LONDON CITY GUIDE
Review by Barb & Ron Kroll
London City Guide
(Lonely Planet) ISBN 978-1741047127
Lonely Planet's guide to London describes the history and politics of England's capital city and an organized way to experience London's neighborhoods, sights and activities. Besides the city of London, it focuses on the attractions of the West End, Southbank, Hyde Park, Chelsea, Clerkenwell, Spitalfields, Shoreditch, East End, Docklands, Greenwich and North, West, Southeast, South and Southwest London.
In recent years, London has undergone major changes. This guidebook helps visitors discover the renewed city.
Opening times
Lonely Planet's London City Guide is helpful and informative. Each neighborhood is subdivided into districts, e.g., the West End describes things to see and do in Soho and Chinatown, Mayfair and Marylebone, Bloomsbury, St. James's Westminster and Whitehall, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Holborn and Strand.
For each London attraction, the guide book lists how to get there and describes the highlights, e.g., Buckingham Palace opening times, ticket information, prices and Changing of the Guard times and dates.
City maps
Small color photos illustrate the Introducing London and Highlights sections at the front of the 420-page guidebook, London Architecture and Festivals and Events in the middle. Maps illustrate regions of London, walking routes and excursion destinations like Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton and Canterbury.
Maps, such as the Southbank regional map, have symbols that identify where to find tourist information, shopping, eating, drinking, nightlife, the arts, gay and lesbian attractions, sleeping and transportion. An excellent tear-out City of London map, with business hours, emergency telephone numbers and bus, underground and rail information is inside the back cover.
Regional museums
The book specifies museum highlights for each region of London. For example, a sidebar describes what to see at the British Museum (the Great Court, the new Sainsbury African Galleries, King's Library, the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon Sculptures, the Mosaic Mask of Tezcatlipoca, the Amaravati Sculptures, the Oxus Treasure and the Lindow Man).
To help plan a daily list of things to see and do in London, the Itinerary Builder lists activities by area. Readers can choose sights, restaurants and places for drinking, shopping, entertainment and nightlife in areas they want to explore. For example, in West London, visitors can see the Victoria and Albert Museum, eat at Tom Aikens, drink at Windsor Castle, shop at Harvey Nichols, book a performance at Royal Albert Hall and go clubbing at Pacha.
Free WiFi locations
Throughout the guide book, Top Picks sidebars give concise, practical information. Examples include Free WI-FI Access Spots in London (Apple Store, British Film Institute, Southbank Café, Cargo Café, Ray's Jazz Shop Café and Two Floors). Page numbers refer readers to maps, directions, hours of opening and other details.
The London City Guide Excursions chapter shows visitors how to get to the Kent Castles: Hever Castle, Leeds Castle and Sissinghurst Castle Gardens. Readers learn the distance and direction from London, travel time, driving directions by car and train routes.
Places to stay
The Sleeping section features sidebars on London airport hotels (Hilton Gatwick, Radisson SAS Stansted and Park Inn Heathrow), Student Digs (e.g., International Students' House, Finsbury Residences and the LSE Collections) and discount hotel chains (EasyHotel, Travelodge, Express by Holiday Inn and Premier Travel Inn).
The Arts chapter lists phone numbers and addresses for London's West End Theatres, as well as places to buy discounted tickets (Tkts Booth).
The Eating section contains information on Soho cafes, London food markets, farmers' markets, pie 'n' mash shops and local food chains like Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Nando's and Strada.
Contents
- Introducing London
- Highlights
- The Authors
- Getting Started
- Where to Go
- Cost & Money
- Internet Resources
- Background
- History
- Arts
- Dance
- Environment & Planning
- Government & Politics
- Media
- Fashion
- Language
- Neighbourhoods
- Itinerary Builder
- The West End
- Architecture
- The City
- The South Bank
- Hyde Park to Chelsea
- Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Spitalfields
- The East End & Docklands
- North London
- West London
- Greenwich & Southeast London
- Festivals and Events
- South London
- Southwest London
- Shopping
- Eating
- Drinking
- Nightlife
- Clubbing
- Comedy
- Jazz Clubs
- Rock & Pop
- The Arts
- Classical Music
- Dance
- Film
- Opera
- Theatre
- Sports and Activities
- Health & Fitness
- Activities
- Spectator Sports
- Gay and Lesbian London
- Shopping
- Drinking & Nightlife
- Further Resources
- Sleeping
- Excursions
- Oxford
- Cambridge
- Brighton & Hove
- Broadstairs, Margate & Whitstable
- Rye, Romney Marsh & Dungeness
- Canterbury
- Windsor & Bray
- Kent Castles
Directory
Behind the Scenes
Index
World Time Zones
Map Legend
Authors
Tom Masters, Steve Fallon and Vesna Maric