The Rough Guides' London Directions 1 (Rough Guide Directions)
Rob Humphreys,Rough Guides | 2004-07-05 00:00:00 | Rough Guides | 224 | England
Slim, stylish and pocketable, London Directions is full of ideas for stopovers and flying visits to Europe's most exciting city and richly illustrated with hundreds of specially commissioned photos. There's a full-colour introductory "Ideas" section full of inspired suggestions for visitors, from "Queasy London" and "Indulgent London" to "Riverside London" and "Free London", with each selection cross-referenced to its location later in the guide. Flip to the practical "Places" section split into 24 chapters and explore the city, district by district, covering central London and the less obvious areas such as Smithfield, Clerkenwell and trendy Hoxton. Every sight, restaurant, bar and shop is located on user-friendly maps. The handy basics section covers everything from arrival and city transport to listings of cinemas and theatre venues.
As a 10-year London veteran, London: The Rough Guide author Rob Humphreys offers the ultimate insider's view into how to get under the skin of the city he calls home. In addition to the detail-heavy "basics" like getting there, visas, money, and phones, this guide's specialty areas offer something for everyone including lesbian and gay London; classical music, opera, and dance; theater, cabaret, and cinema; galleries; shops and markets; sport; festivals and special events; kids' London; and an essential directory listing everything from lost luggage contact numbers to dentists.
Museums are delved into, often with room-by-room coverage, so you can pick your "must-sees" and better plan your visit. Italicized margin notes offer useful information including the nearest tube (subway) or train stations, where to get tickets, opening hours, and other helpful tidbits like "the river walk may not be accessible during very high tides." London's food has come a long way from shepherd's pie, and a restaurant directory boasts everything from Tex-Mex to a vegetarian's delight: lentil pizza.
To help you put it all into perspective, the back of the book offers an architectural chronology accompanied by main historical events, plus an enticing list of films and books that lend insight into the real London.
Reviews
The Rough Guide is always a strong choice for the ones travelling by theirselves. The competition is tought (Lonely Planet is also very good), but when i think about single city guides, i turn to the Rough Guide!
Reviews
I bought this book as I was going on a trip to London. I have used other Rough Guide books in the past and I was satisfied. However, this book has mistakes that shouldn't be there because it is a new edition. I had the chance to verify them myself for I used it shortly after it came out. It will be the edition people will use for the next two years, so a little more cautiousness would not harm.
Reviews
"Rough Guide London Directions" is the latest edition of a wonderfully useful guide to exploring Britain's premier city and one of the great cities of the world. In a compact and concise format of just over 250 pages, this Rough Guide offers a varied menu of descriptions, directions, maps, color pictures, addresses, and websites for the traveler who needs his information to go.
The book opens with a discussion of London by theme. Whether it is museums, art, pubs, parks, the London Stage, or festivals and events, no visitor should be bored in London. Next, author Rob Humphreys offers descriptions and opinions of the major neighborhoods of London, from Trafalgar Square and Whitehall to Greenwich and Hampton Court, identifying in each case the most prominent attractions. Humphreys rounds out the book with a selected listing of accomodations by neighborhood and closes with some essential information on arriving and getting around London. The end pages include two larger scale maps and a color diagram of the London Underground.
For the traveler planning a short visit and lacking the time for extensive research, "Rough Guides London Directions" might be pretty close to one-stop shopping. For those travelers with more time and the enthusiasm to do extensive research, this book is an excellent start. To both audiences, "Rough Guide London Directions" is highly recommended.
Reviews
I pre-ordered this book as I am gearing up for a return trip to London. This is a fantastic book. Very helpful and the maps are clear and concise. I would highly recommend this book to anyone planning a trip to London.
Reviews
This is definitely one of the best London travel guides available. There is only one reason why I did not give it five stars, that being the lack of detail on the maps. The maps in the Eyewitness London guide are much better (though that guide lacks the kind of detail that the Rough Guide offers in other parts). The organization is outstanding, which is very important given London's enormous size. Other than the maps, everything else is absolutely outstanding.
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