Mountain Man Jack, for example, and he doesn't care about a lack of air conditioning, lumpy beds and smelly rooms, and fails to mention these items, you are out of luck. All in all, though, a great resource for people who need truly budget accomodations, with lots of good maps and other tips... I've personally outgrown this guidebook, having moved on to Rick Steves, who focuses not on the cheapest possible budget but on getting the most possible out of your trip...($50-$100 day vs. the $25-$50 that Let's Go specializes in).

Definitely for Students

This series is specifically (and explicitly, might I add) designed for students and others on a budget - its also written by students so I trust the information will be to my specs - the best budget guidebook out there. Also gives good tips on highlights and nightlife.