The 20 Biggest Londonist Stories Ever

M@
By M@ Last edited 113 months ago
The 20 Biggest Londonist Stories Ever

Rooftop bars... always popular... except maybe in winter.

This month, Londonist celebrates its 10th anniversary. That means we've existed for more than 0.5% of the city's history. To celebrate, we'll be running a series of articles looking at how the site, and London itself, has changed over that decade. To start, here are the 20 biggest articles in Londonist's history, as measured by pageviews.

1. Free Wifi In London... Mapped (2007)

Back in the day, places offering free wifi were like tiny islands in a sea of non-connectivity. Out of frustration, we started mapping all the cafes, bars, pubs and hotels capable of lighting up those four concentric curves at the top of your screen. The map was extremely popular, attracting 453,000 views in its time. We even turned it into an iPhone app. The city eventually caught up, and it's now possible to get online more-or-less anywhere central, even on tube platforms. Hence, we haven't updated the map in some years.

2. London's Best Wedding Venues (2012)

With 194,000 views so far, this self-explanatory article continues to attract plenty of readers searching for that perfect venue. As well as an editorial selection of locations at all compass points, we've also incorporated the best suggestions from readers. Choose from over 30 halls, houses, galleries... and even a cinema.

3. Banksy Caught In The Act And Unmasked (2007)

A reader sent us some photos purporting to show the illusive street artist decorating a wall in Bethnal Green. It probably isn't Banksy himself, and the 'reader' might well have been in on the stunt. On reflection, a bit of a 'click-bait' story that we might not be so eager to report today. Still, some of the comments are hilarious.

4. The Best Rooftop Bars In London (2013, updated 2014)

We put together over 20 of the loftiest outdoor bars in the capital, covering areas both central and further afield. Every other London website and magazine has similar lists, but ours is the only one with orange hyperlinks.

5. How The London Boroughs Got Their Names (2013)

Do you know which area of town is named after a burnt wood, or a valley of crocuses? Wonder no longer with this guide to etymological origins of the city's 32 boroughs. We've since covered the name origins of London's rivers, road junctions, airports and terminal stations.

Photo by Tyla from the Londonist Flickr pool

6. Where To Watch Fireworks In London: Bonfire Night 2013

This annual fixture shows the power of a good set of listings and a headline tailor-made for Google searches. Rest assured, we'll be running a similar Bonfire Night list in the next few weeks.

7. Take A Look At Revised 2014 Travelcard Prices (2014)

We all want to know how much our trip into town will cost. After a bit of confusion from City Hall, the revised fares were announced later than usual and this article, probably written on a hangover, rounded up the changes hours after the author had been ringing in the changes for New Year.

8. Top 10 Record Shops In London (2012)

Independent record shops are among the most treasured businesses in London. The 10 we've recommended here are not alone, and you'll find many further favourites in the comment section.

9. London V2 Rocket Sites... Mapped (2009)

Towards the end of the Second World War, the Germans fired hundreds of rocket-powered missiles on London and the south-east. Each hit would destroy entire blocks, and many hundreds were killed. The impact site is often still visible in Google Maps satellite views, if not from the ground. In an ongoing project, we're seeking the locations of every strike, recording the damage, fatalities and any eyewitness accounts. Indeed, we've had hundreds of testimonials from survivors, and have even reunited long-lost relatives who rediscovered each other in the comments section to the article. The map has been featured on both Channel 4 and the BBC website.

10. 20 Of London's Best Sunday Roasts (2014)

The best meal of the week, and where in London to get it. We recommend you book ahead at any of this score of locations. We've found some of them full to capacity as early as midday.

11. A Guide To Alternative London Tube Maps (2011, often updated)
12. London's Top 10 Tunnels And Catacombs (2011)
13. Ten Secret And Hidden Cocktail Bars In London (2013)
14. Fly Through 17th Century London (2013)
15. Top 10 Contemporary Classical Music Composers (2012)
16. Top 10 London Tourist Attractions That Don't Suck (2011)
17. London Christmas Markets (2013)
18. London Underground Expects To Run These Lines During The Tube Strike (2014)
19. London's Best Vegetarian Restaurants (2012)
20. London's Top 10 Fringe Theatres (2012)

Last Updated 06 October 2014