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Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities
Graphic Europe is a guidebook to 31 cities in 31 different European countries, written and illustrated by graphic designers living in those cites. Offering a fresh twist on the conventional guidebook format, it lists places to stay, restaurants, bars, cultural hotspots and architectural highlights, but emphasizes the hip, alternative examples that only an insider would know.
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 23, 2023
First and foremost, Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities (which was published in 2010 and that with the presented galleries, restaurants, shopping places, restaurants etc., it must of course be verified and checked out if today, if in 2023, these are all still in existence and have not gone the way of the proverbial dodo bird, in particular post Covid 19) is not as the title seems to indicate and suggest a travel guide in a graphic novel type format, but rather that Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities features a selection of some of Europe's top graphic designers showcasing their home cities, giving a quick overview of European capitals like Berlin, Paris, London, Oslo, Valetta, Vilnius, Helsinki and Zurich to name a few (but for some strange reason, not Rome) and what to do, where to eat and stay, what galleries and museums to see, including where to go for some interesting and inspiring walks (which walking enthusiastic I majorly love love love).
And yes, and definitely, the one thing that I most appreciate regarding the featured cities focused on in Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities is that this travel guide mostly and totally stays away from the traditional, from the standard, the obligatory cathedrals and buildings of ancient historical significance (basically what one finds in most travel guide books on the market), but that there is a definite showcase in Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities of the arts (and art inspired cultural events), but not of the art galleries and the museums everyone knows about but of smaller, lesser known and very specifically modern and contemporary themed ones (very often specifically concentrating on graphic design), of book stores, of shops that sell stationery, drawing/painting supplies and the like, and indeed, on the places and on the events which the presented graphic designers featuring their cities themselves tend to frequent, including bars, pubs and small, sometimes even a bit strange and definitely alternative types of hotels and apartments to rent. But due of course, due to the very specifically modern and contemporary arts and design concept (and seeing Europe differently and from the point of view of that very same and totally modern and current arts and design), there is also a very definite "adults only" flair encountered Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities and the caveat should be left that if one is actually travelling as a family and in particular with younger children, no, Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities is not really the type of guide book and travel reference to consider.
However, for potential travellers who want to experience different sides of Europe and if they are into seeing an alternative to the same old same old of basically what is generally on the market as travel and tourist reference manuals, yes, Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities sure looks fun and informative, and gives a nice and delightfully different overview of thirty-one European cities to visit and to experience in a different manner, and also with aesthetic examples of the thirty-one designers' artwork thrown in for good measure (and that the only reason for me rating Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities with four and not five stars is that for one I am definitely quite annoyed at the non inclusion of Rome, Italy and that for two, well, Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities definitely needs an update for 2023).
And yes, and definitely, the one thing that I most appreciate regarding the featured cities focused on in Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities is that this travel guide mostly and totally stays away from the traditional, from the standard, the obligatory cathedrals and buildings of ancient historical significance (basically what one finds in most travel guide books on the market), but that there is a definite showcase in Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities of the arts (and art inspired cultural events), but not of the art galleries and the museums everyone knows about but of smaller, lesser known and very specifically modern and contemporary themed ones (very often specifically concentrating on graphic design), of book stores, of shops that sell stationery, drawing/painting supplies and the like, and indeed, on the places and on the events which the presented graphic designers featuring their cities themselves tend to frequent, including bars, pubs and small, sometimes even a bit strange and definitely alternative types of hotels and apartments to rent. But due of course, due to the very specifically modern and contemporary arts and design concept (and seeing Europe differently and from the point of view of that very same and totally modern and current arts and design), there is also a very definite "adults only" flair encountered Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities and the caveat should be left that if one is actually travelling as a family and in particular with younger children, no, Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities is not really the type of guide book and travel reference to consider.
However, for potential travellers who want to experience different sides of Europe and if they are into seeing an alternative to the same old same old of basically what is generally on the market as travel and tourist reference manuals, yes, Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities sure looks fun and informative, and gives a nice and delightfully different overview of thirty-one European cities to visit and to experience in a different manner, and also with aesthetic examples of the thirty-one designers' artwork thrown in for good measure (and that the only reason for me rating Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities with four and not five stars is that for one I am definitely quite annoyed at the non inclusion of Rome, Italy and that for two, well, Graphic Europe: An Alternative Guide to 31 European Cities definitely needs an update for 2023).
October 25, 2011
I love this (and its companion, Graphic USA). I'm using it to find out about all the little cool art-related things out there. In some cases, the guides for each city can be contacted online.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews