Which singular book on Spain would you bring as your best guide/reference?
Madrid, La Rioja region, Bilbao, Lekeitio, San Sebastian, Roses, Barcelona...
We leave in 15 days and we think a paper touch stone would feel good.
Thank you.

I had notes from a frequent poster here at Fodor's. (Do a search here for "Maribel") We went to the library and took out about 4 different books and decided which one best fit our needs, which we then bought from Amazon. Some guidebooks are more focused on people who are most interested in museums and art, some are more oriented toward activities, some toward history. It's a personal decision.

Definitely take Maribel's guides which u can print off her web site. She provides great advice.

p.s. -- Maribel's notes were better than any of the guidebooks!

Another Maribel fan. You can toss the printouts after you leave each area or city.
She is right on with her recommendations.
Also look for Penelope Casas.

YEP..her notes are crisp and offers layers of choice. I downloaded guide the first mention of it from one of you generous Fodorits months ago. Just checking. Thank you.
In addition would you suggest any other book?

The only problem withPenelope Casas, is I do not think she has updated her Discovering Spain in 15 years.

There are some lesser known books in the US, Cadogan Guide to Northen Spain is dry but very helpful. Ignore the brand names Fodor's (sorry), Frommer's and the worst of all Ricky Stevey. They do not cover small towns very well. You need a book that covers the smaller towns and their charms. Rough guide is good on sights but awful on hotels and restaurants.

I think the problem with guide books, is that if you are interested in restaurants and hotels, they really can't keep up. Plus people have different styles of travel...and I know ours have changed over the years. When we were working and limited to 1 or 2 week vacations in one or two locations, we found we did best with guides that focused on that city or region. Now that we are retired and able to take long trips (usually 3 weeks to a month or more) we have gone through a phase where we made long road trips, stopping for a couple nights here, sometimes one night in another, and sampling as we went -- usually traveling off season so we didn't necessarily need reservations (and that can be done, as long as you are flexible with your "needs."

Most often we will find ourselves using a Rough Guide, Lonely Planet or a recent Fodor's, or when possible, a regional hotel guide (like Logis de France). We find that now a days, we use the same criteria for choosing a restaurant in Europe that we would for a restaurant at home. We like to see the menu, it's nice to be able to see people enjoying their meals, and we check for a pleasing ambiance. On afternoon strolls, we may identify potential dinner places for later in the week, and walk in to make a reservation. Sometimes an article in the NY Times or Washington Post travel pages will give us a list of restaurants to check out in, say, Paris...but that doesn't usually help for places like Lekeito (where we chose a great place in town on our own one night, and used the concierge's suggestion another).

It looks like you've done some substantial planning. You are going to have a terrific trip.

OBVIOUSLY THE BEST GUIDE TO BUY IS ONE PRODUCED BY FODOR'S.

To the moderator: please pay in cash for the plug.

Thank you uhoh_busted, we too usually take a month to evolve into the culture, one quadrant of a country at a time. We have availed ourselves of the gifts of information from all on this thread since I originally did not want to go to Spain..even though I made the suggestion to my husband who graciously said..let's go. We are more comfortable with "just finding" our way and coming home with dazzling memories. Something about Spain initially knocked our sense of joie de vivre..hence all my annoying questions.
We are more eager to be in La Rioja, Lekeitio, San Sebastian, Roses than Madrid, Bilbao, and Barcelona. I probably will; write to everyone about the wonders of all upon returning.
In the meantime a "handbook of local" stuff was what I thought I was after, now I know to go with my downloaded new information and follow our noses.

Bilbao was a true surprise -- we really enjoyed it despite the awful weather we had there. I may have mentioned this on one of your other threads, but take to the hills if u want to find some not crowded & interesting places. The coast was packed (in May) and this detracted from its beauty for us. Get a map and just wonder -- we did and loved that the best of our trip to NSpain.

"just wander" truly is the way!
Even in the "big" cities we wander the back streets in order to feel we have saturated our eyes with "real" not just the have to see sights.