Travel guides
Dilemma: online or paperback guides?
Well, considering the vast number available, the only thing I know for sure is that we need a “guide to guides“!
Before planning a trip, which can be a real investment, it is best to get some tips.
The pocketbook guide Wallpaper is very stylish looking and available for 60 different world capital cities. When I was in London, I made a great impression on a Scottish friend of mine who told me that the roast beef with applesauce was better than her grandmother’s! Perhaps it was due to the placebo effect created by the restaurant’s Buckingham Palace style furniture. Anyway, as a native of Bologna, I prefer my beloved lasagne!
For major world destinations, you can find suggestions at Tripadvisor, where users are gurus of “do-it yourself” tourism. The blogs at Moleskine are a bit more romantic and written in travel diary style similar to Chatwin. Unfortunately, the number of cities is quite limited.
The next time I go to the States, I’ll check out Zagat to avoid the usual mega-calorie fast food meals. They present just one risk: side effects due to extensive mouthwatering!
And what about Lonely Planet guides? They’ve become an institution, especially for art cities. The facts are quite reliable and the itineraries are very useful! They save a lot of hard work! And it’s almost like having your own personal guide, except that you have to read all the information and find all the locations by yourself. So, it’s best to bring along a well-informed friend (preferably a “know-it-all”).
Anyway, I still believe in the classic strategy of asking local people!
Now, all we need is a guide on “finding excuses for travelling”!
Technorati Tags: travel, guide, Tripadvisor, Moleskine, Lonely Planet, Zagat, Wallpaper
