I think that "Let's GO" is a great guide. It's funny, interesting, and FULL of tons of detail (phone #'s, addresses, bus schedules, hours of museums, restaurants etc).

Don't leave home w/o it!!

Winston

Well, I'm going to revive this old thread. I just read about a new Spain travel book called "MTV Spain." It came out a few months ago and it's published by Frommer\'s . Based on the review I read and upon my familiarity with MTV, I'm sure it's aimed at younger travelers. Apparently some of the topics are "The Best Places to Get Your Fiesta On," the best Spanish oddities, and the "Insider Eating and Drinking Scene." I haven't read it, but if anyone else picks up a copy, be sure to tell us what you think of it.

[img]http://www.wiley.com/remcover.cgi?isbn=0764587722&size=300[/img]

I have to say and this my personal view, with the importance of the Internet, email and travel website that are for specific destinations like this one, MadridMan, I find travel books are no longer not important to me.

The only thing I need is a map of the desintation and my PDA/Phone to carry all the information I reseached before my trip.

While not related to Spain, last years trip to Buenos Aires, I did buy two travel books on Buenos Aires and Argentina a year before I was to go. It gave me ideas what to see and do Argentina.

But when it was a few months closer to the day I was to fly to BA, the recommendations where to eat, where to sleep, what see and do, came from those who actually visited or live in Buenos Aires. I did take one Buenos Aires travel book with me but it was hardly used. If I had a question there were Portones at the place I was staying at to help me or I would posted my question on the Buenos Aires forum and few hours later had an answer.

No travel book can give me the up to date information from someone who actually lives in the place I am about to visit.

My second trip to Buenos Aires which is in late October of this year, I have not touch any of my guidebooks. I have plenty of information and recommendations from people who I meet on my first trip or had the chance to know over the internet.

The upside of this using a travel forum as a resource and getting to know people and the chance to meet them in person. It some small way it is exciting to put faces on those forum names who help me planned my BA trip.

While I have not had a chance to do Lunch with MadridMan, I know my next trip to Madrid, hopefully I will able to do it.

No guidebook on Spain, recommends a lunch with MM and that has to be from what I read here, a highlight for those who visit Spain.

Bill

I wanted to bring a relatively new book to everyone's attention. I just bought it last week - Moon Handbooks, Spain. The author is Candy Lee LaBalle, an American who moved to Madrid in 2003. It's fresh, not out-dated as it contains some newly opened hotels and restaurants in Sevilla and Cadiz. Since I visit there every year I use these as my "test" cities when reviewing guidebooks to potentially purchase. The major negative about the book is it does not review every city in each region. For example, it does not mention Sanlucar de Barrameda in Andalucia or Vic in Catalunya. These are not necessarily large cities or frequented by mass tourism so it's probably fine for most visiters. However, it does a great job on the cities it covers.

Footprints is another good book - surprised it hasn't been mentioned. They have several books on Spain by region.

MadridMan should really write a guidebook too! I'm sure it would fly off the shelves.

I tend to agree with Bill for NYC guide books are both never out of date (go to sol) and always out of date (hotel closed down a year ago) From a budget point of view I'd get a book from the library and read about all the sights worth seeing (that part will never go out of date) and then use the internet to get updated info. My brother bought and carried around a Rick Steves travel book and we never really looked at it. There is tons of usefull information on the internet.