Lonely Planet Austria (Country Guide) by Neal Bedford, Gemma Pitcher Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Lonely Planet Austria (Country Guide)
Book Review: Needs more guidance and priortization; also missed info
Summary: 3 Stars
I just returned from a brief trip to Austria. Lonely Planet is a reliable guide, but it has many problems some of which have been discussed already. I agree that it is a bit too oriented towards backpackers, wanderers, and poor students. This is not bad, because some guides such as the Guide Vert don't even acknowledge hostels it seems.
The LP notably missed the number of organized tours that were available, in English, from Salzburg. I was able to go to Berchtesgaden/Eagles Nest on a guided tour. There are also the Ice Caves. These tours significantly reduced my level of effort and organization required.
The other problem is that with few pictures (not a terrible thing given limited space) it is hard to have a good sense of where you want to go and what you should prioritize. For example, how does an Alpine castle in Austria compare to one in Germany or France? "Best in Europe" is a useful description you don't find; "Best in Austria" is not especially useful given that Austria is not the largest country in Europe, and one is more likely than not to be passing through Austria between Italy, Germany, and France rather than spending weeks there.
In the case of Vienna, I found that there were some significant museums and sites that were missing; such as the arsenal or the German flak towers. However, they did have most of the important sites and if you only have a day or two that's fine.
The LP books consistently have more descriptions and destinations for any mainstream books. If you want that "hidden treasure" you need to get a regional/local book, usually in the local language.
Book Review: Travel Prep
Summary: 4 Stars
A great book in preparation for your trip to Austria. Several smaller, yet interesting, areas are discussed.Book Review: guide book
Summary: 4 Stars
This tour book was very helpful to me and arrived in excellent condition. I was pleased with the quick delivery time as it gave me time to prepare for our trip. Glad I ordered it.