Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rome, and Venice. The audiotours, produced by Rick Steves and
Gene Openshaw (the co-author of seven books in the Rick Steves
series) are available through iTunes and at www.ricksteves.com.
Simply download them onto your computer and transfer them to
your iPod or other MP3 player. (Remember to bring a Y-jack and
extra set of ear buds for your travel partner.)
Maps
he black-and-white maps in this topic are concise and simple. My
staff, who are well-traveled in the Czech Republic, have created
the maps to help you locate recommended places and get to local
TIs, where you can pick up a more in-depth map of the city or
region (usually free).
Many of Prague's bookstores have road, hiking, and cycling
maps covering all of the country. One of the best is the Kiwi Map
Store near Wenceslas Square (see page 142).
For drivers, I'd recommend a 1:100,000 atlas of the Czech
Republic. If you have hiking plans (near Křivoklát, around
Český Krumlov, in the Šumava and Beskydy Mountains, around
Třeboň, or near Slavonice), get the excellent 1:50,000
Edice Klub
Českých Turistů
maps, or the less detailed but sufficient 1:100,000
Kartografie Praha
maps. Train travelers usually manage fine with
the freebies they get at the local tourist offices.
Other Guidebooks
Especially if you'll be traveling beyond my recommended destina-
tions, you may want some supplemental information. When you
consider the improvements that they'll make in your $4,000 vaca-
tion, $40 for extra maps and books is money well-spent. One bud-
get tip can save the price of an extra guidebook. Note that none of
the following books are updated annually; check the publication
date before you buy.
Lonely Planet's guides to the Czech and Slovak Republics and
Prague are thorough, well-researched, and packed with good maps
and hotel recommendations. The similar Rough Guides to these
destinations are hip and insightful, written by British researchers.
Students and vagabonds will like the highly opinionated Let's
Go series, which is updated by Harvard students. Let's Go is best
for backpackers who travel by train or bus, stay in hostels, and seek
out the youth and nightlife scene.
Older travelers enjoy guides from Frommer's, even though,
like the Fodor's guide, they ignore alternatives that enable travelers
to save money by dirtying their fingers in the local culture.
The popular, skinny green Michelin Guides are excellent,
especially if you're driving. Michelin Guides are known for their
city and sightseeing maps, dry but concise and helpful information
