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. Lonely Planet 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.
Lonely Planet 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. Lonely Planet Lonely Planet is always my go-to guide to decide what to see. Lonely Planet 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. Lonely Planet
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. Lonely Planet 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. Lonely Planet 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!
Lonely Planet I really love the Lonely Planet travel guides. I buy them every time I'm traveling to a new city. Lonely Planet 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. Lonely Planet
One of the most dependable series available, Lonely Planet's guidebooks are packed with essential information and accurate maps and are written with enough character that they are also good reading for armchair travelers. The series is now popular with travelers of all sorts, although backpackers and adventure travelers have long relied on Lonely Planet's guides because of the wide range of destinations offered. Whether you want to relax on the beaches of Thailand, roam the Australian outback, or explore the deserts of Iran, Lonely Planet has a practical, thorough guidebook for your destination. For dangerous or less-traveled regions, we highly recommend Lonely Planet's guides because they provide crucial information in an easy-to-use format, making it possible for travelers to handle the difficulties of language, customs, and transportation. In countries with unfamiliar alphabets, the guides include the names of cities and sights in both English and native characters, and glossaries are provided to help travelers with menus. The series offers lodging and restaurant options for all budgets, but the main focus is on getting a good deal for your money. With good writing, a wealth of valuable information, and beautiful color photo sections, Lonely Planet's guides are hard to beat.(Julie Carr) London AUTHOR Lonely Planet