Wikivoyage:Listings
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This page in a nutshell: Use standardized templates to provide consistent and complete information for business and attraction listings. |
Wikivoyage uses standardized formats to list attractions and monuments, activities, shops, restaurants, bars and lodgings under the See, Do, Buy, Eat, Drink and Sleep sections respectively. This page describes those listings.
Adding and editing listings
The easiest way to add a listing is to click on the "add listing" link next to a section or the "edit" link next to a listing (requires JavaScript). Doing so will bring up an edit box that can be used to enter listing information. Alternately, you can click the "edit" tab on any article and then select the appropriate listing type from the "Listings" section of the edit toolbar - hover your mouse over each icon, and click on the one that is appropriate. Doing so will add a blank listing template to the edit window that can then be filled out.
Alphabetical order should be used whenever there's no more appropriate logical order (e.g. price, distance, north-south, day of the week, etc.). Where a non-alphabetical order is used, it should be explained if necessary.
If you aren't sure which section a listing should appear in, we have a page that will tell you where you can stick it.
For what kinds of listings to have in different kinds of articles, and the related article sections, see Wikivoyage:Article skeleton templates/Sections and the relevant article template, linked from Wikivoyage:Article skeleton templates. Travel topic articles should generally not have full listings, but should link to destination articles for details such as price and opening hours. Many travel topic articles have no listings at all.
Overview
The following section describes how to manually enter or edit formatted listing templates.
These structured tags make it easier for software to format the listings correctly. Each tag type is for a different kind of listing, according to the section it's in. Each tag should have the format:
{{listing|name=... |address=... |content=Some description.}}
The tags can be inserted by clicking the icons above the edit window. They can also be typed in directly or copied and pasted to the correct place in the text in the edit window. Regardless of how you insert them, content is then added to each attribute (parameter) that you wish to use. Attributes will not display if there is no content; leaving the unused attributes encourages other editors to fill in the missing content later. If you need a parameter that has been removed or never was included, you can copy it from here.
Template parameters
The following template parameters are used with the listing templates. No parameter is required, but some are recommended to make a listing at all useful.
- name: the name of the hotel, bar, restaurant, museum, or whatever. Recommended.
- alt: an alternative name for the listing, such as a local-language name or former name. Optional.
- url: the URL for the official Web site for this listing (see external links for more guidelines). Include the http:// or https://. If there's no official Web site, just leave this part out. Recommended.
- address: the street address for the business or attraction. Do not include the city (if the same as the page title), the state/province or postal code (except for addresses in the United Kingdom and Germany, where the post code is used by many navigation tools); see Wikivoyage:Abbreviations#Addresses, etc. for formatting guidelines. Addresses in Japan should follow the format "Meieki 4-5-6", where Meieki is the ward or neighborhood.
- directions: additional brief directions besides the street address, such as cross streets, nearby subway or bus stations. This section appears as part of the address in parentheses. It is not a separate sentence, so don't capitalize the first word (unless it is a proper noun), and don't put a period at the end. Optional.
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How to copy co-ordinates from Google Maps
Google Maps is one of the sources that you can use to find co-ordinates for locations:
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- lat and long: Decimal latitude and longitude, respectively for map output (GPS coordinates). Recommended; if one is present, the other is required. Specify "lat=NA | long=NA" when coordinates are not applicable, to disallow fetching the values from Wikidata.
- Note: lat and long should have the same number of decimal places (using trailing zeroes if applicable). Four decimal places is accurate to 11 m (36 ft) or better, which is usually plenty. Five decimal places is accurate to 1.1 m (3.6 ft), which might be needed in crowded urban areas. More than five digits is excessive and not needed. See sources for lat/longs for further details.
- phone: a phone number for making reservations or getting more information (see Wikivoyage:Phone numbers for formatting guidelines). In nearly all cases only a single phone number should be included, but if multiple phone numbers are required then they should be separated with a comma – example: "+1 234-567-8901 (front-desk), +1 456-789-0123 (reservations)". Recommended.
- tollfree: a toll-free phone number, if available. Optional.
- email: an email address for making reservations or getting more information. Optional.
- fax: a fax number. Optional.
- hours: opening hours of the business or attraction, when applicable (see Wikivoyage:Time and date formats for formatting guidelines). Recommended.
- checkin: check-in time, for sleep listings only (see Wikivoyage:Time and date formats for formatting guidelines). Optional.
- checkout: checkout time, for sleep listings only (see Wikivoyage:Time and date formats for formatting guidelines). Optional.
- image: specify the filename to show that file as a tiny pop-up image if the numbered icon displayed on a dynamic map is clicked. Note that the value specified should exclude the "File:" namespace marker for the image ("Example.png", not "File:Example.png"). Like the Wikidata and Wikipedia fields, do not provide generic images; only provide an image if it is of the specific location. Optional.
- price: See below for price guidelines for each listing type. Prices should be in the currency accepted at the establishment. Recommended.
- see: Price of admission. If there are large differences (e.g. adults and children), note them both.
- do: Price of admission, or one turn at the activity.
- buy: Usually best to omit price, unless the goods sold are all a very similar price.
- eat: Average price of a complete meal for a single person.
- drink: Price of standard drinks. Use the price of local drinks (glass of red wine, sake, or whatever) if beer and cocktails don't make sense for the locale.
- sleep: The rack rate/standard price of a typical double room. If there are substantial differences in room types (e.g. dorm bed and single rooms) list brief room descriptions and their respective prices. Do not give a per person cost when twin share is necessary to obtain that rate: "$40" means $20 per person sharing a twin room.
- wikidata: the Wikidata page for the attraction, if one exists. This field should only be used if a record for the specific location exists – for example, a link to the Wikidata record for the Raffles Hotel would be appropriate, but a link to the McDonald's company Wikidata page is not. Is used to allow Links from Wikipedia to listings on Wikivoyage. Optional.
- wikipedia: the Wikipedia page for the attraction, if one exists. This is usually inferred automatically from the Wikidata item, and thus is seldom needed. Again, do not provide a value to a brand or company page; only provide a value if a Wikipedia page for the specific location exists. Optional.
- lastedit: the date when the information was checked to be up-to-date and accurate, in ISO 8601 format: yyyy-mm-dd, 2024-10-11. Recommended
- content: A free-text description of the point of interest, usually a few sentences. See below. Recommended
Examples
The following examples provide the wiki syntax used to generate a listing, followed by the listing as it would be rendered in an article. See below for some guidelines on what listings to add.
See
*{{listing | type=see
| name=Palace of Culture and Science | alt=Palac Kultury i Nauki | url=http://www.pkin.waw.pl/ | email=
| address=plac Defilad | lat=52.23167 | long=21.00639 | directions=
| phone=+48 22 656-7676 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=Daily 09:00-18:00 | price=Admission to the observation deck: 18 zł/12 zł (reduced)
| wikipedia=Palace of Culture and Science | image=PKiN widziany z WFC.jpg | wikidata=Q167566
| content=Warsaw's most recognizable landmark has a controversial history: it was constructed in the 1950s ostensibly as a "gift" from the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. The gargantuan building is home to various institutions, including three theatres, a multiplex cinema, the Museum of Technology and the Congress Hall (built for Communist Party congresses, but mostly used for entertainment purposes now). An observation deck in the top floor provides (windy) views in all directions, accessible via express elevators.
}}
- 1 Palace of Culture and Science (Palac Kultury i Nauki), plac Defilad, ☏ +48 22 656-7676. Daily 09:00-18:00. Warsaw's most recognizable landmark has a controversial history: it was constructed in the 1950s ostensibly as a "gift" from the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. The gargantuan building is home to various institutions, including three theatres, a multiplex cinema, the Museum of Technology and the Congress Hall (built for Communist Party congresses, but mostly used for entertainment purposes now). An observation deck in the top floor provides (windy) views in all directions, accessible via express elevators. Admission to the observation deck: 18 zł/12 zł (reduced).
Do
- Please read #Tour listings before adding any tour listings to Wikivoyage.
* {{listing | type=do
| name=Tri-Star Pilot Service Tours | alt= | url= | email=
| address=5700 S Cicero Ave | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 773 229-1091 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=By appointment, tours last at least 45 minutes | price=$125/couple, $160/three adults
| content=[[Chicago skyline guide|Chicago's skyline]] is impressive from wherever you are standing, but perhaps it is best enjoyed while swooping through it. If you are in the mood for an adventurous tour of Chicago, call Jerry Smith to arrange a flight tour of the city in his single-engine Cessna. It is probably best to book for a nighttime tour, as the city lights will present you breathtaking views.
}}
- Tri-Star Pilot Service Tours, 5700 S Cicero Ave, ☏ +1 773 229-1091. By appointment, tours last at least 45 minutes. Chicago's skyline is impressive from wherever you are standing, but perhaps it is best enjoyed while swooping through it. If you are in the mood for an adventurous tour of Chicago, call Jerry Smith to arrange a flight tour of the city in his single-engine Cessna. It is probably best to book for a nighttime tour, as the city lights will present you breathtaking views. $125/couple, $160/three adults.
Buy
- Please read #Boring places before adding listings for retail chains to Wikivoyage.
* {{listing | type=buy
| name=Shake Your Booty | alt= | url=http://facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/Shake-Your-Booty | email=
| address=2439 18th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 518-8205 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-F noon-8PM, Sa noon-9PM, Su noon-6PM | price=
| content=An affordable boutique womens' fashion store with lots of cute, funky, and original dresses, bags, etc. Regular selections from Rage, MIA, and Hype. Look for the Big Ass Sale in July.
}}
- Shake Your Booty, 2439 18th St NW, ☏ +1 202 518-8205. M-F noon-8PM, Sa noon-9PM, Su noon-6PM. An affordable boutique womens' fashion store with lots of cute, funky, and original dresses, bags, etc. Regular selections from Rage, MIA, and Hype. Look for the Big Ass Sale in July.
Eat
- Please read #Boring places before adding listings for chain restaurants to Wikivoyage.
* {{listing | type=eat
| name=Shabuchin Shabu Shabu | alt= | url= | email=
| address=1-1-6 Kokutai-ji, Naka-ku | lat=35.661528 | long=139.729500 | directions=
| phone=+81 82 246-7327 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=11:30AM-2PM, 5PM-10PM daily | price=Expect to pay from ¥3,000-5,000, including drinks
| content=Small, friendly, family run ''shabu shabu'' restaurant in the fashionable Jizo-dori area. They make their own sauces, and all the ingredients are fresh; dip fresh meat and vegetables in a hot sauce to lightly cook it before dipping it in a piquant sauce to eat.
}}
- 1 Shabuchin Shabu Shabu, 1-1-6 Kokutai-ji, Naka-ku, ☏ +81 82 246-7327. 11:30AM-2PM, 5PM-10PM daily. Small, friendly, family run shabu shabu restaurant in the fashionable Jizo-dori area. They make their own sauces, and all the ingredients are fresh; dip fresh meat and vegetables in a hot sauce to lightly cook it before dipping it in a piquant sauce to eat. Expect to pay from ¥3,000-5,000, including drinks.
Drink
* {{listing | type=drink
| name=Harry's Bar | url=http://www.harrys.com.sg/ | email=
| address=28 Boat Quay | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+65-5383029 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| content=The favorite watering hole of Nick Leeson, the "Rogue Trader" who brought down the 233-year-old Barings Bank and was once arrested here for indecent exposure. There are now franchises all over town, but this is the original. Try the Bank Breaker, an unlikely shot of whisky and Midori, which like Leeson's escapades goes down smooth but leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Live music most nights.
}}
- Harry's Bar, 28 Boat Quay, ☏ +65-5383029. The favorite watering hole of Nick Leeson, the "Rogue Trader" who brought down the 233-year-old Barings Bank and was once arrested here for indecent exposure. There are now franchises all over town, but this is the original. Try the Bank Breaker, an unlikely shot of whisky and Midori, which like Leeson's escapades goes down smooth but leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Live music most nights.
Sleep
- Please read #Rental listings before adding any rental accommodation listings to Wikivoyage.
*{{listing | type=sleep
| name=Hotel Eldorado | alt= | url=http://www.eldoradohotel.fr | email=eldoradohotel@wanadoo.fr
| address=rue des Dames 18 | lat=48.88487 | long=2.32478 | directions=17th, metro: Place de Clichy
| phone=+33 1 45 22 35 21 | tollfree= | fax=+33 1 43 87 25 97
| price=€23–39 single, €49–79 double | checkin= | checkout=
| content=The Eldorado, a former ''maison de rendez-vous'', was once home to the kept women of the 19th-century bourgeois. Now a very cute ''no'' star hotel, its charm more than makes up for what it lacks in amenities (who needs a TV in Paris anyway?). The staff are super-friendly, the décor is garage sale chic, and there's a lovely courtyard that fills with neighbourhood hipsters on warm evenings. It also has a very good location and you can easily avoid the noise of Pigalle or Montmartre's high prices, but they're within stumble distance if you decide to explore. For early risers breakfast (€5, until 10:00) is served in the attached restaurant/bar. Some English spoken, especially for those who pet the cat sprawled across the reception desk.
}}
- 1 Hotel Eldorado, rue des Dames 18 (17th, metro: Place de Clichy), ☏ +33 1 45 22 35 21, fax: +33 1 43 87 25 97, eldoradohotel@wanadoo.fr. The Eldorado, a former maison de rendez-vous, was once home to the kept women of the 19th-century bourgeois. Now a very cute no star hotel, its charm more than makes up for what it lacks in amenities (who needs a TV in Paris anyway?). The staff are super-friendly, the décor is garage sale chic, and there's a lovely courtyard that fills with neighbourhood hipsters on warm evenings. It also has a very good location and you can easily avoid the noise of Pigalle or Montmartre's high prices, but they're within stumble distance if you decide to explore. For early risers breakfast (€5, until 10:00) is served in the attached restaurant/bar. Some English spoken, especially for those who pet the cat sprawled across the reception desk. €23–39 single, €49–79 double.
Go
* {{listing | type=go
| name=Aeroporto di Cagliari-Elmas | alt={{IATA|CAG}} | url=http://www.cagliariairport.it | email=
| address= | lat=39.253923 | long=9.060459 | directions=
| phone= | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| lastedit=2017-09-11
| content=The airport is the busiest in Sardinia.
}}
- 1 Aeroporto di Cagliari-Elmas (CAG IATA). The airport is the busiest in Sardinia.
Listing
If the listing doesn't fit into one of the above categories, you can use the "listing" tag without a type for a generic one.
* {{listing
| name=Bangkok Tourist Information Office | url=http://www.bangkoktourist.com | email=
| address=17/1 Phra Athit Rd | lat= | long= | directions=under the Phra Pin Klao Bridge
| phone=+66 2 225-7612(-4) | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=09:00-19:00 daily | price=
| content=It's a good idea to stop by the tourist office for some maps of the city. You can also get hotel and dining addresses here or ask any other questions you may have.
}}
- Bangkok Tourist Information Office, 17/1 Phra Athit Rd (under the Phra Pin Klao Bridge), ☏ +66 2 225-7612(-4). 09:00-19:00 daily. It's a good idea to stop by the tourist office for some maps of the city. You can also get hotel and dining addresses here or ask any other questions you may have.
There are a few other rarely-used types, for instance "type=city" is useful for itineraries: {{listing|type=city|name=[[Blumenort]]|lat=49.604|long=-96.688}} gives 1 Blumenort. It's even possible to specify values like "type=red" or "type=blue" directly – perhaps to indicate side trips on itinerary with a different marker style or list Presidents of the United States with the partisan stripes of each candidate.
Kartographer is limited to 99 markers of each individual type; switching "type" to something else is one way to circumvent this issue. This workaround is rare; a geographic destination article should instead be divided by breaking huge cities into districts or regions into subregions. There's also a de facto limit to the total number of markers due to processing time limitations.
Usage guidelines
Avoid long lists
- See also: Wikivoyage:Avoid long lists
Wikivoyage is a travel guide, not the Yellow Pages. Huge undifferentiated lists are only marginally useful to the traveller. A general rule of thumb is that lists should contain 5-9 items, and when they exceed that length it is time to consider breaking them up or pruning them.
When subdividing "eat" and "sleep" listings into subsections by price, {{eatpricerange}} and {{sleeppricerange}} templates identify price ranges covered by each sub-section.
Other alternatives are subsections grouped by location (especially when the article covers a large area with distinct towns, villages or neighborhoods) or grouped by style of cuisine or accommodation (placing tent camping in a different subsection from grand old hotels, for example).
Listing order
Alphabetical order should usually be the norm within each section. If another standard is used, it should be clearly stated so any new listing can be added to the appropriate place. Leading articles, such as "The", or "A", in the accommodation name should be ignored for the purposes of determining the order.
Images
Images of businesses should be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons and linked to with the "image=" listing attribute. Such images are visible when clicking on the listing's marker in the dynamic map.
Images of businesses, including hotels and their bedrooms, should generally not be posted as illustrations inside the section. The only exceptions are if the business is a well-known attraction in its own right, or if the image is of a type that is unusual and unique to the region. In the second case, identifying the business where the picture was taken by name is not necessary.
Compilation from external sources
If one section of a destination articles is unfilled even after the other sections are complete, you might consider compiling material from external sources.
The name and contact details should be obtained from the official web site.
The description can be derived from an impression of the reviews that you have read, together with some facts from the official page, but you should not copy somebody else's words into Wikivoyage. Avoid listing establishments where the reviews are overly negative.
Here's an idea of what a listing compiled from reviews might look like:
- Hotel del Sol, 44 Ramblas del sol, ☏ 55 555 55 55. This hotel rates well with young couples, who like the heated lagoon pool, and basement bar open late. Water pressure is low in the shared showers. The rooms facing the sea are said to have wonderful views, but avoid #29 which is behind the neighboring building's television aerial. €30–50.
Note that the origin of the ideas in the listing are clearly from reviews, but that the words are not. The detail about the TV antenna could be a close call, but only if the words are copied. The presence of the antenna, and its marring of the view from a particular room, would be facts which are free from copyright.
Complex attractions
Some attractions are just too complex to list in the brief format above. There may be interesting historical information, detailed information about different parts of the attraction, or whatever. Examples might be:
- Large museums
- Large parks
- Monuments with long histories
These kinds of attractions may need three or four paragraphs rather than sentences to treat them appropriately.
The difference here is by how much text is needed, not how important the attraction is. For example, the Manneken Pis is one of the most famous sights in Brussels, but there's only so much you can write about a small statue of a peeing boy. Importance of the attraction and how much text is needed are closely intertwined, but this format is keyed to the latter.
For complex attractions, we make a sub-section of the See or Do section with the following format:
===[http://www.attraction.example.com/ Name of attraction]===
Address (''extra directions if necessary''), phone number (''email, fax, other contact if possible''). Days and times open. $entryprice (''extra price info'').
One to five paragraphs about why this attraction is worth seeing, things to pay special attention to, warnings, notes, historical or other background information.
Complex attractions should go at the end of the See or Do section, after any attractions in the list format above. Otherwise, it will look like the list-format attractions are part of the preceding complex attraction subsection.
A good example of a complex attraction is the Golden Gate Bridge in the Golden Gate district of San Francisco.
The campus of a major university may also be a container for multiple points of interest such as museums, art galleries or historic landmarks which are notable as things to "see" or "do" in their own right. Handling these as complex attractions allows all of these points to be grouped as one large entity:
- Ivy University - University Avenue at Scholar Street, founded 1066. Organised campus tour daily.
- Elisabeth Ivy Art Gallery (contact info) Paintings from the 18th and 19th century.
- University Stadium (location, price) Watch live college sports matches every Saturday, seasonal.
- Great Hall (location) - Historic clock tower and concert hall built by Queen Victoria herself.
Multiple locations
In some cases an establishment may have multiple locations in the same city. In cases where the description of the location would be the same but the contact information would differ, create a parent tag containing the information that is common to all locations, and child tags containing address and other contact information that is specific for each location. Consider the following example from Chicago/Bronzeville#Eat:
* {{listing | type=eat
| name=Harold's Chicken Shack | url= | email=
| address= | lat=NA | long=NA | directions=
| phone= | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$2–5
| content=The great South Side fried chicken chain is cheap, usually a little dirty, and always delicious. Harold's was born right near here on 47th street, by the way, in north [[Chicago/Hyde Park|Kenwood]], although the original location (at Greenwood) closed long ago.
}}
** {{listing | type=eat
| name=#40 | url= | email=
| address=307 E 55th St | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 773 373-9016 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=10AM-3AM daily | price=
| content=
}}
** {{listing | type=eat
| name=#7 | url= | email=
| address=108 E 47th St | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 773 285-8362 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=Su-Th 11AM-3AM, F Sa 11AM-4AM | price=
| content=
}}
...which produces:
- Harold's Chicken Shack. The great South Side fried chicken chain is cheap, usually a little dirty, and always delicious. Harold's was born right near here on 47th street, by the way, in north Kenwood, although the original location (at Greenwood) closed long ago. $2–5.
- #40, 307 E 55th St, ☏ +1 773 373-9016. 10AM-3AM daily.
- #7, 108 E 47th St, ☏ +1 773 285-8362. Su-Th 11AM-3AM, F Sa 11AM-4AM.
Do take note, however, that per #Boring places, ubiquitous international chains (McDonald's, Subway, etc.), national chains (Tim Horton's, MOS Burger), and major regional chains (White Castle, Harvey's) are generally best left out in favor of local flavor.
Tour listings
Tours can be listed on Wikivoyage as long as they constitute a value-added activity. If a traveller could fulfill the substance of the tour on their own, the tour should not be listed.
Here are a few guidelines to assist determining whether a tour should be listed in our guides:
- The operator must have a "real world" office with a phone number and address where the tour is operated.
- Tours should offer something as a supplement, rather than a replacement for Wikivoyage guides. They should count as an activity available at a destination (e.g., a helicopter tour of a city, or a camel expedition into the Sahara).
- If the tour operator is providing a booking service or general travel planning, then it should not be listed.
- Do not list resellers of tours, only list the actual tour operators.
- Always list tour operators if they are requisite to visit a certain area. Examples include tours required by law (e.g., Panmunjeom and Chernobyl) and tours required due to exceptional danger (e.g., war zones and extreme environments such as the Amazon, Antarctica, Space, etc).
- This policy allows the listing of all walking tours.
In practice this policy disallows listing most audio tours and guided tours since the substance of such tours can generally be fulfilled by an independent traveller, and the information provided on such tours should ideally be included in the appropriate Wikivoyage article. If you have a question about whether a tour can be listed, or feel that an exception is warranted, please use the talk page of the appropriate article to discuss your concerns.
Rental listings
Wikivoyage is neither an apartment-finder service nor a real estate listing service, so in general real estate and rental agency listings are not allowed. The only exception to this rule is for locations where rental properties are a common form of travel accommodation and the following requirements are met:
- Consensus must be achieved on the article's talk page that rental listings should be allowed. When trying to build consensus provide some evidence that rental properties are commonly used by travelers to the destination and that their addition will improve the article. Please do not argue the merits of any particular company, but instead focus on the value of such accommodation for travelers to the destination city/region.
- If consensus is achieved, rental agency listings must be placed into a separate sub-section of the article's "Sleep" section.
- Agency listings must include a phone number and a local address, which specifies the physical address at the destination for picking up the keys, managing the property and/or resolving rental issues. This address must also be prominently displayed on the agency web site.
- Apartments or cabins must be available for rentals of one week or less - remember, Wikivoyage is a travel guide, not an apartment-finder service.
The general guidelines for accommodation listings apply to these listings as well, that is long lists should be avoided, and information should be concise and relevant to the traveler.
Avoid listing nearest attractions
Hotel owners frequently give detailed list of attractions that their property is "close to". We don't welcome it here at Wikivoyage:
- it is difficult to judge which hotel is more convenient to a particular attraction,
- it overloads listing text with details irrelevant for many travelers,
- "nearby attractions" lists, such as those found on hotel web sites, are pretty much identical for any given hotel in the same area of a city
- properties routinely abuse this by listing every attraction in the city, or even other towns in a region, regardless of proximity
By all means, if the hotel is attached to a particular attraction (or, say, inside the airport), mention that using the "directions" listing attribute—but keep it to just what makes the hotel unique. Instead of writing a long flowery description of the many attractions near the property, describe those attractions in separate listings (such as in the "See" section), and contribute detailed latitude and longitude coordinates for the property (see Wikivoyage:Geocoding)—it will be much more helpful for a traveller choosing a place to stay.
Boring places
On Wikivoyage, we prefer to list stores, restaurants and bars that are unique to the destination—why write about a chain restaurant when you could go to that same restaurant in any city? It's often useful to briefly mention which major popular chains are in the area, and to note where they are, but avoid spending too much time on them. See Washington, D.C./Georgetown#Clothes for a good example of how to quickly handle popular chain shops next to more detailed descriptions of local boutiques.
The exception to this rule is when a particular chain store or restaurant location offers something unique that is worth shouting about. For instance, we list the McDonald's in Taupo not because of the food, which is the same old swill, but because it has a Douglas DC-3 aeroplane that you can sit and eat in! Also, if a chain restaurant is the only place to get food then by all means list it. In an airport where many restaurants are overpriced, it is worth mentioning chain restaurants that have the usual chain prices.
Most travellers at least sometimes want to use an ordinary hotel instead of places with a more local touch. We do prefer listing local hotels, but usually also list ordinary chain ones, as these are vastly more numerous in many countries.
Relevance to travel
Listings should be for businesses and attractions that are relevant or interesting for travelers. Museums, hotels, local restaurants and intercity transport clearly fit this criteria, but other business types may not be so clear-cut. For example, travelers won't be returning with a couch in their carry-on luggage, so furniture stores should not be given listings; however, a store that specializes in making artistic hand-crafted furniture using local materials is unique and likely would be of interest to many travelers, and thus would merit a listing.
When listing a business that might not typically be of interest to the average traveler, be sure to describe what is special about it and include enough information so that other editors will recognize its value to travelers and not remove it from the article. See Wikivoyage:Don't tout and the guidance above on business chains for related advice. If you add a listing that is later removed, use the article's talk page to explain why you feel that travelers should be made aware of the business and thus why a listing is merited.
Banks and cashpoints
Banks, exchange bureaux and other cashpoints are important for travellers, but they are often easily found in the main shopping areas. The fact that they are ubiquitous or the areas where to find them can be pointed out; listings are seldom needed.
Places of worship
Some cities and rural areas have so many places of worship, such as churches, synagogues, mosques and temples, that it is impractical to list them all. Reasons to list a religious site could be that it
- has guided tours
- gives service in a foreign or minority language
- has historical or architectural importance
- is the city's only, largest or oldest place of worship for a religion or
- any other distinction which makes it interesting for a visitor, other than religious services that are typical of the area.
There is of course more leeway in articles with fewer listings in general, or where a certain type of place of worship has "rarity value", but don't give a 'See' listing to the fiftieth church in a quiet bedroom suburb when it looks as cookie-cutter as the one next door. A cluster of interesting religious buildings in a region or city could potentially be described in a travel topic or an itinerary, such as Historic churches of Buffalo's East Side.
On the other hand, houses of worship that travellers may find useful in a religious or spiritual sense can be listed in the 'Cope' section of a city article. This would be especially useful if there's one main mosque in the city in question, or if there is only one church representing a certain Christian denomination in the area. The listing should make clear that it is a place of worship, not of tourism. And remember, if you're a member of the clergy or congregation of a church you're adding a listing for, the rules of Don't tout still apply.
A cemetery could have a separate listing if it is very large, has distinctive status (as a Royal cemetary, national military cemetery, etc), has one or more celebrity graves likely to attract visitors, or is otherwise an attraction in its own right. A more ordinary cemetery can be mentioned in an entry for a nearby place of worship, park, or neighbourhood. An individual grave should be listed only if it is notable as a historic site (see below).
Shops, restaurants and other hospitality venues
If a destination (town, district, rural area or park) has only a handful each of venues in categories such as buy, eat and drink, they could all be listed. In a decently sized city, individual shops and hospitality venues are normally too many to list individually. A cluster of competing stores or venues in a street or neighborhood can be listed as one single entry.
Any bottom-level article (non-huge city, city district, rural area or park) should, if possible, list at least a few places to eat and sleep. If they are numerous, list those that are most valuable for the traveller. For a medium-sized city 7±2 in each price category would be typical, but if you think an additional restaurant or hotel is well worth listing, don't hesitate to do so.
Shopping venues should not be listed unless there is a special reason.
Some reasons to list an individual store, restaurant or other venue:
- it is an attraction in its own right, for instance being a historic building, having an astounding view, providing live entertainment, being an agritourism destination or
- it has international recognition (a Guide Michelin star would be a clear example), or
- it is large, such as a department store, a big-box store, the flagship store of its brand, a food court, a market hall, or
- it is the only shop or venue in the city or district with a specific product range, cuisine or concept, instead of cookie-cutter chain stores peddling identical wares in every town), or
- it has favorable price, product range, location or opening hours, or
- it serves an English-speaking community, or is otherwise of particular interest for travellers or some category of travellers
In a bottom-level article, each larger venue (airport terminal, theme park, shopping mall, hotel, etc) usually has a single entry, with stores and services described in brief. Individual stores and venues usually don't have separate entries. The exception would be a venue which is an attraction in its own right; Singapore/Riverside mentions the famous Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel as a separate venue, as many travellers from distant lands visit the bar. Example shopping mall listing:
- The Shops at Georgetown Park, 3222 M St NW, ☏ +1 202 342-8190. M-Sa 10AM-8PM, Su noon-6PM. An enclosed upscale shopping mall at the very center of Georgetown. It's an oddly quiet place to walk through, having been outshined by the outdoor competitors. Stores include various upscale mall fare, like Express, H&M, J Crew, Ann Taylor, Sisley, Itermix, White House/Black Market, etc., but also a host of small boutiques and unique import/export stores. The mall has its own parking garage for $18 daily.
Conversely, in some very sparsely-populated and remote places, it may be necessary to list the "last" or "only" opportunity to obtain provisions, fuel, repairs or other essentials for the next few hundred kilometres or miles – even if these commodities wouldn't merit a listing in large cities where they are plentiful.
Grocery stores and supermarkets
We are selective in listing supermarkets, grocery stores or convenience stores. Unless agreed on the talk page, there should be no more than 5 listings of such stores. Listings of stores of historic or architectural interest, or independent specialist food stores like cheesemongers or greengrocers selling local produce are encouraged, but don't make lists of more than 7±2.
Radio and television
An article can include a list of a few radio and/or TV stations that focus on local news and information, and those in non-English-speaking regions that provide news and information in English. However, there's usually no need to list TV stations if they're just the local affiliates of the national networks, because travellers can easily find those by flipping through the channels and picking their favorite.
What we don't want is a long list of radio stations trying to mention every genre someone might want. This isn't useful for travellers; they don't need a list because they'll just flip through radio stations until they hear something they like.
Educational institutions
A Learn section is an option in any article. If you choose to include one, any university, college or other post-secondary institution listed in it must accept students for specific courses lasting 12 months or less, or accept students attending foreign educational institutions for semesters abroad.
An institution can be listed elsewhere in the article, if it has some kind of public amenities. If its buildings or grounds are of general interest, or if it has exhibitions or a library with collections beyond the usual, list it in the See section; if it has guided tours, lectures, a swimming pool, varsity sports, or other activities, list it in the Do section.
A primary (elementary) or secondary (high) school should normally not be listed, unless it meets the criteria above.
Airports
The details about an airport should be given only in one article. Usually that is the article on the nearest city, sometimes a separate airport article, and in a few cases the region article. Information that is covered there should generally not be repeated in other articles, other than perhaps a short summary. Often details on how to get into a specific destination from the airport isn't given in the main airport listing (or article) and can be given in the destination article concerned.
List the principal airport or airports that serve the city directly, with a detailed listing, ideally using the "Go" template. If the city or town is served by another city's airport, provide a link to the relevant section of that city article (for example, the "By plane" or "Get in" section), and information on how to travel from the airport to the destination (bus, taxi, etc.), but don't repeat the detailed listing. Include the airport's coordinates only if you are willing and able to adjust the map so the map's focus is on the relevant place, not some random zoomed out area.
Airport articles
- See also: Wikivoyage:Airport Expedition
A major international airport can have an airport article. An airport article is part of the geographic hierarchy in the same way as a small city, or a city district, with all the applicable article sections. The article about the region or city which contains the airport can describe the airport in brief.
Historic buildings, sites and natural formations
An individual historic building, historic site, monument or public artwork should not be listed just for being old, listed in a domestic record of historic buildings, or legally protected. A cluster of buildings, sites or artworks can be listed as one entry. If a destination has plenty of historic sites, they can all be presented in a travel topic or an itinerary (example: Stockholm history tour). The same principle can be used for natural formations; an individual hill, lake or island should be listed only if it is relevant for a visitor. A site which is off limits for visitors might not need to be listed. Geographic articles on bodies of water are discouraged, though they might make up a travel topic; see Wikivoyage:Bodies of water.
Reasons to list an individual site could be:
- it has international recognition (such as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), or
- it is a highly visible landmark, or
- it is a main attraction for visitors to the destination, or
- it has service for visitors in some category of venues (see for a museum, eat for a café, sleep for a hotel, etc)
Listings outside a destination
If you have a listing that isn't in a city, town, rural area, or park with an article, there are a few options for what to do with it:
- Include it in "Other destinations" in a region article. This option is mainly for major points of interest, but can be used also if the other options feel awkward.
- Adjust the area covered by an article to include the listing and its surroundings, by stating in the "Understand" section that "This article also covers [name of area]". Add any relevant information.
- Add the listing to an article of a nearby destination without otherwise extending the scope of that article. Include information on how to get to the point of interest. This is sometimes done by adding a "Nearby" section.
- If the listing is too remote and unremarkable to be of interest to travellers, then do not include it in Wikivoyage.
- If you have a Buy, Eat, or Drink listing that isn't in or near a city/town, park, rural area or itinerary with an article, it probably would not be useful for travellers, so do not include it in Wikivoyage. If the store, restaurant, bar or hotel is so remarkable that it is worth a trip in itself, then include it in the article for the nearest destination in a § Nearby section.
Tools
Sources for lat/longs
There are a few web sites that provide useful lat/long information.
- OpenStreetMap (OSM) – Browse the map, click with the right mouse button on the desired location and select "Show Address". The lat/long value of the location can then be copied from the text field in the upper left part of the website.
- Nominatim – OSM reverse geocoding
- If a destination has a geo tag, there will be a map icon at the top right of the article. If you know the area, then you can get co-ordinates for listings by going to that map (of any article), positioning the mouse pointer, then right-clicking to show lat and long info.
- Wikipedia gives co-ordinates for most articles about places
- Geomap – search via OSM Nominatim, provides coordinates in WV templates formats
- Geobatcher is a tool which can take an entire section of Wikivoyage listings, and insert coordinates for up to 100 listings at a time. More instructions in article, How to use dynamic maps.
- Multimap lets you search for cities in many countries and returns lat/long info (some problems with non ASCII chars in the names)
- The Getty Thesaurus of Names has lat/long info for most cities in its database
- The Global Gazetteer from Falling Rain Genomics, Inc. is another database that gives decimal geocode values for many place names around the world.
- Richard Cyganiak's FOAF mapper – Find co-ordinates using Google Maps.
- GeoNames - Quick and thorough geocoding
See also Wikivoyage:Dynamic maps Expedition#Sub-expedition: Fill all the latitudes!.
Conversion tools
- A web-based listing parser to convert unformatted listings used to be online - made by User:Ml31415. The site is no longer live, but the source code remains available.
- There was also a Transvoyage script with source code available. This converted {{listing}}s for use when translating existing Wikivoyage articles to Wikivoyage in another language, comme le français.