Publication Date:September 20, 2001 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days Shipping:International shipping available Condition:We ship daily from the United Kingdom
Better than nothing, but don't rely on it!September 2, 2006 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
With a surprising lack of guides to this region, this book was my only choice. Which was a shame. Being used to the likes of Lonely Planet and Rough Guide, I naively expected this guidebook to contain useful information; what to see, how to get there, how much things would cost etc. It didn't. There is less information in this entire book than you would find in a single chapter of a Lonely Planet. The whole book seems rather dated, and whilst there are little anecdotes about the author's own trips to the islands, there is very little practical information of the kind that a tourist needs.
The maps are pretty useless, and we found it impossible to follow any of the walks. It's written in a strange, archaic style which makes it sound like a relic from the Victorian era and quickly got on my nerves. It's also poorly and illogically laid out with a hopeless index, making it difficult and time consuming to find the relevant page - not a good feature when you've just arrived somewhere and need to find out where to go.
There is little to no information for those travelling with children, disabled travellers and women travellers, and information for those who want a more active holiday is sparse. The guidebook would probably best suit couples who do not want to do or see very much and are content to make one or two visits and spend the rest of the time at the hotel.
Having the book is better than nothing, as it does contain some information and gives you an idea of what to see, but don't rely on it and get to a tourist office as soon as possible.
Poor and out of dateJuly 19, 2006 4 out of 4 found this review helpful
After returning from Sao Miguel my wife and I found this book next to useless! The Azores are a fantastic destination and we had a great time discovering most places for ourselves, however the experience would have been much improved if this book was actually any good. Being used to Lonely Planet guides with their town maps and explanations I found this a dissapointment. If you are planning a trip here use your money for a good novel and wait until you get to the islands, their guide booklet is better; it has more information is available nearly everywhere and best of all is free!
Not Much UseAugust 23, 2003 13 out of 16 found this review helpful
This guide seemed to underate things which I thought were fantastic and overplay rather ordinary resturants and attractions. Everyone I met with a guide book in another language was better informed than me! Despite having been updated in 2002 the prices haven't been changed to euros so all pricing information is useless.
Good no nonsense guideJanuary 27, 2003 7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book is a good, all round, no nonsense account of the islands. The author is obviously in love with the place, but this doesn't stop objective descriptions. The practical information, including local suppliers, hotels and car hire is very useful. Good detailed maps. Perhaps a few more photographs would have been useful.
