Germany (Country Guide)

Lonely Planet covers the country diligently and entertainingly, leaving nothing out. With maps of all 16 states, over 35 city maps, and a fold-out transportation map to Berlin, the daunting becomes comfortable. There are the background chapters on history, government, climate and ecology, the people, the arts, society and language, and a big fat chapter covering all the necessary details of visas, money, Web sites, electricity, festivals, health, and accommodations for special needs, plus how to get there and how to get around once you've arrived. Then for every city and burg, Lonely Planet provides the stuff a traveler needs to know, all about where to stay, eat, sight see, shop, and play. And scattered in and among the guiding text are little nuggets of interest, telling the stories of witches and warlocks, Bertolt Brecht, Marlene Dietrich, and the sad tale of Queen Caroline. Not prohibitively large, Lonely Planet's guidebook packs enough into its pages for 100 good trips. --Stephanie Gold

Product Description
Discover Germany

Watch the sun drop behind Berlin's Brandenburger Tor while sipping chilled champagne at celebrity fave Hotel Adion.
Feel the brisk North Sea breeze pummel your face while 'walking on water' between the islands of Eastern Frisia.
Chat with locals and sample the latest vintages at a Besenwirtschaft, a seasonal wine tavern.
Let your cares evaporate in the steam rooms and mineral pools of Baden-Baden.

In This Guide:

Five expert authors, 143 days of research, 140 maps.
Tailored itineraries and tips from locals help you discover Germany's surprises.

In both this book and a similar one on Berlin by Lonely Planet, the writers appear to go out of their way to bash Frankfurt/Oder with petty criticisms ranging from the architecture to the people. I made a day trip to check out Frankfurt/Oder after reading such a review, thinking to myself that it can't be as bad as the writers at Lonely Planet say. My experiences were much the opposite, with friendly and helpful people, a charming downtown with picturesque streetcars, and a panoromic view of Poland across the Oder River from a walkway. Is it as charming as, say, Heidelberg or Bamberg? No, but it is very East German in contrast.

Take some of the advice with a grain of salt in this book and go with an open mind to enjoy the uniqueness of East German life before it disappers.


Be careful-is this really what you need?   September 15, 2002
46 out of 51 found this review helpful

I travel a lot and compare guides a lot. I have used and enjoyed other Lonely Planet guides for other countries successfully. This one was a real disappointment. It is thorough, but does not really teach you to prioritize your time, or compare routes. It is intensely geared towards rail and bus travelers, but many things in Germany are worth renting a car to see--in which case the book will not cover those areas at all. Hotels chosen by the book will be in relation to train stations--which aren't always either a good deal or a restful place to stay. Add that to the fact it's heavy, and you'll be shlepping a lot of useless information unless you're spending the whole year there...


Informative, but biased   January 8, 2000
Sarah L. Goralewski (Erlangen, Germany)
29 out of 33 found this review helpful

Overall, I found Lonely Planet's guide more informative and definitely more accurate than Let's Go's. However, I must thoroughly agree with other readers--the book does a severe injustice to Eastern Germany. While Eastern and Western Germany are once again one country, they continue to be very different in many respects. LP judges Eastern Germany with very Western German eyes, not recognizing the fascinating history and culture that lies within this region. Lonely Planet--improve your Eastern Germany section!

Also, more information could be included about Germany's various Nature Parks. While they don't rival the National Parks of the states, they are beautiful nonetheless and offer tons of opportunities for exploring.


Lonely Planet Best   January 13, 2000
24 out of 29 found this review helpful

I recently used Lonely Planet Germany and Austria guides on a trip with my German class, and I must say the experience was wonderful--thanks in large part to Lonely Planet's incomparably thorough information. If you want a first rate trip to Germany, buy this guide.


A superior travel guide to Germany.   June 20, 1999
RonJ44@aol.com (Pennsylvania)
19 out of 21 found this review helpful

THE LONELY PLANET GERMANY is among the most complete travel guides on the market. Far superior to similar books presented by its better known competitor, THE LONELY PLANET GERMANY presents travel in Germany to the widest range of budgets, from elegant to thrifty. It describes a wider range of sites to visit than any other guidebook I've seen, and offers good advice toward the widest range of entertainment interests. THE LONELY PLANET GERMANY should be the first book you buy when planning any trip to Germany, and it would serve well as your only guidebook.