[.ca] Camping Europe (ISBN 0917120183)

camping europe by carol mickelsen:
After reading Camping Europe my husband and I decided to try it. We decided to go to Italy. It worked out great. We followed her suggestions on what equipment to take, how to pack, and how to take our bikes. It was much easier than we anticipated. We didn't realize how sophisticated campgrounds were in Europe. They are very popular with Europeans. It was lots of fun to meet people from so many different countries. She gave lots of helpful hints on how to drive in a foreign country. Getting directions from locals wasn't hard even though we didn't speak their language. Her written directions and the maps made finding the campgrounds easier than we thought it would be. We loved her ideas on what to do. She also gave directions on how to go to fun out of the way places that you couldn't go to without a car. It was wonderful to have our bikes and our a bike rack. It was so cheap and fun to camp that we are going back to Europe again next year. Every country she writes about sounds like lots of fun so it is going to be hard to decide. We met a few Americans in the campgrounds. Several were having a great time using her book too. Too bad more Americans don't know how easy and fun camping in Europe can be.

Too Much Territory Too Little Detail:
This book is relatively worthless. Not only does it try to cover too much territory by doing all of Europe, it strays from it's intended purpose as a camping guide book. Most area descriptions are only a short paragraph long and have more info on area attractions than on the campgrounds (just check out all the activities listed in the index, unfortunately insufficient detail is provided for the activities as well). When I want info on area attractions I consult dedicated guide books such as Rick Steve's. As such only 1 or 2 campgrounds per area are covered (typically w/ only 1-2 sentence descriptions) and no info as to the size, quality, costs and exact locations of the campgrounds. No attempt is made to distinguish or recommend certain campgrounds; nor is any particular area covered in enough detail to give you a range of campgrounds to choose from. I found more campground info through local tourist organizations and the internet than I found in this book.

Enhanced with more than 250 maps:
Carol Mickelsen's Camping Europe is an impressive and "user friendly" travel guide that is enhanced with detailed directions on how to drive to campgrounds and major sights in twenty-one European countries. Ideal for "car campers", this affordable and informative compendium offers a wealth of tips and techniques for traveling inexpensively, seeking out of the way places, even sharing everyday experiences with local residents in order to get a true feeling for the amazing variety of lifestyles that can be encountered away from the heavily traveled tourist traps. Mickelsen's easy-to-read text is enhanced with more than 250 maps. If you are planning on an extended European vacation and are looking for more a more intimate and memorable experience than those prepackaged tourist routes and routines offer, then begin your planning with a copy of Carol Mickelsen's Camping Europe!