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AIRBNB LONDON GUIDEBOOK
This guidebook is filled with top neighbourhood recommendations from Airbnb hosts in their own words. We hope you will enjoy discovering the best local sights and activities that London has to offer. IN THIS GUIDEBOOK 3 City of London 7 The West End 11 Royal London
15 South of the Thames 19 Around Hyde Park 23 Celebrating London
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airbnb london guidebook
CITY OF LONDON
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airbnb london guidebook
CITY YOUROF NEIGHBOURHOOD LONDON
London's Our London medieval community's heart, "the recommendations City" is the UK's for financial the best things nerve to centre do within and home walking to some distance. of its oldest attractions—and pubs. ● your place A. A. <eat_1_name> tower of london B. B. <eat_2_name> st ali C. C. <drink_1_name> the ten bells D. <drink_2_name> D. bleeding heart E. E. <see_1_name> haz restaurant F. <see_2_name> F. smithfield market G. G. <shop_1_name> spitalfields market
H. <shop_2_name> I. barbican <play_1_name> I. J. <play_2_name> J. bank of england
H. the real greek
K. st paul's cathedral L. fabric M. shakespeare's globe theater N. ye old cheshire cheese O. the Punch tavern
EAT
DRINK
st ali
the ten bells
27 Clerkenwell Road Australian coffee and innovative cafe-style food—delicious.
84 Commercial Street The famous bar where Jack the Ripper drank.
bleeding heart
ye olde cheshire cheese
19 Greville Street Great French food—a local favourite!
145 Fleet Street www.citypubs.co.uk/pubs/yeoldcheshirecheese.html Possibly the oldest, and most atmospheric, pub in London.
haz restaurant 9 Cutler Street Very good Turkish restaurant.
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City of London
spitalfields market
SEE
117 Commercial Street This market is great, with lots of restaurants, boutiques, and more.
tower of london Tower Hill An imposing castle in the centre of London. It has been used as a fortress, a palace and a prison. Rumour has it that it's haunted by a ghost.
smithfield market 225 Central Markets Popular central London market.
PLAY
bank of england Threadneedle Street A museum dedicated to money in Britain. Ironically, admission is free.
barbican Large, popular arts and events centre.
st paul’s cathedral
fabric
One of London's most famous landmarks. A church has stood here since AD 604.
77A Charterhouse Street Great nightclub. The crowd can be quite young and intoxicated!
shakespeare’s globe Theatre
SHOP
21 New Globe Walk Experience the theatre as the Elizabethans would have. They have cheap £5 standing tickets and you can stand right next to the stage in the round, open air theatre. Theatre tours are also fun!
the real greek 6 Horner Square Colourful market in the east end of London. Pick up fantastic art pieces, quirky clothing and decent souvenirs.
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THE WEST END
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THE WEST END
the West End comprises London's most well known shopping and live entertainment districts. A. trafalgar square B. old compton street C. the national gallery D. the court restaurant E. covent garden market F. empire cinemas G. kaffeine
H. princi london I. china town market J. ronnie scott's jazz K. the riding house L. white cube M. gordons wine bar N. floridita restaurant
EAT
DRINK
The Court Restaurant
The Riding House
Great Russell Street Tucked inside the amazing British Museum. Well worth stopping by for a meal.
43â&#x20AC;&#x201C;51 Great Titchfield Street Great, buzzy restaurant and bar. We love the breakfast as lunch and dinner can get quite busy, but it's got a great vibe and is right next to the BBC so it's also a great place for celebrity spotting.
Kaffeine 66 Great Titchfield Street Good pastries. It's run by Australians, so the coffee is top notch.
Gordons Wine Bar 47 Villiers Street Amazing underground wine bar. Truly historic and with great atmosphere. On sunny days, they also have an outdoor seating area.
Princi London 135â&#x20AC;&#x201C;137 Wardour Street Great Italian bakery on Wardour Street. Everything is delicious.
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The West End
SHOP
Floridita Restaurant 100 Wardour Street Live Latin musicians, a dance floor, great food, and kick-arse cocktails!
Covent Garden Market
SEE
Covent Garden www.coventgardenlondonuk.com Shopping centralâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;think the new Apple Store, cafes, restaurants, market stalls, and entertainers.
Trafalgar Square
China Town Market
Trafalgar Square London's bustling centrepiece. Chase the pigeons at Nelson's Column.
Old Compton Street London's very own Chinatown, where you can experience a bit of the Middle Kingdom.
Old Compton Street
PLAY
Old Compton Street This street has various bars, cafes, and shops. It is known as the gay centre of Soho and where many gay visitors find themselves when visiting London.
Empire Cinemas Film centralâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all the movie premieres are held here, often at Europe's largest cinema screen, the Odeon Leicester Square.
The National Gallery Trafalgar Square www.nationalgallery.org.uk The world's pre-eminent and finest collection of historical artefacts in a stunning building, added to over the years by various English philanthropic families. For example, Lord and Lady Sainsbury have a wing.
Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club 47 Frith Street Perhaps my favourite venue in London. Many memorable nights in London have been spent here listening to some of the world's greatest jazz musicians.
White Cube 47 Frith Street Fantastic modern art gallery. 12
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ROYAL LONDON
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ROYAL LONDON
If you're pining for a peerage, hobnob with the coterie here in the shadow of Buckingham Palace. A. picadilly circus B. palace of westminster C. buckingham palace D. tate britain E. saint james park F. house guards G. st george wharf
H. saatchi gallery I. buckingham palace shop J. goya K. royal court theatre L. lassco M. westminster abbey
EAT
the Big Ben clock tower and the Houses of Parliament.
Horse Guards Horse Guards Road Just the place for afternoon tea if you feel like pushing the boat out!
Buckingham Palace www.royal.gov.uk The Queen's most famous London residence. Tours during the summer.
Goya 34 Lupus Street My FAVOURITE Spanish tapas restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;who's for sangrĂa?
Tate Britain Millbank www.tate.org.uk With older works of art than the Tate Modern, still a nice big gallery to visit. Only works by British artists are on display from across the centuries. From Turner to Hockney.
SEE Palace of Westminster Westminster www.parliament.uk The world famous icon, featuring 15
Royal London
Saatchi Gallery
of unique funky design and furniture. Hard to explain, but worth a visit!
Major gallery space. Beautifully designed building with some astonishing installations. Fantastic place to wander around.
PLAY
Westminster Abbey
Piccadilly Circus
20 Dean's Yard Prince William and Kate Middleton got married here last year. This 700-year-old church is the coronation church of England. Many famous people are also buried here.
Piccadilly The statue of Eros, and also the famous neon billboards of London seen in so many films are located here. Leads you to Buckingham Palace, Leicester Square, Regent Street, Soho, etc.
SHOP
Saint James Park London is famed for its open green spaces. Walk south through Trafalgar Square and Admiralty Arch to find yourself in the idyllic St James Park with its lake and views towards Buckingham Palace.
St George Wharf St George Wharf All sorts in this riverside developmentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including Pret a Manger, a doctors' surgery, a dentist, and a Tesco supermarket.
Royal Court Theatre
Buckingham Palace Shop
50â&#x20AC;&#x201C;51 Sloane Square The Royal Court Theatre is Britain's leading national company dedicated to new work by innovative writers from the UK and around the world.
7 Buckingham Palace A fantastic tourist attraction!
Lassco 30 Wandsworth Road This is an architectural and antiques salvage yard with an in-house cafe where you can enjoy well-priced food in a room 16
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SOUTH OF THE THAMES
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SOUTH OF THE THAMES
Once London's underworld, the central districts south of the river now house the city's cuttingedge art and design districts. A. borough market B. london eye C. the old vic D. sea life aquarium E. monmouth coffee F. zucca G. the woolpack H. young vic
I. london eye champagne flight J. scootercaffe K. royal festival hall L. skylon M. crown & cushion N. bermondsey street
EAT
Skylon
Monmouth Coffee
Belvedere Road Bar and restaurant on the Southbank. Nice cocktails. Try to reserve seats and watch the sunset over the Thames through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.
2 Park Street Borough Market branch of Monmouthâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;really amazing coffee; I recommend ordering the filter. Just totally excellent and non pretentious. This particular outlet has a great atmosphere.
DRINK
Zucca
The Woolpack
184 Bermondsey Street One of the best Italian restaurants in London. Reasonably priced with a great wine list.
A great pub, not great food. It has a garden out back with lots of tables and space for anyone wandering in off Bermondsey. 19
South of the Thames
ScooterCaffe
Royal Festival Hall
132 Lower Marsh Arty, funky, chic cafe/bar, serving the best hot chocolate around (imported from Italy and as thick as blancmange).
Belvedere Road The centrepiece of Southbankâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; try it on a weekend and get the buzz of London for free, with its open stalls, book sales plus the National Film Theatre, concerts, and galleries.
Crown & Cushion 133-135 Westminster Bridge Rd Fantastic local pub dating from the 15th century.
Bermondsey Street Bermondsey Street Trendy and full-on life, with some of London's coolest restaurants.
SEE London Eye
PLAY
Minster Court More than just an enormous Ferris wheelâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it's a world-famous symbol of London.
The Old Vic 103 The Cut Formerly the Royal Coburg Theatre, a theatre owned by Kevin Spacey. Great productions and venue.
Sea Life aquarium County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road Pop in here to see exhibits of fish and marine life from around the world.
Young Vic 66 The Cut Well renowned rep theatre with a great bar and restaurant.
SHOP
London Eye Champagne Flight
Borough Market 8 Southwark Street Brilliant for tourists and locals. Great foods, surrounding pubs, and atmosphere.
Westminster Bridge Road A fun ride that gives you the highest views in London.
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AROUND HYDE PARK
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AROUND HYDE PARK
These iconic neighbourhoods, routinely featured in films and literature, give London its character. A. portobello market B. madame tussauds C. the electric brasserie D. v&a museum E. pizza east portobello F. natural history museum G. the cow pub
H. harrods I. royal albert hall J. coronet cinema K. oxford street L. warwick castle M. the ledbury N. beach blanket babylon O. the waterway
EAT
the London gastronomic scene. A real must for foodies!
The Electric Brasserie 191 Portobello Road Trendy Electric is a Notting Hill Institution. You'll likely end up there for food, drinks, or the unique cinema.
DRINK The Cow Pub 89 Westbourne Park Road A quirky pub with eccentric, bohemian clientele, this establishment was devised by restaurateur Tom Conran. It's a great seafood place with a nostalgic Irish feel, and it serves a great pint of Guinness.
Pizza East Portobello 310 Portobello Road Yummy, cosy, local, and affordable. Hits the spot!
The Ledbury 127 Ledbury Road This 2 Michelin star restaurant is producing some of finest food on 23
Around Hyde Park
Warwick Castle
between Cambridge Gardens and Bonchurch Road.
6 Warwick Place Canal-side pub, with board games and a fire for winter.
Harrods 109–125 Knightsbridge London's best department store, with all the major designers.
The Waterway 54–56 Formosa Street Nice gastro pub looking over the canal, great on sunny days.
Oxford Street 143 Regent Street Some of the best shopping in the world, full stop.
SEE Madame Tussauds
PLAY
Marylebone Road The world-famous wax museum. A massive tourist draw.
Royal Albert Hall Kensington Gore Hosts the famous BBC Proms in the summer months and a variety of concerts and events through the year.
V&A Museum Cromwell Road Great art and design museum, a must see for first time visitors to London.
Coronet Cinema
Natural History Museum
103 Notting Hill Gate Great traditional cinema with red seats (featured in the film Notting Hill!); it does all films for £3.50 on Tuesdays.
Cromwell Road One of the largest, most important natural-history collections worldwide. Great for kids (dinosaurs!).
SHOP
Beach Blanket Babylon 45 Ledbury Road
Portobello Market
Come here for a night out in Notting Hill. Something to experience. See Notting Hill Trustafarians in the flesh.
288 Portobello Road The very best part of this colourful and trendy market stretches 24
airbnb london guidebook
Celebrating London the London 2012 Festival
The London 2012 Festival is a massive cultural celebration. Free world-class events are taking place throughout the UK.
For everything you need to know about The Games www.london2012.com Essential travel advice & journey planning www.london2012.com/spectators/travel www.getaheadofthegames.com
With amazing pop-up performances, a giant bouncy inflatable replica of Stonehenge, a national bell-ringing to celebrate the opening ceremony, wandering giant puppets, and live concerts, the UK will come alive with an abundance of incredible exhibitions and outdoor spectaculars.
For everything happening in London during The Games www.molpresents.com Free live screenings of all the action www.btlondonlive.com www.london2012.com/joinin/live-sites
Full event listings for wherever you are can be found at: www.festival.london2012.com 25
Around Hyde Park
GETTING AROUND LONDON THE TUBE
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Around Hyde Park
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