Reviews (1)

Some additional sites and comments
The book does not mention the city of Solothurn just 20 miles north of Bern. This city is packed with sights on a small space: Monolithic late baroque/early classical cathedral built by Vatican architect Gaetano Pisoni, very ornate early baroque Jesuit church, baroque Vauban type city fortification, medieval city gates, clock tower older than in Bern, colorfull renaissance fountains, Europe's second biggest collection of medieval armours and an interesting art museum with paintings from Hodler (Wilhelm Tell), Cuno Amiet and Frank Buchser who portrayed famous Americans such as John August Sutter (art museum Solothurn), General Lee, General Sherman, President Andrew Johnson (art museum Bern and Basel). Close to the city at the end of a gorge is a very authentic hermitage (Einsidelei). In fall the chairlift up to the Weissenstein offers stunning views of the Alps. Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Switzerland    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. Travel / Europe / Switzerland   

Reviews (1)

Fantastic book!
As someone who was raised in Lake Geneva, and one who went to school with the author, it was a delight to see these great pictures of a Lake Geneva that I have been away from for too long of a time.I would highly recommend this book to everyone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Subjects & Themes - Travel - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - United States    4. United States - Midwest - East North Central (General)    5. Places & peoples: general interest    6. Switzerland    7. Travel / United States / Midwest / East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)   

Reviews (5)

Especially Great for the First Time Visitor
I've been to Switzerland on 4 trips for a total of about 6 A very good guide
We were in Switzerland this summer and I highly recommend this guide for anyone who will be in the Bernese Oberland area in Switzerland. It is very well written and the maps are very helpful. Wengen, a small swiss village 45 minutes from Interlaken is very beautiful and we could have easily missed that had it not been for this book.

An Invaluable Guide for the Bernese Oberland Traveler
I bought the Alspach's book on the Bernese Oberland when it was first published in 1992.This book has been invaluable to my family on our many trips to that area.Since we are there for at least two weeks, we have had the chance to follow almost all of the suggested hikes and excursions and have loved every one of them.I recently purchased their 2nd Edition and they have done a great job of updating their gem of a travel guide, adding many new maps, photographs and hikes.Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Travel   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Switzerland    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (17)

The German Way
This is a great book even though it is ten
An OKAY guide...(Used for a school trip to Austria)
Just to let everyone who is reading this know, I was assigned this book for a class I took while studying abroud throughout Europe. I was specifically interested in using this book for information on Austria. Here's what I think:
A Quick Read
This slim volume presents dozens of aspects of German culture.For example, why do Germans value privacy?Why do they always close windows when they feel a draft?I definitely learned a lot from this book.My only complaints is that it could have gone a little more in depth about the causes of German behavior.Also, this book is a little out of date.It was published in the 90's, so there is a lot of talk about Marks rather than Euros, and you read a lot about the reunification of Germany, which is not as hot a topic as it was in the 90's.Even with these weak points, I think you'll be able to learn a lot.I wish that the author would release a more up-to-date version, though. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Etiquette    2. Europe - Germany    3. German    4. Germany    5. National characteristics, Germ    6. National characteristics, German    7. Social life and customs    8. Sociology    9. Travel    10. Travel - Foreign    11. Anthropology    12. Language learning: specific skills    13. Travel / Europe / Germany    14. Switzerland    15. Travel Guide    16. Austria   

Reviews (2)

Essential information if you're going to move to Switzerland
This book will prepare you to move to Switzerland.If you are American, and think moving from the US to Switzerland will be like moving from NY to California, you need this book!
Switzerland
I purchased this book in anticipation of a possible move to Switzerland.Having just visited Basel, I feel it necessary to warn potential buyers that the numbers presented by the author seem very far off from the actual numbers.For example, he suggests that the "average" price for a four-bedroom house or apartment in Basel would be 1500 CHF per month (rental).The real number is double that (at least--if it is even possible to find a four-bedroom place).Further, he suggests that it would be possible for a couple to spend 600 CHF per month on food.(He gives that number as a minimum.)A stroll through both an ordinary and a gourmet grocery store reveals that a couple *might* be able to live on that small an amount, but only if one lived on pasta for the month and did not go out even once --not for lunch, not for a drink.To give some actual numbers I just paid: two of us spent 20 CHF on three beers in a local bar, 230 CHF on a nice meal for two with wine, and 40 CHF for two bratwurst and three beers in a bar.These were all meals eaten out, obviously, but the point is that the author seems on the one hand to acknowledge that many people planning to move to Switzerland will be filthy rich (he encourages job seekers to remember to ask whether the company will pay for limosines, live-in domestic help, regular flights back to one's home country, and fees for private school), but on the other seems to believe that one will never go out to eat the whole time one is in Switzerland.Some portions of this book will be helpful for those planning to move to Switzerland--he does provide useful information on Swiss laws and customs--but potential readers should be aware that the book is entirely unclear on its intended audience.The wealthy will find parts of the book laughable, while the less well off will get quite a shock if they move to Switzerland using a budget based on the author's numbers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Description And Travel    2. Europe - Switzerland    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Living & working abroad    6. Switzerland   

Reviews (6)

not helpful at all as a guidebook
In general, I like to avoid touristy spots, and bought this book in the hope that it would recommend places to visit.The format of this book is like a long essay, which makes it difficult to read, and not very useful as a guidebook.It goes something like: "if you take this street, first you'll pass this restaurant, which some people like for the chicken, and then this museum, etc" without giving definitive recommendations and must-sees for the tourist with limited time.I'm glad that my boyfriend brought a Fodor's, which was pretty comprehensive.But the best part of our trip was at an ecolodge that was very much off the beaten path (45 min on a narrow dirt road, up into the El Yunque rainforest), which I found by doing good old web research (search "elena el yunque").

Great Motivation to Explore More
Noticing this book was a recent guide to Puerto Rico written by a woman, my wife insisted on buying it. We both enjoyed reading it for its combination of listings and colorful background notes. It makes you realize there is an island and culture worth exploring. We liked the descriptions that helped us better understand the way of life and why things are what they are. We decided to stay at smaller hotels where we heard Spanish and could eat local food. It let us appreciate what a fascinating and friendly place the island is.This book really did encourage us to get "off the beaten path."

Pretty good book, but not all that unique
The most helpful thing about this book was the lists of places to stay at the end of every region-discussion.Other than that, "Explore Puerto Rico, 5th Edition" had almost all the same sites & activities listed.For the sake of traveling lightly, we ended up not even bringing "Off the Beaten Path" with us, relying instead on "Explore Puerto Rico" (which has its own issues, see my review on that page for details). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Europe - Switzerland    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel / Europe / Switzerland   

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Switzerland    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. United States - Northeast - Middle Atlantic (General)    6. Walking    7. Alps    8. Travel & holiday guides    9. Walking, hiking, trekking   

Reviews (3)

No complaints!
Ideal for people who are going to Switzerland or for people who want to pretend they are going to Switzerland to impress a lady.

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES
THE DETAILS OF THIS TRAVEL GUIDES ARE GREAT.I HAVE USED THE IRELAND, LONDON, SCOTLAND AND ITALY
A fun and thorough guide
As a Swiss/US dual citizen, currently living in Rhode Island, but having spent a good 30 years in Switzerland, I was eager to get this travel guide.I ordered it in part out of curiousity to see how my favorite travel guide publisher would portray Switzerland, and in part to have a book to be able to show my friends where I come from.
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Subjects:  1. Europe - Scandinavia    2. Europe - Switzerland    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel / Europe / Switzerland   

Reviews (1)

Informative but somewhat anecdotal
I've traveled to Switzerland numerous times and I know something about the country and its people, as my mother was born there and I still have family there. This book, which I purchased in Zurich in 2004 for roughly $30 American, is a quick and interesting read and gets you thinking, even if you don't agree with all the author's conclusions.
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Subjects:  1. Sociology, Social Studies    2. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY   

Reviews (8)

An Excellent Choice if you are Heading to Switzerland
This is the only book I bought for my trip to Switzerland, and I was able to get by very well with it.I visted Zurich, Lucerne, Lugano, Bern, Interlaken, Zermatt, Montreaux, Lausanne, and Geneva, and found the book to have all the information I needed for each city.
Good But There are Better
I have been to Switzerland many times. Recently I sat down with my daughter who has worked at a hotel at Interlaken in Switzerland during her years in Business Administration at McGill - up to last summer - and we went over the Switzerland guides to see how they ranked, and what was currently the best guide in our humble opinions. We are not experts but have certain requirements and preferences. It helps if one can get a feel for the area in advance of a trip, and generally that is helped by good maps and color photos. So those guides do better in our review. We like to make reservations by internet and telephone and just use the Guide as a "guide".
Good, but lacking some detail
Just visited Switzerland this past April 2003 and used this guide to get around from Fribourg to Geneva, Zurich, Bern, Montreaux and Gruyeres.Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Switzerland    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Europe / Switzerland   

Reviews (2)

Needs a better layout
Every major city is on the spiral, which makes it difficult to read the highway names around the city. Also, the detailed views of the major cities didn't show enough of the surrounding area. Many city maps had only 2-3 highways shown, with no other details.

Great Map Book for Driving or Studying
Excellent map book. This is NOT a guide, it is a spiral book with detailed maps of these countries. The scale is:
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Subjects:  1. Atlases    2. Atlases - General    3. Europe - General    4. Europe - Germany    5. Maps & Road Atlases    6. Reference    7. Travel - Foreign   

Reviews (1)

Loved the pictures! Loved the info!
I usually like Eyewitness Travel Guides, and this "Sweden" issue was also as useful as the others I have owned.I am glad Stockholm has its own chapter and in great detail. The scenery pictures are nice, and graphics explaining detailed floor plans of buildings and museums are very useful. The pictures alone are enough to make me want to go there! I also like the Traveler's Needs section, especially the accomodation divided in categories of location and price. Although accomodation nowadays is easy to find from the internet, Eyewitness has saved me a lot of precious time trying to compare each hotel between websites. I would recommend anyone who is going to Sweden to get this book. You will get all the information you need, and more! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Scandinavia    2. Europe - Switzerland    3. General    4. Guidebooks    5. Sweden    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Travel / Europe / Scandinavia   

Reviews (3)

Michelin Green Guide vs Lonely Planet (I like both books)!
General Overview:
We Review Six Guides To Switzerland
I have been to Switzerland at least six times. Recently I sat down with my daughter who has worked at a hotel at Interlaken in Switzerland during her years in Business Administration at McGill - up to last summer - and we went over the Switzerland guides to see how they ranked, and what was currently the best guide in our humble opinions. We are not experts but have certain requirements and preferences. It helps if one can get a feel for the area in advance of a trip, and generally that is helped by good maps and color photos. So those guides do better in our review. We like to make reservations by internet and telephone and just use the Guide as a "guide".
Good general guide
I bought this guide because Eyewitness and Knopf do not make a guide to Switzerland.These are always my 1st choice.I guess I'm just a pretty picture addict.But I must say that this is a well-done book.It reminds me of the Baedeker's guides.In fact it's set up very similarly.The front section has information about Switzerland, history, famous people, plants, animals, etc.The center section contains information on places in Switzerland in alphabetical order.The back section contains helpful travel information.Things like traveling by plane, boat, car, train.It contains a listing of sights, their opening times and admission charges.Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Switzerland    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

I Rated The Old Version a Bit Lower: New Version is a Bit Better
I have been to Switzerland many times. Recently I sat down with my daughter who has worked at a hotel at Interlaken in Switzerland during her years in Business Administration at McGill - up to last summer - and we went over the Switzerland guides to see how they ranked, and what was currently the best guide in our humble opinions. We are not experts but have certain requirements and preferences. It helps if one can get a feel for the area in advance of a trip, and generally that is helped by good maps and color photos. So those guides do better in our review. We like to make reservations by internet and telephone and just use the Guide as a "guide".
Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Switzerland    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Europe / Switzerland   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Switzerland    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Europe / Switzerland   

Reviews (9)

I am Swiss and I think this is a great book for a good laugh, XENO
This is a short simple to read book about the Swiss.I am Swiss, born there, but did not grow up in this very clean state.My wife who is a U.S. citizen bought me the book for my birthday.Because of my rowing career we traveled to Switzerland a fair bit and I observed the Swiss way through the eyes of my wife.I think this book is great for Swiss who live abroad because it reminds them why they miss Switzerland and why they don't.This book is great for Swiss who live in Switzerland and need motivation to go see other corners of the world.Since we have friends of different nationalities, Swede, Dutch, and German, we offered them their respective Xenophobe's Guide.They all loved their new booklet.
A funny tongue "firmly" in cheek little gem...
This book is laugh out loud funny and has many truths, though the Swiss may not want to admit it. All countries have their quirks and Switzerland is not immune either. A a Swiss dual national married to a Swiss, I heard about all these little quirks that all cultures and countries have and always teased my spouse that he was exaggerating regarding Switzerland. Then I spent time in the country and just recently I experienced the "self sustaining bureacracy" at work when the Swiss Govt. charged me $50 for a very fancy piece of paper to tell me what my address is, the state in the US I was born, the date when I got married and who my parents are-that's it, no really that's all it says-nothing more. I am convinced that the $50 was to pay for the fancy paper-that's how fancy it really is. So as the author himself notes on this very subject of family papers...I guess it's in case I forget these facts about myself. Needless to say I howled over this.
Spot on!
I have lived in Switzerland for the past 9 years and this little tongue-in-cheek booklet is spot on - note that it was first published in 1995 and preciously little has changed since then. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Europe - Switzerland    3. General    4. Handbooks & Manuals    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Ethnography    8. Humour    9. Reference / Handbooks & Manuals    10. Switzerland   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Maps    3. Maps & Road Atlases    4. Reference    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Switzerland    2. Travel    3. Switzerland    4. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

Just what I needed
Complete useful and well done information package for people visiting Auvergne, France. Appreciated detailed tour descriptions. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Auvergne (France)    2. Europe - France    3. General    4. Guidebooks    5. Rhãone River Valley (Switzerland and France)    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. France    9. Travel & holiday guides