jaclynpoulson

Does anyone have any opinions as to how the new Fodor's See It guides compare to the DK eyewitness guides? It looks as though Fodor's is trying to do something similar ... anyone used the knew Fodor's guides or have any other input?

Travelnut

I'm used to the Eyewitness guide format, and love the photos and walking maps... one thing to consider is which one has the most recent publication date...

There is another book (at least for Paris) called "Directions" which comes with a CD so you can do 'searches' and copy/paste into an itinerary...I think it's a Rough Guides book.

jaclynpoulson

Thank you travelnut - that is why I am considering See It - it has a more recent publication date. The new eyewitness ones come out I believe March/April 2006. I'm just wondering if they are as good.

doug_stallings

I'm obviously a biased source, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I much prefer our See It guides over DK's Eyewitness books. I've looked at the Eyewitness guides carefully over the years---as an editor I need to keep up with the competition---and I find that, while the Eyewitness guides are truly beautiful and have some eye-catching details, with great background and historical information, they are actually pretty difficult to use as practical travel guides. See It guides have more details, including actual prices and the like, and are generally better organized and have better maps. Still, you have to compare the individual books to see which appeals more to your interests and needs. You're going to be better off if you sit down in your bookstore with both books in hand and compare them to see which has the kind of information you need. If you're paying that much for a guide, it should be helpful to you.

AuntAnnie

I have always liked the DK guides for a broad beautiful overview and as a nice souvenir to look at after the trip. I think for actual hotel, restaurant and tour info Fodor's is a better choice. I have found the Fodor's reviews to be more discerning.

Christina

I am not familiar with the new Fodor's See It Series, but agree with Doug at al. about Eyewitness Guides. I don't really care for them and find them not very useful. I think they are difficult to use, plus they don't have a lot of basic information in them (the hotel, restaurant info is quite limited). They also have some blatant errors in them that an editor who knows anything about the city should have corrected. I don't know the guidebook business, so maybe I am naive in thinking a guidebook has an editor who actually knows something about the place. Eyewitness Paris has major errors in the section on transportation (metro passes, etc) and about the museums (claims the Louvre is closed all holidays, for example, and it hasn't been for years).

They are visually attractive and catch your eye, but there is no substance there. Like some people ha ha

chatham

I buy DK for browsing, looking at the pictures and maps. When I go on the trip I take Fodor's as it has more up to date info and is lighter in weight.

walkinaround

i agree with christina. when i first saw a DK guide (years ago), i was very impressed with the new format...the gloss, the pictures of every little detail, etc. very quickly this first impression wore thin and i do not like the books. i don't know about the foders response and perhaps i should reserve judgement until i see it but i can say that i don't like this format.

i don't need a cut-out illustration of every last toilet and burger king in a city and i find that the books concentrate too much on the hard facts. i would rather have trusted writers/editors who can make recommendations rather than present a glorified map.

Travelnut

I use the Eyewitness for "eye candy" and to get a good visual on the sights... I do a lot of online research to obtain details such as opening hours, prices, etc. so I can copy/paste into my itinerary. I don't carry a guidebook around with me, but I might put one in my suitcase in case something closes or gets rained out, and I need more ideas. Sometimes I get alternate books from the library and photocopy pages or walks. I don't use guidebooks much for hotels or restaurants (that's what this forum is for!).

MacPrague

I definitely agree--we have only purchased on DK (on Amsterdam). Ten minutes into actually using the darn thing we were tired of the minutae and wished we had brought something different with more substance instead.

RufusTFirefly

I really don't need photographs of the places I'm looking at--and lots of glossy photos may look nice, but they make the guidebook heavier. Good as a coffee table book, but not as a guidebook. I also don't need to take a book with hotel recommendations on the trip with me.

Get Michelin Green.

aeiger

Hi
I used the DK Eyewitness guide once. Don't think I would use it again. The pictures were beautiful and the pages glossy but I also had the Footprints guide. I haven't seen the new Foder's See It guide yet. If it's more detailed and there is a title for the location I'm visiting, I would certainly consider it before a DK.

CatFancier

I couldn't decide between DK PARIS and SEE IT PARIS, so I bought them both! Wanted a lot of visuals before our first trip in September and really like each one. I tore out the "walks" from Rick Steves, then photocopied quite a few pages from DK and SEE IT to take along for reference.
All this, plus pages of notes from this and another travel forum, and I was all set!

I don't use guidebooks either for hotels or restaurants. Prefer to use on-line sources for those.

tuscanlifeedit

I haven't seen a See It guide yet, but I am dislike DK Eyewitness guides. They never seem to have the information I want.

I also find them too visually busy. I like to read solid information rather than look at too many pictures and cut-aways. They actually make my eyes hurt.

Not enough open and closing time information and just not enough good information, period.

jaclynpoulson

Thank you everyone for the responses. I actually am looking to get this guide to "plan" and not necessarily to actually guide me while I'm there. (And I like many others do not use guidebooks for hotel/restaurant suggestions). I will be in Venice, Tuscany, and Rome with my FH before our wedding in Santorini, and since he's never been to Italy, I want him to pick where he wants to go while in Tuscany. I think the only way I can actually get him started is with a book with pictures in addition to other information! Thanks again, and any more suggestions (especially from those who have actually used the See It guides) are more than welcome!

artlover

I love them both, but I'm a travelbook junkie, so that figures. The word "eye candy" is certainly true for DK. I felt the latest Fodors See It had lots of great information, but I didn't like the way it was arranged (in "What to Do," "What to See" being seperate sections rather than the areas each having their own section.)

I don't take any of them with me when I travel 'cause I travel very light. Instead I make lots of notes and even copy some pages and then put it all together in a sketchbook/journal (which I managed to lose on our last trip to Europe :'(

IMO it's great fun to go through as many books (and websites) as possible before the trip and both of these have some excellent information in them.

Londonlover

I agree with chatham.

I bought five different books for Paris before my trip including the DK one. I only took two to Paris, the Fodors see-it and Rick Steves guide.

DK is good for learning about the city, but for a guidebook go with Fodors

Travelnut

I prefer a book to arrange information by "district" or "area", rather than by "type". I want to know what places/sights are near each other...

begee

Both these tour books are good but I think the best are the Access books. They go by neighborhood/district and they cover sightseeing,hotels and restaurants in that area. Very eay to use and very helpful.

cigalechanta

Doug Stallings-editor. you made a mistake not bringing back that beautiful little book, "Escape to Provence." so good for first time posters to that area. It has beautiful photos.