Eyewitness Travel Guide to London (Paperback)

~ (Author), Mary Scott (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The essence of London, found "in the swing, tramp, and trudge; in the bellow and uproar; the carriages, motor cars, omnibuses, vans, sandwich men shuffling and swinging; brass bands; barrel organs; in the triumph and the jingle and the strange high singing of some aeroplane overhead..." (Mrs. Dalloway), is ably conveyed in the visual burst of Dorling Kindersley's London guide. This compact book is filled to overflowing with a montage of timelines, street maps, 3-D aerial views, district maps, cutaways of important buildings--including Buckingham Palace and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre--and more than 1,200 full-color photographs.

Like all of DK's books, this reference is overwhelming when you first crack open the pages. There's so much information, you almost don't know where to start. Lucky for tourists, London's editors kept a steady eye on usability when they organized the book. It begins with a short history (mostly conveyed in images) and then moves to an extensive section on the sights and sounds of the city by the Thames. The aim is to give you a "portrait" of each area before divulging the details, of which there is no lack. If you're worried about the practicalities of the trip, fear not: London is on your side. A section on travelers' needs and a handy survival guide--including instructions, complete with photographic aides, on how to use different types of public telephones--should eliminate any apprehension about exploring this wondrous city. Perhaps the most useful feature for those on the go who want portable information, and for those who hate to haul out maps in public ("Hey! I'm a tourist!"), is the "Street Finder," a comprehensive index of street names and 24 pages of corresponding maps. Small enough to fit in your backpack, London is the guide to grab before hopping on the Underground. --Heidi Robinson

Review

...You feel, looking at them, as if you could close the book and step into the street. -- Contra Costa Times

...considered to be the world's best travel resource to over 30 destinations around the world, make it easier to plan a splendid vacation. -- North American Press Syndication

Both novice and experienced travelers will be captivated. -- US News & World Report

Each book is a visual as well as informational feast about a particular place. -- The New York Times

Easily the best city guides available today. -- PLAYBOY

Encyclopedic in scope, it's meant to be used before, during, and after your stay. -- Travel & Leisure

The Best Guidebooks Ever -- SKY MAGAZINE

The best travel guides ever. -- Sky Magazine -Delta In flight Magazine

The most graphically exciting and visually pleasing series on the market. -- Chicago Tribune

Want to know where to get a great espresso on your way to the Uffizi? Or how much to tip a hotel maid in New York City? Try these travel guides, each an intricate trove of 3-D aerial views, landmark floor plans, color photos and essential eating, shopping and entertainment info. With titles covering Paris, Prague, and London, these pocket-sized guides are like a Michelangelo fresco: deliriously rich in detail. -- People Magazine

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: DK Travel (September 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564581837
• ISBN-13: 978-1564581839
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,370,747 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eyewitness vs. Frommer's, May 24, 2001

By	"alenchik" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyewitness Travel Guide to London (revised) (Paperback)

The verdict - Eyewitness is more useful and user-friendly than Frommer's, most of the time.

On a recent 2-week excursion to London, I brought Eyewitness and Frommer's along for comparison purposes and to be sure not to miss anything. I ended up using Eyewitness every day throughout the day and referring to Frommer's only for occasional reference. Mapwise, Frommer's is virtually unusuable with its pull-out map being too clunky while covering too little. Eyewitness' many maps at the back of the book were a life-saver, and the mini neighborhood maps in each section were a nice touch as well.

Visually, Eyewitness is more appealing with its colorful photographs and better paper. Initially I thought all those photos, drawings and captions would be too distracting and superfluous but they turned out to be quite nifty.

The restaurants featured are a select few (perhaps too few?) and the couple we tried based on recommendation from Eyewitness (Sofra and L'Odeon) did not disappoint.

I must acknowledge that Frommer's tends to be more in-depth when it comes to historical info and off-the-beaten-track/quirky stuff. At the same time, there seems to be almost too much text in Frommer's which can be difficult to weed through when hunting for a hint or two in a rush. Frommer's also includes admission/ticket prices missing in Eyewitness, while neither guidebook bothers to provide info on free admission times offered by many museums.

And, since I have your attention, here's a sample of the places I grew to love in London during the trip -

The National Gallery (be sure to check out the audio tour - it's an immense resource)

The Courtauld Gallery (a small but mighty collection)

The Theatre Museum (do ask about a complimentary - on Wednesdays, at least - tour of the nearby Drury Lane Royal Theatre - it's the most underappreciated tourist attraction in London!)

A walk in Kensington gardens - as close to urban heaven on earth as it gets.

Have fun!

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dorling Kindersley - Hats off!!, October 30, 1999

By A Customer

If you are planning to tour central London, this is THE guide you should buy. There is nothing better. DK is amazing. I have used it to visit each and every attraction listed, and it works really well. Each attraction is explained in detail with colour photographs for most. You can actually read the book and plan your trip to the hour!

The added bonus are the maps. Wow! Forget A-Z. Forget Collins. The maps are SO EASILY READABLE!

Finally, a few shortcomings are: (1) the pictorial sketch-maps are not very accurate, but that is not so bad. (2) the outside boundaries of the pictorial maps do not mention the street names, so you have to look up the map pages and plan (3) web site addresses should have been listed with each attraction (4) the approximate cost of admission per adult is not listed where applicable. But, in most cases, I could find these on the web (5) the opening timings for attractions are not correct in a few cases (eg Royal Naval College, Greenwich) (6) the book weighs quite a lot! But the guide has good glossy paper and is bound very well.

Besides these not very significant shortcomings, this is the greatest guide I have used. It made my touring really enjoyable.

Finally, if you look through the pages, you will realize what kind of effort and research must have gone into preparing this guide. No wonder it is so good! Hats off to editors/researchers/artists at DK. (DK's other books are really great, too)

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A guide that gives you pictures rather than just words!, September 9, 1999

By A Customer

My family and I recently vacationed in London this past summer, and found this guide to be a wonderful resource. It is clear, easy to understand, and covers every aspect of your visit to this lovely city on the Thames. Many travel guides have wordy narratives and microscopic maps, but not this one. Once you open it's cover you will be treated to wonderful full color photos, detailed color drawings, maps, and illustrations. You will be inspired by this book because it literally shows you what you'll see in London, even before you leave home. You will be able to identify sites like St.Paul's, Westminister Abby, Trafalgar Sq, and will actually recognize them when you arrive in London (this is no small feat)! In addition to a liberal amount of practical travel information, many historical facts are provided to whet your interest, and prepare you to absorb more from guided tours or plaques you may read. Finally, even after you return home, you will find yourself looking at this guide to refresh your memory, and to explain some of the finer points when telling friends "what you did on your summer vacation". It is a beautiful book, a great travel guide, and a wonderful keepsake.