Lonely Planet London [Paperback]

Sarah Johnstone (Author), Tom Masters (Author), Martin Hughes (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lonely Planet London | Publication Date: January 2004

- elaborate descriptions of things to see and do on and alongside the River Thames- detailed entertainment section covers music, theater and spectator sports- easy-to-use maps enable painless navigation of this vibrant world capital- the best in London's accommodation and food offerings for all budgers

Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introducing London

The sun is shining brighter in London these days, and the English capital is aglow. It has always been a compelling capital but right now it's also one of the most dynamic hubs on earth, leading the vanguard in music, visual arts, fashion, film and, these days, even food. It's not the technicolored swagger of the swinging '60s but London's back in the spotlight and it is certifiably groovy.

This mammoth metropolis is a world in one city; at once exhilarating, irrepressible, intimidating, stimulating and brimming with spectacle and possibilities. It can be different things to different people, but these qualities are always in abundance, making London the place to be right now.

Not only is it home to magnificent historical architecture and such familiar landmarks as Big Ben, St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, it's a cornucopia of cultural wealth that boasts some of the world's greatest museums and art galleries (treasures which, since 2002, are mostly ours for free). The London of Harrods, the Ritz, Buckingham Palace and Mayfair still charms with the decadence of a bygone era but these days London is riding on the crest of the wave and only looking forward.

Propelled by the energy, vitality and aspirations of a population made up of some 40 different ethnic groups, it's a tapestry of different cultures, unparalleled in complexity and color. Home to between seven and 12 million inhabitants (depending on where you stop counting), London seduces some 30 million of us who tramp through it each year. While it receives all-comers with (usually) open arms, beneath the cosmopolitan veneer its own distinct personality remains intact. Amid the onslaught of globalization, London struts proudly across the world stage.

Wandering through its rain-sodden streets is a unique experience. We take giddy delight in its icons: the open-backed red buses, black cabs, police bobbies and their hats, pinstriped workers and London Underground signs. We record sounds that ring in our ears long after our gig here is done: accents from around the world, the diesel engines of black cabs, the disembodied voice of the newspaper vendor, toffs on their mobile phones - and the occasional "Oi! Out of my way you Muppet!"

Luckily, whether you're looking for pubs once frequented by Charles Dickens, the soldiers with the big bearskin hats or the new Stella McCartney fashion store, you won't have to venture far from the core of the behemoth. And those sights that do require legwork are genuinely worth the effort - the Victorian Valhalla of Highgate Cemetery, the home of cricket at Lord's or the splendid Hampton Court Palace that so attracted King Henry VIII. Look hard enough and you'll find hidden gems like the eccentric Sloane's Museum, the gripping Cabinet War Rooms or the cutting-edge Design Museum - these could be highlights of your trip.

The centre is pocked with elegant squares and green expanses, and there are vast parks just a hop, skip and Tube ride away. Primrose Hill, Richmond Park and Hampstead Heath provide vast panoramic views of the city although none compares to the London Eye.

After dark, when Londoners aren't huddled around tables bantering in Victorian boozers, the city fizzes with creative energy, expressed through a bristling music scene, an incomparable club culture and mainstream arts the match of anywhere on the planet. The opportunities for being entertained in London these days are limited only by your spending and staying power.

London is not a place you can ever "do"; it's evolving too quickly even for its occupants to fully grasp, never mind the time-challenged tourist. It will enthral you, seduce you and, on any given day of the week, probably lead you to a hangover. Experiencing London is not about ticking off sights - it's about the conviviality and banter of a traditional pub, watching football on the box and spending hours over the Sunday newspapers. It's about a gig in Camden, a club in Brixton and a night at the opera. It's about a visit to the garden where Keats wrote his most famous poem, a glimpse of celebrity and finding respite in an elegant square. It's about the aromas from a stroll through Chinatown, a boat ride on the Thames and being told off for swinging around the pole of a double-decker bus. It's about being stunned by the history, awed by the architecture and amazed by the multiculturalism. It's about the unexpected delight of sunny days and small talk about miserable ones. It's about the choices you make at closing time. But most of all it's about leaving this book in your room now and then, and letting yourself be carried by the ebb, flow and rhythm of a city in perpetual motion.

Just make sure you mind the gap.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 4 edition (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1741040914
• ISBN-13: 978-1741040913
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,366,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You're going to LOVE BRITAIN!, September 23, 2004

By 

Richard R. Carlton (Ada, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet London (Paperback)

I've spent a year in England and have made >30 visits all together.

Here are my reviews of the best guides....to meet you r exact needs.....I hope these are helpful and that you have a great visit! I always gauge the quality of my visit by how much I remember a year later......this review is designed to help you get the guide that will be sure YOU remember your trip many years into the future. Travel Safe and enjoy yourself to the max!

Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet has City and Out To Eat Guides. They are all about the experience so they focus on doing, being, getting there, and this means they have the best detailed information, including both inexpensive and really spectacular restaurants and hotels, out-of-the-way places, weird things to see and do, the list is endless.

MapGuide
MapGuide is very easy to use and has the best location information for pubs, hotels, tourist attractions, museums, churches etc. that they manage to keep fairly up to date. It's great for teaching you how to use the underground and the double decker buses. The text sections are quick overviews, not reviews, but the strong suite here is brevity, not depth. I strongly recommend this for your first few times learning your way around the classic tourist sites and experiences. MapGuide is excellent as long as you are staying pretty much in the city centre. When you get to be an old London hand, remember that the classic Londoners guide will always be an A to Z (zed) map and guide. If you want to go a bit beyond the central core of the city (perhaps to Windsor, Hampton, or further away) you really need the proper AtoZ to be able to find exact routes and streets.

Time Out
The Time Out guides are very good. Easy reading, short reviews of restaurants, hotels, and other sites, with good public transport maps that go beyond the city centre. Many people who buy more than one guidebook end up liking this one best!

Blue Guides
Without doubt, the best of the walks guides.... the Blue Guide has been around since 1918 and has extremely well designed walks with lots of unique little side stops to hit on just about any interest you have. If you want to pick up the feel of the city, this is the best book to do that for you. This is one that you end up packing on your 10th trip, by which time it is well worn.

Michelin
Famous for their quality reviews, the Red Michelin Guides are for hotels & Restaurants, the Green Michelin Guides are for main tourist destinations. However, the English language Green guide is the one most people use and it has now been supplemented with hotel and restaurant information. These are the serious review guides as the famous Michelin ratings are issued via these books.

Let's Go
Let's Go is a great guide series that specializes in the niche interest details that turn a trip into a great and memorable experience. Started by and for college students, these guides are famous for the details provided by people who used the book the previous year. They continue to focus on providing a great experience inexpensively. If you want to know about the top restaurants, this is not for you (use Fodor's or Michelin). Let's Go does have a bewildering array of different guides though. Here's which is what:
Budget Guide is the main guide with incredibly detailed information and reviews on everything you can think of.
City Guide is just as intense but restricted to the single city.
PocketGuide is even smaller and features condensed information
MapGuide's are very good maps with public transportation and some other information (like museum hours, etc.)

Fodor's
Fodor's is the best selling guide among Americans. They have a bewildering array of different guides. Here's which is what:
The Gold Guide is the main book with good reviews of everything and lots of tours, walks, and just about everything else you could think of. It's not called the Gold guide for nothing though....it assumes you have money and are willing to spend it.
PocketGuide is designed for a quick first visit
UpCLOSE for independent travel that is cheap and well thought out
CityPack is a plastic pocket map with some guide information
Exploring is for cultural interests, lots of photos and designed to supplement the Gold guide

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lonely in London., January 8, 2005

By 

G. Merritt (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lonely Planet London (Paperback)

I swear by the Lonely Planet travel guides, and this one is no exception. While planning my recent trip to London, I discovered two first-rate London guidebooks, this one, and Rick Steves' London 2005 (which I prefer of the two). The LP guide offers detailed maps in the back of the book, including a tube map. It also enabled me to find affordable hotel accomodations in the otherwise expensive Hyde Park area. LP's guide provides an excellent orientation of the city's culture, architecture, and history, and features several worthwhile walking tours through the Soho, South Bank, Fleet Street and central city areas of London. London is among the ultimate European travel destinations, and first-time visitors will need no more than this guide to explore the city's pubs, its fascinating streets and neighborhoods, and its many, great art museums.

G. Merritt

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars outdated, September 14, 2005

By 

S. Huen - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet London (Paperback)

The lonely planet london had some good walking tours, but for the most part, terribly out-dated in terms of prices for museums/attractions and also many stores/restaurants/internet spots have since closed. The maps are decent.