#Articles should be relatively self-sufficient so that travellers can print them out, put in their back pocket, and use for travelling around. #At the same time, articles should not be so long that they're impossible to read, print, or use.
So, here are some rough guidelines for what topics should have their own articles, and what shouldn't. Nothing here is set in stone, but exceptions to these guidelines should have good justifications.
'''Geographical units''' on the geographical hierarchy '''should''' have their own articles. There should be articles about:
A common test to determine whether a subject gets its own article is the "'''can you sleep there?'''" test. While there are numerous hotels and other lodging options in a city like London, you can't sleep in a museum or park within that city; such parks and museums should thus be listed as attractions within an article about the city.
With city districts, consider also When to districtify recommendations--only create a separate article for a district when you have enough content for it, and the borders for a new district are well-defined.
Individual attractions '''should not''' have their own articles (in general). Their information should be listed in the city or possibly district that they're in. With a few very rare exceptions (see below) there '''should not''' be articles about individual:
We prefer that attractions, sites, and events be included in the article for the place they're located (see where you can stick it for details). For example, a lake might be listed under the "See" section of the closest town, and a bar would be listed under the "Drink" section of the town in which it is located.
If an attraction is really famous and travellers may not know the city or region it is in, then create an article with the attraction name as title, but make it a redirect to the city or region and put the description in the city or region article. For example, Taj Mahal redirects to Agra.
There are exceptions to every rule, and Wikitravel is no different. Be aware, however, that if you think something deserves an exception you should be ready to defend your position. Cases where exceptions are made include attractions, sites, or events that are '''far away''' (too far for a day trip) from any city and would require an overnight stay, or '''so large and complex''' that the information about them would overload the city article. Some examples of possible exceptions include:
In general, a good rule of thumb is that information about attractions, sites, and events should '''always''' be initially placed into the article for the place they're located in, and only when that information becomes '''large and complex''' should a new article be considered. As with most decisions on Wikitravel, consensus drives the process, but we try to err on the side of consistency and not make these exceptions unless we absolutely have to. Before starting an article based on one of the above exceptions, start a discussion to explore whether it would be appropriate.
In addition, the following categories of articles are given their own articles:
When in doubt, leave a message in the travelers' pub or simply plunge forward and create the article. Someone else will always be around to answer your question or to edit any mistakes.