Europe-bound? Pack these guides

Travel columnist

updated 2:39 p.m. ET June 3, 2005

One of the most important purchases you’ll make when you head to Europe this summer is a guidebook.

A good guidebook can be a blessing. A bad guidebook can create problem after problem. A good guidebook is honest, well-researched and accurate. A bad guidebook is a result of lazy writers and editors who simply reprint previously researched entries without quality and fact-checking.

Some guidebooks on the market today are little more than glossy brochures that are wonderful for planning where to travel and what sights may be worth seeing, but are better left at home since, their travel value is not worth their weight.

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There are guidebooks that focus on the cheapest student lodging and dining spots. Some cater to affordable travel experiences. Others concentrate only on the most expensive city-center hotels and restaurants that will drain a wallet dry.

It is a question of trust. Here are guidebook series travelers can trust. These books save time, provide insight and are packed with trip-enhancing details.

The best guidebooks for travelers going through Europe planning an affordable and comfortable vacation are the Michelin Red and Green Guides and Rick Steves’ guides. These guides have been well-researched and provide excellent information travelers can trust.

The only problem with hotels, pensions and B&Bs detailed in the Rick Steves’ series is the zealous legions of Rick Steves fans who seem to fill these places. From Paris to Sorrento and Rome to Madrid, troops of tourists have their breakfast of coffee or tea with toast and jelly intently reading their Rick Steves’ guides. However, breakfast at your hotel can turn into a great time for fellow travelers to compare notes and help each other make the most of time in town.

Suffice it to say, if you want to stay with the locals, you won’t find them in these Rick Steves’ accommodations. Normally, the top hotels listed by Rick Steves are middle-of-the-road favorites providing good and affordable lodging. Read the descriptions carefully — they are normally very accurate.

The overview of sights presented by Rick Steves is as good as I have read in years. His neighborhood walks are always fun and informative. His museum guides, complete with commentary about historic sculpture and storied artworks are wonderful and add another dimension to sometimes stodgy, hard-to-comprehend museums.

At the other end of the scale are the Michelin guides. These famous guidebooks are packed the best and most expensive lodging and dining that Europe has to offer. If any traveler finds dining experiences one of the most important factors in a vacation, the cryptic Red Guides are a must.

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