Rick Steves' London 2004 [Paperback]

Rick Steves (Author), Gene Openshaw (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rick Steves' London | Publication Date: December 2003

Rick Steves does more than just list where to travel in Europe; he gives travelers inside information on what to visit, where to stay, and how to get there--economically and hassle-free. Travelers can delve into European culture, make friends with the locals, and experience everything Europe has to offer.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Today's tourists are as likely to be toting Rick Steves as Giorgio Armani, tasting the good life without burning through the Kids' college fund.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing (December 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566915309
• ISBN-13: 978-1566915304
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,140,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rick Steves advocates smart, affordable, perspective-broadening travel. As host and writer of the popular public television series Rick Steves' Europe, and best-selling author of 40 European travel books, he encourages Americans to travel as "temporary locals." He helps American travelers connect much more intimately and authentically with Europe -- and Europeans -- for a fraction of what mainstream tourists pay.

Over the past 20 years, Rick has hosted over 100 travel shows for public television, and numerous pledge specials (raising millions of dollars for local stations). His Rick Steves' Europe TV series is carried by over 300 stations, reaching 95 percent of U.S. markets. Rick has also created two award-winning specials for public television: Rick Steves' European Christmas and the ground-breaking Rick Steves' Iran. Rick writes and co-produces his television programs through his company, Back Door Productions.

Rick Steves also hosts a weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves. With a broader approach to travel everywhere, in each hour-long program Rick interviews guest travel expert, followed by listener call-ins. Travel with Rick Steves airs across the country and has spawned a popular podcast. Rick has also created a series of audio walking tour podcasts for museums and neighborhoods in Paris, Rome, Florence and Venice (with more tours, including London, coming in 2010).

Rick self-published the first edition of his travel skills book, Europe Through the Back Door (now updated annually), in 1980. He has also written more than 40 other country, city and regional guidebooks, phrase books, and "snapshot" guides. For several years, Rick Steves' Italy has been the bestselling international guidebook sold in the U.S. In 2009, Rick tackled a new genre of travel writing with Travel as a Political Act, reflecting on how a life of travel has broadened his own perspectives, and travel can be a significant force for peace and understanding in the world. Rick's books are published by Avalon Travel, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

In addition to his guidebooks, TV and radio work, Rick is a syndicated newspaper columnist with the Tribune Media Services. He appears frequently on television, radio, and online as the leading authority on European travel.

Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. By the time he reached 18, Rick jokes, "I realized I didn't need my parents to travel!" He began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started Europe Through the Back Door (ETBD), a business which has grown from a one-man operation to a company with a well-traveled staff of 70 full-time employees. ETBD offers free travel information through its travel center, website (www.ricksteves.com), European Railpass Guide, and free travel newsletters. ETBD also runs a successful European tour program with more than 300 departures -- attracting around 10,000 travelers -- annually.

Rick is outspoken on the need for Americans to fit better into our planet by broadening their perspectives through travel. He is also committed to his own neighborhood. He's an active member of the Lutheran church (and has hosted the ELCA's national video productions). He's a board member of NORML (working to reform marijuana laws in the USA). And Rick has provided his local YWCA with a 24-unit apartment building with which to house homeless mothers.

Rick Steves spends about a third of every year in Europe, researching guidebooks, filming TV shows, and making new discoveries for travelers. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do your homework before traveling!, August 12, 2003

By 

Mary "Clflgrl" (Boynton Beach, Fl USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rick Steves' London 2003 (Paperback)

London, London, London... I just came back from a wonderful (and hot) trip to Europe. My best advice? Do your homework before traveling. Buy Rick Steves' books, research in advance what you want to visit and how to get there. I love the walking tours included in Steves books. In London the tube (subway) takes you pretty much everywhere. Organize your calendar by blocks (2 or 3 hours) flexible enough that you can change them around in your schedule. Group activities by geographical areas (that is how the book is organized). You will save precious time and lots of "surprises". I was tempted to give the book 4 stars because some of Steves comments are silly but I skipped them and concentrated on the great tips and well organized walks described in this book. Some of my tour friends had other travel guides and Rick Steves was the best by far. At the British museum and the Westminster Abbey I found Steves' followers, everyone agreed that this book made their travel much easier.
I recommend the specific city guide instead of the Best of Europe because the later was not detailed enough and it did not include the useful "walking tours". The only thing I did not use on this book for was the hotel recommendation (because my tour company arranged the hotels). Still, this book was worth every penny I spent on it.

53 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensable guide for budget travelers., October 14, 2004

By 

Marcy Gomez (Kansas City, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rick Steves' London 2004 (Paperback)

I lived in London for 3 ½ years and have visited Europe several times in the past decade and Rick Steves' books are always the first travel guides that I turn to in my travel planning. If cost and time are a factor to you in your travels then Rick Steves' guides will prove indispensable.

I took his books with me on my travels to Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Great Britain as well as on my return trips to these countries. His tips on what to see and what to skip have proved invaluable. Thanks to him, I discovered this lovely little day trip outfit called "Mad Max Tours" which my husband and I joined during a recent trip to Bath, England. His tips on what is worth seeing in the British Museum and National Gallery saved us from `museum overload' on our subsequent trips to these fabulous and immense museums. I used to walk mindlessly along the numerous rooms and exhibits in these museums, until, 3 hours later, I walk out like a zombie overwhelmed with what I saw.

I highly recommend Rick's city guide to London. This guide is budget-minded, time-conscious and makes a point of touching on every major sight in these cities. It also includes walking tours, museum guides, shopping, accommodations, maps, recommended day trips and even kid-friendly attractions/activities. All of his guides include costs, location, subway/train stops, hours and descriptions (and his straightforward opinions) on each place.

Shortcomings? Well, trust me, no travel guide is perfect. Eyewitness, for instance, has wonderful colored pictures and loads of visuals but little practical information. Fodors and Frommers have too much text and almost no pictures. As for Rick, I used to gripe about his sparse selection of hotels in certain cities but he has now improved on these. And as much as I love his books, I also do agree that if this is your first trip to the United Kingdom, then do yourself a favor and check out at least one other travel guide as well. For instance, "Take the Kids: London" or Fodors' "Around London With Kids" are great supplementary guides for those with families. Frommers or Fodors guides are always worth the look for their comprehensive coverage. And if you're into visuals, then the Eyewitness Guides are a must have. After all, Rick's guides are selective and - depending on your tastes and preferences - you might miss some activities or sights that are also well worth a look. If antique shopping is your thing, for instance, then you would sadly miss out on the fabulous Bermondsey antique market in London which Rick doesn't mention in his books. Or, that you might choose do ignore a daytrip to the lovely towns of Oxford or Brighton which Rick also doesn't mention. As much as Rick loves Cambridge, I insist that Oxford also has its many (unique) charms. And Brighton is a fabulous destination for families and beach/seaside loving travelers.

In short, Rick Steves' books are an indispensable and invaluable guide for budget-minded travelers everywhere. His books are selective and well worth your time and money. However, I do recommend that you don't limit yourself to only one travel guide as your
Planning/travel companion. Get Rick's book but also check out one more of the travel guides I list above for good measure.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well-researched touristing overview., February 23, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Rick Steves' London 2004 (Paperback)

Like all other Rick Steves books I've ever used, this book is a good investment if you're interested in a solid, readable, down-to-earth tourist's look at a place. This book provides excellent practical orientation and general how-to-get-by instructions (transit, tipping, etc), and I value Rick Steves for giving his opinion on what things are worth seeing and what things aren't -- if you're on a short vacation, this kind of editorializing is, to my mind, invaluable.

Rick Steves' London is great for planning the sightseeing part of a London vacation, and if you're not interested in much else, then you're all set. However, if you're interested in food and nightlife, or need more extensive lodging listings, I strongly recommend picking up one or more additional books (Let's Go, Lonely Planet, etc) as references on restaurants and the like.

Also bear in mind that about half of the book consists of detailed walking tours of London sights. Sometimes you'll want to follow his tours, but often you'll just want to read them for the background info and to get an idea of whether that attraction will interest you. The bulk of the basic sightseeing listings and orientation info can be found in his Great Britain book, so if you're traveling outside of London, that may be a better value.