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John's Photo Gallery-- Amazon.com Suggested Travel Books.
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Suggested Spain Guide Books

España, one of my favioriate travel destinations. Of all the places I have traveled, this was the one where I felt the most immersed in the culture (it helps that I could speak a few thousand words in Spanish). Spain has beautiful cities, and a laid back culture which makes it an ideal escape. Below are travel books that I have used and I can recommend for travel through Spain.

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Book Title Comments
Rick Steve's Spain 07    Rick Steves has detailed easy to use guide books. Rick Steves' provides you with a list of the best and cheapest places to stay including up to date prices, addresses and phone numbers. He also provides a good synopsis of what the worth while sites are as well as a quick history of the sites. The book also provides a list of recommended restaurants and connections in between cities.
  Steves also gives you historical background on each city. His more recent books also include a history of the entire country (in this case Spain) which I also find useful because I know in what context something is important. I've used his books on all my trips except Greece (which he doesn't publish)

Michelin Green Guide:
Spain
  The Green Guide for Spain ofers alphabetical listing of any city you would even consider visiting. Furthermore it provides insightful history of the cities. For major attractions and cities the guide provides mini tours and other helpful information. The Green guide has a very accurate rating system for its listing and provides decent maps of areas of interest. This one was updated in 2006 so it has all the latest information.

The Lonely Planet:
Spain 2005
   Published bi-annually, this book provides history, culture, restaurant information and accommodations in a comprehensive book on Spain. Provides detailed information to assist a traveler in planing his/her trip as well the best budget places in Spain. This guide is a good reference book and is best read before going to Spain and only taking photo copies of the pages where you intend on going.
The Rough Guide:
Spain
   The Rough Guide for Spain gives comprehensive city listings. Including accommodations, some restaurants, museum. Also includes a brief history of Spain and information about the cities it lists. Again, like other rough guides, does not really rate hotels except for price.
Portugal Guide Books
Below are my two favorite Portugal books. For a more complete listing of portugal guide books, please see my Portugal guidebook page.
Rick Steve's Portugal 06    Rick Steves lives up to his detailed, easy to use guide books with Portugal 2006. Rick Steves' provides you with a list of the best and cheapest places to stay including up to date prices, addresses and phone numbers. He also provides a good synopsis of what the worth while sites are as well as a quick history of the sites. The book also provides a list of recommended restaurants and connections in between cities.
  Steves also provides you with a knowable and historical commentary of the sites. I find this very useful because I have a one stop reference book to know what I am looking at and what the historical and cultural significance of it is. What's best about this guide book is its a pocket sized book so you can just carry it around with you at pleasure instead of lugging around a heavy megaguide book that skimps on details. I used his guidebook in 1999 when I went through Portugal and I found it invaluable. Portugal 2006 has been expanded and is vastly superior to the book I found I could not be without.
Michelin Green Guide:
Portugal
  The Michelin Green Guide series provides tourist information as well as mini tours for just about every tourist attraction that you can think of in in Portugal. Very useful if you want to set out on your own and find the romantic, hole in the wall places that other guide books ignore. Also provides maps and a fairly accurate rating system of the sites. I enjoy the detailed descriptions of towns and areas that it has as well as the detailed mini tours it contains for most sites. It also rates how the worth while the sites are to travel off to.
Other guidebooks
Let's Go Spain and Portugal Many people find Let's Go to be a bit large and confusing (Note, it lumps Spain and Portugal together). However, it is written by students and it sells thousands of copies so I guess some people like it.
Eyewitness Madrid Great for getting an idea of what paintings are.
Eyewitness Barcelona and Catalonia See Madrid.
Eyewitness Spain Many people like this book because of its detailed pictures. It lets you know what to expect before you get there.
Fodor's Spain. (2006) Another Popular Book. Used to be a get by on 50 dollars a day type book, but has it has grown with the time (And prices.) Amazon.com links this with Rick Steves' book.
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Updated Feb 4, 2006