36 Hours: 125 Weekends in Europe
The New York Times’ column in a new edition from Taschen
With thousands of years of history and art, as well as a multitude of restaurants and shops to consider, planning a trip to Europe can be a monstrous task. To help, The New York Times has again come together with Taschen to create a book based on the popular 36 Hours travel column for one encyclopedic tome of European getaways and day trips alike. Like the first edition, “36 Hours: 150 Weekends in the US and Canada,” “36 Hours: 125 Weekends in Europe” is filled with captivating photos and insightful, scheduled tips organized in the characteristically tidy format for your planning pleasure.
You could easily lose yourself in the book, dreaming of future holiday destinations, but 36 Hours is ultimately designed for quick navigation. Color-coded and organized into five sections according to region, the book is broken down alphabetically into countries and, finally, cities. Indexes at the back of the book and the beginning of each section make it easy to look up specific destinations. The index at the back also cleverly lists cities by interest allowing for travelers to map out trips suited to them.
Following the format of The Times’ column, each city begins with a general overview designed to familiarize the reader with the history and major features of the city. The entry then continues to map out a 36-hour plan through the locale including notable shops, restaurants, architecture and sites. For larger cities, there are sometimes multiple entries focusing on different kinds of travelers—such as Barcelona for Art Lovers or Literary London. And, for the traveler short on time, The Times has cleverly added a basics section at the end of each city equipped with a small map and an abbreviated list of sites.
The beautifully executed European edition is great for both ambitious jetsetters and ambling couch surfers. Pick up a copy of “36 Hours: 125 Weekends in Europe” for $23 from Amazon.
Images by Graham Hiemstra
