Lonely Planet Spain

Lonely Planet Spain is an 864-page guidebook, containing everything you need to know about the European country, from hiking in the Pyrenees to the villages of Aragon. It covers all 18 provinces in an easy to read guide and has a detailed contents page that allows you to quickly find what you’re looking for.

Its maps are in full colour, with a colour-coded key to indicate elevation of the terrain. It also contains an abundance of high quality images, presenting a true sense of what to expect from the country.

One of my favourite inclusions in the book is the ‘Month by Month’ section. Often when reading articles of people’s experiences in a country, you only hear of what it was like during the particular time of year that they were there, whereas the Lonely Planet Spain guide gives detailed information on what it is like to be in the country in each month. This is important to know, especially in a place that has such a wide variety of different climates.

I also found the language section very useful, which provided a glossary of helpful words and phrases to use when you get to Spain. Although not enough to have a full conversation with someone, for a short trip it is the perfect amount to get by and saves spending money on a phrasebook.

One problem I did encounter when reading the Lonely Planet Spain guidebook was the small font size, making it difficult to read when the lighting is not very bright. Not only this, but its sheer size makes it difficult to transport from one place to another, which means that if you are after a quick reference, it may be easier to use your phone.

David Jones

I am a professional travel writer and travel enthusiast who traveled the world twice, so I am sharing my firsthand knowledge about everything related to travel and spending time abroad.