A veteran traveler's handbook for exploring Europe smartly, cheaply and like a local
Travel skills for Europe
Rick Steves has spent around a hundred days a year in Europe since the 1970s, and this handbook collects everything he has learned. It explains how to plan an itinerary, pack light, find good-value hotels and restaurants, use trains, buses and rental cars, avoid crowds and scams, get past the language barrier and connect with local people. He also shares his favorite off-the-beaten-path towns, trails and corners, which he calls Back Doors.
Who will enjoy it
First-time and returning travelers to Europe who want to save money, avoid stress and travel more independently.
What you will get
A friendly, practical handbook that turns an overwhelming trip into a manageable adventure, full of tested tips that save money, time and frustration.
Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Nonfiction · Travel · Europe · Travel skills
Length
804 pages · ≈ 24 h
More about this book
Rick Steves first went to Europe as a teenager and began leading tours and teaching travel classes in the 1970s. Europe Through the Back Door, which he describes as his life's work, started as a modest guide and has been updated many times since. His approach is simple: travel light, plan carefully, stay in small, family-run places and get away from the tourist crowds to meet real people.
The first half of the book is a complete course in travel skills. Chapters explain how to plan an itinerary and budget, when to go, how to pack a single carry-on bag, how to choose between trains, buses, flights and rental cars, and how to find good beds and meals without paying too much. Other sections cover money, phones, staying healthy, avoiding pickpockets and scams, sightseeing efficiently and understanding cultural differences. The second half describes his favorite Back Doors, lesser-known villages, hikes and regions across the continent, from hill towns in Italy to villages in the Alps, with notes on why each one is worth the detour.
Encouraging and full of practical wisdom. The edition shown runs about 804 pages; the book is revised regularly.
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