One for the Road: Frommer’s Barcelona Day by Day

by Kelly Amabile on

Catalan bread, paella and copious amounts of Spanish wine — food is what first comes to mind when I think of my past visits to Barcelona. (Tip: I had several scrumptious meals at vegetarian gem Venus.) Then there is the inviting Mediterranean breeze, the winding stone alleyways and the entertaining Las Ramblas street performers. And of course, best of all (in my opinion) there is the art! My very favorites are the Gothic architectural masterpiece, Santa Maria del Mar and Picasso’s stunning Las Meninas series. But I’ve hardly scratched the surface…

Barcelona offers up an endless array of activities, sights and culinary delights. Which is why a book like Frommer’s brand new Barcelona Day by Day can be a traveler’s best friend. This about-to-be-released pocket guide is structured around “19 smart ways to see the city”, which includes suggested neighborhood walks, special-interest themed tours, practical day-trip options and the best lodging, dining and shopping around. And it’s packaged quite efficiently in a compact glossy 180-pager. The book contains 39 easy-to-read maps and includes a larger regional Catalonia map tucked in a rear-cover plastic pocket.

Let this handy travel partner help plan your stay in Barcelona, whether it’s for 24-hours or a week — just be sure to get there, eventually, one of these days!

One for the Road: Frommer’s Expands Guides for South America

by Kelly Amabile on

As travel to South America continues to grow in popularity, so do the guidebooks! Earlier this year Frommer’s released new versions of guides that were formerly combined in one book. Frommer’s Argentina and Frommer’s Chile & Easter Island are two first edition guidebooks, that were previously packaged together.

Both books are organized by regions, and include a practical planning section and a collection of suggested itineraries. Several must-do experiences recommended by the team of authors: try the tango (of course!), raft into Iguazu Falls (just 90 minutes from Buenos Aires), snowboard in the Andes, trek along Chile’s “Southern Highway” and fly to isolated Easter Island. There’s loads more included in these two new releases, so be sure to check them out if these popular destinations are possibilities for your future travel plans.

One for the Road: First-Time Africa

by Kelly Amabile on

Planning a first visit to Africa should not be a scary thing. But, as Jens Finke says in his introduction to First-Time Africa, a first trip to the continent can indeed be “a daunting prospect.”

This new book seems like a smart first step for travelers embarking on an inaugural visit. In August, Rough Guides published this first edition guide, written and researched by Jens Finke, who biked across the Sahara when he was 18 (and also penned the Rough Guides to Tanzania and Zanzibar.) The book begins with a short chapter on each country, from Algeria to Zimbabwe — weather stats, main attractions and festivals. The second half then dives into the details: when to go, what to take, culture shock, responsible tourism and staying healthy.

It can serve as an excellent resource for anyone considering a first trip to any part of Africa. And if you’re having trouble deciding on which countries you want to visit, a flip through this one can probably help you narrow things down to the best possible destinations that match your travel goals.

One for the Road: Two new Costa Rica guides from Moon

by Kelly Amabile on

Earlier this fall Moon released two updated guides to Costa Rica. The 6th edition of the handbook to Costa Rica was written by veteran travel writer Christoper P. Baker, an expert on both Costa Rica and Cuba. Baker won the 2006 Lowell Thomas Award for best guidebook for a previous edition of this book. At 650 pages, the latest version is bursting with valuable tips about traveling through this tropical jewel.

Another recent release is Moon’s second edition of Living Abroad in Costa Rica, written by Erin Van Rheenen, a writer who has lived abroad in Nigeria, Ireland, Ecuador, Mexico and Guatemala. She now spends time in both Costa Rica and California. One of Erin’s favorite things about CR: fresh squeezed o.j. costs about $.35 from a streetside cart. More information can be found at her website.

Guidebook publisher Moon was recently named Best Travel Series of the year by the ALA’s Booklist.

One for the Road: Rum & Reggae’s Puerto Rico

by Kelly Amabile on

I’d never heard of Rum and Reggae guidebooks until just recently, and have yet to get my hands on a copy to review, but since we always try and bring you a wide variety of travel titles here at Gadling, I didn’t want to delay on this one. Those of you planning a trip to Puerto Rico may most appreciate this news, since Rum & Reggae’s latest guide to the island was published earlier this year. It contains all the essential information you’ll need for planning a trip to Puerto Rico, including tips for San Juan, El Yunque and the nearby islands of Culebra and Vieques.

Rum & Reggae books cover locations in the Caribbean, a few in Central and South America (Brazil and Costa Rica) and Hawaii. They are all written by travel writer Jonathan Runge. If you’ve ever used one of these guides before, let us know in the comments if you found these books to be helpful during your island hopping travels.