Lille: The Bradt Mini-Guide

A very useful well-written and interesting guide to a sometimes-overlooked city. Lille, 3rd (Bradt Travel Guide)

I used this book for a few days in Lille, and it proved invaluable. Just like any other travel guide, there are loads of listings of where to go, eat, stay and shop. These listings are for the most part up-to-date and accurate. We discovered that there are also loads of good places which didn't make the listings, but that's hardly suprising given the size of the city. The small format of the book is also good, as the book comfortably fits into your pocket. But what sets this book apart from other guides is the author's own sense of humour and love of the city. Reading the guide, you feel like you are being guided by an knowledgable and enthusiastic local, rather than just reading a dry listing of what to do.

I have used this guidebook three times now when visiting Lille, Europe's new capital of culture. As well as the brilliant reviews of the principal sites, the book features a surprisingly current guide to the special events and themed weekends of the Lille 2004 season. The hotel reviews are well-written and insightful. On my last trip, I stayed at a delightful little place I would ordinarilly have overlooked, and managed to save over 50 euros thanks to the author's tips. There seem to be dozens of restaurant reviews in the book and we have eaten our way through at least five or six of the author's favourites so far. The reviews and local information are written in a witty and entertaining style that makes it excellent dipping material for the hotel room each night.