...for eastern europe on a tight budget? lonely planet or
rough guide? or another one? opinions please....
[There are 8 posts - the latest was added on Fri 23 April, 13:08]
Use the form at the end of this page to add your own post.
Topics
| Thorn Tree
| Home
I generally find the style of the Rough Guides to be less
pretentious than the LP guides. They also do less
hand-holding. For example, they don't give exhaustive lists
of accommodation as in LP. Rough Guide is more likely to say
"here's the part of town with the cheap accom." then leave
it up to you to find something. If they do mention specific
places I think it's with some real knowledge of what you can
expect.
However, there's little to choose between them as far as the
factual information is concerned.
I think that they're both quite informative, probably the
best thing to do is to go into a shop with both types read a
bit of each, and see which style of writing you prefer.
Lonelyplanet is better. This is their website.
I have traveled with both, and must say that I prefer the
Lonely Planet.
Let's Go Eastern Europe wins hands down. No-nonsense,
up-to-date information.
Having spent some time in Moscow and having had access to
various person's discarded guide books to the area (at least
half a dozen brands) , I can say, HANDS DOWN, LP provides
the best, most accurate info one needs for spending time in
European Russia.
Their guide to Czech and Slovak didn't much impress me, but
it might have been a different story, had I actually been in
either of those Republics. . .
If you want to go to all the same places as Aussies and
Kiwis, buy Lonely Planet. If you want to go places with
Poms, buy Rough Guide. If you want to go places Yanks, buy
Let's Go. If you want to travel with the blue-rinse set, buy
Fodor's guides. These people oddly enough all congregate in
the same areas.
More options give you better deals on hostels, cool places
to check out, eat, whatever. The other books (Let's Go) was
good, but covers a large area and the LP is more concise.