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5* Sofitel Beverly Hills 4* Hilton Anaheim

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Los Angeles has littered the world with its paraphernalia. Disneyland, movie stars, TV, fast-food and hype - it's all here in overdrive. LA may be a figment of its own imagination, but if you long to stand in the footsteps of stars and breathe their hallowed air, you're going to the right place.

Most first-time visitors to LA are instantly confused by its size and sprawl. Unlike other metropolises, LA is a decentralised hodgepodge with no clearly defined hub. It helps to know that what is commonly referred to as 'LA' is really 'LA County', a conglomeration of 88 cities of which LA is just one. The heart of the city of Los Angeles is Downtown, about 19km (12mi) east of the ocean.

East LA, a Latino-dominated area, edges against Downtown, as do the historically African-American neighbourhoods of South Central. Most areas of interest to visitors are west of Downtown LA, including Hollywood and the epicentre of gay and lesbian culture, West Hollywood. Farther west is lifestyles of the rich and famous territory: Bel Air, Brentwood and Beverly Hills. Hugging the northern country coast are the posh beachside areas of Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica. Farther south along the coast is Venice, with the international airport farther again. The Hollywood Hills, a continuation of the Santa Monica Mountains, are a physical and (some might say) ideological separation between Los Angeles 'proper' and the San Fernando Valley, which forms the northern boundary of LA County. This quintessential suburbia is characterised by unsightly strip malls and major TV and movie studios. Orange County, home of Disneyland, extends along the coast to the southeast of Los Angeles County.

Angelenos love to show off, and the city has no shortage of opportunities for them to do so.
No star-studded tour is complete without a visit to Beverly Hills, home of the rich and famous. Just west of Hollywood, this city-within-a-city flaunts its wealth with opulent manors on manicured grounds and streets overflowing with designer labels. For the latest on who lives where, grab a 'Star Home Map' from a street-corner vendor.
The Hills' Golden Triangle is bisected by Rodeo Drive, where retailers such as Tiffany, Armani and Louis Vuitton flog their wares.

Disneyland is alledgedly the happiest place on earth. Disneyland is a masterpiece of picture-perfect choreography - even the litter bins are themed. The park is divided into four different lands: Adventureland has a jungle theme and features Indiana Jones and the Forbidden Eye; Frontierland celebrates the myth of the Wild West; Fantasyland devotes itself to Disney's favourite characters; and Tomorrowland is (you guessed it) all about the future. In summer, you'll spend the better part of your visit to Disneyland queuing - one of the best ways to avoid this is to come in the evening when the kiddies are in bed. Uncle Walt's wonderland is in Anaheim, half an hour's drive south of downtown LA; you can get there by bus, hotel shuttle or by car.

The city's Civic Center is America's largest complex of government buildings after Washington, DC. It contains the most important of LA's city, county, state and federal office buildings, including the Criminal Courts Building, where the infamous OJ Simpson murder trial took place in 1995, and the 1928 City Hall, which served as the Daily Planet building in the TV show Superman and the police station in Dragnet.
Contrary to popular belief, LA does have an intellectual, refined side. Head to the John Paul Getty collection of museums. The European, photography and other collections are on display at the stunning 110-acre Getty Center in the Santa Monica mountains, opened in 1998, costing a cool billion. Admission is free, making this one of the best bargains in town.

Los Angeles has built its reputation on the glamour of the movies, and most visitors want at least a little of its glitz to rub off on them. Hollywood itself (in northwestern LA) is no longer the movie mecca it once was, but it certainly holds plenty of historic interest. Take a walk down Hollywood Blvd and you'll pass by famous sights such as where more than 150 of the glitterati have left their prints on the sidewalk out the front.
Universal Studios is the world's largest movie studio. Its famous theme park, one of LA's top attractions, has gut-wrenching rides, mind-blowing special-effects shows and the Backlot Tour, a part-educational, part-thrill ride behind the scenes of moviemaking.