First-Time Europe: The Rough Guide, Second Edition

This book is great to help you plan your trip before you've even bought your tickets. It gives great tips and advise on packing and traveling. It doesn't discuss different countries...you'll need to get a "Let's Go" type of book for that. This book is strictly for preparation for people on a budget.

If you have never been to Europe and are thinking of traveling there independently (or, perhaps even with a tour, although tour guides tend to dislike "educated" tourists...) you NEED this book! I only wish I had such a book to guide me when I began traveling many years ago. As the book itself states, it is NOT a guidebook for sites to see, lodging, specific costs, etc. What it DOES do (and rather well...) is outline the skills and tools you need to travel successfully--and not just in Europe, as the skills Mr. Casablanca relates are applicable in any travel situation. Being a well-traveled person myself, anytime someone asks me how I "do it", or if I hear of someone planning a trip to Europe for the first time, I ask them if they have read this book. If not, I tell them it is REQUIRED reading if you want your independent trip to go smoothly. Many of the tips and ideas laid-out in the book I had to learn by experience--not always a joyful thing when traveling. While I value experience in travel, if you can save yourself a few headaches, why not?? As I mentioned eariler, the skills outlined in this book are fully transferable across continents and local regions. The book gives you practical ways of dealing with almost any situation you will encounter--anywhere in the world. The information given is well-researched, easy to follow, and never goes out of style...it's always useful.

Now in a completely updated fourth edition, Louis CasaBianca's First-Time Europe continues to be a premiere, "user friendly" travel guide for the novice traveler to Europe. All aspects of preparing for a trip are covered including getting a passport, securing economical air transportation, selecting rail passes, what to pack, and planning ahead of time on where to go and what to see. While in Europe, readers will have access to invaluable, practical information on best value accommodations, navigating the sights, and traveling from city to city. The informative text is enhanced with eight pages of color maps and all the major rail routes. First-Time Europe is replete with money-saving tips, as well as advice for staying health, keeping out of trouble, staying in touch, itinerary suggestions, and more! If you are planning your first trip to Europe (or a second, third, or fourth!), begin by browsing through Louis CasaBianca's First-Time Europe!

While planning my first time trip to Europe, I bought several guidebooks: Frommer's Europe, Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door, Lonley Planet's Europe While all of these are excellent guides, this one is the best if you are planning your first trip abroad or even to learn new things and gain a better perspective of budget travel. After you read this book, you must read Rick Steve's Europe Through the Back Door. Rick's book is equally as good with a little more depth and a different perspective. Side note - buy your rail tickets from Rick Steve.(ricksteve.com) He sends you one of his books at no cost and sends a video on how to use your rail tickets. His website is the best for travel to Europe that I have found so far. Anyway, buy this book - it will save you hundreds in Europe or abroad and totally prepare you for your trip!!!

As a prospective AFS exchange student to Europe, I found this book to be of more help than any other. Student travelers don't have many books as resources; "First Time Europe," while not geared exclusively toward students, has a wealth of information that is useful to us. What to pack, what to expect, places to stay, attitudes...they are all contained here. This is highly recommended to any student, or others who are on a tight budget and want the most for their money. Written with a perfect balance of anecdotes and practical information, the book is interesting as well as informative. Buy it, buy it, buy it!