Rick is the master of all self-guided travelers. his simple, down-to-erth style and his penchant for pointing out places off the beaten path, along with his "backdoor" philsophy (staying close to the ground, living like a "temporary local" and truly experiencing another culture)--all are part of his priceless advice. I have never gone wrong with Rick Steves's guidebooks, and I highly recommend his works to anyone planning a European trip.