Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the most striking things about Spain is its great regional diversity--landscape, food, art and even language can differ massively from one area of the country to the next. This presents a real challenge to the guidebook writer who is effectively dealing with Espanas (Spains) rather than a single Espana. The enormous army of Rough Guide devotees will not be surprised to learn that the authors of the Rough Guide to Spain rise competently to the challenge--now in its 10th edition this Rough Guide is a clear, informative and reliable guidebook to a magnificently varied country. Broken down into regions (including the Balearics) with an unambiguous design and more than 90 maps, the Rough Guide to Spain is extremely user-friendly. The limited number of full-colour photos are well used to highlight the wealth and variety of architecture and landscape in the country. Tinted boxes give dates and details of the fiestas to be found in each region as well as the price range for accommodation and tips on language--all very useful when you're in the planning stages of a trip. On arrival, the detailed descriptions of all the major museums and monuments together with the up-to-the-minute listings of the best places to eat and drink will ensure you make the most of your visit. Whether you want to stick to the beaches or negotiate your way through the Sierra Nevada, the Rough Guide will prove an indispensable addition to your backpack.--Linda Sinclair
Review
AUTHORITATIVE AND OPINIONATED, THIS SERIES CAN'T BE BEAT
Chicago Tribune
Product Description
"The Rough Guide to Spain" is the ultimate handbook to one of Europe's most vibrant countries. Features include: a full-colour section introducing Spain's highlights; informed accounts of all the sights, from Bilbao's stunning Guggenheim to the Moorish masterpiece of the Alhambra; first-hand descriptions of the best places to eat, drink and stay in all price ranges; practical tips on exploring the country's varied landscapes, from the wilds of Galicia to the coves of the Balearics; and lively background on Spain's history, music, architecture and arts, with the lowdown on every major fiesta.
About the Author
Updated by regular contributors who are resident in Spain to give insiders' reviews to suit all styles of holiday
Excerpted from The Rough Guide to Spain by Mark Ellingham. Copyright © 2002. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
WHEN TO GO
Overall, spring, early summer and autumn are ideal times for a Spanish trip – though the weather varies enormously from region to region. The high central plains suffer from fierce extremes, stiflingly hot in summer, bitterly cold and swept by freezing winds in winter. The Atlantic coast, in contrast, has a tendency to damp and mist, and a relatively brief, humid summer. The Mediterranean south is warm virtually all year round, and in parts of Andalucía positively subtropical, warm enough to wear a T-shirt by day even in the winter months.
In high summer the other factor worth considering is tourism itself. Spain plays host to some thirty million tourists a year – almost one for every resident – and all the main beach and mountain resorts are packed in July and August, as are the major sights. August, Spain’s own holiday month, sees the coast at its most crowded and the cities, by contrast, pretty sleepy.
Overall, spring, early summer and autumn are ideal times for a Spanish trip – though the weather varies enormously from region to region. The high central plains suffer from fierce extremes, stiflingly hot in summer, bitterly cold and swept by freezing winds in winter. The Atlantic coast, in contrast, has a tendency to damp and mist, and a relatively brief, humid summer. The Mediterranean south is warm virtually all year round, and in parts of Andalucía positively subtropical, warm enough to wear a T-shirt by day even in the winter months.
In high summer the other factor worth considering is tourism itself. Spain plays host to some thirty million tourists a year – almost one for every resident – and all the main beach and mountain resorts are packed in July and August, as are the major sights. August, Spain’s own holiday month, sees the coast at its most crowded and the cities, by contrast, pretty sleepy.
