London Travel Guidebook Reviews

Rick Steves' London travel guide isn't widely available in the UK so I don't often get to see it as it's aimed at North American travelers. I was really pleased to get my hands on this copy as I've found a travel guide I would be proud to use.

DK Eyewitness Travel London is my personal favorite of all the London guidebooks. It has all you need to know from the Survival Guide to wonderfully detailed illustrations of major attractions. I have learned more from this book than from actually visiting some of the places in London!

Lonely Planet travel guides have a dedicated following but should Lonely Planet London be bought as you "always use Lonely Planet" or should you consider another book this time?

Fodor's call this book "The colorful guide that's also practical" and this time I think they've got it right. We're talking glossy paper and full-color throughout, and this makes the difference as London is a colorful city so I believe you need a guidebook with plenty of color photos to help you really get to know the place. I would almost say Fodor's See It London could be a rival for my favorite, the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide to London, but DK still win because of their beautiful cutaway illustrations.

Marsha Moore has found a new angle for a London travel guide: break the day down hour by hour and what can you do at each time? Of course, many of the ideas can be done at different times but she's tried to choose those most fitting to the time of day, i.e. clubbing at night, and eateries are chosen at mealtimes.

It's not the 'National Film Theatre' as many London friends thought but the Not for Tourists Guide to London, which was their first international edition outside the US in 2009. NFT guides intend to show you more about a city than traditional travel guides so should be good for locals and visitors. But do they impress me?

• Not for Tourists London 2010 Review
• Not for Tourists London 2009 Review

Fodor's aim to help you plan your trip and give you ratings you can trust from their 'local experts'. Sounds great but it needs some fact checking.

Frommer's is the largest selling series of guides in the US and 2007 is the 50th anniversary of Frommer's first guidebook. Frommer's London intends to be suitable for cost-conscious travelers at every level.

The DK Eyewitness Travel Top 10 London travel guidebook is packed with reams of Top 10 lists on all there is to see and do in London.

DK Real City London aims to "discover the city as locals know it". This probably wouldn't be great for first time visitors to London unless they are already familiar with the UK. It has only a small section on survival information but has some great listings information for restaurants, shops, pubs, hotels, etc., which includes websites and color photos.