Discover Germany (Lonely Planet Discover Guides): All you need to experience the best of Germany (Lonely Planet Country Guides) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

For starters, let me say that I have lived in Germany and have traveled extensively in the country. For future trips, I plan to take this stripped-down, full-color 400-page guide with me, rather than the 844-page Germany (Country Guide) by Lonely Planet.

The "Discover" series represents a new category of travel guide for Lonely Planet, which I believe will be more useful for the average traveler. The larger Country Guides will apparently continue to be available for those who need more depth and detail.

There is undeniably much less information than readers are used to in the Country Guides -- as less than half the pages, more illustrations, and a bigger typeface all take their toll on the word counts. I have to admit, however, that while I love the big books, I often have the feeling that I don't use that much of them. I think this book has a much higher percentage of information people will actually use.

The focus is now clearly on sightseeing. General historic overviews are gone (and that's the one part that makes me sad). However, historical background is included in the description of sights, so it's not a total loss. A welcome new innovation are "Don't Miss Lists" written by locals with unique perspective -- local professionals, art historians, guides and the like.

The "Sleeping" and "Eating" sections are still there, but stripped to a few essentials and recommendations. Most of the time I now book my lodgings online, so I haven't really used the "Sleeping" sections since probably about 2002 anyway. There are still a couple of hotel recommendations for each mid-sized city -- more for Berlin and other big places. The "Eating" sections also get cut substantially, but here, too, I must admit I have usually been much more likely to eat in a place I pass by that looks good than I am to seek out the book's recommendations.

If you are moving to Germany or have another reason to get deeply involved in a lot of different areas of the country, by all means get the Country Guide. For the average traveler, spending a few days here and a few days there before moving on, this lighter, more compact, go-to reference will be an improvement. It still has the high quality you expect from Lonely Planet at half the bulk. And with airlines getting stingier every day on their baggage allowances, this is the one you'll want in your suitcase or carry-on.

Highly recommended, and a welcome new addition to Lonely Planet's palette of travel literature.

Lonely Planet's Discover Germany has breathtaking photography with fresh and current details on what to see, where to go and where to stay and eat.

It begins with a Quick Reference section in front that lists exchange rates, (current exchange rate internet link is given as well), business hours, metric conversions and telephone codes.

The chapters are divided into areas of Germany. The areas are Berlin, Munich, Bavaria, Frankfurt and Central Germany, Stuttgart and the Black Forest, Cologne and the Rhineland, Dresden and Eastern Germany and Hamburg and Northern Germany.

Each area will list highlights of each region, the best of each area, things you need to know and a discover section. Highlights can be anything from museums, monuments, area attractions and so forth. The Best of section will list everything from cruises to historic views. Things You Need To Know will give emergency numbers, statistics, planning and resource information. Discover will list tourist info, activities, tours, where to eat, where to stay and regional sights such as the Berlin Wall for instance.

Each area will give local restaurants, hotels, museum and business details. I like that internet links are provided for most. General costs, phone numbers, addresses and brief specifics are given for each entry. The places to eat and places to stay are quite brief so I would supplement with another guide for more choices on that. The maps are fair, but I would buy a bigger separate map for each city I would visit, as the maps are basic and only available in the book. Not any maps are a take away or a pull out. I like the extras such as hiking and winery info. In back is a directory with loads of various information such as for Gay travelers, farms stays, school holidays, climate charts, dangers, embassy details and more.

The photographs are spectacular and I like just looking at them. I thought this guide was well done and easy to follow.

I have several Lonely Planet travel guides and this one for Germany is as good as any of their others. It is a small book, but very heavy as it is made of sturdy paper with plenty of beautiful color pictures and maps. The inside cover has Quick Reference material such as telephone usage, exchange rates, price ranges, and business hours.

The travel guide starts with an overview of Germany, the top 25 experiences and the best itineraries and some information about planning your trip. This includes must sees, where to stay, what to bring, how to get around, festivals and events by month, and some important things to keep in mind. The guide is then separated into eight color-coded sections: Berlin; Munich; Bavaria; Frankfurt & Central Germany; Stuttgart & the Black Forest; Cologne & the Rhineland; Dresden & Eastern Germany; Hamburg & Northern Germany. These sections have Highlights, The Best of the area, Things You Need to Know, sights, lodging, dining, entertainment, shopping, and travel around the area. The last portion of the book has more information about German culture, cuisine, history, architecture, dangers, legal matters, climate, and getting around. After the Glossary, the back inside cover has some useful phrases in German.

Discover Germany is a comprehensive guide. It has a lot of information to help plan your trip. It is also a handy resource to study in your hotel room the evening before an adventure or to reflect back after a fun day. I'd recommend reading it before you book your vacation and have it with you for the duration.