[.ca] Lonely Planet St. Petersburg (ISBN 1741041694)

unreal:
if it wasn't for this book, i would have been very lost in st petersburg. this book gave me directions, and because of it, i found some great restaurants to check out. buy it used, save yourself a few bucks, it's defintiely worth it!

Inevitably Out of Date, but Still Quite Good:
When one goes to Europe with a European guidebook from Lonely Planet, one can expect perhaps 95% accuracy regarding the information within the book. The St. Petersberg guide is probably closer to 80%. That, however, is not the fault of the authors. Russian cities have been evolving rapidly since the break up of the USSR. Cool bars close. Hostels shut down or move. Museum schedules change. All of these things occur at a far faster rate than in Western or even Eastern Europe. That being said, the guide was, overall, quite good. I particularly enjoyed the Walking Tours within and the map of the Winter Palace, which was invaluable.

Chock Full of Information:
I just returned from St. Petersburg. The Lonley Planet guide was amazingly helpful. This little pocket sized book contains virtually everything one needs to navigate the city, find hotels, restaurants, visit the important and novel sites, and gain a perspective on the city's history. There is also a section on language and phrases as well as easy to follow maps of the subway. If you go, I also recommend a companion purchase, Lonley Planet's map of St. Petersburg. It is laminated and fits easily into one's coat pocket.

Agreeing with the other reviews:
Amazing amazing book. This was my invaluable guidebook when it came to travelling St. Petersburg and the outlying districts for a week and a half (alone). I brought three books with me to St. P and soon was bringing along only this one when I went out. It has exact details/directions for everything, and really provides all the nitty-gritty that other guidebooks lack. If you want to buy one book, buy this one. If you want to buy more than one, still buy this.

A good book, replaced by a newer edition.:
This has been replaced by an updated edition. Search for 1864503254, or look under "Our Customers' Advice" above. It is still a great guide for your journey of Discovering Russia. We always tell clients and other visitors to Russia that you should get the most current guidebook, as attractions, hotels, restaurants and transportation options do often change--AND THEN VERIFY THE INFORMATION! Marc David Miller, Discovering Russia, New York