Let's Go 2001: Europe: The World's Bestselling Budget Travel Series

by Inc. Let's Go

Release Date: 01 December, 2000

Edition: Paperback

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A great resource, just don't expect perfection...

Let's Go is THE guidebook for cheap traveling, especially for students. It's secret? It's written by students, mainly for students...It's strength is that it has a lot of truly budget accomodations listed -- hostels, etc. -- in practically every city in Europe. The main weakness? Because it is put together by students, who by definition are amateurs, the writing can sometimes be weak, the info can be out of date or wrong, and the reviews of lodging and sights are incredibly uneven. (For example, when I used Let's Go almost exclusively for a 3-month Europe trip, some of their $10-25/night budget accomodations listed were fantastic -- but others were dumps unworthy of a listing in any guidebook). The problem is that, unlike a Lonely Planet or a Rick Steves guidebook, which are written by professionals, Let's Go has had hundreds of writers over the years, with students writing about one country but not all the others...If you are unlucky enough to go to a country reviewed by Mountain Man Jack, for example, and he doesn't care about a lack of air conditioning, lumpy beds and smelly rooms, and fails to mention these items, you are out of luck. All in all, though, a great resource for people who need truly budget accomodations, with lots of good maps and other tips... I've personally outgrown this guidebook, having moved on to Rick Steves, who focuses not on the cheapest possible budget but on getting the most possible out of your trip...($50-$100 day vs. the $25-$50 that Let's Go specializes in).

My European Bible

The Let's Go guide for Europe was the most awesome thing we had with us on our trip. I graduated high school and the next day was on a plane to Frankfurt with no parents and no experience in travelling. My use of the 2000 edition while there for four plus weeks wore the cover off. It's got maps, directions, ideas on what to expect, and more. The focus on budget is great, with sometimes quite extensive lists of hostels. Other times it lacked enough to where an alternate list came in handy. My suggestion, also look into Rick Steve's Guides, and if you're looking at one country in particular, check out the more specific country books. For a first-time, student-budget trip, this book was an invaluble resource.