London: City Guide (Lonely Planet City Guide) by Lonely Planet

London: City Guide (Lonely Planet City Guide) Reviews

• 
  Sarah

  I really love the Lonely Planet travel guides. I buy them every time I'm traveling to a new city.
• 
  Mell

  Bought this and taking with us to London. LP seems to be the most user-friendly of the travel guides I've tried. Their guide to Montreal helped make a great trip a few years ago, so I feel confident in taking this one to England.
  
  Update and final word:
  4.5 Stars
  
  A very useful guide! The rip-out map was especially helpful in referencing places and directions for destinations on the outskirts of the city. The freebie pocket-sized maps we found at Heathrow airport and some of the train/tube stations really only highlighted the tourist-dense city centres and destinations. LP's fold out map was pretty detailed.
  
  LP also aided us in finding some delicious food and helped us prepare for entry fees and other details like hours of operation. (We always verified- never know when changes might happen.) Restaurant entries also include symbols for price levels.
  
  The one thing I would love for Lonely Planet to include in their very helpful "Practicalities" column is how much time they'd recommend you save for spending at a destination. I know the length of time spent at a museum, church or other historic location varies greatly. While some sites have free admission and suggested donations (the Tates, British Library and Museum, etc), others charge fees of £15 or higher. If you arrive somewhere at 2 hrs prior to close, is that enough time to do the place justice AND justify the admission price? Maybe LP could suggest both a "Basic/Quick Look Around" time and an "In-depth/Enthusiast" length of time.
  
  In the end, I highly recommend the Lonely Planet for London.
• 
  D

  I think the best way to travel is independently, walking all around a city. My husband and I were able to independently craft a dreamy vacation in London thanks to The Lonely Planet. In addition to fantastic annotated maps for walking tours, the publication offered a helpful array of lodgings, restaurants, and activities, ranging from the inexpensive to the decadent. Happily, even the budget-end suggestions we tried were big hits.
• 
  Beth

  This guide is a useful resource for researching hotel, restaurant, shopping and attraction options while in London. While the Lonely Planet does contain a section, toward the end of this guide, for such practical concerns for less experienced travelers, such as tipping, getting around the city, currency exchange, etc, it felt a bit brief and rushed. With that in mind, I plan to also check out Rick Steves' London guide, as well.
• 
  Daniel Kukwa

  Another top recommendation for a particular Lonely Planet volume. This version is the second LP London book I've owned, and it's storehouse of recommendations and knowledge has proven to be so invaluable I've committed much of it to memory. Another essential bible for the anglophile traveller...and an invaluable guide to my favourite city on Earth!
  
• 
  Dorotea

  Lonely Planet is always my go-to guide to decide what to see.
• 
  Gardy (Elisa G)

  L'edizione a colori è sicuramente più accattivante alla vista e rende la consultazione ancora più rapida ed intuitiva.
  
  La riorganizzazione grafica evidenzia però anche dei difetti. Il primo è l'assenza della mappa pieghevole presente nelle edizioni precedenti, di cui si sente ancor di più la mancanza considerando che nelle cartine "zona per zona" a fine volume la maggior parte delle vie appare senza alcuna denominazione.
  
  Il secondo è che se ora la guida appare più ordinata e gradevole, la nuova grafica fighetta influisce su una riduzione dei contenuti effettivi della guida. Perciò la guida è esaustiva solo nel caso programmiate una visita "toccata e fuga" ai luoghi più noti e turistici della città. In caso contrario, se la vostra visita vuole essere più curata, è necessario integrare le informazioni (anche quelle riguardo i luoghi "da non perdere") con ricerche preventive su internet o con l'ausilio di una seconda guida.
  
  
• 
  Daniel Kukwa

  I've trusted "Lonely Planet" guides with my life for over 10 years, and content-wise they have never failed me. In preparation for a trip to London this coming summer, I picked up an updated guide to the city. For the most part, it maintains its usual standard, but I must admit I was disappointed with the detachable map for the first time. The details are far too small, with some important areas cut off. Several of the maps in the rear of the guide are also printed awkwardly, with the decision to print some of them across the binding rendering them partially unreadable. The tube map is also much more microscopic and less-user friendly than in the past. These little irritations keep an otherwise excellent guide from reaching 5 stars. The competition is starting to catch up, and I think "Lonely Planet" needs to avoid complacency.
• 
  Julier

  I am enjoying read this book in the kindle edition. I like being able to click on links and taken to particular things of interest. I don't find it easy to go back to where I was before I clicked on a link. I think I've gotten a good overview of London and would find it helpful to plan day trips there and know more about places and buildings.
• 
  Lynn

  Excellent travel guide from Lonley Planet. I have yet to go to London, but this is the guide I would use for information on how to travel, what to see there, etc. The guide contains up to date information on London containing the airport and other transportation hubs necessary for a smooth trip there and advice on where to stay, eat, see, etc. As an added bonus, there is information on the modern London, as well as the historical London which contains some of the most fascinating buildings including Windsor Castle and others. A great guide, recommended.
• 
  Ivy

  Borrowed from library for my recent London trip and (May 2012) and found it very useful if slightly dated (get the newer version if you're traveling now). Had no problems with the Kindle formatting and great to have an e-book version instead of lugging around a physical books. Used this in combination with the most recent version of The London Mapguide to get around. Guide info better in LP and maps better in Mapguide (obviously).
• 
  Lauren

  Yes, London is a big city and there's a lot to cover, but everytime I wanted to look up a certain restaurant or find a bar near me this guide was severely lacking. Also, probably not really the book I needed while debating becoming a resident, this guide clearly (as it should) focuses on the tourists point of view.
• 
  Gypsy

  I did enjoy this guidebook immensely, partially because for some reason I really like London. It had little sections on London record stores (yay!) and vintage stores. I just wish it were in full color.
  If you are going to London, this is a good guidebook to get.
  In the end, though, the Queen marries Voldemort.
• 
  Zareek

  I've always loved Lonely Planet's books. I read this - cover to cover! - before my trip to London earlier this year.
  
  Good recommendations, accurate maps, updated listings. Very useful even for a second timer like me.
  
  The only thing I wished from LP books (or rather all travel guidebooks) is that they cover halal restaurants as well.
  
  But hey, that's where the internet comes handy :)
• 
  Ashley

  This was my first time picking up a Lonely Planet guide and it did not disappoint. Engaging, well-researched, with "insider" info and the right mix of cultural and historical details peppered in, this is more like getting the scoop from a friend than reading a travel guide. Definitely would recommend if you plan on staying more than a few days. I'll be taking this one with me when I go!
• 
  patrycja polczyk

  It was my first London's guidebook, even though I was there before. It's Lonely Planet, so it can't be bad. It's written lightly, in a concise and informative way. I liked it and learned some new things from it. It's a good book for someone who knows something about London already and for someone, who is new to that wonderful city.
• 
  Jana

  Over and over again with this city. I remember the time when it was practically impossible to come there, with all the visas and restrictions and now, it's impossible to avoid it, and to get lost if you have this book in your pocket.
• 
  Oriana

  You guys, one week from today I'm going to London for the first time ever OMG OMG OMG OMG.
  
  Anyone want to tell me about amazing places to visit and neighborhoods to stroll through and foods to eat and things to do? The quirkier and stranger and underground-er the better.
• 
  Sabine

  Heerlijk! In de voorbereiding op een mooie trip deze zomer de Lonely Planet van Londen lezen is een genot. Niet alleen heb ik weer van alles geleerd over de geschiedenis van Londen; zeker ook de actualiteit komt ruim aan bod.
• 
  Sue

  I like the lonely planet guides. They provide a good mix of history with easy to find reference information.
• 
  Susan

  Thanks to Sue again!
• 
  Thomas

  Don't leave home without it!
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  Shannon

  I admittedly didn't read all of this, but the overview information at the start of the book was excellent and extremely informative.
• 
  Maria

  Nice, informative book with information that might come in handy when planing your trip to London
• 
  Catherine Woodman

  Excellent choice for a guidebook to London
• 
  Kylene

  This is my top place to go sometime in my life. Read it for a trip, then didn't get to go. Seems like a really great guide book for London.
• 
  Gino Filicetti

  FALSE
• 
  Diana

  Non si smette mai di trovare nuove cose da vedere!! Adoro Londra!