When you travel, lugging a cumbersome guidebook along or locating a wi-fi hotspot to find your way can really take the shine off your day. Thanks heavens, then, for Herb Lester Associates who produce simply gorgeous maps of the great cities of the world, each of which feature the must-sees of local experts' and co-founders Ben Olins, who created the Guardian Guide, and Jane Smillie...
Whether you're looking for things to do with the kids in London, searching out that old New York magic, wanting to sample la vida loca in Barcelona, aiming to experience the many attractions of Berlin, or revel in the pleasures of Paris, Herb Lester Associates have a map to suit.
As we found out when slipping one of Herb's maps into our pockets, they really add to the holiday experience. In fact, we enjoyed travelling to New York accompanied by Herb that we contributed to the 'Brooklyn: 41 Reasons Why' map and teamed Ben up with the folks at Grade-A Fancy, a collaboration that produced the 'Truly Greenwich Village' map!
So if you're planning an escape anytime soon, or are looking for lovely Christmas presents, we'd strongly advise you to take at Herb Lester Associates, whose online shop also features a lovely range of notebooks, self-propelling pencils and, as seen below, simply charming packing tape and luggage labels. With prices for the maps pegged at only £3.50 each, and gift sets / subscriptions available, they're really quite a steal...
Look for our Q&A with Herb Lester Associates' co-founder Ben Olins this Saturday...
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