INTRODUCTION
Sorry it's been so long since my last review - just got the computers back up and running and Internet installed in our house.

Recently, we moved to Greece for a two year assignment with my job. In anticipation, and trusting in the stellar reputation of the series as well as the recommendation of family members who had toured Greece, we purchased Baedeker's Greece Map and Guide and have been using it quite extensively. Though we've been here only a few months, we've managed to put some heavy use on this guide and you can expect to see some reviews of our adventure locations as soon as we settle in a bit more (and after I ask the Category Leads to get some of the sites we've visited updated in Epinions)

PHYSICAL: 1/5 Stars
The guide is paperback, printed in color on quality weight, semigloss paper. Photographic and other illustrations are numerous and well-presented, with no noticeable misalignment of black/white or color printing. The binding is somewhat suspect, and after only 2 months of admittedly heavy use, the cover is starting to separate from the book at the spine. The book is protected by a clear plastic sleeve, and includes a large folding map. The map itself is mediocre, and aside from its poor correlation with the guide (see "Sights from A-Z" below), its legend is incomplete and it is printed on inadequate paper that already is tearing at the corners of the folds.

ORGANIZATION: 4/5 Stars
A superb table of contents takes up the first pages, and uses color-coded tabs (which correspond with the color of the appropriate page edges) to split the book into three sections: Nature, Culture and History; Sights from A-Z; and Practical Information from A-Z. Each Section is listed within the table of contents with page numbers, allowing you to find what you're looking for very quickly (which is important in a 567-page book).

NATURE, CULTURE, and HISTORY: 5/5 Stars
This is a very useful section, well balanced between being concise and expository. Approximately 80 pages covers geography/topography, climate, flora/fauna, population, government and society, religion, economy, transport, cultural history, mythology, ancient art, modern culture, and even a short section on major historical and famous people. We read this section in entirety before arriving and have found it very useful in settling into and starting to understand our new home.

SIGHTS FROM A TO Z: 3/5 Stars
As the title implies, this is an alphabetical listing of sites/sights of interest. This consists of almost 400 pages, interspersed with beautiful photographs and illustrations. Because the guide covers the entirety of Greece, each site (aside from major areas such as Athens and Salonica) is covered relatively briefly, meaning that for indepth touring you will want to consult more specific guides. Each listing includes the common Greek spelling of the site as well as its Latin equivalent. Many entries on larger or more significant towns include map details of the downtown sections. The Athens overview map is relatively useless because it doesn't include the names of even the most major thoroughfares. Other maps have Latin script names of streets, although outside of the larger cities, Greek names would be very useful.

A major disappointment for us is the fact that the Latin script site names on the map do not correlate with those used in the guide. For instance, the major city of Thessaloniki (second in size only to Athens) is labeled as such, but in the guide is listed under "Salonica." The person well-acquainted with Greece will know that both names are correct and common, but for newcomers like ourselves, it becomes confusing. This occurs in several other locations as well, and is quite confusing and irritating at times. Conversely, several locations listed in the guide are not annotated on the map. Even more unexplainable, some places of interest on the maps within the guide itself have no further information anywhere in the guide. One example we noticed recently was in the section on suggested routes in Northern and Central Greece, where Ambelakia is noted on the small map as a site "of outstanding interest," but has no information or description elsewhere even to explain what (beyond a dot on the map) Ambelakia is!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FROM A TO Z: 4/5 Stars
As the title implies, this is a concise section on the basics of local customs, travel information, embassy/consulates, currency (outdated with Greece's swap to the Euro from the Drachma), useful phone numbers, food, and a very brief language primer. One thing missing that I would like to have seen is a description of what to expect in the different levels of hotels, instead of a mere estimation of what it might cost to stay in a 4-star vs. 3-star establishment.

OVERALL: 3/5 Stars
Although we have found this guide useful in the few travel adventures we've managed so far, I must say that I am disappointed to some extent. It appears as if little thought has been put into ensuring that this is a useful guide for the newcomer. Especially disappointing is the quality of the map and its correlation (or lack therof) to the guide. I give the guide 3 stars overall, which hardly is what one would expect from a book with "Baedeker's" on the cover.

RAW DATA
ISBN: 0-7495-2535-5
Format: Paperback (with clear plastic protective sleeve)
Pages: 567, plus 10 blank pages for notes
Publisher: AA World Travel Guides
Website: www.theaa.co.uk

Recommended: No