weaselweader's review
4.0
Top-notch trip planner and post-trip souvenir!
With every passing European trip (I've now had the pleasure of touring London, Paris, the Dordogne valley, Switzerland, Budapest, Vienna and Sicily), I'm realizing that my travel skills are becoming sharper as is my ability to judge the merits of the dizzying array of choices of travel guides available for the travelling public.
My first choice continues to be the Eyewitness series in their TOP 10 format ... in this case, Top 10 Prague. I would suggest that it be complemented by the somewhat more comprehensive Prague.
The Top 10 format is entirely self-explanatory, a list of Top 10 sights that are must-sees for any first time tourist in a given city or country. Depending on the destination, the Top 10 lists become increasingly more detailed and may include, for example, top 10 churches, museums, children's attractions, festivals, events, restaurants, cafés, pubs, parks and so on. In the second half of each book, the information is effectively repeated but organized by neighbourhood, so the prospective tourist might make the most effective use of limited time touring a given area in a city or country without missing anything of interest.
The information is all linked to beautiful photographs and allows a potential traveler to make sensible choices in advance according to his or her personal tastes. Most telling is the fact that each Top 10 title makes no attempt to be comprehensive. It is absolutely, positively aimed at the first time tourist attempting to do a one shot overview of a city or country. If that is your objective, there is little question that the DK Eyewitness Top 10 series is the hands down winner against all the competition - Blue Guide, Green Guide, Rough Guide, National Geographic, Frommer or Michelin.
One suggestion for the Top 10 Prague Guide in particular. The pull out map is a WONDERFUL idea but it should be a simple rectangle. The map provided has a wierd, obscure shape with some internal corners that are certain to tear in the stress of repeated opening and closing. Two other minor criticisms - first, some of the addresses for stores and restaurants are incorrect - outdated, I dare say - but, search as I might, I simply couldn't find the stores I was looking for (Obchod pod Lampou and Galerie Boema stand out in my memory). Last but not least, it's all well and good to list the Top 10 Palaces as notable sights but, if they have been converted to embassies, for example, then clearly they are closed to the public. That, of course, means that they are of interest only from a historic point of view and possibly represent an external photo op. Personally, I'd rather hear about palaces or old homes that I can actually visit and tour.
That said, the DK Eyewitness Travel series still stands head and shoulder above the competition. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
With every passing European trip (I've now had the pleasure of touring London, Paris, the Dordogne valley, Switzerland, Budapest, Vienna and Sicily), I'm realizing that my travel skills are becoming sharper as is my ability to judge the merits of the dizzying array of choices of travel guides available for the travelling public.
My first choice continues to be the Eyewitness series in their TOP 10 format ... in this case, Top 10 Prague. I would suggest that it be complemented by the somewhat more comprehensive Prague.
The Top 10 format is entirely self-explanatory, a list of Top 10 sights that are must-sees for any first time tourist in a given city or country. Depending on the destination, the Top 10 lists become increasingly more detailed and may include, for example, top 10 churches, museums, children's attractions, festivals, events, restaurants, cafés, pubs, parks and so on. In the second half of each book, the information is effectively repeated but organized by neighbourhood, so the prospective tourist might make the most effective use of limited time touring a given area in a city or country without missing anything of interest.
The information is all linked to beautiful photographs and allows a potential traveler to make sensible choices in advance according to his or her personal tastes. Most telling is the fact that each Top 10 title makes no attempt to be comprehensive. It is absolutely, positively aimed at the first time tourist attempting to do a one shot overview of a city or country. If that is your objective, there is little question that the DK Eyewitness Top 10 series is the hands down winner against all the competition - Blue Guide, Green Guide, Rough Guide, National Geographic, Frommer or Michelin.
One suggestion for the Top 10 Prague Guide in particular. The pull out map is a WONDERFUL idea but it should be a simple rectangle. The map provided has a wierd, obscure shape with some internal corners that are certain to tear in the stress of repeated opening and closing. Two other minor criticisms - first, some of the addresses for stores and restaurants are incorrect - outdated, I dare say - but, search as I might, I simply couldn't find the stores I was looking for (Obchod pod Lampou and Galerie Boema stand out in my memory). Last but not least, it's all well and good to list the Top 10 Palaces as notable sights but, if they have been converted to embassies, for example, then clearly they are closed to the public. That, of course, means that they are of interest only from a historic point of view and possibly represent an external photo op. Personally, I'd rather hear about palaces or old homes that I can actually visit and tour.
That said, the DK Eyewitness Travel series still stands head and shoulder above the competition. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
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