The dust had hardly settled after the Napoleonic Wars before a flood of English-language guidebook writers descended on the city. Edward Planta’s 1814 guide set the standard for some generations. It also set a record for the longest guidebook title. It ran to 30 words, concluding with the magnificent “…accurately describing remarkable edifices, places of amusement and every other object worthy of attention.”

In the 200 years since Planta’s smart debut, a dozen guidebooks a year have come out on Paris and most sweep through the city without bringing much that is new to the endeavor.

Exploring Paris

But this spring, a very special new guide to Paris is on the market. Duncan JD Smith’s new book on the French capital has echoes of Planta in the full title: “Only in Paris – A Guide to Unique Locations, Hidden Corners and Unusual Objects.”

But while Planta is encyclopedic, Duncan JD Smith is highly selective and the appeal of this book is in the sheer ingenuity of the author who is an accomplished urban explorer. For Smith, Paris is a blank canvas, a place waiting to be discovered. One has a sense of a man who has conducted impeccable research but still contrives to arrive in Paris with an open mind. That’s a rare touch.

Discovering “Only in Paris” has been a real delight, and something of a surprise too. We had Smith marked down a natural citizen of “Mitteleuropa.” We ran across his guides to Vienna, Prague and Budapest and have over the years followed with interest as the “Only In” series extended to German cities and last year to Zürich. With “Only in Paris,” Smith demonstrates very convincingly that he is equally at home in the Latin world. Where next, we wonder?

Paris’ many faces

In “Only in Paris,” Smith tracks down 98 curiosities that have helped shape the texture of Paris both past and present. Each sight is the touchstone for a story. This is a delightful way to be led around a city. Smith escorts us through Capuchin quarries, up the “buttes” in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont and to the remains of the Bastille.

The book is especially strong on “Paris mondial” and nicely captures the many faces of Paris with its migrants from Africa, Indo-China, Russia and beyond. But the itinerary is not limited to the obscure and offbeat. Familiar Paris gets good coverage too, though invariably with a very novel perspective. Yes, there is something new to be said about the Eiffel Tower and the hunchback of Notre Dame and Smith rises to the challenge with authority and good humor.

Last but not least

“Only in Paris” is a great read and a handsome tribute to one of Europe’s loveliest cities. The book is published by Christian Brandstätter Verlag in Vienna. It is a volume that oozes high production values, with decent quality paper that is perfect for showcasing Smith’s photography. A German language-version, called “Nur in Paris,” is available from the same publishing house.

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One book: 140 years of travel history

But the March 2013 issue of the “Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable” is not just any timetable. This edition marks the 140th anniversary issue of the book that has become the bible for rail travelers across Europe.

During almost the entire life of Europe’s railways, the Thomas Cook timetable has become the indispensable companion for train travelers across the continent. The book started life in 1873 as “Cook’s Continental Time Tables and Tourist’s Handbook” and was for several decades known simply as “Cook’s Continental” — those who really affected familiarity with the European railway scene would abbreviate the title to “The Continental” or the ever terser “Cooks.”

Nowadays, it has morphed into the “European Rail Timetable” (“ERT”).

The 140th anniversary edition of Thomas Cook’s European Rail Timetable.

What’s inside?

The anniversary issue of the ERT is packed as always with rail and ferry schedules from across Europe, throwing in a few trams and buses for good measure. If you need to know on which dates the Moscow to Belgrade train carries through carriages to Skopje, this book has the answer.

This current March 2013 issue has a supplement on cruise trains and rail-based holidays. And the regular “Beyond Europe” section is this month devoted to China (even including cross-border rail services from China to Pyongyang in North Korea).

There are previews of the summer 2013 European rail schedules, most of which will be introduced this year on June 9.

In addition there is a wealth of material to mark the 140th birthday, with a retrospect on how the book has evolved over the years. That includes facsimile reproductions of old schedules (going right back to 1873).

And Thomas Cook marks this anniversary by introducing a new regular feature called “Route of the Month.” It is just a couple of pages of prose, evoking the spirit of a particular journey. They kick off with Salzburg to Vienna. But the idea recalls the very earliest days of the publication. Back in 1873, it was more than just a timetable, but also a handbook for tourists. The “Route of the Month” gives new life to that idea.

Brand power: Thomas Cook

The title may have changed over the years but this monthly publication remains the defining product of the entire Thomas Cook brand. The company has its roots in 19th-century railway history and even though many of Thomas Cook’s clients may nowadays opt for the plane over the train, the company’s trump card and key selling point is its ability to build on a rich historical tradition firmly rooted in the early work of the company’s founder.

Developments in technology have served only to underline the importance of good timetable information. Mark Smith, the rail travel guru who runs The Man in Seat Sixty-One website, nicely captures the success of the ERT in his comment: “Internet or no internet, nothing rivals the Thomas Cook timetable for laying out the routes, trains and options for travel across Europe and beyond, and I’d be lost without it.”

The one thing you will certainly not normally see on the cover of the ERT nowadays is a steam train. But in a nice gesture to history, the March 2013 issue does recall the age of steam. Oddly, the very first edition of the book in 1873, apart from the obligatory train pic on its cover, also included a camel. The camel was eased out to make way for a Rhine steamer in 1900.

This very special edition of the monthly timetable is certainly one for the archives — every bit as handsome as the March 1973 centenary issue that has now become a rarity much sought after by collectors.

The post European Rail: Celebrating 140 years of Thomas Cook Timetables appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Matt stopped by to talk about his new book, “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day”, which is published by Penguin and hits bookstores this week.

Obviously, our Cheapo interest was piqued by his title. Can you really travel on $50 a day? Matt sat down for four Cheapo questions:

1. When did you decide to quit your job and start traveling the world? Did you have a plan for how long you’d travel?

I decided to quit my job in health care administration in 2005 when I met some backpackers while in Thailand. They inspired me to take time off from work and and see the world. After that trip, I came back home and quit my full-time job.

A year later, I finished my MBA and left to do my round-the-world trip. It was supposed to only be for one year but I came back 18 months later and knew I didn’t want to stop. I headed back out on the road and I’ve been going ever since.

2. How long do you typically stay in one place when you’re on the road? Do you have any favorite European destinations?

There’s no rhyme or reason to how long I stay in a place. It varies a lot depending on if I like a place, how expensive it is, and what I have to do next. I might stay in one city for two weeks and the next one two days. It all depends on how much fun I’m having.

Lately, my schedule has become a bit more rigid as I work in my travel around conferences. But for the most part, everything is done on a whim.

One spot that is a very underrated in Europe is Romania. That’s a beautiful country filled with nice people, few tourists, cheap prices, and wonderful countryside. Too few people visit it.

3. In your new book, “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day,” you mention several ways to save on travel. Could you share some of your best tips?

A few things you can do that can have a big impact on your budget are:

First, be flexible. The difference of a few days can mean the difference of hundreds of dollars on flights, cruises, hotels, etc.. The more rigid you are about where and when you have to travel, the less likely you are to find a good deal.

Secondly, try to avoid the “main attractions” of the world during high season. Paris is wonderful, but in the summertime, it’s crowded and expensive. Consider visiting Eastern Europe, which is cheaper and less busy and coming back to Paris at a later date. For every hot spot in the world, there is a place equally as good that is half the price.

Lastly, consider signing up for branded travel credit cards. These cards offer large sign up bonuses that will give you tens of thousands of free miles – often enough for a free round-trip ticket to Europe. If you aren’t using one of these cards, you’re leaving a lot of free money on the table.

4. What are the three most important items you pack, aside from clothing, a passport, money and a smartphone or computer?

A lock, deodorant, and a good book.

That’s some sweet-smelling and practical advice, Matt. Thanks for stopping by!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Nomadic Matt appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

When we last chatted with Tim back in June at the Travel Blog Exchange conference in Keystone, CO, he was hard at work wrapping up the latest edition of his book, The World’s Cheapest Destinations. We had plenty of questions for him then – as we do now – and love his perceptive, er, perspective on travel. We think you will, too.

Question 1: We’ve been fans of yours for years and appreciate you participating in our Q&A series. Can you first let our readers know a little about you and what led you into such an expansive travel writing career?

Like a lot of your readers, I took off on a round-the-world “trip of a lifetime” and had trouble stopping. My first trip was 20 years ago though, with my now-wife, and we circled the globe two more times, teaching English along the way and in my case, getting some toes in the door with editors as a travel writer.

I kept at it as a part-time writer for many years before finally quitting my day job and becoming a full-time travel writer and publisher last decade. I added a site here, a blog there until one day I woke up and realized I was a real business owner.

Question 2: Congrats on the success of “The World’s Cheapest Destinations.” It must be fascinating to see how budget travel has evolved since its first edition. What have been the biggest changes since the book’s initial publication?

The first edition came out 10 years ago and I’m quite embarrassed now when I look at it. The book is a lot better and meatier now.

The main changes in the world of travel though all stem from one trend: far more travelers. Every place is more crowded with tourists than it used to be, except for a few holdouts like North Korea, and while you can still quite easily get off the beaten path if you want, the flood of images on the web means there are fewer unknowns out there. Everything is easier and more organized.

There’s also 100 times more information about 100 times more places than a decade ago, which overall is probably a good thing. The world is wealthier overall, which is also a good thing, even if it does mean prices have inched up in some of our favorite places.

On the negative side, it saddens me to see four travelers sitting silently around a table, all exchanging messages with friends back home and posting status updates. Sometimes that goes on for a half hour, nobody talking to the person right across from them. There’s less experiencing, more sharing. Less reflection, more blabbering. Get the photo, upload, move on.

People seem unable to let go and just be in the moment, in the place, without immediately connecting to the home they supposedly left behind.

Question 3: Let’s talk Europe. You cover a lot of ground in this book and we’re interested in the trends you see shaping up across the continent. What destinations do you think should be on a Cheapo’s radar these days? Why?

My big destination change this time was removing Turkey and adding Slovakia. Turkey’s still great and I’m heading there later this year, but it’s definitely gotten more expensive as the economy has taken off and more cruise ships dock there—especially Istanbul. A decent value still, but not a great one for backpackers.

In Slovakia you can still feel way ahead of the curve. It’s beautiful Olde Europe with castles and historic architecture, plus surprisingly good wine in addition to the good beer, but it gets a tiny fraction of the visitors of the Czech Republic or Hungary. The main drawback is, because there aren’t many backpackers, there aren’t a lot of hostels and cheap day trip tours.

Although I’ve had Bulgaria in the book from the start, I was relying on third-party info and interviews. I finally made it there this past year and was blown away. It’s as cheap as some places in Asia and Latin America, with incredible scenery and excellent food. I’m itching to go back again and do some longer hiking trips, staying in mountain huts that are priced like hostels.

Cheapness depends a lot on exchange rates too, of course. Hungary felt less expensive this time I visited than it did four years ago, almost entirely because the dollar was stronger.

Question 4: What’s the next big trip for you and how are you doing it on the cheap?

I took my family to southeast Asia last summer, moving around as backpackers for three weeks, and it wasn’t hard to do it on the cheap there. Our budget was $150 a day and for that we really lived it up in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Nice hotels, three daily restaurant meals, frequent massages, etc. In the near future though I’m doing a lot of writing trips for articles, things where it’s not all on my dime. I’m doing a biking trip in Portugal in May though and am curious to see how prices there are looking during the ongoing crisis.

In the summer I’m moving back to Guanajuato, Mexico with my family though for two years and will be doing most of my travel the second half of the year there and in other spots in Latin America. I find Mexico quite affordable if you are in the interior rather than at the vacation resort areas.

I’ll probably get to Ecuador, which is another place you don’t have to try very hard to travel on the cheap. And oddly enough, they even use the U.S. dollar.

Sounds fantastic. Thanks for stopping by, Tim, and good luck with all your upcoming travels!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Tim Leffel of Perceptive Travel appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are a few suggestions from Bryan’s Suggested Reading List:

Laugh at cultural differences: For those looking for a light-hearted cheeky story of an English-speaker in Paris, Stephen Clarke’s “A Year in the Merde” will do just the trick.  A somewhat fictional story of an Englishman opening a tea house, the book offers an irreverent and some (more prudish) readers may say “offensive” look at Parisian life, including love, language, and the title’s namesake merde.  Love it or hate it, it’ll prepare you for some of the more shocking cultural differences.

Nostalgic essays: If sincerity and nostalgia are more your thing, the authors of “Paris Was Ours” will take you to every corner of Paris, from bourgeois chic to refugee bohemia.  Each author offers their personal take on the city during their stays, giving multiple viewpoints from essay to essay.  While some authors may not resonate with you, you’re bound to take away some bit of information, some landmark, or some piece of history that could enlighten your trip.

Delicious tales: Those who read his blog will love David Lebovitz’s “The Sweet Life in Paris,” a chapter by chapter exploration of the cultural differences that marked his expatriation to France.  From learning not to wear PJs even to take out the trash to working as a fish monger, David points out some of the city’s quirks that will help you understand why there are towels sitting in the street gutters…

Love story, with recipes: Elizabeth Bard’s “Lunch in Paris” is another food-centric tell-all about a young American’s instant love affair that leads her to wedding bells in the tenth arrondissement.  Her wit and humor make the book a fun and easy read while discovering the quirks of shopping in a Parisian market or having a crush on your butcher.  These things do happen.

American in Paris: Adam Gopnik’s “Paris to the Moon” is perhaps a favorite about being in Paris, a heartfelt and sincere look at life in this city for an American.  His experiences with his child who grew up as a young boy playing in the Jardin du Luxembourg will strike a chord with parents, and his adaptations to French culture will be good preparation for anyone about to embark on a trip to Paris.

French 101: For history buffs or those afraid of not speaking French, “The Story of French” by Jean-Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlow is an incredibly accessible introduction to those who don’t know a bonjour from an au revoir.  Far from a French language lesson, the book follows the history of the French language and helps, or attempts, to explain why the French might get so offended when foreigners don’t speak their language, or even try.  There is apparently some method to the madness, so read in tandem with some Rosetta Stone!

Your favorite Paris books?

Have a favorite title to add to our Paris-themed book list? Share with us in our comments section.

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We first stumbled on Jonglez’ work in Brussels, when his guidebook Bruxelles Insolite et Secret led us to parts of the Belgian capital that lie well off the regular tourist trails.

The “secret” formula

Since then books from Jonglez Publishing have become firm favorites that give us a fresh perspective on some of the most celebrated cities on the west European tourist circuit. That first Brussels book included cameo accounts of factories and allotment gardens, and descriptions of intriguing toilets and apartment blocks, to complement more predictable Brussels fare such as art and architecture. And that first guide was quickly translated into English.

Subsequent Jonglez volumes follow the same formula, though as the series has evolved the company has placed more emphasis on the supposed authenticity derived from having local authors. “Local guides by local people,” runs the blurb on recent English-language volumes covering Rome, Madrid, Venice and London. So these guides are an antidote to globalization, a chance to pause and take note of what is peculiarly distinctive about the cities covered by Jonglez guides.

Secret Paris

This is a marvelous series of books. They are all impeccably researched and well-illustrated, with little inset boxes succinctly explaining the background to the various sights. We learned, for example, why there are so many crêperies in Montparnasse and why so many Paris theaters lie north of the Grands Boulevards.

And it is not as if the Jonglez guides neglect to mention more established sights. It is merely that they reach the parts of European cities that other guides simply ignore. And the books are hugely effective in endowing the reader with a sense of having privileged access to areas of European cities that lie well beyond the regular tourist haunts.

So we must confess that, when recently in Paris, we skipped the Mona Lisa and instead followed the call of Jacques Garance and Maud Ratton, authors of Secret Paris, to see the only level crossing in Paris, visit an Antoinist temple and discover a pagoda converted to a cinema.

The series

Éditions Jonglez publish English-language city guides covering Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Florence, Geneva, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome and Venice. They also have area guides to the French Riviera, Tuscany and Provence.

The books are titled Secret Amsterdam, Secret Barcelona, etc. Additional titles are available in French, and some books have been translated into Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch. In the USA the books are distributed by Globe Pequot Press.

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The essence of Slow Travel

A while back we published our manifesto for Slow Travel which appealed to the interests of a new generation of travelers who increasingly prioritize low impact tourism, engaging with locals and giving something back to the communities they visit. These are folks who are ever aware of their own carbon footprints.

Bradt Travel Guides

A slow travel guide by Laurence Mitchell.

So three cheers for British publisher Bradt Travel Guides, which has launched a new series of guides devoted to Slow Travel, books that focus on the local and highlight how you might secure real insights into a country by exploring a limited area in detail.

Bradt has always been at the innovative end of the guidebook market, venturing to publish authoritative guides to areas of the world that receive only a tiny trickle of tourists. For travelers looking for good English-language guides to Belarus or Kosovo (or even, for that matter, to Eritrea or Kyrgyzstan), then Bradt is absolutely the market leader.

But they also have their own distinctive take on more frequented spots, and we are much impressed by a trio of books published earlier this month on very beautiful parts of England. They are Slow Norfolk and Suffolk by Laurence Mitchell, Slow North Yorkshire by Mike Bagshaw and Slow Devon and Exmoor by Hilary Bradt, who way back in the mid-1970s founded the company that still bears her name.

Slow Travel in England

Slow travel is a state of mind. It is about having the courage to give to places the time they deserve and not being enslaved by the need to travel farther and travel faster. England is of course ideally suited to this mode of travel and the three books that launch the new series dive off the main highways to take in country lanes and small villages.

Bradt say that more books in their Slow series are in the pipeline. US distribution is handled by Globe Pequot Press. The US editions of all three books will be published on July 13, 2010. Amazon is advertising them for about $16 apiece.

The post Slow Down: A new series on Slow Travel from Bradt Travel Guides appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

It is therefore unsurprising that the city’s art landscape includes a number of galleries exclusively showing street art. Overkill Shop, Circle Culture, and Intoxicated Demons are a few choice examples of galleries specializing in bringing street art inside. And recent super-successful shows by celebrated local street artists such as EVOL and Jaybo Aka Monk demonstrate the commercial viability of street art for international collectors.

A graffiti guide

But for everyone interested in just appreciating the work in its natural habitat, there is a new book by graphic designer Benjamin Wolbergs, “Urban Illustration Berlin: Street Art Cityguide.” The book makes the perfect guide for a walking tour through Berlin’s outdoor street art scene.

Written in both German and English, the book offers exclusive interviews with seventeen of the elusive artists. Wolbergs does not limit his focus to spray paint. Instead, he gives attention to the rich range of stencils, cutouts, markers and wheatpaste works across the city.

Wolbergs’ stunning street photography in “Urban Illustration Berlin: Street Art Cityguide,” along with the interviews’ insight into the artists’ working techniques, motives, and philosophies on street art, make the book a valuable purchase, regardless of whether one is planning a visit to Berlin.

A self-guided graffiti walking tour

However, the book’s real treasure is a tear-out city map detailing the locations of 500 iconic and admired instances of Berlin’s street art featured in the book. Tear it out and take yourself on a walking tour.

Street art is fragile. And a few of the works Wolbergs spotlighted no longer exist. But the neighborhoods remain active areas for street artists and well worth visiting for anyone interested in the origins of Berlin’s vibrant international art scene.

The post Berlin Graffiti: Street art guide, with walking tour appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

“Ask Arthur Frommer: And Travel Better, Cheaper, Smarter,” published in March by Wiley Publishing ($19.99), reworks the most helpful of these dispatches into a 512-page budget travel encyclopedia. Flipping through the book is a trip in itself, and reading the book from cover to cover is sure to be an education in the art of budget travel.

Art lessons

“Ask Arthur Frommer” offers up Art’s tips-of-the-trade in an easy-to-follow structure. Throughout, Frommer pushes the idea that technology has changed the way we travel, granting us new-found independence, flexibility, and opportunity to see the world.

Frommer clusters his advice by topic, in sections such as “Airfare,” “Cheap hotels,” and “Transportation.” We were happy to note the attention he pays to less mainstream destinations (hello, Riga!) and his suggestion to open up to “alternative lodgings” like hostels. (Full disclosure: We were also quite happy to see references to both EuroCheapo and our sister site, EuropeanHostels.com on his blog and in this book.)

It’s well worth noting that while Frommer has been around the globe (his landmark book, “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day,” debuted in 1957), he’s no technophobe when it comes to his travel know-how. At 80, he’s still an active traveler, and frequently writes about emerging technologies, new travel trends, airfare comparison sites, and travel meta-search engine.

Our fave Art encounters?

We really enjoyed passages where Art goes “off the keyboard” and gets truly expressive, even controversial, about the mainstream travel media.  He isn’t afraid to berate publications that kowtow to the luxury travel trade, and he names names. He’s also had it with out-of-touch editors defining “budget travel” as $250-a-night boutique hotels and (even more expensive) resorts. Go Art!

Throughout his career, Frommer has pushed his readers to do their own research, find real deals, and get closer to the cultures they visit. This book, compiling a half-century of real budget-travel advice, is a wonderful way to get started.

Have you read this book? Have a comment? Post it below.

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