Frommer's Spain 2010 (Frommer's Complete Guides)
by Danforth Prince, Darwin Porter
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Book Summary Information
Author: Danforth Prince, Darwin PorterEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-10-12
ISBN: 0470470720
Number of pages: 720
Publisher: Frommers
Book Reviews of Frommer's Spain 2010 (Frommer's Complete Guides)
Book Review: Find another guidebook!
Summary: 1 Stars
This Frommer's Spain 2010 travel guide is the worst travel guide I have ever used. I go on many vacations and always bring a guide book with me. In fact, I have been partial to Frommer's because of my positive experiences with the Hawaii and Eastern European guides. That is why my husband and I chose Frommer's Spain 2010 book for our recent trip to Spain. However, this guide book is full of inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and omissions. My husband and I frequently found ourselves confused, and we even wasted an evening in Seville following bizarre tapas recommendations (which were either closed or didn't even serve tapas). We missed going to Montjuic in Barcelona for sunset because the book suggested that the funicular would stop running, which was untrue. We overpaid at several attractions because I left my student ID in the safe because the book failed to mention an available student discount. I really cannot express my disappointment enough. We brought along one book for this trip, and it was Frommer's. And it led us astray over and over again. I wish I could go back in time and bring a different book. Then we wouldn't have wasted an evening in Seville being disappointed at the lack of tapas. We would have saved a lot of money on student discounts. We would have toured the Palau de la Musica Catalana and brought hiking clothes and fewer layers to Monserrat. We would have had a better trip to Spain with a different guide book. Sadly, I cannot get those experiences back. If you want some examples of the errors we found in this book, I will outline some below. Keep in mind that we only went to 4 cities in 9 days. I'm sure there are many more errors that we didn't catch. Do yourself a favor and do not by this guidebook!
p. 90: When discussing Seville, specifically the Barrio de Santa Cruz, Frommer's recommends dining at Albahaca. Albahaca is located in Granada, not Seville.
p. 263: Frommer's fails to mention that students are admitted to the Alcazar in Seville for free. If I had known this, I would have brought my student ID.
p. 276: Frommer's fails to mention that La Alicantina, a tapas bar in Seville, is closed on Sundays. They also recommend Modesto for tapas "priced from 3.50." Modesto does not serve tapas, and the half-rincon portions they do offer are at least double the price suggested. We also did not find any tapas priced at 3.50 at their other recommended tapas place Casa Roman.
p. 353: Bus service from Malaga to Nerja does not take 60 minutes, as suggested, but rather ranges from 70-90 minutes. This could be a big problem for someone relying on this information to get to the Malaga airport in time to catch a flight.
p. 385: The Aerobus is 5 euros one way, not 4.05.
p. 392: One-way fare on Barcelona's metro system is 1.40 not 1.35. (These price discrepancies are obviously minor, but reflect the shoddy editing and carelessness of this guidebook.)
p. 394: "To reach Montjuic, the site of the 1992 Olympics, take the Montjuic funicular. It links with subway lines 2 and 3 at Paral-lel. The funicular runs daily 10am-7pm in April, May, and October; 10am-9pm June to September; and 10am-6pm November to March." ALSO p. 435: "The funicular is open daily 9am-10pm. In winter it operates daily from 9am-8pm. The round-trip fare is 8.30." These sentences contradict each other and really don't make any sense. In actuality, the funicular is free with a metro ticket and runs well past 7pm in April. The aerial to the castle from Montjuic stops running around 7pm and costs 8.30. You can also walk up to the castle instead of taking the aerial. We almost didn't go to Montjuic because the contradictory descriptions didn't make any sense. Luckily our hotel explained how to get there and what the actual hours are.
p. 446: It would be useful if Frommer's mentioned that they give tours of the Palau de la Musica Catalana, and give the hours and days tours are available. This is a major attraction that is described and recommended, but Frommer's fails to mention that tours are an option.
p. 428: Frommer's does not mention that there is a student rate to enter La Sagrada Familia that saves 2 euros. Also, they list the prices of admission as 11 euros, when it's actually 12 euros.
P 454: Frommer's does not say how long it takes to get from Barcelona to Montserrat. This is a popular excursion that several pages of the guidebook are devoted to. For people taking a day trip, it is useful to know how long it takes to get there and back. Frommer's mentions that the train connects with a cable-way for 16 euros round trip. They do not mention that you can get to Montserrat entirely by train. Also, having taken this side trip, they should really mention that Montserrat is a good base camp for many hiking trails, both long and short. If we had known this we would have worn appropriate attire to do some hiking as the terrain is beautiful. Frommer's also discusses the weather, "The winds blow cold up here even in summer, so visitors should bring along warm sweaters, jackets, or coats." We were there in April, where the forecast for Barcelona was 66 degrees Fahrenheit so we brought many layers. Although there was a breeze, it was warmer in Montserrat than it was in Barcelona. I would advice telling people to check the forecast, not telling them to bring layers that they will regret once they arrive and cannot change.
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