Lonely Planet Germany

Lonely Planet Does all the Hard Work for You

Lonely Planet prides itself on offering its readers “almost too much information.” Germany is no exception. Here you’ll find 816 pages with small print of information for the traveler who is planning to make the most from an overseas trip to Germany. The authors of this comprehensive book traveled extensively to get us the most important, accurate and honest information. (The coordinating Author is Andre Schulte-Peevers.) These are real people who do all the hard work for you so you can experience the best that Germany has to offer. When you think about what they have to do to complete a guidebook at this scope, it’s astonishing that you can just buy all that information for under $30!

The book’s chapters are designed to take you through the planning and traveling process in the proper order. You’ll start by learning when the best time is to go, how much it will cost you and what literature to read. The authors list their Top 10 movies, reads and festivals/events. Then you can start to plan your itinerary, whether it be a classic experience or roads less traveled. You’ll get a list of tailored or themed trips, such as castles, cathedrals or wine country. You will not find many color photographs in Lonely Planet books, just thoroughly researched, valuable information.

The book offers nice chapters on the history and culture of Germany, and I am a firm believer that you should know the history of a place and get acquainted with the culture before you visit. That way you can get so much more out of your travel experience. Of course you’ll also read a chapter dedicated to the food and drink as well.

The meat of the guide is dedicated to specific cities and regions, naturally starting with Berlin. Highlights, places to get information while there, transportation, practical information (such as emergencies, tourist info etc) are all included as well as the best attractions (with hours of operation.) You’ll find out about sporting events, live entertainment, shopping, music, events and so much more. The maps are very detailed, though the print is small. A few of the many destinations included in Germany are Saxony, Hamburg, Mecklenburg and more.

The detailed index at the back of the book is a great resource, as is the glossary. One of these days, I’ve got to follow around one of the editors of Lonely Planet guides so I can see just how they get so much substantial information and put it all together. Each of these guides I have used and reviewed seems to me as though they should have taken a lifetime to put together!

Debbie Glade is the Geography Awareness Editor for Wandering Educators