Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet London

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just returned from a week stay in London and two books made the trip complete - this LONDON citymap guide and Lonely Planets guide to London. We were there to sitesee and all we needed was Lonely Planet to decide where to go (includes the TUBE stops as well) and for resturants and other out of the way location, we found every street we needed with this fold out guide. Lonely Planet gave just enough background on all the major sites and has a lot of information packed in a little book. I received about 4 other books from friends and none compared to these two guides. Save your money - you'll be all set with these two!

I have always been a fan of the Lonely Planet books, having recently used the Lonely Planet Iceland and Greenland book to great effect. I like this London guide because it is a nice size (easy to carry) and is full of genuinely useful information.

I particularly like the very detailed maps in the back of the book (there are 16 color maps in addition to the tube map and a few other handy things back there). The maps make planning itineraries much easier than if they are spread throughout the book. One minor quibble about the maps, though: the maps are of excellent detail, but cover relatively small geographic areas. That's ideal for detail, except for the fact that there is very little orienting information about how the various maps fit together. It's not a huge deal, but is the only real room for improvement that I saw in the book.

As far as information goes, the hotel and restaurant stuff is pretty standard fare, but the information on sights and attractions is wonderful. I am especially fond of the "Highlights and Lowlights" sections which point out the things generally of highest import to a tourist. Of course, there is substantial information on other things, but this 'do not miss' feature is great. I was also especially pleased with the detailed public transport information including the tube, trains, taxis, buses, and all five airports (and how to get to and from them.)

In short, I am really impressed with this latest edition of the Lonely Planet London book, and will definitely be packing it when I go to England next.

This was the perfect guide to have for my first trip to London. As always in Lonely Planet, the maps were extremely helpful and made getting around much easier. The book is the perfect size to throw in your bag so that you can take it with you to refer to while you're out and about. One thing that's nice is it has a lot of detailed information about some of the more popular sites that aren't necessarily on the brochures they pass out at the location. It was nice to pull out the book and read all these little details while actually standing in Westminster Abbey, for example, instead of just the brief leaflet they pass out. The listing of all the outdoor markets in the back was a bonus - I probably wouldn't have known where to find them without it.

There wasn't a very wide variety of clubs or bars (great selection for pubs though!), and a lot of the places they recommend are very touristy, so it helps to pick of some local info on that kind of stuff when you get there. This is, however, a GREAT guide for those getting their feet wet for the first time across the pond.

I first picked up the Lonely Planet London book at the praises of my history advisor. I studied in London for five weeks and this book was with me every step of the way. Not only does it provide top notch detailing of the major sites and locations, but it gives an easy to read historical overview so you don't get lost in the annuals of history. I loved using it when trying to find places to go or even to help me with my assignments! Pick it up and you'll never see London the same way again.

I would recommend this book to any student or individual who is traveling to London and cannot afford to live in the most expensive sections of London that Frommer's offers. I loved this book. I took it everywhere I went in London and never got losted. I had this book more often than I had my passport. I even got Jack Black's autograph in this book when he came for his movie premiere. If you are going to London, you must pick up this book first. It is the only thing you will need. There are maps inside and everything you will need to live and commute in London. This was my first Lonely Planet and would recommend it to anyone interested in really travelling London. If you are going that way, tell everyone hello for me in the Museum Tavern, which is where Karl Marx took his study breaks during the writing of the Communist Manifesto.

Like all Lonely Planet guides, this is excellent.