Lonely Planet Austria

Printed in 2005, some of the factual material is out-of-date (e.g., banks that change currency or traveller's checks), but the arrrangement by geographical areas works and the city maps--and the variety of things given on them--are clear and useful, as usual.

A great book in preparation for your trip to Austria. Several smaller, yet interesting, areas are discussed.

"Lonely Planet Austria" by Mark Honan is a very good choice if you want to go to Austria. My strongest recommendation (that is obviously true regarding every trip) is not only to read the book as extensively as possible before hitting the road, but also to take the time and sum up all the facts in an easy access manner. You have to realize in advance that this book aims exactly at providing you - the serious traveler - the best and most accurate information - and you will have to invest your energy to become well informed. The entire country is covered and almost all the major cities and towns reports include detailed maps. The grandeur of Vienna - ------------------------ What a beautiful city. It's almost beyond words. The magnificent buildings and churches, the museums, the opera houses and the residents...it seems like a dream to live in such a setting. The book does a great job in mentioning the best places to see and it even gave me the idea to go to the opera a decision that turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire trip; it pointed out the fact that opera is not as expensive as people might think - and in Austria anyone can afford it. The language is German but the music speaks all languages; imagine a stage occupied by a choral group of 80 singers, 60 instruments performers and 10 male and female soloists - and all of them are there to give you a few of the best hours of your life. A show not to be forgotten, I can assure you. Bear in mind that Vienna has one of the best public transportation systems you can find; it's like having your own limousine at 5 Euros per day! A tram stops at a given station almost every 30 seconds, the subway (U-Bahn) will get you anywhere in no time and the local buses complete the comprehensive coverage of the city. My advice for you, if you have the time on your hands, is to get lost in the city for a few hours. Forget about the maps and plans and just see what the city has to offer - by surprise. It can be quite an experience - and when you want to return to your hotel just jump on the closest U-Bahn or tram. No matter where, people will be delighted to help you to find your way, and more than once when I needed information people did their best to give me guidelines and explanations. It should be noted that the Vienna map the book provides is good for locating places it recommends but not so much for getting around while there. Good maps can be found in the hotels and I would also suggest the B & B Vienna laminated map. Other places that worth a visit - ------------------------------- Salzburg is the second city that is famous around the world when it comes to Austria. The city in which Mozart was born in is situated in a lovely and ideal area and is a great choice to for having a day tour and spending time in the evenings (after exploring the vicinity that includes some of the most dazzling places in the country. Sixty kilometers (38 miles) south east of Salzburg, built on the sh

There is no doubt this author has travelled extensively through Austria. His writing is richly detailed and down to earth. He doesn't just tell you what's there, he gives you additional insights and opinions which help you decide whether or not you want to spend your time going to a particular castle or place. I felt like I was taking along a personal tour guide. I was so impressed, I've bought 3 more Lonely Planet books, 2 of which are also written by this author.

I went to Austria on a trip sponsored by my school's German department, and I brought this book along with me. I knew more than our tour guide about many things in Austria, and left with a real appreciation of Austrian (and German) customs. I highly recommend this book.