THE UNCOMMON GUIDE TO EUROPE

by John Whitman ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 26, 1978

No guide to Europe this, barring some brief observations per country, but an uncommonly large listing of hotels and restaurants from Finland to Gibraltar, each characterized in a few lines, that's a clear case of overreach. For large cities, the relatively few listings are so diverse--and undifferentiated--as to be almost meaningless; in most medium-sized places, no choice is offered at all. And while there are some genuine finds, the traveler needs more information to take advantage of them than is provided here. The high-Finnish Hotel Aulanko, for instance, is properly described as a ""very large, lovely resort in a beautiful parklike setting,"" but what is not mentioned is the absolute necessity for an advance reservation, the near-necessity for a car. At the same time, Finland's second and third largest cities, the goal of many tourists, are totally ignored--and the same erratic pattern holds true elsewhere. Country by country, the standard guides are at least standardized.

Pub Date: April 26, 1978

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1978

Categories: NONFICTION