Transylvania, 2nd (Bradt Travel Guide) Paperback – March 19, 2013

Here's something of which you can be sure: If there's a Bradt guide for your destination, it's the best one, and it's the one you should buy.So what is it that makes the Bradt guides, and this one in particular, so good? First and foremost, each Bradt guide is lovingly crafted by an author who is absolutely passionate about their adopted home. You're not going to find an author who has spent a lifetime bouncing from one country to the next, churning out text for a broad swath of guidebooks. The key here is focus.In this case, Lucinda Mallows is obsessed with all things Transylvania, and she brings that enthusiasm to you. All elements of this book are outstanding, from the cultural and historical content to the numerous and well-chosen listings. It may be true that the Bradt guides lack some of the flash of other high-profile guides, but none can match its rich, informative, and enjoyable content. The text features all of the medieval towns and sites that an informed traveler would expect, but also includes many unique outdoor locations and activities.So, let's mention a few words about the content. Historical and cultural contexts are the obvious emphasis here. Visual content, such as maps and photographs, are more pragmatic than artistic. As with most other guidebooks, this guide includes several "coaching" sections of recommended sites, activites and itineraries. The practical information for travellers is deep, offering advice on more than just how to get there and what electrical adapter to take. Everything from how to tip to how to catch a train is included.My only complaint is slight. Because Bradt guides are so rich in content, and maintain such high standards for inclusion, new editions are frequently four or five years between. You have to hope that your destination is close to an "on" year for a new edition, or the listings might be out of date. This book was published in early 2013, so you can expect it to be relatively current until 2015 or so.The author's dedication to this region makes this book the best possible guide to its numerous, fascinating attractions.

The history part of the book was good. I wasn't terribly interested in all the other demographic info. The Hungarian Phrases and Words looked useful, but finding what I wanted was more difficult, especially since this was the Kindle version. I got what I wanted out of it, but would not order it again. It was suggested by someone who had been to Transylvania the year before and had found it useful. That person's bought the paperback version and was probably able to flag the pages desired. I suggest that Google Translate for its many shortcomings is more useful if WiFi is available.

This was the only book I used during my trip through Transylvania. It might be the only recent in-depth guidebook that focuses solely on this region of Romania. I took an intensive cultural tour, and almost every sight and location we visited is in the book (though the extreme north is not covered very well, especially the Sighetu Marmetiei area and nearby mountains).

I dislike guidebooks like this. They are essentially "what to see along the road when driving" especially here, where it covers a small section of Translyvania and then moves on to the next such area. Therefore, it's only value for people who aren't driving is to look up specific towns or villages whose names you already know, no for some basic maps of key places. I dislike the organization, where what there is to see in a town is at the end of the section on that town,This would benefit from suggested itineraries for different modes of travel and some type of list of "bests" by type, e.g., castles.

Excellent travel guide to Transylvania. Includes history, places of interest, where to stay and much more

I guess I thought it would cover all of Romania in more detail. I should have read reviews and description more carefully. Now I need to buy another book.

Great information for the entire region. You can spend a month in Transylvania and never see it all.

I travel often to Transylvania, and this is an excellent book on the area,covering all areas with great expertise. Strongly recommend.

Bought for a recent vacation in Romania, It contains lots of relevant and up to date information and unlike the Blue Guide for Romania it has quite a lot of photographs/illustrations and some maps. This was probably the most useful guide that we bought (the others were the Blue Guide and the Rough Guide). So far I haven't discovered a "perfect Guidebook for Romania (such as a DK type guide), this guide came nearest to satisfying the need bt isn't comprehensive in that it only covers Transylvania.

great book, we are planning our trip to this area for our 2015 holiday, its very detailed, so much information, just wish there were more pictures

Using in Romania now and it's very helpful and explicit

Well organised and helpful information. This will help any traveller to get the best out of a short trip to Transylvania.

What I wanted