“Marble palaces balanced atop wooden poles, commuters crossingthe Grand Canal standing in gondolas, prosecco bottlespopping in tight quarters: Venice defies all common sense, andchooses wonder instead.” – Alison Bing, Lonely Planet Writer

In the entire universe, there seems to be one constant that most everyone shares: the notion of beauty. This fact is not scientific, it is not logical, and the value of this knowledge is hard to assess. But the certainty is absolute as every one of us looks into a meadow of waving flowers, gazes at the surf and the sea, or looks deep into the night sky at the stars and beyond. God's Art explores the grace, the texture and the colors of this beautiful universe, and asks a lot of questions along the way: Why isn't the universe gray instead of such a rich incredible range of colors; Why is there so much variety in all things from snowflakes to galaxies; Why are we blessed with an appreciation for all this wonder if it does not contribute to our survival? Questions are more fun than answers, and a well-phrased quandary will keep us occupied longer than a stark fact. This is a beautifully illustrated book of questions.

When Jos Saramago decided to write a book about Portugal, hisonly desire was that it be unlike all other books on the subject,and in this he has certainly succeeded. Recording the events andobservations of a journey across the length and breadth of thecountry he loves dearly, Saramago brings Portugal to life as only awriter of his brilliance can. Forfeiting the usual sources such astourist guides and road maps, he scours the country with the eyesand ears of an observer fascinated by the ancient myths and historyof his people. Whether it be an inaccessible medieval fortress seton a cliff, a wayside chapel thick with cobwebs, or a grand mansionin the city, the extraordinary places of this land come alive.Always meticulously attentive to those elements of ancient Portugalthat persist today, he examines the country in its current periodof rapid transition and growth. Journey to Portugal is an ode to acountry and its rich traditions.

Lonely Planet's team of authors has island hopped the Bay ofIslands, immersed themselves in Rotorua's proud Maori culture,kayaked Abel Tasman's pristine bays and cruised the magnificentMilford Sound, as well as exploring everything in between. With allthat research and more, Lonely Planet New Zealand is your key tothe best possible Kiwi experience. Lonely Planet guides are writtenby experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit.This fully updated edition is packed with accurate, practical andhonest advice, designed to give you the information you need tomake the most of your trip. In This Guide: Full Coverage of hiddensecrets plus all the don't-miss attractions. Activities of everykind, from abseiling to zorbing. Unique Green Index to help makeyour travels ecofriendly.

MustSees Paris, a new addition to the MustSees series, hitsthe city's highlights for a 24-hour visit, a weekend or longer.Visit iconic sights like the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur and NotreDame. Dive into art at the Louvre, Pompidou Centre, Musee d'Orsayand the new Centquatre. Stroll the Champs-Elysees or Ile St-Louis,and then have dinner in the Marais. This pocket-size guide helpsyou do it all with detailed maps, recommended hotels and MustSeesstar-rating system.

standing work almost from the moment of publication.Beginningwith a groundbreaking interpretation of the ori-gin and nature ofthe city Lewis Mumford follows the city's developmentfrom Egypt andMesopotamia through Greece Rome and the MiddleAges to the modernworld. Instead of accepting the destiny of the city asthetendencies to metropolitan congestion suburban sprawl andsocialdisintegration, Mumford outlines an order integratingtechnical facilitieswith biological needs and social norms. Ascompelling as it is compre-hensive Mumfords award-winning work "isfar more than the study ofurban culture through the ages. It is arevitalization of civilizations( Kirkus Reviews).

You might be expecting to find elegant cities, spectacularpeaks and ancient cave cities in Ukraine, but were you expectingrampaging nightlife in Odesa and bathers parading around in18th-century and punk costumes on the Yalta coast? Hit the ground running with more Ukrainian * than competingother guides This guidebook has been fully updated! * Intuitive layout and new text styles make it easier to read,scan and find information at a glance * New visual design and structure improves navigation withoutsacrificing depth or quality * Expanded planning section helps travellers plan by time,season, interest or region * New map design improves map legibilty for easy navigation

What Will Your Washington DC Encounter Be? Meandering amongmuseums and monuments with fellow global citizens in America'sfront yard, or hobnobbing and nose-rubbing with politicos, wannabepoliticos and wannabe wannabe politicos? Creeping yourself out onThe Exorcist steps - and beware a tipsy tumble, or chowing down onDC's infamous half smokes and chili dogs with Obama? Cocktail-swilland hip-shake the night away - the question is, hip-hop, salsa orlingala? Blaze the urban frontiers of up-and-coming 'hoods such asColumbia Heights and Northeast. Discover twice the city in half thetime with a full-color pull-out map and detailed neighborhood mapsfor easy navigation. Our fabulous local author recommends the verybest sights, restaurants, shops, bars and clubs with uniqueitineraries and must-see highlights to help you make the most of ashort trip. Locals offer insider-only perspectives, from apolitical journalist on the best celebrity - and Obama - spottingto a real estate developer on the next best 'hood.

How will you see Norway? From behind a sled pulled by huskies?From the top of a glacier? Over an aquavit at Ibsen's old table inOslo's Grand Cafe? The exquisitely clear air of Lofoten Islands,colourful wooden houses, remote Svalbard...so much to see. And somany ways to see it. This guidebook has been fully updated! * Intuitive layout and new text styles make it easier to read,scan and find information at a glance * New visual design and structure improves navigation withoutsacrificing depth or quality * Expanded planning section helps travellers plan by time,season, interest or region * New map design improves map legibilty for easy navigation

Offers coverage of Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, Bavaria,Baden-Wurttemburg, Rhinel and Hesse, Bremen and Hamburg. This titleincludes fill-colour sections that present the traditional imagesof Germany.

Whatever you hunger for - art, architecture,cuisine, snow - you better pack a big appetite when you come toAustria. Symphonies in a Viennese concert hall, spotting marmots onthe Alpine trails, heavenly cakes and a kitschy Sound of Music tour- you'll be popping your dirndl with pleasure. This guidebook has been fully updated! * Redesigned color highlights section and dedicated chapter onOutdoor Activities * Intuitive layout and new text styles make it easier to read,scan and find information at a glance * New visual design and structure improves navigation withoutsacrificing depth or quality * Expanded planning section helps travellers plan by time,season, interest or region * New map design improves map legibilty for easy navigation

WHAT WILL YOUR BANGKOK ENCOUNTER BE? Watching the sun set while sipping a cocktail at one of Bangkok's rooftop bars Unwinding with a relaxing Thai massage Eating your way through the fresh, irresistible and affordableworld of Thai street food Hunting for bargains in the bustling labyrinth that is ChatuchakWeekend Market Shopping like a Thai teen at Bangkok 's famous malls Recovering from big-city exertions on an idyllic palm-fringedbeach, just a few hours away DISCOVER TWICE THE CITY IN HALF THE TIME Full-color pull out map and detailed neighborhood maps for easynavigation Bangkok resident and veteran food writer recommends the very besteating, drinking, shopping, entertainment and sights Unique itineraries and highlights help you make the best of ashort break Insider tips from tuned-in locals, including a Buddhist monk 'sinsights into the benefits of meditation, and a local food writer's tips on the best places to experience

Full-color travel guide to Venice, one of Europe’s mosthistoric and beautiful cities, with comprehensive de*ions ofall sights and attractions, and clearly presented practicalinformation. Full-color photographs and maps throughout, acomprehensive street atlas section and a handy orientation map onthe inside front cover. The Features section focuses on the city’shistory, people and culture, from its wealth of art andarchitecture to opera and the Venice carnival. The Places sectioncovers each neighborhood of the city, as well as the surroundingislands.

Featuring more diving information than many other guides, thiswork also includes options for sustainable travel, comprehensivetrip itineraries, and more. color photos, 57 maps.

Lonely Planet knows New Zealand like our own backyard, andthis handy guide brings you the best of the country's South Islandin one easy package. Let us help you discover the South's mostbreathtaking mountain roads, quietest off-the-beaten-track escapesand best city experiences. Lonely Planet guides are written byexperts who get to the heart of every destination they visit. Thisfully updated edition is packed with accurate, practical and honestadvice, designed to give you the information you need to make themost of your trip. In This Guide: Comprehensive coverage of thehighlights and hidden secrets. Itineraries to inspire great skiing,eating, wine-touring, driving or bushwalking experiences. Practicalinformation on getting around by car, bus, plane or camper van.

Nowhere else can so many cultures be found in such a tight spaceyou can wake up on the Mediterranean coast, have lunch in Paris andsee a show that night in London. Ryan Ver Berkmoes, Lonely PlanetWriter Our Promise You can trust our travel information because Lonely Planet authorsvisit the places we write about, each and every edition. We neveraccept freebies for positive coverage, and you can rely on us totell it like we see it. Inside This Book 14 expert authors 13 mountain ranges crossed 6,354,782 sq km explored 73 local beers sampled Inspirational photos Clear, easy-to-use maps In-depth background Easy-to-read layout Comprehensive planning tools At-a-glance practical info

Discover Washington DC Toss a Frisbeein the shadows of the founding fathers on America's frontlawn View cutting-edge art in a former munitions factory Drink beers while practicing your putt in a bar that doubles as amini-golf course Chow down on curry served from a van full of would-be circusringleaders In This Guide: Two authors, 50 days of in-city research, 15 detailed maps,innumberable half-smokes eaten Dedicated Politics chapter reveals what makes the capital citytick Expanded Eating chapter lets you taste everything from ChesapeakeBay crabs to Salvadoran pupusas

Cuba is a continuing education. Just when you think you vefigured it out, it confounds you with another brow-beating riddle.That essentially is its underlying attraction. Brendan Sainsbury,Lonely Planet Writer Our Promise You can trust our travel information because Lonely Planetauthors visit the places we write about, each and every edition. Wenever accept freebies for positive coverage, and you can rely on usto tell it like we see it.

Best-selling Tolkien expert Brian Sibley (The Lord of theRings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy and The Lord of the RingsOfficial Movie Guide) presents a slipcased collection of fourfull-color, large-format maps of Tolkien's imaginary realmillustrated by John Howe, a conceptual designer for the blockbusterfilms directed by Peter Jackson. The set includes a hardcover bookdescribing in detail the importance and evolution of geographywithin Tolkien's epic fiction and four color maps presented withminimal folds, including two (Beleriand and Numenor) never beforepublished in this country.

The only hotel guide wholly based on consumer feedback making it a truly unique and non-biased guide to finding the best place to stay in Australia and New Zealand. The guide comes with a FREE loyalty card for HotelClub.com with great savings of up to 60 per cent on over 20,000 hotels across 97 countries and GBP15 credit on initial registration. Each of the top 300 hotels featured have been tried and tested by clients of HotelClub.com, the world's leading online booking company with 2 million members. Each hotel recommendation includes an independent de*ion, a full-colour photograph and details of the facilities available. Hotel locations are plotted on full-colour maps and the accommodation is assessed according to value for money, family friendliness, cleanliness, facilities, staff attitude, location and restaurants.

Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar, may be a hotbed of progressiveattitudes, but in the rest of the 'Land of the Blue Sky', liferemains pretty much the same - horses outnumber people, nomadsstill move camp each season and on long-distance bus rides you'llbe serenaded by passengers singing folk tunes. If you time yourtrip right you can experience the festival of Naadam, this annualthree-day festival features Mongolian wrestling, horse racing,archery and traditional sports. The only guide to include maps of major towns across all regions.GPS coordinates to help you find what you're looking for, even whenthe signs don't help, as well as feature essays to provide insightinto Mongolian history and way of life. This guidebook has been fully updated! * Intuitive layout and new text styles make it easier to read, scanand find information at a glance * New visual design and structure improves navigation withoutsacrificing depth or quality * Expanded planning section helps travellers plan by time, season,interest or re

When it was first published in 1968, the critically acclaimedLOST NEW YORK became an instant classic for the way it reawakened alost city. Now expanded and updated, with 118 new photographs, thebook reveals a fresh, true picture of New York as it has lived andgrown, with startling reminders of how much that has vanishedremains part of us. From the grandeur of the old Metropolitan Operaand Pennsylvania Station to the fabulous lost night clubs of 52ndStreet and Harlem, from the opulence of the old Vanderbilt mansionsto the Madison Square Garden rooftop where architect Stanford Whitewas shot, this is both a unique testament to New York's past and astory of the vitality that makes the city continue to connect withus. Illustrated with rare and stunning photographs and marked byengaging, lively text, this new edition of LOST NEW YORK provides aunique and unforgettable look at the places in New York that are nomore. Beyond that, it evokes the significant moments in time andmemory that make us reflect on our p

——古老的传奇 对历史学家而言，希腊无疑是富有魅力的国度，哲学、政治、历史、语言、戏剧、体育……几乎西方文明的所有要素都可以在这里找到它们的根。深厚的历史积淀和文化传统是希腊人引以为傲的，也是他们愿意和来访者分享的。 对旅行者来说，希腊更是一个神奇的地方。不管你选择什么交通工具，一踏上希腊的土地，你都会立刻陶醉在地中海灿烂的阳光里。从那一刻起，你就成了风景的一部分。蓝天在上，白沙在下，震撼人心的文明遗迹，风味独特的美酒佳肴，热情好客的希腊人民……所有这一切都让会让你不可抗拒地爱上这个美丽的国家。 在你踏上这片神奇的土地，开始一段摄人心魄的旅程之前，本书将是一个精彩的预演。