Travel Beautifully with Karen Brown's Guide Books - Europe (France, Spain, England, etc)

Karen Brown's travel guide books are the ones with the delightfully beautiful front covers painted by Jann Pollard .

There are several editions of most guides, as they are regularly updated. Many can be found on Amazon.

The 'look inside' facility is available for a number of editions, so that you can check the quality of the content for yourselves.

You can also compare content between newer and older editions, in order to judge value ~ and maybe pick yourself up a bargain! But beware of purchasing something that does not give the information you require. Check before buying!

VIDEOS:

There are links to some Karen Brown videos later in the hub!

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Edit May 2013:

You may have noticed that, while some of the Karen Brown travel guide books still sell at a reasonable price, a number of used items are being offered for rather high sums. Take a look!

New Karen Brown guides are for sale in electronic form and may be more useful as well as less expensive.

Further details can be obtained from the website and the Karen Brown Amazon page:

Ms Brown's Books for Kindle from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Karen%20Brown

Ms Brown's site:

http://www.karenbrown.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=173

Jann Pollard Watercolours For sale:

http://jannpollard.com/karen-brown-guides-paintings/

A Quote From Karen Brown's site [accessed May 2013]:

"We are excited to share with you our recommendations in electronic book format. Links within the E-Book guide facilitate navigation, and external links afford easy communication for additional information and making reservations. Enhanced with color photos, maps that link through to interactive maps, direct website and email links—these electronic books are such a powerful travel tool and resource, and also allow us to go “green” and save trees. We will be releasing titles as they are completed and currently have all all of our European titles available. In the meantime, a few of our 2010-2011 print editions of our titles are available at a considerable discount—inventory is limited and going fast! "

The world is full of beautiful places, which many of us would like to visit ~ and, while we are visiting, there are some fantastic buildings in which we might stay.

Karen Brown has been producing travel guides since 1977. She provides maps, photos and useful information, etc, in books that are a work of art in themselves.

Beautiful books about beautiful places ~ what more could one ask?

If you would like to buy travel guides online, then you may wish to purchase Karen Brown's guidebooks from Amazon

Karen Brown has her own, very helpful, website, as well as a Facebook page and Twitter membership.

For some Karen Brown guide books to America, go towards the end of item.

I also have a hub on Karen Brown's guides to Mexico and to cetain USA regions ~ here:

Travel Beautifully with Karen Brown's Guide Books to The USA and Mexico

It was the Karen Brown Spanish guidebook for 2006 that I first noticed, when I was looking at historic Spanish paradors.

Of course, different people like different things ~ including places and books ~ so you may or may not find these guides to your taste, but, according to her website ('Karen Brown's World of Travel') hers are the 'Recommendations' that 'Travelers Trust'. Have a look and decide for yourself.

I may have made some errors. I hope that you will excuse any that you may find.
Details can be checked on Amazon's site or on HMs Brown's site.

Tricia Mason

Karen Brown's France Hotels 2010:

Where it all began ...

According to Karen Brown's Amazon biography, her publishing history 'began with a single guide to France in 1977'.

She has confirmed this in an interview:

~~ 'French Country Inns & Chateau Hotels was my first book. It was published in 1977' ~~

'French Country Inns & Chateau Hotels was my first book. It was published in 1977'

[Interview: Karen Brown]

If you are looking for a 'sumptuous dinner and comfortable bed' in France, then this must be the book for you, because that is what is promised in the 'Product Description' on Amazon.

'14 Regional Countryside Driving Itineraries'.
'Descriptions of over 220 Places to Stay in the countryside and Paris'.
It promises 'Exceptional Places to Stay and Itineraries'.

2010 Edition

Authors:
Karen Brown and Clare Brown
Cover artist:
Jann Pollard

Paperback
426 pages

Size and weight:
7 x 6.9 x 1 inches
1.2 pounds

Karen Brown's France B & B 2010

A 'bed and breakfast' guide to France.
Get to know the real France and, as the Amazon 'Product Description' advises, 'Meet the French and experience their exceptional hospitality in homes ranging from quaint farms to luxurious chateaux' .

'14 Regional Countryside Driving Itineraries'.
More than 150 recommended 'Charming Bed & Breakfasts'.

2010 Edition

Authors:
Karen Brown and Marie Notot
Cover artist:
Jann Pollard

Paperback
352 pages

Size and weight:
7 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
1 pound

Karen Brown has produced a number of beautiful guides to Spain ~ the country which makes up most of the Iberian peninsula.

Karen Brown's Spain 2010

Spanish castles, palaces and hunting lodges ~ not just to explore and photograph, but to actually stay in!

The Spanish government has opened up many historic building as 'paradors', where you can spend your holidays in beautiful historic surroundings.

A number of these are described in this guide, along with other delights ~ including, apparently, 'the oldest hotel in the world' ! (According to Amazon's 'Product Description'))

7 Regional Countryside Driving Itineraries
More than 130 Accommodation recommendations.

It is possible to 'look inside' some editions on the Amazon website, Ie: Spain 2009, Spain 2006, PSpain 2005. Compare them ~ content and prices ~ and then choose your favourite.

2010 Edition

Authors:
June Eveleigh Brown and Karen Brown

Cover artist:
Jann Pollard

Weight and size:
14.1 ounces
7 x 7 x 0.6 inches

Format: Paperback
300 pages

This book contains Brown's recommendations and guides to 'Exceptional Places to Stay' in Portugal, including 'Charming Inns'.

Portugal shares the Iberian Peninsula with its larger neighbour, Spain, so, if you are exploring the entire peninsula, you may wish to look at Karen Brown's Spanish guides, too!

As Amazon's 'Product Description' indicates, in Portugal, as well as '... quaint villages ... splendid fortified towns ..... spectacular fortresses, beautiful mansions and elaborate cathedrals ...' you should also discover the 'graciousness, hospitality, kindness and welcome' of the local people.

Have a 'look inside' last year's edition, on Amazon, for more information.

'7 Regional Countryside Driving Itineraries'.

More than a hundred accommodation recommendations.

2010 Edition

Authors:
June Eveleigh Brown and Karen Brown.

Paperback
256 pages

Size and weight:
7 x 7 x 0.7 inches
12.8 ounces

Karen Brown has published a number of guides to Italy over the years ~ including separate ones for Tuscany and Umbria.

If you would like to pick up a bargain, then you could go for some of her earlier guide books, but, of course, as with any such publications, some of the information could well be out of date.

If you would like to 'look inside' some of Karen Brown's Italian books, so that you can 'try before you buy', as it were, Amazon has excerpts from a number of them, on their site.

Karen Brown's Italy Hotels 2010 Edition

Author: Clare Brown

Cover artist: Jann Pollard

Paperback - 472 pages

Size and weight: 7 x 6.9 x 1.1 inches & 1.5 pounds

7 Regional Countryside Driving Itineraries
270+ Places to Stay

Karen Brown's Italy Bed and Breakfasts 2010 Edition

Authors: Nicole Franchini and Clare Brown

Cover artist: Jann Pollard

Paperback - 494 pages

Size and weight: 7 x 7 x 1.2 inches & 1.6 pounds

7 Regional Countryside Driving Itineraries
275+ Places to Stay

Karen Brown's Tuscany & Umbria 2010 Edition

Authors:
Clare Brown and Nicole Franchini

Cover artist: Jann Pollard

Paperback
494 pages

Size and weight: 7 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches & 1 pound

2 Countryside Driving Itineraries
220+ Places to Stay

When you think of Switzerland, you think of cuckoo clocks and army knives, chocolate and fondues ~ and of course The Alps ~ but not necessarily in that order.

As with the other Karen Brown guides, as well as describing especially chosen places to stay, this book provides recommended itineraries. In this case, according to Amazon's 'Product description', 'a combination of car, train, boat and bus' are suggested 'as means of transportation' to see this 'breathtakingly beautiful' country.

'4 Regional Countryside Itineraries'

100+ accommodation recommendations.

2010 Edition

Authors:
Clare Brown and Karen Brown

Cover artist:
Jann PollardPaperback
286 pages

Size and weight:
7 x 7 x 0.7 inches
14.4 ounces

Karen Brown's Austria 2010 is available from Amazon.com.

Also available are her Austria 2009, 2008, 2007, etc. so, if you are willing to chance having some out-of-date material in your book, then you may be able to grab a bargain.

It is possible to 'look inside' some of these guides on the Amazon site, so you can check for yourself the differences between older and newer versions. These include 2009, 2006, 2005 and 2002.

Generally, I have not included 'look insides' from as early as 2002, but I think that it is worth checking as a comparison.

The authors of the 2010 version are Clare Brown and Karen Brown. The front cover artist is Jann Pollard.

According to the Product Descriptioj on Amazon, 'This book gives the traveler a wealth of information with destinations that range from the popular Tyrol and the Danube to the lesser-known castles of Burgenland and the glorious lakes of Carinthia'.

The 2009 guide included Prague, in the Czech republic, as well.

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2010 Edition

Authors:
Clare Brown and Karen Brown
Cover artist:
Jann Pollard

Paperback
214 pages

Size and weight:
8.1 x 7 x 0.8 inches
11.2 ounces

'5 Regional Countryside Driving Itineraries',

80+ Places to Stay.

According to Amazon's 'Product Description' 'Germany is a cultural wonder', which will 'enchant even the most discriminating traveler' ~and this guide will help you to discoverall of its most fascinating and beautiful aspects.

Have a look at previous guides, which are available on Amazon to 'look inside' and have a peek at some guides to neighbouring countries, too.

'7 Regional Countryside Driving Itineraries'.

More than 140 Accommodation places described.

2010 Edition

Authors:
Clare Brown and June Eveleigh Brown
Cover artist:
Jann Pollard

Paperback
290 pages

Size and weight:
7 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches
15.2 ounces

This guide offers to help readers discover the beauties of England, Scotland and Wales, whatever you may be seeking: thatched cottages, old castles, pretty villages, delightful scenery; city, town, village, countryside.

It promises 'Exceptional Places to Stay and Itineraries' !

As with other country guides, you can 'look inside' some of the slightly older editions on Amazon.

2010 Edition

Authors: June Eveleigh Brown and Karen Brown
Cover artist: Jann Pollard

Paperback - 372 pages

Size and weight:
6.9 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
1.2 pounds

More than 240 accommodation recommendations

According to the 'Product Description' on Amazon, this book will guide you to the 'beauty of the Emerald Isle' and her 'warmhearted friendly people' so that your visit will be 'truly special'.

The title promises:

'Exceptional Places to Stay'
'Charming Inns'
'Itineraries'

Karen Brown's Ireland 2010 Edition

Author:
June Eveleigh Brown

Cover artist:
Jann Pollard

Paperback
234 pages

Size and Weight:
7.1 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
13.4 ounces

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The Amazon site enable you to look inside some recent ~ and some older ~ editions of the Karen Brown guides. Those for 2006 and 2009 will probably be the most useful. I had a quick peek at the 2009 editions and found:

Explanations of how best to use the books.

Delightfully enticing photographs.

Several clear useful maps, including itinerary routes.

General info for planning trips, info on air fares, car rental, climate, etc, as well as helpful details about the country itself ~ sightseeing, etc.

Helpful Index

(The 'Austria' edition gave a letter of reservation in both English and German.)

There was also information on the cover paintings ~ place & artist ~ and information on photographs, etc, was provided.

The names of the authors & editors, technical supporters and other contributors were given.

As far as I could tell, all guides had illustrations by Barbara Maclurcan Tapp and maps by Rachael Kircher-Randolph.

Cover artwork was always by Jann Pollard.

Other contributors included:
Michael Fiegel - maps
Ben King - Photos
Elisabetta Franchini - illustrations

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The books I quickly looked through:

Karen Brown's France Hotels 2009

Karen Brown's France B & B 2009

Karen Brown's Spain 2009

Karen Brown's Portugal 2009

Karen Brown's Italy Hotels 2009

Karen Brown's Italy Bed & Breakfasts 2009

Karen Brown's Tuscany & Umbria 2009

Karen Brown's Switzerland 2009

Karen Brown's Austria 2009

Karen Brown's Germany 2009

Karen Brown's England, Wales & Scotland 2009

Karen Brown's Ireland 2009

The luscious images on the covers of Ms Brown's guides will have you booking your holiday tickets before you have even finished reading the contents.

According to the Karen Brown website, the gifted artist who produces the cover paintings for Karen Brown's guide books is Jann Pollard.

As well as the European guides, there are also a selection of Karen Brown guidebooks available to a number of areas in the USA and also to Mexico:

2010 Editions

Karen Brown's Pacific Northwest 2010: (Karen Brown's Pacific Northwest Charming Inns & Itineraries) by Karen Brown and Beth Knutson

Karen Brown's New England 2010: Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries (Karen Brown's New England Charming Inns & Itineraries) by Karen Brown and Jack Bullard

Karen Brown's California 2010: Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries (Karen Brown's California Charming Inns & Itineraries) by June Eveleigh Brown and Clare Brown

Karen Brown's Mid-Atlantic 2010: Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries (Karen Brown's Mid-Atlantic Charming Inns & Itineraries) by Karen Brown and Jack Bullard


Karen Brown's Mexico 2010: Exceptional Places to Stay & Itineraries (Karen Brown's Mexico Charming Inns and Itineraries) by Clare Brown and Jane Stevenson Day