Customer Reviews

Secret London: Exploring the Hidden City with Original Walks and Unusual Places to Visit

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

 

 

I love this book! It has detailed instructions to find (and history of) little known spots in London that are marvelous. There are several color pictures and hand-drawn maps to help guide you on your walk.

Some of the fascinating bits of London that you can track down with this book are the rooftop gardens in Kensington, the underground tube stations that are no longer used and the rivers that have been tamed and paved over but still peek out here and there.

Even long-time residents will find new insight into their favorite city. Every time I go to London I search out one thing from this book and I'm always glad I did. For tourists, if you bring this book and an A-Z, and a copy of the latest Fodor's or Eyewitness, you won't want for anything else.

One of the outstanding "Interlink Walking Guides" series, Secret London: Exploring The Hiddin City: Exploring The Hidden City, With Original Walks And Unusual Places To Visit is a travel guide especially for the walking tourist determined to explore the greatest sights of London, including obscure treasures such as rivers long buried, ancient buildings, and sites where anyone can enjoy free lectures. Full-color photographs, extensive descriptions, street maps clearly illustrating the route of the walk, contact and opening time information, and much more fill this handy travel guide for the visitor who wants to see it all.

I have spent some considerable time in London now, as my husband grew up near and worked in London for some years, he has always been an excellent tour guide for me when we go.

So I decided to pick up something that might have information even he didn't know.

What a disappointment this book was. Although it does mention many "secret" places in London, the vast majority of said places, you cannot visit or see as a tourist.

What fun is it to read, "Behind this door is the most wondrous library, unfortunately you can't go in there.. but its there.. sucks to be you." or, "under your feet is an old WWII bunker, but its sealed off now, but its there....."

It almost feels as though the author is has simply writing a book to boast of all the places he's been and all the things he's seen that you can't.

I wouldn't recommend this book if you are planning to visit London, and actually do want to see some unusual sights. Might be good for someone who is just interested in READING about... not seeing... some of Londons secrets.

This is an interesting, well written book with a misleading title. It tells the history of London, but doesn't really measure up as a tourist walk book. Far too many of the "sights" are unseeable. Building interiors are described in buildings that are not open to the public on a regular basis, if at all. Discussions of long buried river courses are of historical interest but offer little visual interest for the pedestrian tourist. One section is actually titled "Hidden Landscapes". I can understand why there are few pictures accompanying the text.

Fascinating guidebook with detailed walks of neighborhoods, some familiar, others not. But even the familiar in a city as old and complex as London has a hidden subtext. This book does much to unveil the the lesser known aspects with excellent descriptions, detailed maps and some interesting photos.
Even the most familiar tourist haunts such as Westminster and St. James have some hidden gems that are covered.
Very cool book to enhance your trip to London .

I was rather disappointed to see the 'secrets' were not so exciting. I expected more from such a title, but found one or two somewhat intriguing. I found a few areas that were not accessible, thus defeating the purpose. I shall definitely pass it along to a future/fellow traveler, but it was a bit of wasted money for myself.

Very interesting book. I haven't read all of it but what I have read was great. I am using it for research at this time and will hope that in the future that I get the chance to visit all I am reading about. Good for the money!