Don't Be a Tourist in London - (Messy Nessy Chic Guide) by Vanessa Grall (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Don't be a Tourist in London has the secret recipe for becoming an artful traveller in a messy world.

"In this abridged extract from Don't Be A Tourist In London, Vanessa Grall suggests a few places to start a conversation in London... and one place to go and listen." -- Londonist

"Discover the capital's secret spots with Vanessa Grall's new book." -- Country and Town House

"The cliché says that when one is tired of London, one is tired of life - but I think this book might help some to rediscover the joys of both... there's probably enough here to keep you going for things to explore for the next decade." -- Amateur Photographer

"This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveller's companion as much as a beautifully designed collectable for your bookshelf." -- Polo Lifestlye

Discover the secret recipe for becoming an artful traveler in a messy world.

Don't be a Tourist in London offers an escape route from the typical tourist itinerary to the British capital, unlocking a vault of thoughtfully-curated itineraries, local secrets, insider advice and little-known urban anecdotes.

For the third instalment of the best-selling Don't be a Tourist series, the author takes us to her hometown to rediscover the personal joy of travel, following our instincts - not the tour buses. Each episode's journey has its own mood, inspired by different traveler mindsets shaped by life's relatable challenges and familiar emotions like heartbreak, career hurdles or strong personality quirks.

This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveler's companion as much as a beautifully-designed collectible for your bookshelf. Within the pages of this beautifully bound hardback, you will find...

Secret Restaurants; Time Capsule Pubs; Cosy Hideaways & Unique Date Ideas; Unexpected alternatives to major museums; Film-worthy Walks & Quaint neighborhood Discoveries; Hip London Hangouts; Aladdin's Caves & booklover Havens; Places to be creative; Obscure/ Underground Adventures; Places to entertain the kids (or the kid in you!); Budget-friendly life-savers; Endless good-to-know advice and fascinating anecdotes.

Review Quotes

"This book will encourage the wanderer within. It is a true traveller's companion as much as a beautifully designed collectable for your bookshelf."--Polo Lifestyle

"Discover the capital's secret spots with Vanessa Grall's new book."--Country and Town House

"In this abridged extract from Don't Be A Tourist In London, Vanessa Grall suggests a few places to start a conversation in London... and one place to go and listen."--Londonist

"The cliché says that when one is tired of London, one is tired of life - but I think this book might help some to rediscover the joys of both."--Amateur Photographer

Featured in London 2025 Guide.--London 2025 Guide

About the Author

London-raised, Franco-American writer and creator Vanessa Grall (aka Nessy), signs off her emails as the "founder/ janitor" of Messy Nessy Chic. The personal blog turned cult online wunderkammer is an editorial vault of inspirational content and travel secrets, described by Condé Nast Traveler as "a trawl of fascinating places and people, past and present". Her media brand has built a significant social media presence of well over a million followers across Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok, and averaging 1.5 million monthly views on MessyNessyChic.com. For Nessy, tourists are not the enemy - but rather, she strongly believes that we're all capable of becoming accidental roaming detectives; seekers of stories and collectors of local secrets. On a mission to reprogram the way we travel, in 2017 she wrote her first book Don't be a Tourist in Paris which became an instant best-seller, followed by the matched success of Don't be a Tourist in New York. For the third instalment of the best-selling Don't be a Tourist series, the author takes us to her hometown of London. Nessy has an eye for the iconic, the intriguing, the off-beat and beguiling. Whether it's your first time in London, your second home, or you are yourself a Londoner, this book changes the rules.