LEARN ENGLISH. EVENTS. HISTORY. SATURDAY JUNE 23. BLUE PLAQUES. MID-RANGE. UPPER STREET. BUS ROUTES. MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES. BUY. LEARN. HIGH STREET CROYDON. DO. DRINK. CHELSEA & WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL. HOTELS. TOWER BRIDGE. CITY CENTER WEST. OYSTER CARD. BY PLANE. RELIGIOUS PUBS & BARS. LATE MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY. THE ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL. ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL. STUDENT HALLS OF RESIDENCE. THURSDAY JUNE 28. RESTAURANTS. SUNDAY JUNE 24. TRAVELCARD SEASON TICKETS. MAPS. MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES. USEFUL INFO. SPLURGE. EARLY MODERN LEWISHAM HOSPITAL. MARBLE ARCH. GET IN. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. GUY'S HOSPITAL. UNDERGROUND. GET OUT. LONDON CITY AIRPORT. UP TO �5. BY TRAIN. BUS ROUTES. CONVENIENCE STORES AND SUPERMARKETS. BY CAR. LONDON GATWICK. TRANSPORT. SMOKING BAN. SUNRISE/SUNSET. �25. THE CITY AND WESTMINSTER. STAR. MAPS. PREHISTORY AND ANTIQUITY. OTHER AIRPORTS NEAR LONDON. CULTURE. CHAINS. NIGHTCLUBS. MUSEUMS. A & E. FRIDAY JUNE 22. HOSTELS. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE. LANDMARKS. WORK. �50 (TO ALMOST ANY AMOUNT!). TRAVELCARDS. SCAMS/CON ARTISTS. CONTACT UNDERSTAND. MUSIC. GAY AND LESBIAN. CHARING CROSS HOSPITAL. DRUMMOND STREET. CITY CENTER EAST. LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT. LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES. LONDON EYE. BUDGET. MIDDLE AGES. CURRENCY. RESTAURANTS. �7. PARKS. MARKETS. CENTRAL MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL. AIRPORTS. TOP ASIAN. EAT. ACCENT. LONDON. LONG TERM EVENTS. GET AROUND. STAY SAFE. TOP ITALIAN. WEATHER. BIG BEN. LORDSHIP LANE. LONDON HEATHROW. FRIDAY JUNE 29. ST. THOMAS' HOSPITAL. TIPS. RESTAURANTS. CLAPHAM JUNCTION. SATURDAY JUNE 30. TRAFALGAR SQUARE. "CLIP JOINT". PALACE OF WESTMINSTER. VALIDITY. GUIDE. ST. MARYS NHS TRUST. TOP VEGETARIAN. USEFUL INFO. REFERENCES. WHITTINGTON HOSPITAL. MONDAY JUNE 25. LONDON WITH CHILDREN. HISTORY. LONDON LUTON. UNDERGROUND. TOPONYMY. CITY CENTER. BUDGET. LITERATURE, FILM AND TELEVISION. BY FOOT. APARTMENTS. WESTMINSTER ABBEY. QUEEN MARY'S HOSPITAL. HOMERTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL. KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL. EMERGENCY NUMBERS. SPLURGE. WIFI ACCESS. MID-RANGE. TOWER OF LONDON. EVENTS. TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES. STAY HEALTHY. GREENWICH DISTRICT HOSPITAL. SLEEP. YOUTH HOSTEL ASSOCIATION OF ENGLAND AND WALES. CRIME. REFERENCES. TOP BEST RESTAURANTS. SEE. WEDNESDAY JUNE 27. MANY PARKS. VEGETARIAN. BUCKINGHAM PALACE. CLIMATE. HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. EMERGENCY. �15. BY BUS. LONDON STANSTED. �6-10. RESTAURANT STREETS. LONDON. TUESDA JUNE 26. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON HOSPITALS NHS TRUST. PAY-AS-YOU-GO (PREPAY). CULTURE. LANDMARKS. CITY CENTER WEST. ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL GUIDE. LONG TERM EVENTS. LEARN ENGLISH. ACCENT. THE CITY AND WESTMINSTER. GREENWICH DISTRICT HOSPITAL. �25. MUSIC. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. LONDON HEATHROW. HOTELS. TIPS. �6-10. GAY AND LESBIAN. MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES. BY TRAIN. BY PLANE. PARKS. LONDON EYE. WEATHER. PUBS & BARS. MANY PARKS. CRIME. STAR. STAY SAFE. LEARN. PREHISTORY AND ANTIQUITY. VALIDITY. MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES. THE ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL. PAY-AS-YOU-GO (PREPAY). TRANSPORT. CITY CENTER EAST. LATE MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY. HISTORY. RELIGIOUS. RESTAURANTS. BY CAR. EMERGENC NUMBERS. LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON HOSPITALS NHS TRUST. STAY HEALTHY. MIDDLE AGES. USEFUL INFO. LONDON GATWICK. �15. RESTAURANT STREETS. FRIDAY JUNE 29. BLUE PLAQUES. DO. MID-RANGE. RESTAURANTS. WORK. BUS ROUTES. CENTRAL MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL LONDON. CLIMATE. HOSTELS. LONDON. TOP BEST RESTAURANTS. �50 (TO ALMOST ANY AMOUNT!). MAPS. TRAVELCARD SEASON TICKETS. YOUTH HOSTEL ASSOCIATION OF ENGLAND AND WALES. SPLURGE. BY BUS. GET OUT. CONTACT. EAT. LEWISHAM HOSPITAL. SUNRISE/SUNSET. TOP ITALIAN. CHARING CROSS HOSPITAL. EVENTS. BUCKINGHAM PALACE. TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES. USEFUL INFO. REFERENCES. WHITTINGTON HOSPITAL. CONVENIENCE STORES AND SUPERMARKETS. UNDERGROUND. WI-FI ACCESS. TRAFALGAR SQUARE. A & E. UNDERGROUND. OYSTER CARD. TOWER OF LONDON. MARKETS. EARLY MODERN. ST. MARYS NHS TRUST. BY FOOT. TRAVELCARDS. QUEEN MARY'S HOSPITAL. SUNDAY JUNE 24. TOP VEGETARIAN. SCAMS/CON ARTISTS. HOMERTO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL. ST. THOMAS' HOSPITAL. MONDAY JUNE 25. TOWER BRIDGE. BIG BEN. CHELSEA & WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL. HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. SMOKING BAN. NIGHTCLUBS. SPLURGE. CHAINS. CITY CENTER. HIGH STREET CROYDON. MID-RANGE. BUS ROUTES. FRIDAY JUNE 22. TUESDAY JUNE 26. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE. WEDNESDAY JUNE 27. TOPONYMY. BUDGET. WESTMINSTER ABBEY. APARTMENTS. MARBLE ARCH. RESTAURANTS. SATURDAY JUN 30. PALACE OF WESTMINSTER. DRUMMOND STREET. GET AROUND. UPPER STREET. VEGETARIAN. MAPS. TOP ASIAN. EMERGENCY. LORDSHIP LANE. CLAPHA JUNCTION. KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL. LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES. HISTORY. SLEEP. BUY. BUDGET. STUDENT HALLS OF RESIDENCE. LONDON STANSTED UP TO �5. AIRPORTS. "CLIP JOINT". SEE. �7. LONDON CITY AIRPORT. UNDERSTAND. DRINK. LONDON WITH CHILDREN. MUSEUMS. GUY'S HOSPITAL. THURSDAY JUNE 28. SATURDAY JUNE 23. LITERATURE, FILM AND TELEVISION. LONDON LUTON. GET IN. EVENTS. CURRENCY. REFERENCES. OTHER AIRPORTS NEAR LONDON APARTMENTS. "CLIP JOINT". HOSTELS. ST. THOMAS' HOSPITAL. THE ROYAL LONDON HOSPITAL. LATE MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY. HOTELS. EMERGENCY NUMBERS. WHITTINGTON HOSPITAL. LEARN ENGLISH. TOWER BRIDGE. MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES. WI-FI ACCESS. BUS ROUTES. LITERATURE, FILM AND TELEVISION. HISTORY. BUS ROUTES. WEATHER. DO. LONDON WITH CHILDREN. EARLY MODERN. MARBLE ARCH. WEDNESDAY JUNE 27. EVENTS. LEWISHAM HOSPITAL. MID-RANGE. UPPER STREET. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. TRAVELCARD SEASON TICKETS. DRINK. PARKS. AIRPORTS. GUY'S HOSPITAL. USEFUL INFO.
LONDON
custom travel guide
just made for Steve
from June 22 until June 30, 2012
Table of contents 1
London..................................................................................... 4 Understand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Get in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Get around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 See. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Learn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Buy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Eat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Drink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Sleep. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Contact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Stay safe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Stay healthy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Get out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Culture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
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Events.................................................................................... 28 Long term events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Friday June 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saturday June 23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sunday June 24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monday June 25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tuesday June 26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wednesday June 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thursday June 28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Friday June 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Saturday June 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Restaurants............................................................................... 39 Top Top Top Top
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Best Restaurants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Italian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Asian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vegetarian. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Useful info................................................................................ 42 Weather. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sunrise/Sunset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Currency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emergency numbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Maps...................................................................................... 45 City center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Bus routes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Underground. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
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References............................................................................... 49
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London
London · Understand
London
London
Understand
and learning. Today London is easily the largest city in the United Kingdom, eight times larger than the second largest, Birmingham, and ten times larger than the third, Glasgow, and dominates the economic, political and social life of the nation. It is full of excellent bars, galleries, museums, parks and theatres. It is also the most culturally and ethnically diverse part of the country, making it a great multicultural city to visit. Samuel Johnson famously said, "when one is tired of London, one is tired of life." Whether you are interested in ancient history, modern art, opera or underground raves, London has it all.
The City and Westminster
The Tower of London
History Settlement has existed on the site of London since well before Roman times, with evidence of Bronze Age and Celtic settlement. The Roman city of Londinium, established just after the Roman conquest of Britannia in the year 43, formed the basis for the modern city (some isolated Roman period remains are still to be seen within the City). After the end of Roman rule in 410 and a short-lived decline, London experienced a gradual revival under the Anglo-Saxons, as well as the Norsemen, and emerged as a great medieval trading city, and eventually replaced Winchester as the royal capital of England. This paramount status for London was confirmed when William the Conqueror, a Norman, built the Tower of London after the conquest in 1066 and was crowned King of England in Westminster. London went from strength to strength and with the rise of England to first European then global prominence and the city became a great centre of culture, government and industry. London's long association with the theatre, for example, can be traced back to the English renaissance (witness the Rose Theatre and great playwrights like Shakespeare who made London their home). With the rise of Britain to supreme maritime power in the 18th and 19th centuries and the possessor of the largest global empire, London became an imperial capital and drew people and influences from around the world to become, for many years, the largest city in the world. England's royal family has, over the centuries, added much to the London scene for today's traveller: the Albert Memorial, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall, Tower of London, Kew Palace and Westminster Abbey being prominent examples. Despite the inevitable decline of the British Empire, and considerable suffering during World War II (when London was heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe in the Blitz), the city is still a top-ranked world city: a global centre of culture, finance,
The world famous St. Stephen's Tower (the main bell is Big Ben)
If you ask a Londoner where the centre of London is, you are likely to get a wry smile. This is because historically London was two cities: a commercial city and a separate government capital. The commercial capital was the City of London. This had a dense population and all the other pre-requisites of a medieval city: walls, a castle (The Tower of London), a cathedral (St Pauls), a semiindependent City government, a port and a bridge across which all trade was routed so Londoners could make money (London Bridge). About an hour upstream (on foot or by boat) around a bend in the river was the government capital (Westminster). This had a church for crowning the monarch (Westminster Abbey) and palaces. As each palace was replaced by a larger one, the previous one was used for government, first the Palace of Westminster (better known as the Houses of Parliament), then Whitehall, then
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London · Get in
Buckingham Palace. The two were linked by a road called The "Strand", old English for riverbank.
several days in the summer months. Also, because of urban heat effect, during night time it could feel muggy.
London grew both west and east. The land to the west of the City (part of the parish of Westminster) was prime farming land (Covent Garden and Soho for example) and made good building land. The land to the east was flat, marshy and cheap, good for cheap housing and industry, and later for docks. Also the wind blows 3 days out of 4 from west to east, and the Thames (into which the sewage went) flows from west to east. So the West End was up-wind and up-market, the East End was where people worked for a living.
Regardless of which time of the year, the weather in London could change quickly from sunny to rain and from hot to cold.
Modern-day London in these terms is a two-centre city, with the area in between known confusingly as the West End.
Climate
London 2012 Olympic Games The International Olympic Committee decided in 2005 that London will serve as the host city for the Games of the XXX Olympiad , the Summer Olympic Games of 2012. This will make London the first city to hold the Olympic Games three times, having hosted the games previously in 1908 and 1948. The vast majority of events will be held in a regenerated area in East London.
Tourist Information Centres Details of London's primary Tourist Information Centre are given below. There are other more minor centres and those are listed in the relevant district articles.
Get in By plane
London Eye
Despite a perhaps unfair reputation for being unsettled, London enjoys a dry and mild climate on average. Only one in three days on average will bring rain and often only for a short period. In some years such as 2010 there is no rain for several weeks. Winter in London is mild compared to nearby continental European cities, due to both the presence of the Gulf Stream and urban heat effect. Average daily maximum is 8°C (46°F) in December and January. Snow does occur, usually a few times a years but rarely heavy (a few years being exceptions such as the winters of 2010 and 2009, with temperatures dipping down to sub-zeros regularly). Snow in London can be crippling, as seen at the end of 2010. Just 7cm of snow will cause trains to stop running, airports to see significant delays, and mail service will halt. London is a city which does not cope well with snow; walkways, stairs, and streets will not be cleared by shovels or plows. The streets will be salted/gritted, but will remain slick and snow/slush covered until the sun melts it away. Daylight hours are short with darkness filling up the sky by 4pm in December. Summer is perhaps the best season for tourists as it has long daylight hours as well as mild temperatures. The average daily high temperatures in July and August are around 24°C (75°F) The highest temperature since 2000 was recorded once in August at 38°C (100°F). This means London can feel hot and humid for
Summary map of rail connections to London airports
Due to London's huge global city status it is the most served destination in the world when it comes to flights. London (all airports code: LON) is served by a total of five airports. Travelling between the city and the airports is made relatively easy by the large number of public transport links that have been put in place over recent years. However, if transiting through London, be sure to check the arrival and departure airports carefully as transfers across the city may be quite time consuming. In addition to London's five official airports (of which only two are located
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within Greater London), there are a number of other regional UK airports conveniently accessible from London. Since they offer a growing number of budget flights, choosing those airports can be cheaper (or even faster, depending on where in London your destination is). For transfers directly between London's airports, the fastest way (short of a taxi) is the direct inter-airport bus service by National Express . Buses between Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton run at least hourly, with Heathrow-Gatwick services taking 65 min (£18) and Heathrow-Stansted services 90 min (£20.50) (note that services between Stansted and Luton run only every two hours). However, it's essential to allow leeway, as London's expressways, especially the orbital M25 and the M1 motorway, are often congested to the point of gridlock. Some buses have toilets on board.
London Heathrow
if you are not holding an UK / EU passport. A quick summary of transport options (also see Heathrow Airport): Fastest: by Heathrow Express rail, (Paddington Station Heathrow 1, 2, 3 & 5), ☎ +44 0845 600 1515. Every 15 min, journey time 15 min. Travelcard & Oyster card not valid. These train lines terminate at London Paddington which for most people will require a tube, bus, or cab ride to their final destination. Despite the Heathrow Express & Connect's speed, they are often not the fastest way to a final destination in London. One way £16.50, return trip £32 (+ £3 surcharge if bought onboard). Second fastest: by Heathrow Connect rail, (Paddington Station - Heathrow 1, 2, 3 & 4), ☎ +44 0845 678 6975. Travelcard & Oyster card not valid to Heathrow. Does not serve Terminal 5. Follows same route as Heathrow Express but stops at several intermediate stations to London Paddington so journey is 25 minutes and trains less frequent. One way £7.90, round trip £15.80. Cheapest: by London Underground (Piccadilly line), ☎ +44 0845 330 9880. Every few minutes, journey time approximately 1 hour, however this depends on your destination. For the cheapest single fare ask for an Oyster card (£3 refundable deposit). Zone 1-6 Travelcard valid. If using this method to return to Heathrow during the morning/evening peak, leave plenty of time in departing from central London as trains often get rerouted down the Rayners Lane branch or terminate short at Acton Town or Northfields - even if they were originally designated as Heathrow-bound. Be aware that weekend engineering works can result in replacement buses being run in place of the trains - check with the TFL website beforehand. With Oyster one way £2.00-3.50. Bus N9: operates service from midnight to 5:00AM between Heathrow and Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, roughly following the Piccadilly Line into Central London
Rail and tube lines go to different terminals at Heathrow
Main article: Heathrow Airport Heathrow (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL) is London and Europe's largest airport and the world's busiest airport in terms of international passenger movement, with services available from most major airports world-wide. Currently, four of the five terminals are operational - T2 is closed until 2014 for redevelopment. Flights landing at Heathrow are often delayed by up to an hour as a simple result of air traffic congestion and waiting for parking slots. To complicate the matter, airlines that fly into Heathrow are currently playing a system-wide game of musical chairs as gate assignments are cycled through the new terminal, making it even more necessary for travelers to check their terminal and gate assignment in advance. Do plan your itinerary to allocate some time needed to get through Heathrow Airport T3, it can be long
Tax:. A taxi from Heathrow to central London will cost £45-60. You may wish to consider taking a taxi if you have a lot of baggage or small children. Alternatively catch public transport into the city centre and then catch a taxi. There are two types of taxis: Black cabs (these can be hailed on a street or at a taxi rank) and licensed mini cabs (these are typically cheaper - but must be booked in advance over the phone or on the web). There are over 1000 minicab companies in London. Also: to South London, ☎ +44 0845 748 4950. Bus 285 (or taxi) to Feltham railway station (20 minutes) then a train to London Waterloo on the South Bank or Clapham Junction in South West London. Furthermore, bus X26 (limited stop) is an express route stopping in three of South London's district centres: Kingston, Sutton and Croydon. Zone 1-6 Travelcard valid on all London buses and trains. £2 single. Airport Parking: Heathrow Terminal 5 Parking.
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London Gatwick (IATA: LGW, ICAO: EGKK) London's second airport, also serving a large spectrum of places world-wide. To get to the centre of the city, the following options exist: By rail: Gatwick Express, ☎ +44 0845 850 1530. Every 15 min, journey time 30-35 min. To London Victoria. Travelcard not valid. One way £16.90, round trip £28.80, for the cheapest fare visit their website.
phone booths offering fixed internet. Transport options into central London: By rail: Stansted Express to London Liverpool Street, ☎ +44 0845 600 7245. Every 15 min, journey time 45-60 min. One way £20, round trip £27. Travelcard not valid. Most budget carriers' websites offer reduced price deals for the Stansted Express, allowing you to save a few pounds.
By rail: Southern Railway, ☎ +44 0845 127 2920. Every 15 min, journey time 35-40 min. To London Victoria via Clapham Junction. Much cheaper than Gatwick Express - £11.90 (£3.75 if booked in advance).
By rail then London Underground: Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale then London Underground (Victoria line), ☎ +44 0845 600 7245. Every 15 min. If you are going to South London, the West End or West London then take Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale then the London Underground (Victoria line). At Tottenham Hale ask for an Oyster card
By rail: First Capital Connect, ☎ +44 0871 200 2233. To London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras International, Luton Airport and further north. Much cheaper than Gatwick Express - about £10 (they occasionally have advance tickets priced at half that).
By coach: National Express, ☎ +44 0870 580 8080. Every 15-30 min. Journey time to Stratford: 1 hour. To Victoria: 90 min. To Stratford (tube: Stratford) or Victoria (tube: Victoria). Folding bicycles only. To Stratford: £8 one way, £14 round trip. To Victoria: £10, £16. Travelcard not valid.
By bus: EasyBus operates every 15-20 min, journey time 60-90 min. To Earl's Court/West Brompton. One way prices start from £. Book online..
By coach: Terravision, ☎ +44 (0)1279 68 0028. Every 30 min. To Liverpool St Station (tube: Liverpool St) or Victoria (tube: Victoria). To Liverpool St Station: £9 one way, £14 round trip. To Victoria: £9, £14. Travelcard not valid.
By bus: National Express operates every 30 min, journey time 75-110 min. To London Victoria. One way prices start from £7 Book online. By car: 47 km (29 mi). By cycle:There is a long-distance cycle path into Central London, but as it involves an indirect route, going over the North Downs and through South-East London, it will likely be quite a ride. For adventurous people. When departing, note that after passing through security you will find no drinking fountains in the South Terminal departure lounge.
London Stansted Getting to Stansted for an early morning flight is fairly straight forward, coaches run through the night, provided by Terravision and National Express from London Victoria and London Liverpool Street. Terravision costs £9 one way and run roughly every hour throughout the night, check their site for up to date timetable information. Be aware that lines are very common at Stansted, security check can easily take an hour. Also getting to the airport can take longer than the proclaimed 90 minutes, expect more like 120 minutes. (ICAO: EGSS, IATA: STN) Currently London's third airport, the base for a large number of budget carriers (for example EasyJet , RyanAir and AirAsia ) and flights within Europe and a few intercontinental flights. There are several commercial wi-fi hotspots covering most of the airport, but they charge extortionate rates. A free wi-fi hotspot is in the arrivals gate area, next to the
By minibus: EasyBus To Baker St (tube: Baker St) From £2 (advance web purchase) to £8 one way. Travelcard not valid. By taxi: Journey time 90-120 min. The airport is actually quite a long way from London. It's normally a better idea to take a train to London Liverpool St and continue by taxi from there. approx £70.
London Luton (ICAO: EGGW, IATA: LTN) Is smaller than Stansted, but still a major hub for many Low Cost airlines, and over 10 million passenger fly through the airport each year. It boasts the same facilities of the other major airports and also like Stansted, it is common place for some passengers on early morning flight, to sleepover in the terminal before their flights. The airport is a major hub for easyJet, Ryanair, Wizzair, Thomson Airways and Monarch Airlines, with other airlines also serving the airport like Aer Arann, FlyBE and El Al, to cities primarily in Scotland, Europe, North Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. By rail: Journey time: 20-55 min. £12.50 one way. Travelcard not valid. The airport has its own railway station "Luton Airport Parkway", and is served by trains 24 hours a day from Central London using "First Capital Connect Trains" and connects with St Pancras International. There are up to 10 trains an hour, depending on the time of day. All trains go to London St Pancras International, but many also continue on to Blackfriars, London Bridge and Elephant & Castle, and Gatwick Airport. The station is located 1 miles from the terminal building, there is
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a shuttle bus service running between the terminal and airport every 10 minutes, costing £1 each way. By coach: Green Line number 757, ☎ +44 0844 801 7261. Every 20 min, journey time 90 min. To Victoria (tube: Victoria) via Brent Cross, Finchley Rd tube station, Baker St, Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner. £14 one way if bought from the driver, tickets can be purchased in-advance online from £2. Service is run by Greenline and in conjuction with easyBus (but can be used by all travellers regardless of airline you travel with). Travelcard not valid. By coach: National Express, ☎ +44 0870 580 808. Every 20 min, journey time 90 min. To Victoria .(tube: Victoria) via Golders Green and Marble Arch. From £1 (advance web purchase) one way. Travelcard not valid. By car: Locate 60km or 34 miles north of London, just off the M1 motorway which connects London with the Midlands and the North of England. Depending on where you are travelling from in London and time of day, journey times take 45-90 mins. Road users should plan their journey and check traffic conditions, as if an incident occurs on London's busy roads, journey times can dramatically increase.
London City Airport (ICAO: EGLC, IATA: LCY) A commuter airport close to the city's financial district, and specializing in short-haul business flights to other major European cities. Not as expensive to fly into than it used to be, and you may indeed find that from some origins, this may be your cheapest London airport to fly to, without even considering the cost savings of NOT coming from the distant larger London airports with £10+ transfer costs. Then there is the added bonus is that it is close to central London. To get to the city centre the following options exist: By Docklands Light Railway (DLR). See also: Get around. Travelcard valid. By taxi, journey time approximately 30 min. £20-35. By car, it is 10 km (6 mi). By bus, take the 474 bus to Canning Town station and then the 115 or N15 into central London. See also: Get around. Travelcard valid.
Other airports near London London Southend Airport, ☎ +44 (0) 1702 608100. (IATA: SEN, ICAO: EGMC) Currently undergoing redevelopment and is set to become London's sixth international airport once the new rail link is completed. At present it serves destinations in the British Isles only. Southampton Airport, ☎ +44 (0)870 040 0009. Every 30 min, journey time 1 hour. (IATA: SOU, ICAO: EGHI) is not officially a London airport, though accessible enough to conveniently serve the capital, especially South West London.
A couple of budget carriers serving an increasing number of European destinations are based here. Direct trains connect Southampton airport to London Waterloo station. £30-35 round trip. Birmingham International Airport, ☎ +44 (0)8707 335511. (IATA: BHX, ICAO: EGBB) is another non-London airport worth considering as a less congested and hectic alternative to Heathrow, being just over an hour away from London. As a major airport serving the UK's second largest city, there is a good choice of long distance and European destinations. Direct trains connect Birmingham International to London Euston and Watford. From £10 (advance web purchase) one way, £35-100 round trip. Other small airports, such as Biggin Hill, Lydd Airport & Oxford Airport By train London is the hub of the British rail network - every major city in mainland Britain has a frequent train service to the capital, and most of the smaller, provincial cities and large towns also have a direct rail connection to London of some sort - although the frequency and quality of service can vary considerably from place to place. Fares vary considerably. Distance generally corresponds with the cost of the fare. "Walk on" fares - booked at the station for travel that day are most expensive. Cheaper fares can usually be obtained by booking the day before. Train companies also have many special offers - with cheaper fares and limitations on when you can travel - most try to fill seats outside of the peaks (07:00 to 10:00 and 10:00 to 19:00 hours) or at weekends. Tickets usually go on sale 3 months before the day of travel and often the cheapest seats go quickly. The very cheapest seats are often sold as "singles" - one-way tickets that commit you to a specific time and day. They are prohibitively expensive to change with admin fees often exceeding the cost of the ticket. Long distance trains have "standard" and "first class" fares with first class generally being 50% more expensive but providing a larger and more comfortable seat and occasionally complimentary refreshments. There are also "rover" tickets which provide unlimited travel within an area. They are complex and are only likely to suit someone planning a lot of rail travel. London has one international high speed rail route (operated by Eurostar 08705 186 186 ) from Paris (2h 15min) and Brussels (1h 50 min) diving under the sea for 35 km (22 mi) via the Channel Tunnel to come out in England. It terminates at St. Pancras International Station. For domestic train services, there are no fewer than 12 main line National Rail terminals (although in conversation you may hear the brand National Rail infrequently if ever it differentiates main line and London Underground services; journey planner online or phone 08457 48 49 50). With the exception of Fenchurch St (tube: Tower Hill) these are on the
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London Underground. Most are on the circle line. Clockwise starting at Paddington, major National Rail stations are: London Paddington, serves South West England and Wales including Slough, Maidenhead, Reading, Oxford, Bath, Bristol, Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth and Cardiff and Swansea. Also the downtown terminus of the Heathrow Airport Express (see above) and serves some suburban stations such as Acton Main Line and Ealing Broadway. London Marylebone, serves some north western suburban stations such as Amersham, Harrow on the Hill and Wembley Stadium. Also serves Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Banbury, Stratford-upon-Avon and the city of Birmingham. It is much cheaper but slightly slower to take a train from Marylebone to Birmingham instead of a train from London Euston. Recently a new service to Shrewsbury, Telford , and Wrexham has been launched by the Wrexham & Shropshire railway company . London Euston, serves the Midlands, north-west England and west Scotland: Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Oxenholme Lake District, Carlisle, Glasgow, and Holyhead for connecting ferries to/from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Sleeper trains to Scotland leave from Euston. St Pancras International, serves Paris, Brussels, Lille, as well as Luton Airport, several destinations in Kent and the East Midlands: Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield. London King's Cross, serves East Anglia, north-east England and east Scotland: Cambridge, Doncaster, Leeds, York, Kingston upon Hull, Newcastle upon Tyne, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Platform 9 3/4 from the Harry Potter books is marked with a special sign, although platform 9 itself is actually in the fairly unpleasant metallic extension used by Cambridge trains. London Moorgate, serves some northern suburbs. London Liverpool Street, serves East Anglia: Ipswich and Norwich. Also the downtown terminus of the Stansted Airport Express. London Fenchurch Street, serves commuter towns north of the Thames estuary to Southend. London Bridge, London Cannon Street, London Waterloo East and London Charing Cross, serve south and south east London and England: Brighton, Dover, Eastbourne, Hastings and Ramsgate. London Blackfriars, serves Gatwick Airport and Brighton. London Waterloo, serves south west London and England: Portsmouth, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Salisbury and Exeter. London Victoria, serves south east London and England: Brighton, Dover, Eastbourne, Hastings and Ramsgate. Also the downtown terminus of the Gatwick Airport Express.
In South London many areas have only National Rail services (no London Underground services but there are buses). London Bridge, Victoria, Cannon St and Charing Cross serve the South East. London Waterloo serves the South West. First Capital Connect (frequently referred to as Thameslink) is a cross London route between Bedford and Brighton via Luton Airport (Parkway), St. Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, London Bridge and Gatwick Airport. By bus Most international and domestic long distance bus (UK English: coach) services arrive at and depart from a complex of coach stations off Buckingham Palace Road in Westminster close to London Victoria rail station. All services operated by National Express or Eurolines (see below) serve Victoria Coach Station, which actually has separate arrival and departure buildings. Services by other operators may use this station, or the Green Line Coach Station across Buckingham Palace Road. The following are amongst the main coach operators: National Express, ☎ +44 0870 580 8080, is by far the largest domestic coach operator and operates services to / from London from throughout England, Wales and Scotland. Advance ticketing is usually required and recommended practice in any case. Fares are low - especially when booked in advance via the web. A few journeys are fast but most are notably slower than using the train. Eurolines, ☎ +44 08705 143219, is an associate company of National Express, and runs coach services to / from London with various cities in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe. Advance ticketing is required. Megabus, ☎ +44 0900 160 0900, operates budget coach services from/to London (Victoria Coach Station) to/from several major regional cities, it is even possible to get to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. Fares are demand responsive but can be very cheap (£1.50 if you book far enough in advance). Greyhound, ☎ +44 0900 096 0000, coach services with free wi-fi, newspapers and extra legroom. From/to London (Victoria Coach Station) to/from several cities. Fares can be very cheap. By car London is the hub of the UK's road network and is easy to reach by car, even if driving into the centre of the city is definitely not recommended. Greater London is encircled by the M25 orbital motorway, from which nearly all the major trunk routes to Scotland, Wales and the rest of England radiate.
Get around The city has one of the most comprehensive public transport systems in the world. Public transport is often the best option for getting anywhere for visitors and residents alike and is far more
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reliable than locals would have you believe. Indeed, nearly a third of households do not feel the need to own a car.
Oyster Card
In central London use a combination of the transport options listed below - and check your map! In many cases you can easily walk from one place to another or use the busses. Be a Londoner and only use the tube as a way of travelling longer distances - you're here to see London - you can't see it underground! Transport for London (TfL) is a government organisation responsible for all public transport. Their website contains maps plus an excellent journey planner . They also offer a 24-hour travel information line, charged at premium rate: tel +44-8432221234 (or text 60835) for suggestions on getting from A to B, and for up to the minute information on how services are running. Fortunately for visitors (and indeed residents) there is a single ticketing system, Oyster, which enables travellers to switch between modes of transport on one ticket. The main travel options in summary are: Central London By tube / underground 11 colour-coded lines cover the central area and suburbs mostly north of the River Thames, run by TfL. By Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Runs only in the east of the city, privately run but part of TfL's network. By boat Commuter boats and pleasure cruises along the River Thames, privately run but part of TfL's network. Airport Express Express rail services run to Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton airports (tickets are generally sold at a premium), privately run and not part of the TfL network. Suburban London By tram (Tramlink) A tram service that operates only in southern suburbs around Wimbledon and Croydon. By Overground 3 orange-coloured lines circling the northern suburbs (including the former East London line) , part of TfL's network. By National Rail A complex network of suburban rail services, mostly running in the southern suburbs, privately run and not part of the TfL network, although many do accept Oyster payments.
Oyster Card in use
Oyster is a contactless electronic smartcard run by Transport for London. In general, Oyster is the more cost effective option than paper tickets if you plan to be in London for any more than a couple of days, or if you intend to make return visits to the city the savings quickly recover the initial purchase cost. You can buy an Oyster Card from any Tube station for a deposit of £5. You can also get a Visitor Oyster card for a deposit of £3, although these cards can be used only to pay as you go and cannot be loaded with 7 Day Travelcards. You can "charge up" an Oyster card with electronic funds. This cash is then deducted according to where you travel. The cost of a single trip using the Oyster card is considerably less than buying a single paper ticket with cash. Prices vary depending on distance travelled, whether by bus or tube, and on the time of day. You can also add various electronic 1 week, 1 month and longer-period tickets onto the card, and the card is simply validated each time you use it. The deposit is fully refundable if you hand it in at the end of the trip. However, there is no expiry date on the Oyster Card or any pay-as-you-go credit on the card. If you have any pay-as-you-go credit left this will also be refunded. You will get refunds in cash only if you paid in cash. Be prepared to give your signature on receipts or even show ID for refunds over a few pounds.
Pay-as-you-go (PrePay) You can charge up your Oyster card with electronic cash at any tube station ticket machine or ticket desk (you can even use a credit card to do this if your credit card has a PIN number) with Oyster pay-as-you-go, also known as PrePay. This money is then deducted from your card each time you get on a service. The fare is calculated based on your start and end points. Pay-asyou-go is much cheaper than paying in cash for each journey. For instance, a cash tube one way in Zone 1 is £4, while with an Oyster Card it costs £1.90. Furthermore, a cash bus fare is £2.20 while with Oyster it is £1.30.
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The amount of PrePay deducted from your Oyster card in one day is capped at the cost of the appropriate paper day ticket (day Travelcard) for the zones you have travelled through. For zone 1-2 (central London including everywhere inside the Circle line and some places outside) this is £6.60 (£8 M-F before 9:30AM). On the tube, be sure to touch in and touch out again at the end of your journey. If you forget to touch your Oyster card at the start and finish you will be charged extra! Oyster also saves time getting onto buses. If you don't have an Oyster, tickets have to be bought at a machine by the bus stop in the central area, and from the driver outside the zone.
Theoretically you don't need to remove your Oystercard from your wallet or bag to do touch in/out - the card reader can work through a bag, but in reality you may need to take the card out to get it to work - watch out for this especially if you have another smartcard in your wallet/purse (e.g. an an employers' identity badge or a contactless bank card) as this can confuse the barriers or ticket machines. Be careful standing near the readers on some bendy buses, they are often quite sensitive and may read your card from several centimetres away, even if you did not intend this. If you keep your Oystercard in your wallet try not to sit on it as sometimes they will crack and stop working.
Travelcards
Validity
A Travelcard may be loaded onto an Oyster card or may be purchased as a paper ticket.
The following table summarises the validity of the different tickets you can use on Oyster. For most tourists, tubes and buses are the only transport you will use, but be aware that these tickets are not valid on Airport Express trains.
Day Travelcard - Zones 1-2 - Anytime: £8.00, Off-Peak £6.60 7 Day Travelcard Zones 1-2 - £27.60 Monthly Travelcard Zones 1-2 - £106.00 Annual Travelcard Zones 1-2 - £1,104.00 The above prices are Adult prices and only for Zones 1 & 2. For a more comprehensive list of the prices visit the TFL website: 1 Day Travelcards 7 Day, Monthly & Annual Travelcards
Travelcard season tickets
Bus (and Tram) Passes are only available for periods of 7 days and longer. Travelcards are valid only within the zones you buy. Piccadilly line to Heathrow is a London Underground train, so PrePay and Travelcards are valid. Airport Express trains are Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Express. Travelcards are valid on Thameslink but if you are heading all the way to Luton airport, you will need a ticket between the edge of your travelcard zone and the airport.
Weekly, monthly and longer-period Travelcard season tickets can be purchased at all tube station ticket offices. These can be used on any tube, DLR, bus, London Overground, National Rail or tram service. You have to select a range of zones when you buy it, numbered 1-9. If you happen to travel outside the zone, you can use PrePay (see above) to make up the difference. Note that they can not be used on any Airport Express trains (Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express and Stansted Express). However, a Zone 1-6 Travelcard can be used on the London Underground (Piccadilly line) to/from Heathrow Airport.
Tips Touch the card against a yellow disc, prominently displayed on the entry and exit gates for the Tube (do not try to insert it into the slot!) and on buses and trams. On the Docklands Light Railway, and on the Overground railway stations in the outlying parts of the city there are no entry or exit gates (except at interchanges with the Tube like Bank or Stratford), so you have to be sure to touch your Oyster card on the readers (which are clearly signposted) as you enter and leave. Failure to do this when you begin a journey is regarded as fare dodging (carrying a penalty fare or even a fine if you are caught). Equally, failing to touch out when you leave a station will result in you being overcharged for your journey, as the system will make a default deduction of £6.50 since it doesn't know which station you left at.
A reminder on the streets of London to "Look Right" when you cross the road
By foot London is a surprisingly compact city, making it a walker's delight and often being the quickest method of transport. Because Britain drives on the left hand side of the road, for most foreign visitors it can be all too easy to forget that traffic will come at you from the opposite direction than you are used to when crossing a street - for this reason remember to look right when you cross the road.
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Particularly on Central London's busiest streets, it is easy to spot native Londoners as they are able to weave in and out of the large crowds at fast speed. Refrain from walking slowly in tight spaces to avoid annoying any fast walking people that may be trying to pass.
and featuring a drawbridge and you can visit the engine rooms and a Tower Bridge exhibition.
See London is a huge city, so all individual listings are in the appropriate district articles and only an overview is presented here.
Landmarks St Paul's Cathedral
The Tower of London - Situated just south east of the City, is London's original royal fortress by the Thames. It is over 900 years old, contains the Crown Jewels, guarded by Beefeaters, and is a World Heritage site. It is also considered by many to be the most haunted building in the world. If you are interested in that sort of thing its definitely somewhere worth visiting. Sometimes there are guided ghost walks of the building.
Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace - The official London residence of the Queen, also in Westminster. Open for tours during the summer months only, but a must-see sight even if you don't go in. The London Eye. The world's third largest observation wheel, situated on the South Bank of the Thames with magnificent views over London. Marble Arch is a white Carrara marble monument designed by John Nash. It is located in the middle of a huge traffic island at one of the busiest intersections in central London where Oxford St meets Park Lane in Mayfair. Piccadilly Circus is one of the most photographed sights in London. The status of Eros stands proudly in the middle while the north eastern side is dominated by a huge, iconic neon hoarding. St Paul's Cathedral, also in the City, is Sir Christopher Wren's great accomplishment, built after the 1666 Great Fire of London - the great dome is still seated in majesty over The City. A section of the dome has such good acoustics that it forms a "Whispering Gallery". Tower Bridge - Is the iconic 19th century bridge located by the Tower of London near the City. It is decorated with high towers
Trafalgar Square - Home of Nelson's Column and the lions, and once a safe haven for London's pigeons until the recent introduction of hired birds of prey. It recently attracted controversy over the 'Fourth plinth', previously empty, being temporarily home to a Marc Quin sculpture, 'Alison Lapper Pregnant'. Overlooked by the National Gallery, it's the nearest London has to a 'centre', and has recently been pedestrianised. Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster (including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament) in Westminster. The seat of the United Kingdom parliament and World Heritage site, as well as setting for royal coronations since 1066, most recently that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The Palace of Westminster is open to the public only for viewing parliamentary debates, tours of the building are available during July-August when Parliament is away on summer recess.
Museums and Galleries London hosts an outstanding collection of world-class museums. Even better, it is the only one of the traditional "alpha world cities" (London, Tokyo, New York City and Paris) in which the majority of the museums have no entrance charges, thus allowing visitors to make multiple visits with ease. Although London can be expensive, many of the best museums and galleries are free including: British Museum National Gallery National Portrait Gallery
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Victoria and Albert Museum Natural History Museum Tate Modern Tate Britain and most museums in Greenwich. Note that admission to many temporary exhibitions is not free. Aside from these world famous establishments, there is an almost unbelievable number of minor museums in London covering a very diverse range of subjects. The British government lists over 240 genuine museums in the city.
Parks
One of more than 800 Blue Plaques throughout London
Blue Plaques
St James' Park
The 'green lungs' of London are the many parks, great and small, scattered throughout the city including Hyde Park, St James Park and Regent's Park. Most of the larger parks have their origins in royal estates and hunting grounds and are still owned by the Crown, despite their public access. Hyde Park and adjoining Kensington Gardens make up a huge open space in central London and are very popular for picnics. Regent's Park is wonderful open park in the northern part of central London. St James's Park has charming and romantic gardens ideal for picnics and for strolling around. St. James's Park is situated between Buckingham Palace on the west and Horse Guards Parade on the east. Hampstead Heath is a huge open green space in north central London. Not a tended park a such and is remarkably wild for a metropolitan city location. The views from the Parliament Hill area of the heath south over the city are quite stunning. Richmond Park also is a huge green space, but has a thriving deer population that is culled in the spring. Excellent place for cycling.
English Heritage runs the Blue Plaques programme in London. Blue Plaques celebrate great figures of the past and the buildings that they inhabited. These are among the most familiar features of the capital’s streetscape and adorn the façades of buildings across the city. Since the first plaque was erected in 1867, the number has grown steadily and there are now more than 800. Recipients are as diverse as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sigmund Freud, Charles de Gaulle, Jimi Hendrix and Karl Marx. Look out for these around the city.
Do London is a huge city, so all individual listings are in the appropriate district articles. To make the most of the city's tremendous cultural offerings (performing arts, museums, exhibitions, clubs, eateries and numerous others), visitors will do well to pick up a copy of a cultural magazine like Time Out London (available at most corner shops and newsagents) which gives detailed information and critiques on what's around town including show times and current attractions. The website (http:// www.timeout.com/london/) also has major shows listed and there is also an iPhone/iPod app available though these tend to not be as detailed as the print version. Take a walk through London's Royal Parks. A good walk would start at Paddington station, and head through Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park (passing Buckingham Palace) and St James Park before crossing Trafalgar Square and the River Thames to the South Bank and Waterloo Station. At a strolling pace this walk would take half a day, with plenty of places to stop, sit, drink, eat en-route. A good pictorial
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description of this walk can be found online at Trips By Trains Royal Parks Walk .
and the Globe Theatre. London's theatre scene outside of these two main districts is known as "the Fringe".
London is one of the best cities in the world for concerts, spanning from new musical trends to well known bands. Between huge concert facilities and small pubs, there are hundreds of venues that organise and promote live music every week. Many concerts, especially in smaller or less known places are free, so there is plenty of choice even for tourists on a budget. London has long been a launchpad for alternative movements, from the mods of the 60s, punks of the 70s, new romantics of the 80s, the britpop scene of the 90s and in recent years the indie rock movement spearheaded by The Libertines and their ilk. It has one of the world's most lively live music scenes: any band heading a British, European or World tour will play London, not to mention the local talent. London's Music Scene is incredibly diverse, covering all genres of music from electro-jazz to death-metal, and all sizes of bands, from the U2s and Rolling Stones of the world to one man bands who disband after their first gig. This diversity is reflected in prices. As a rough guide: £20+ for 'top 40' bands in arena sized venues, £10+ for established bands in mid sized venues, £6+ for up and coming bands and clubnights in smaller venues, £5- for upstarting bands in bars and pubs. London has hundreds of venues spread out over the city and the best way to know what's going on where is to browse online ticket agencies, music magazine's gig directories and bands' myspaces. However, there are a few areas which have higher concentrations of pubs and venues than others. Kilburn is situated in North West London. It's long been known as an Irish area, and though their numbers have somewhat declined any visit to a local pub will show their influence remains today. The center point of Kilburn's music scene is The Luminaire. The Luminaire is a fairly new establishment that started as a venue for unsigned bands but now mainly puts on alternative bands on the edge of a big break, or older bands that never hit the mainstream. It has a wonderful energy, a well designed interior and very good DJs. Kilburn's second venue is The Good Ship. Due to its inclusive policies and fair payment system, The Good Ship is a favorite place for young aspiring bands to try to get a foot off the ground. Good for those who would like to see bands "before they were big", who appreciate £5 entrance fees, good beer and friendly staff.
Watch a movie. As well as the world-famous blockbuster cinemas in the West End, London has a large number of superb art house cinemas. In the summer months, there are often outdoor screenings at various venues, such as Somerset House and in some of the large parks.
The theatre is a great way to spend some time in London. The West End, especially the areas concentrated around Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Shaftesbury Avenue and Haymarket, is one of the world's premier destinations for theatre, including musical theatre. Covent Garden has the only Actor sponsored school in the city called the Actors Centre which also gave way to the London Acting Network , a London acting community support group. In the centre of Leicester Square there is an official half-price TKTS booth. For up-to-date listings see the weekly magazine Time Out or check the official London theatreland site . The South Bank is another area well-known for serious theatre, and is home to both the National Theatre
Watch football. Take in an at home match of one of the city's 15+ professional football clubs for a true experience of a lifetime as you see the passion of the "World's Game" in its mother country. London will have five clubs in the top Premier League in the upcoming 2011–12 season—Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham, Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and Tottenham Hotspur. A level down, in the Football League Championship, finds Crystal Palace, Millwall and West Ham United. Six other clubs are in lower levels of the professional league system —Brentford, Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient in Football League One; and AFC Wimbledon, Barnet and Dagenham & Redbridge in Football League Two. Many of the bigger clubs will require booking in advance, sometimes many months ahead, but smaller clubs allow you to simply turn up on match day and pay at the gate. You will be able to find a ticket to a quality football match on any Saturday during the season. Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is widely considered the most prestigious. Naturally it is a regular feature on the Tennis calendar. London goes "tennis crazy" for two weeks when the competition commences in late June and early July. Open House London Weekend is a way to explore many of the city's most interesting buildings during the London Open House Weekend - usually held on the third weekend of September. During this single weekend, several hundred buildings which are not normally open to the public are opened up. See website for details of buildings opening in any given year - some buildings have to be pre-booked in advance book early for the popular ones! The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road (tube: South Kensington), is one of the first of its kind in the world. The museum houses many permanent and temporary exhibitions covering plants, animals and geology from the worlds natural history. Of interest to most would be the permanent dinosaur exhibition. Although many displays feel dated this is an excellent museum and is always, deservedly, crowded. Free. Winter Skating. London has a number of outdoor ice rinks that open in the winter months. Considered by some to be somewhat overpriced and overcrowded, they nonetheless have multiplied in recent years, easing congestion and increasing competition. Most charge from £10-12 (adults) for an hour on the ice, including skate hire. See the district articles for the City of London, East End and Leicester Square. Summer Skating. In summer (and also in winter, for the more dedicated) there is also a thriving roller skating (on inline and
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traditional "quad" skates) scene in London, catering to many disciplines including street hockey, freestyle slalom, dance, general recreational skating (including three weekly marshalled group street skates) and speed skating. This mostly centres around Hyde Park (on the Serpentine Road) and Kensington Gardens (by the Albert Memorial). See the district articles for Mayfair-Marylebone and South West London.
King's College London. Situated in the heart of London over 3 main campuses. Offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses for a range of subjects at a high academic level. Queen Mary, University of London. Queen Mary was formed from the merger of four historic colleges and since joining the University of London in 1915 has grown to become one of its largest colleges.
Shopping...If it's available, it can be bought in London. Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, all in the West End, are some of the most famous shopping destinations in the world, but they are also just the tip of the iceberg, and many London districts and town centres have unique shopping attractions of their own.
Other institutions include Imperial College London, the UK's leading university specialising in sciences
Tours. If you don't feel like splashing out on one of the commercial bus tours, you can make your own bus tour by buying an Oyster card and spending some time riding around London on the top deck of standard London buses. Of course you don't get the open air or the commentary, but the views are very similar. You will likely get lost but that is half the fun; if it worries you go for a commercial tour. Tally Ho! Cycle Tours (Waterloo, nearest tube: Lambeth North), ☎ +44 (0) 7969 230 828, 10:30 and 2:30. Guided tours of London's famous landmarks atop a classic 1920's style handmade British bicycle. Stops include Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden, meandering through backstreet's and cycle paths. An extended tour to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens for those who are wanting a longer tour. Bicycle hire and private tours also available.
Learn London attracts more students from overseas than any other city in the world, and is home to a huge variety of academic institutions. Its universities include some of the oldest and most prestigious in the world.
Learn English London is a natural place to learn and improve spoken and written English. There are a huge range of options, from informal language exchange services to evening classes and formal language schools. There are a number of unaccredited schools charging hefty fees and offering qualifications can be seen as nonsatisfactory. If choosing a course from a privately-run school or college, it is important to ensure the institution is accredited by the British Council.
Work London is one of the world's leading financial centres and so professional services is the main area of employment, although this sector has been hit hard by the global financial crisis. As of Mid 2010, the job market in London has recovered somewhat, it is best to check with recruiters and staffing agencies. London is hugely popular as a working holiday destination - work in bars and the hospitality industry is relatively easy to find and well paid. Wages are generally higher in London than the rest of the UK, although the cost of living is higher still.
Many of the city's most prestigious colleges fall under the auspices of the University of London including: University College London (UCL). The first university established in London, offering a wide range of courses. UCL academic research is cited more than any other university in the UK, and its courses are regarded as amongst the best London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The only college in the UK focused exclusively on social sciences, whose courses are regarded as amongst the very best in the world. Often associated with neo-liberal political economic theory. School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Offers highly regarded courses in law, languages, social sciences and humanities, with a unique focus on Asia and Africa. Its glittering list of alumni include many foreign leaders. London Business School. Postgraduate business school offering one of the world's leading MBA programmes
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Buy
end is famous for its large concentration of hi-fi, computer and electronics stores. Covent Garden. This is a fashionable area, home to quaint outlets and relatively expensive designer stores. Around Seven Dials chains include Adidas Originals, All Saints, Carhartt, Fred Perry, G Star Raw and Stussy. For shoes head for Neal St. Also the London Transport Museum whose gift shop has some of the best souvenirs in the city (old maps, vintage Tube posters, etc). Charing Cross Road (near Covent Garden). A book lovers haven! New, second-hand, antiquarian and specialist. Soho. Offers alternative music and clothes. Now home to Chappell of Bond St's historic music shop. Camden Town. Alternative clothing and other alternative shopping, popular with teenagers and young adults. Also nearby Camden Lock market. Has lots of really cool and affordable stuff. Chelsea. The King's Road is noted for fashion, homeware and kids. On Wednesday many stores close late. Knightsbridge. Department stores include the world famous Harrods (includes a food hall) and Harvey Nichols. On Wednesday many stores close late.
London is also one of the world's most fashion conscious cities, which explains the abundance of clothing shops from the flagship shops of Oxford Street to the tiny boutiques of Brick Lane.
Beauchamp Place. Shop where royalty and celebrities shop. One of the world's most unique and famous streets. Over the years it has developed its strong reputation as one of London’s most fashionable and distinctive streets, housing some of the best known names in London fashion, interspersed with trendy restaurants, jewellers and speciality shops including the world famous trademark Fortuny.
Though not particularly known for bargain shopping, nearly anything you could possibly want to buy is available in London. In Central London, the main shopping district is the West End (Bond St, Covent Garden, Oxford St and Regent St). On Thursdays many West End stores close later than normal (7PM-8PM).
Westminster. Some of the world's most famous shirts are made on Jermyn St. Savile Row is home to some of the world's best men's bespoke tailors including Henry Poole, Gieves & Hawkes, H. Huntsman & Sons, Dege & Skinner and many other.
Oxford Street. Main shopping street home to flagship branches of all the major British high street retailers in one go including Selfridges , John Lewis (includes a food hall), Marks & Spencer and other department stores. This part is usually overcrowded and has pretty ordinary shops.
Westfields: In Shepards Bush. Hard to miss. Has designer shops in with the more affordable chain shops. It's the biggest shopping centre in Europe. Has lots of good places to eat. It can get very busy on weekends though. Has it's own train station.
Harrods
Regent Street (between Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus). Includes such gems as Hamleys, considered to be London's flagship toy store, on seven levels, and the London Apple Store. Bond Street. Some of the world's most luxurious designer stores such as Cartier, D&G, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton and Versace. Tottenham Court Road. Contains some of the world's most luxurious designer interior stores such as Heals. The southern
Markets Borough (tube: London Bridge) is a great (expensive) food market, offering fruit, veg, cheese, bread, meat, fish, and so on, much of it organic. It's open Th-Sa, and it's best to go in the morning, since it gets crowded by around 11AM. Old Spitalfields Market is an excellent market for clothes from upand-coming designers, records, housewares, food, and all things trendy. Also Brick Lane, Greenwich and Portobello.
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Airports Tax-free shops in airports are not strong in variety, prices are equal to London, and they close rather early as well. Shop listings at airport web sites can help to plan your tax-free (vs traditional) shopping. In the evening allow extra half an hour as closing hours are not always strictly respected.
Eat It is a huge task for a visitor to find the 'right place' to eat in London - with the 'right atmosphere', at the 'right price' - largely because, as in any big city, there are literally thousands of venues from which to choose, ranging from fast food joints, pubs, and mainstream chains all the way up to some of the most exclusive restaurants in the world which attract the kind of clientele that don't need to ask the price. Sorting the good from the bad isn't easy, but London has something to accommodate all budgets and tastes. Following is a rough guide to what you might get, should you fancy eating out: Up to £5 - you can get a good English pub or cafeteria breakfast with a rack of bacon, beans in tomato sauce, egg, sausage, orange juice and coffee or tea. Most pubs stop this offer at 11AM, but there are literally hundreds of backstreet cafes (collquially known as "greasy spoons") which will serve this sort of food all day. £7 - will buy you a couple of sandwiches and a soft drink, some takeaway fish and chips, or a fast food meal. There are also a number of mostly Chinese restaurants which serve an all you can eat buffet for around this price. These are dotted about the West End and it is well worth asking a member of public or a shopkeeper where the nearest one is. These restaurants make much of their revenue on drinks although these are usually still moderately priced. The food whilst not being of the finest standard is usually very tasty and the range of dishes available is excellent. There are literally thousands of so called takeaways in London and a cheap alternative to a restaurant meal. Check with your hotel management if they allow food deliveries before ordering in. Most takeaways will offer some form of seating, but not all do. £6-10 - will get you a good pub meal and drink or a good Chinese/Indian/Italian/Thai/Vietnamese buffet. Be aware that many pubs have a buy-one-get-one-free offer, and you can either order two main dishes for yourself or bring a friend. £15 - some more expensive French, Mediterranean and international restaurants do cheaper two or three course lunch menus. £25 - offers you a lot more choice. You can have a good meal, half a bottle of wine and change for the tube home. There are plenty of modest restaurants that cater for this bracket. £50 (to almost any amount!) - with more money to spend you can pick some of the city's finer restaurants. It may be a
famous chef (like Michel Roux, Jr or Gordon Ramsay) or simply a place that prides itself on using the finest ingredients. Worth the splurge to impress a special someone. Note that these establishments often need to be booked well in advance, and most will enforce a dress code of some sort. Prices inevitably become inflated at venues closest to major tourist attractions - beware the so-called tourist traps. The worst tourist trap food is, in the opinion of many Londoners, is served at the various steak houses (Angus Steak House, Aberdeen Steak House etc - they are all dotted around the West End and near to the main train stations). Londoners wouldn't dream of eating here - you shouldn't either! Notorious areas for inflated menu prices trading on travellers' gullibility and lack of knowledge are the streets around the British Museum, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. Even the major fast food chains charge a premium in their West End outlets - so watch out. Pubs within the touristy areas of London are usually a poor choice for food although there are some brilliant 'gastro-pubs' hidden away - use the internet or a good guide (such as Time Out) to find them. In general avoid all pubs that have graphic-designed and printed menus - it's peoples experiences in these kind of places that gives Britain a bad name for food! Look around you - see any locals tucking in? No? - then you shouldn't either. The other rule to follow when avoiding poor food is the same as in any other part of Europe - is the menu available in multiple languages? If yes then start running!! In the suburbs, the cost of eating out is reduced drastically. Particularly in large ethnic communities, there is a competitive market which stands to benefit the consumer. In East London for example, the vast number of chicken shops means that a deal for 2 pieces of chicken, chips (fries) and a drink shouldn't cost you more than £3, and will satisfy even the largest of appetites. Another good (and cheap) lunch option is a chicken or lamb doner (gyro) at many outlets throughout the city. Tipping may also be different than what you're used to. All meals include the 20% VAT tax and some places include a service fee (10-12%). The general rule is to leave a tip for table service, unless there's already a service charge added or unless the service has been notably poor. The amount tipped is generally in the region of 10%, but if there's a figure between 10 and 15% which would leave the bill at a conveniently round total, many would consider it polite to tip this amount. Tipping for counter service, or any other form of service, is unusual - but some choose to do so if a tips container is provided.
Restaurant streets Whilst central London is full of restaurants and cafes it is useful for the visitor to be aware that there are some areas where the majority of diners are Londoners, rather than tourists, and in general you will get a much more pleasant, better value, and less crowded eating experience than you will find in the West End. These places are best visited in the evenings.
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Upper Street Head to Highbury & Islington (Victoria line) or Angel (Northern line). Dozens of excellent restaurants, popular with young professionals. Drummond Street in the Euston area has a fine mix of Indian restaurants - a short walk from Euston railway station. Clapham Junction is not just a train station - but also home to many good restaurants and bars, in particular on Lavender Hill and Battersea Rise Lordship Lane in the southern suburbs - head to East Dulwich station - a good selection of european restaurants and a few award winning gastropubs High Street Croydon Croydon is derided by most Londoners as the end of the earth, however this suburban gem of a road has at least 30 decent restaurants, including three Argentinians, a South African curryhouse, a couple of fancy modern European brassieres, and just about every over type of cuisine you can think of. Sadly chain restaurants are moving in (Zizzi's, Pizza Express) but most of the places are still independent. Get a quick train to East Croydon station from Victoria or London Bridge.
Restaurants As one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities, you can find restaurants serving food cuisine from nearly every country, some of it as good as, if not better than in the countries of origin. Indian food in London is especially famous and there is hardly a district without at least one notable Indian restaurant. If you are looking for other particular regional foods these tend to be clustered in certain areas and some examples are:
Chains Like other capitals in the world, London has the usual array of fast food outlets. Sandwich shops are the most popular places to buy lunch, and there are a lot of places to choose from including Eat and Pret a Manger. Some Italian-style sandwich shops have a very good reputation and you can identify them easily by looking at the long queues at lunchtime. If all else fails, Central London has lots of mini-supermarkets operated by the big British supermarket chains (e.g. , Sainsbury's, Tesco) where you can pick up a prepacked sandwich. Fast food with an Asian flair is easy to find throughout the city, with lots of Busaba Eathai, Wagamama, and Yo! Sushi locations throughout the city. Nando's has spicy peri peri style grilled chicken.
Vegetarian London has plenty of vegetarian-only restaurants many of them championing organic foodstuffs, and a quick search in Google will produce plenty of ideas, so you never have to see a piece of cooked meat all week. If you are dining with carnivorous friends most restaurants will cater for vegetarians and will have at least a couple of dishes on the menu. Indian/Bangladeshi restaurants are generally fruitful, as they have plenty of traditional dishes (good Indian/Bangladeshi options can be found in East Ham, Tooting Broadway as well as Southall - these also tend to be very cheap eats with authentically prepared dishes with a true local ambience). There are also many vegetarian Thai buffet places where you can eat fake meat in tooth-achingly sweet sauces for under £5. These can be found on Greek and Old Compton Sts in Soho and Islington High Street.
Brick Lane in the East End is famous for Bangladeshi curries. Brixton for African/Caribbean. Chinatown just off Leicester Square for Chinese. Edgware Road in Marylebone and Paddington is popular for Middle Eastern cuisine. Drummond Street (just behind Euston railway station in the London/Camden district) has lots of vegetarian restaurants mostly Indian.
Religious Due to the mix of cultures and religions, many London restaurants cater well for religious dietary requirements. The most common signs are for Halal and Kosher meat, from burger joints to nice restaurants. There are lots of Halal restaurants and shops all over London including Whitechapel Rd and Brick Lane in the East End, Bayswater, Edgware Rd and Paddington and in many parts of north London. There are plenty of Kosher restaurants in Golders Green, Edgware and Stamford Hill.
Golders Green for Jewish fare. Kingsland Road for good cheap Vietnamese. Finsbury Park and nearby areas for Greek and Turkish. Tooting, East Ham, Wembley and Southall for authentic & cheap Indian eateries including authentic South Indian restaurants serving hot pongal, dosas, idlis and other South Indian "tiffin" items. Other nationalities are equally represented and randomly dotted all over London. It is usually wisest to eat in restaurants on main thoroughfares rather than on quiet backstreets.
Convenience stores and supermarkets Convenience stores such as Tesco Metro, Sainsbury Central/ Local, Budgens, Costcutter, SPAR, Somerfield as well as privately-run 'corner shops' sell pre-made sandwiches, snacks, alcohol, cigarettes, drinks etc. Most are open from 5AM-11PM although some such as Tesco Metro or convenience stores located at petrol stations may open 24 hours although they will stop selling alcohol after 11PM. Be aware that Whistlestop convenience stores (located in or around train stations) are notoriously overpriced and should be avoided. If using a petrol-
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station convenience store late at night (i.e. after 11PM) the store will be locked and you should order and pay through the external service window.
Drink London is home to a great many pubs, bars and nightclubs. The online city guide View London and the weekly magazine Time Out can inform you of what's going in London's night life, as well as with cultural events in general. Pubs & bars London is an expensive place and your drink is likely to cost more than its equivalent elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Expect to pay around £4 for a pint of lager or Guinness (or around £3.50 for a pint of ale) in an average pub, but be aware that as with restuarants, pubs close to major tourist attractions cash in on travellers' gullibility so be on your guard for the tourist traps where higher prices are not unheard of. Despite this however it is still possible to find a sub-£3 pint in central London - it takes some determination - but many local pubs, especially those run by chains like Wetherspoons and Scream tend to be more reasonably priced with good drink promotions on weekday nights and during the day. As with the rest of the UK, chain pubs abound which Londoners tend to avoid like the plague. A good place to get cheap beer is at any one of the Sam Smith's run pubs that are dotted around Soho and north of Oxford Street. These pubs are good traditional boozers which are frequented by the local working population. In the Bloomsbury area, check out The Court (near the north end of Tottenham Court Road) and The Rocket (Euston Road). Both are fairly cheap to drink at, given that they cater for students of the adjacent University College London. Directly opposite the British Library is The Euston Flyer, popular with locals and commuters alike given its close proximity to St Pancras International railway station. Classier bars and pubs can be much more expensive. However, the cost of alcohol drops significantly the further away you go from the centre (though be aware that West London tends to be an exception, with prices pretty much the same as the centre). Two important London breweries are Young's and and Fullers. Young's was founded in Wandsworth in 1831 and nowadays it boasts 123 pubs in central London alone. The Founder's Arms on the South Bank is one of the brewery's most well known establishments. Fullers was founded a bit later in 1845 and the jewel in its crown is probably the Grade I listed Old Bank Of England on Fleet Street, thanks to its breath-taking interiors. It's hard to say which pub in London is truly the oldest but it's easy to find contenders for the title. Many pubs were destroyed in the Great Fire of London – indeed, Samuel Pepys supposedly watched the disaster from the comfort of the Anchor in Borough. Pubs were rebuilt on sites that claimed to have been working pubs
since the 13th century. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in Fleet Street is on the site of an old monastery and its cellar dates back to the 13th century. Those interested in London's historic and literary connections can't miss The Spaniard's Inn in Hampstead. Dick Turpin is said to have been born here; John Keats and Charles Dickens both drank here; it's mentioned in Dickens' The Pickwick Papers and Bram Stoker's Dracula. For the best view in the city, try pubs on the banks of the Thames. The South Bank has lots of good bars with plenty of iconic bridges and buildings in sight the cocktail bar in the OXO tower is a secret that most tourists walk by everyday. Heading towards Bermondsey, pub crowds become a little less touristy. If you're after gastropubs, you may like to visit London's first, The Eagle, in Clerkenwell, established in 1991. You can also try Time Out's favourite newcomer, The Princess Victoria on Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush. Wine buffs can enjoy the famous Davys wine bars that dot the city. The company, established in 1870, import wines and own over thirty bars in the centre. Other big names in wine include the Michelin-starred Cellar Gascon and Vinoteca, both in Smithfield. Big hotels, such as The Dorchester and The Ritz, and upmarket clubs around Leicester Square and Soho are reliable bets for a date at the bar. The Connaught Hotel in Mayfair-Marylebone boasts its house bar, plus the Time Out favourite, The Coburg. Still in Mayfair, The Polo Bar at The Westbury is very intimate. You can rely on most up-and-running bars to offer a short cocktail menu and there are also bars that position themselves as cocktail specialists. Nightclubs Nightlife is an integral part of London life and there are countless nightclubs in and around Central London with music to suit even the most eclectic of tastes. Districts in London tend to specialize to different types of music. The Farringdon/Hoxton/Shoreditch area has many clubs playing drum and bass, house and trance music and is home to the superclub Fabric. The clubs in this area are often home to the world's top DJ's and attracts a lively, hip and friendly crowd. The area around Mayfair is home to the more upmarket clubs in London. This area attracts a rather more showy crowd who love to flaunt what they have and is a must go to celebrity spot. Beware that drinks are ridiculously expensive and many clubs operate a guestlist-only policy. Music played here is often of the commercial chart, funky house, hip hop and R&B genre. Notable clubs include China White, Luxx, Maddox, Jalouse, Funky Buddha, Whisky Mist, Mahiki, No 5 Cavendish Square, Embassy, Vendome and Maya. Nightclubs around the Leicester Square area hold the same music policy, but are rather more accessible, with numerous club promoters scattered around the area on a Friday or Saturday night
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offering deals on entry. Notable clubs are Cafe De Paris, Number One Leicester Square, Sound, Tiger Tiger, Zoo, Ruby Blue. The Camden area is home to lots of clubs which play Indie, metal and rock music and notably the Electric Ballroom, the world famous Koko and Underworld. Gay and lesbian London has a vibrant gay scene with countless bars, clubs and events in just about every district of the city.
Sleep London has hundreds of options for accommodation to suit all budgets from hostels through historic bed and breakfasts (B&Bs), mainstream chain hotels and apartments all the way to some of the most exclusive luxury hotels in the world such as The Savoy, The Ritz and Claridges where a stay in a top suite will cost upwards of £1,000 per night. The average cost of hotel accommodation in London is higher than in any other major British city. Prices invariably become inflated close to major sporting tournaments (such as the London Marathon, Wimbledon or major England football/rugby fixtures), or other important events taking place in the city - so it pays to plan your trip around such occasions or book your accommodation well in advance. In general, most people tend to stay within "Zone 1" of the underground, however do your research carefully - sometimes being that extra five minutes away from a station can make the difference in cost and quality and local food and drinking options. In any case, you can always catch a bus anyway - by the far the best way to see the city and get about generally.
Hotels Your budget will have a lot to do with what part of London you will want to stay in. Tourist-standard prices range from £20-200 per person per night. Expect smaller than average rooms especially at the low end of this range. As a general rule, expect to pay between £75-150 per night for a 2 or 3 star hotel in the central area of the city. Many of the big name chain hotels now offer substantial discounts (with rates often down as low as £30-£50 per room per night) if you book well in advance, but the drawback is that you have to pay the full amount upfront at the time of booking and there are no refunds if you cancel. The heart of the West End is the most expensive place to stay and most hotels are either 4 or 5 star and most will command a hefty price premium. The City can also be very expensive during the week, as it relies heavily on the business market but prices often drop over the weekend and it can be a good way of getting into a higher standard of accommodation than you could otherwise afford. Bear in mind though that this part of central London becomes a ghost town over the weekend, and you will find that few (if any) bars and restaurants will be open.
A top tip however is to always check the likes of LondonTown.com, Expedia and LateRooms as well as the hotel's own website - since there are often deals to be had which can reduce the costs significantly. The extra cost of getting around is probably not significant compared to savings made by staying in a hotel further out. With the excellent Tube system where you stay won't limit what you see. Always be sure though to check where the closest tube station is to your hotel. Staying further out will be cheaper but when travelling in allow 1-2 min per tube stop (near the centre), around 2-3 min per stop (further out) and 5-10 min per line change. This can easily total up to a 1 hour journey if there is a walk at each end. A more imaginative alternative could be to stay in a nearby town with quick and easy train travel to London. For example, lively Brighton (otherwise known as 'London by Sea') is only an hour away, but your budget will go much further and there are excellent accommodation options. Some of the better value options are to be found in the following central districts: Bloomsbury. Relatively quiet district with a wide range of accommodation, and has enjoyed a surge in popularity following Eurostar's move to St Pancras International station. Cartwright Gardens features a dozen small B&Bs in historic houses. Many budget options are located on Argyle Square (just off the Euston Road). Gets a little seedy towards and beyond King's Cross railway station. Earl's Court and West Kensington in west central London. Budget and modest accommodation as well as good 4-star hotels. Be careful with the cheapest accommodation in this area though as it will likely be very seedy indeed. Paddington and Bayswater in north west central London. Has undergone a lot of change recently largely resulting from the Heathrow Express train coming into Paddington station. Good hotels can be found in the immediate area of the station and in quieter spots a short walk away as well as in the traditional mid-range accommodation area further south in Bayswater. Westminster. Lots of small B&Bs around the back of Victoria railway station in the Pimlico area. A slightly left-field option is to check the Landmark Trust , a building preservation charity who purchase notable old buildings in the UK, renovate and run them as holiday lettings. An interesting approach to saving old buildings for sure.
Hostels Not necessarily as unpleasant as you may think, and as long as you don't mind sharing with others, they are the most costeffective option and also offer breakfast as well as kitchens for self catering. The "official" Youth Hostel Association of England and Wales (YHA) operates five hostels in Central London. Like everything else, you should book online well in advance - the
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London · Contact
hostels usually fill up on Friday and Saturday nights about 14 days before. A top tip is don't be put off if there is no availability left online, phone the hostel in question to see if there are still beds available or if there has been a cancellation. Some of the YHA's properties also offer a limited number of private family rooms expect to pay around £60 per night. Keep in mind that for foreign visitors, the YHA hostels will require to see a form of ID (a passport or national identity card) and a valid membership card from a local YHI (Youth Hostelling International)recognised Youth Hostel association. For British visitors, a valid YHA (SYHA for Scotland) membership card is all that's required. For all non-YHI members, the YHA will levy a £3 welcome stamp per day. There are a number of other, independent hostels throughout the city and these are listed in the relevant district articles. In the summer season, many of the colleges and universities in Central London open up their student halls of residence as hotels during vacations, at usually much lower rates than proper hotels, but expect very basic facilities (e.g. communal bathrooms, no catering facilities), but you will get the personal privacy that you don't get in hostels for not very much more cost. London University vacation accommodation providers include; UCL Residences LSEVactions and TravelStay.com.
Apartments Some apartment-hotels offer good value accommodation for those travelling in a group - often better quality than many hotels but at a cheaper individual rate per person.
Contact Wi-Fi access London is unfortunately not noted for free public wifi access although the number of hotspots is continuing to grow. See for a map containing free wifi locations.
Stay safe In an emergency, telephone "999" (or "112"). This number connects to Police, Ambulance and Fire/Rescue services. You will be asked which of these three services you require before being connected to the relevant operator.
Crime Like many big cities, London has a variety of social problems, especially begging, drug abuse and theft (mobile phones are a favourite, often snatched by fast-moving cyclists).
London has the oldest police force in the world, The Metropolitan Police Service , and on the whole, London is a safe place to visit and explore. Alongside the regular Police, there are over 4,000 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) that provide a highly visible presence on the streets and are able to deal with low-level crime. Normal precautions for the safe keeping of your personal possessions, as you would in any other city, are suggested. Crime mapping has been launched in London allowing residents and visitors to see the level of recorded crime for different areas . If you're planning to go out late at night and are worried about safety, frequent crowded areas such as the West End. There are always plenty of people on the street, even at 4AM. Generally, outside central London, the South, and East suburban areas are considered more dangerous, notably Brixton and Hackney, although some parts of North-West London such as Harlesden and northern Camden are also known trouble spots. The main problem right throughout London to various degrees is drunken behaviour, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights and after football matches. Loud and rowdy behaviour is to be expected and fights and acts of aggression also occur. If you are harassed, it is best to simply ignore and walk away from those concerned. Trouble spots can be expected around popular drinking locations such as Soho and in various suburban centres. Every night, Soho presents a particular danger: the "clip joint". The usual targets of these establishments are lone male tourists. Usually, an attractive woman will casually befriend the victim and recommend a local bar or even a club that has a "show". The establishment will be near-desolate, and, even if the victim has only a drink or two, the bill will run to hundreds of pounds. If payment is not immediately provided, the bouncers will lock the "patrons" inside and take it by force or take them to an ATM and stand over them while they extract the cash. To be safe, if a woman you just met suggests you a place, try to recommend a different bar, and if she insits on hers walk away and do not listen to her suggestions. Sometimes this con trick takes place when someone is lured into a private club with the promise of something perhaps more than a drink (like a 'private show' or sex for a small amount of money). A 'hostess fee' will appear on the bill for several hundred pounds, even though there has been nothing more than polite conversation. The Metropolitan Police have placed significant resources in combating street level crime. Working in conjunction with borough councils, they have been able to bring the level of theft and pickpocketing in major retail areas in London to a level that is manageable. Street gang culture is a growing problem in London as with many other cities in England. While most groups of youngsters are not likely to present any danger to tourists, some people feel the need to be slightly more vigilant in certain areas, especially certain outer suburbs. If anyone offers you a free "stress test", they are likely trying to recruit you into the Church of Scientology. The best option is to
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London · Stay healthy
walk away, as people are commonly harassed into giving personal details. Scams/Con Artists London has a large number of con artists around, all trying to convince you to hand over your money one way or another. In a well-known scam, an older gentleman will ask you for directions, convincing you that he thought you were English. This scam has been used for over ten years.
Transport Don't take illegal minicabs (see Get around for details).
Stay healthy The UK's National Health Service (NHS) will provide emergency treatment for anyone in the UK, irrespective of whether they reside in the UK. In a medical emergency, dial 999 or 112. These numbers are free of charge from any telephone. For advice on non-emergency medical problems, you can ring the 24 hour NHS Direct service on 0845 4647.
London is also home to some of the most renowned (and most expensive) private medical treatment facilities. Most notable of all are probably the host of private consultants and surgeons on Harley St in Marylebone.
Get out Bath. Roman relics, rich in Georgian architecture and makes an easy day trip from Paddington Station. Birmingham. Trains can take as little as 85 min from Euston or Marylebone or a coach from Victoria takes 3 hours. Boasts many events, pubs and clubs and shopping opportunities. Bournemouth. Large beach resort on the edge of the New Forest, with seven miles of golden sand, a short ride on the train from London Waterloo. Some of the best night life outside of London in the UK. Brighton. Fashionable beach town about 90 km (55 mi) south, less than an hour by train from Victoria Station. Brussels (Belgium) and Paris (France). Both are easily reached via Eurostar from King's Cross St. Pancras Station.
Emergencies can be dealt with under the NHS system at any hospital with an A & E (Accident & Emergency) department. At A & E departments, be prepared to wait for up to 2-3 hours during busy periods before being given treatment if your medical complaint is not too serious.
Canterbury. Site of the foremost cathedral in England, constructed during the 12th-15th centuries.
Major A & E hospitals in London are:
Manchester. If you have time it is worth visiting Britain's other great cities and Manchester has very much to offer. Manchester can be reached in around 2 hours by train and is about 320 km (200 mi) to the north. It is the 2nd most visited city in England (after London).
Central Middlesex Hospital, Acton Ln, Park Royal, NW10 7NS Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Rd, Hammersmith, W6 8RF Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Rd, Chelsea, SW10 9TR Greenwich District Hospital, Vanbrugh Hill, SE10 9HE Guy's Hospital, St. Thomas St, Bankside, SE1 9RT Homerton University Hospital, Homerton Row, Homerton, E9 6SR King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, SE5 9RS Lewisham Hospital, High St, SE13 6LH Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton Ln, SW15 5PN Royal Free Hospital, 23 East Heath Rd, Hampstead, NW3 1DU The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, E1 1BB St. Marys NHS Trust, Praed St, Paddington, W2 1NY St. Thomas' Hospital, Lambeth Palace Rd, South Bank, SE1 7EH University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, 25 Grafton Way, Bloomsbury, WC1E 6DB Whittington Hospital, Highgate Hill, Archway, N19 5NF For advice on minor ailments and non-prescription drugs, consult a high street pharmacist.
Henley on Thames. About 55 km (35 mi) west of London, a quaint and typical English town, great for walks by the Thames.
Oxford and Cambridge. The university cities make for ideal days out of London. Portsmouth. Home of the British Navy and of real interest to nautical enthusiasts. Shrewsbury. A very traditional town full of medieval black and white timber-framed buildings along winding, steep, narrow streets set on the River Severn easily reached by using the train from London Marylebone station. Stonehenge. Among the most famous landmarks in England. The mysterious stone ring was built thousands of years ago, today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can get there by a guided bus tour or by train (1,5 h) to the nearby city Salisbury, where you also can visit the 13th-century cathedral with the highest spire in the country. Winchester. Former capital of England and attractive cathedral city with lots to see, about an hour away by train from Waterloo. Windsor. Nearby Thames-side town with magnificent castle and Royal residence.
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History Main article: History of London
Toponymy
The name London may derive from the River Thames
The etymology of London is uncertain. It is an ancient name and can be found in sources from the 2nd century. It is recorded c. 121 as Londinium, which points to Romano-British origin. The earliest attempted explanation, now disregarded, is attributed to Geoffrey of Monmouth in Historia Regum Britanniae. This had it that the name originated from a supposed King Lud, who had allegedly taken over the city and named it Kaerlud. From 1899 it was commonly accepted that the name was of Celtic origin and meant place belonging to a man called *Londinos; this explanation has since been rejected. Richard Coates put forward an explanation in 1998 that it is derived from the pre-Celtic Old European *(p)lowonida, meaning 'river too wide to ford', and suggested that this was a name given to the part of the River Thames which flows through London; from this, the settlement gained the Celtic form of its name, *Lowonidonjon. Until 1889 the name "London" officially only applied to the City of London but since then it has also referred to the County of London and now Greater London.
in 43 AD. This lasted for just seventeen years and around 61, the Iceni tribe led by Queen Boudica stormed it, burning it to the ground. The next, heavily planned incarnation of the city prospered and superseded Colchester as the capital of the Roman province of Britannia in 100. At its height during the 2nd century, Roman London had a population of around 60,000. By the 7th century, the Anglo-Saxons had created a new settlement called Lundenwic over a mile (2 km) upstream from the old Roman city, around what is now Covent Garden. It is likely that there was a harbour at the mouth of the River Fleet for fishing and trading, and this trading grew, until the city was overcome by the Vikings and forced to move east, back to the location of the Roman Londinium, in order to use its walls for protection. Viking attacks continued to increase, until 886 when Alfred the Great recaptured London and made peace with the Danish leader, Guthrum. The original Saxon city of Lundenwic became Ealdwic ("old city"), a name surviving to the present day as Aldwych, which is in the modern City of Westminster. Two recent discoveries indicate that London could be much older than previously thought. In 1999, the remains of a Bronze Age bridge were found on the foreshore north of Vauxhall Bridge. This bridge either crossed the Thames, or went to a (lost) island in the river. Dendrology dated the timbers to 1500BC. In 2010, the foundations of a large timber structure, dated to 4500BC, were found on the Thames foreshore, South of Vauxhall Bridge. The function of the mesolithic structure is not known, but it covers at least 50m x 10m, and numerous 30 cm posts are visible at low tides. Both structures are on South Bank, at a natural crossing point where the River Effra flows into the River Thames, and 4 km upstream from the Roman City of London. The effort required to construct these structures implies trade, stability, and a community size of several hundred people at least.
Prehistory and antiquity
In 1300 the City was still confined within the Roman walls.
Although there is evidence of scattered Brythonic settlements in the area, the first major settlement was founded by the Romans
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Middle Ages
Westminster Abbey is a World Heritage Site and one of London's oldest and most important buildings as seen in this painting (Canaletto, 1749 A.D.)
Following his victory in the Battle of Hastings, William, Duke of Normandy, was crowned King of England in the newly finished Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. William constructed the Tower of London, the first of the many Norman castles in England to be rebuilt in stone, in the southeastern corner of the city to intimidate the native inhabitants. In 1097, William II began the building of Westminster Hall, close by the abbey of the same name. The hall became the basis of a new Palace of Westminster.
The Lancastrian siege of London in 1471 is attacked by a Yorkist sally.
With the collapse of Roman rule in the early 5th century, London was effectively abandoned. However, from the 6th century an Anglo-Saxon settlement known as Lundenwic developed slightly to the west of the old Roman city, around what is now Covent Garden and the Strand, rising to a likely population of 10–12,000. In the 9th century London was repeatedly attacked by Vikings, leading to a relocation of the city back to the location of Roman Londinium, in order to use its walls for protection. Following the unification of England in the 10th century London, already the country's largest city and most important trading centre, became increasingly important as a political centre, although it still faced competition from Winchester, the traditional centre of the kingdom of Wessex.
During the 12th century the institutions of central government, which had hitherto accompanied the royal court as it moved around the country, grew in size and sophistication and became increasingly fixed in one place. In most cases this was Westminster, although the royal treasury, having been moved from Winchester, came to rest in the Tower. While the City of Westminster developed into a true capital in governmental terms, its distinct neighbour, the City of London, remained England's largest city and principal commercial centre and flourished under its own unique administration, the Corporation of London. In 1100 its population was around 18,000; by 1300 it had grown to nearly 100,000. Disaster struck during the Black Death in the mid-14th century, when London lost nearly a third of its population. London was the focus of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381.
In the 11th century King Edward the Confessor re-founded and rebuilt Westminster Abbey and Westminster, a short distance upstream from London became a favoured royal residence. From this point onward Westminster steadily supplanted the City of London itself as a venue for the business of national government.
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Early modern
In 1762 George III acquired Buckingham House and it was enlarged over the next 75 years. During the 18th century, London was dogged by crime and the Bow Street Runners were established in 1750 as a professional police force. In total, more than 200 offenses were punishable by death, and women and children were hanged for petty theft. Over 74 per cent of children born in London died before they were five. The coffeehouse became a popular place to debate ideas, with growing literacy and the development of the printing press making news widely available; and Fleet Street became the centre of the British press.
Late modern and contemporary
The Great Fire of London destroyed many parts of the city in 1666.
London in 1806
A London street hit during the Blitz of World War II
During the Tudor period the Reformation produced a gradual shift to Protestantism, with much of London passing from church to private ownership. Mercantilism grew and monopoly trading companies such as the East India Company were established, with trade expanding to the New World. London became the principal North Sea port, with migrants arriving from England and abroad. The population rose from an estimated 50,000 in 1530 to about 225,000 in 1605.
London was the world's largest city from about 1831 to 1925. London's overcrowded conditions led to cholera epidemics, claiming 14,000 lives in 1848, and 6,000 in 1866. Rising traffic congestion led to the creation of the world's first local urban rail network. The Metropolitan Board of Works oversaw infrastructure expansion. It was replaced in 1889 by the London County Council, London's first elected city-wide administration. The Blitz and other bombing by the German Luftwaffe during World War II killed over 30,000 Londoners and destroyed large tracts of housing and other buildings across London. Immediately after the war, the 1948 Summer Olympics were held at the original Wembley Stadium, at a time when the city had barely recovered from the war.
In the 16th century William Shakespeare and his contemporaries lived in London at a time of hostility to the development of the theatre. By the end of the Tudor period in 1603, London was still very compact. There was an assassination attempt on James I in Westminster, through the Gunpowder Plot on 5 November 1605. London was plagued by disease in the early 17th century, culminating in the Great Plague of 1665–1666, which killed up to 100,000 people, or a fifth of the population. The Great Fire of London broke out in 1666 in Pudding Lane in the city and quickly swept through the wooden buildings. Rebuilding took over ten years and was supervised by Robert Hooke as Surveyor of London. In 1708 Christopher Wren's masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral was completed. During the Georgian era new districts such as Mayfair were formed in the west; and new bridges over the Thames encouraged development in South London. In the east, the Port of London expanded downstream.
Culture Main article: Culture of London
Accent The London accent long ago acquired the Cockney label, and was similar to many accents of the South East of England. The accent of a 21st century 'Londoner' varies widely; what is becoming more and more common amongst the under 30s however is some fusion of Cockney, Received Pronunciation, and
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a whole array of 'ethnic' accents, in particular Caribbean, which form an accent labelled Multicultural London English (MLE).
Leisure and entertainment Main articles: List of annual events in London and West End theatre
Piccadilly Circus
Within the City of Westminster, the entertainment district of the West End has its focus around Leicester Square, where London and world film premieres are held, and Piccadilly Circus, with its giant electronic advertisements. London's theatre district is here, as are many cinemas, bars, clubs and restaurants, including the city's Chinatown district (in Soho), and just to the east is Covent Garden, an area housing speciality shops. The United Kingdom's Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Royal Opera and English National Opera are based in London and perform at the Royal Opera House, the London Coliseum, Sadler's Wells Theatre and the Royal Albert Hall as well as touring the country.
home to many shops and department stores including Selfridges. Knightsbridge—home to the Harrods department store—lies just to the southwest. London is home to designers Vivienne Westwood, Galliano, Stella McCartney, Manolo Blahnik, and Jimmy Choo among others; its renowned art and fashion schools make it an international centre of fashion alongside Paris, Milan and New York. London offers a great variety of cuisine as a result of its ethnically diverse population. Gastronomic centres include the Bangladeshi restaurants of Brick Lane and the Chinese food restaurants of Chinatown. There are a variety of regular annual events in the city. The beginning of the year is celebrated with the relatively new New Year's Day Parade, fireworks display at the London Eye, and the world's second largest street party, the Notting Hill Carnival is held during the late August Bank holiday each year. Traditional parades include November's Lord Mayor's Show, a centuries-old event celebrating the annual appointment of a new Lord Mayor of the City of London with a procession along the streets of the City, and June's Trooping the Colour, a formal military pageant performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and British armies to celebrate the Queen's Official Birthday.
Literature, film and television Main articles: London in fiction, London in film, List of films set in London, and List of television shows set in London
Keats House, where Keats wrote his Ode to a Nightingale. The village of Hampstead has historically been a literary centre in London.
London has been the setting for many works of literature. The literary centres of London have traditionally been hilly Hampstead and (since the early 20th century) Bloomsbury. Writers closely associated with the city are the diarist Samuel Pepys, noted for his eyewitness account of the Great Fire, Charles Dickens, whose representation of a foggy, snowy, grimy London of street sweepers and pickpockets has been a major influence on people's vision of early Victorian London, and Virginia Woolf, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the 20th century. Harrods in Knightsbridge
Islington's 1 mile (1.6 km) long Upper Street, extending northwards from the Angel, has more bars and restaurants than any other street in the UK. Europe's busiest shopping area is Oxford Street, a shopping street nearly 1 mile (1.6 km) long —which makes it the longest shopping street in the UK and
The pilgrims in Geoffrey Chaucer's late 14th-century Canterbury Tales set out for Canterbury from London - specifically, from the Tabard inn, Southwark. William Shakespeare spent a large part of his life living and working in London; his contemporary Ben Jonson was also based there, and some of his work—most notably his play The Alchemist—was set in the city. A Journal
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of the Plague Year (1722) by Daniel Defoe is a fictionalisation of the events of the 1665 Great Plague. Later important depictions of London from the 19th and early 20th centuries are Dickens' novels, and Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. Modern writers pervasively influenced by the city include Peter Ackroyd, author of a "biography" of London, and Iain Sinclair, who writes in the genre of psychogeography. London was the setting for the films Oliver Twist (1948), Peter Pan (1953), The Ladykillers (1955), The 101 Dalmatians (1961), Mary Poppins (1964), Blowup (1966), The Long Good Friday (1980), Secrets & Lies (1996), Notting Hill (1999), Match Point (2005), V For Vendetta (2005) and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2008). The television soap opera EastEnders, first broadcast in 1985, is also set in the city. London has played a significant role in the film industry, and has major studios at Ealing and a special effects and post-production community centred in Soho. Working Title Films has its headquarters in London.
Museums and art galleries Main article: List of museums in London
Music
The Royal Albert Hall hosts concerts and musical events
London is one of the major classical and popular music capitals of the world and is home to major music corporations, such as EMI, as well as countless bands, musicians and industry professionals. The city is also home to many orchestras and concert halls, such as the Barbican Arts Centre (principal base of the London Symphony Orchestra), Cadogan Hall (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) and the Royal Albert Hall (The Proms). London's two main opera houses are the Royal Opera House and the Coliseum Theatre. The UK's largest pipe organ can be found at the Royal Albert Hall. Other significant instruments are found at the cathedrals and major churches. Several conservatoires are located within the city: Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Trinity College of Music.
The British Museum.
London is home to many museums, galleries, and other institutions, many of which are free of admission charges and are major tourist attractions as well as playing a research role. The first of these to be established was the British Museum in Bloomsbury, in 1753. Originally containing antiquities, natural history specimens and the national library, the museum now has 7 million artefacts from around the globe. In 1824 the National Gallery was founded to house the British national collection of Western paintings; this now occupies a prominent position in Trafalgar Square. In the latter half of the nineteenth century the locale of South Kensington was developed as "Albertopolis", a cultural and scientific quarter. Three major national museums are located there: the Victoria and Albert Museum (for the applied arts), the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. The national gallery of British art is at Tate Britain, originally established as an annexe of the National Gallery in 1897. The Tate Gallery, as it was formerly known, also became a major centre for modern art; in 2000 this collection moved to Tate Modern, a new gallery housed in the former Bankside Power Station.
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Events
Events · Long term events
Events
Events
Long term events Wicked place 17 Wilton Road,London,SW1V 1LG,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description There has never been a better time to experience "the hit musical with brains, heart and courage" (The Sunday Telegraph) as it flies into its sixth spellbinding year at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire that re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two girls who first meet as sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda The Good and the...
Jersey Boys place Old Compton Street,London,W1D 4HS,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Sunday description Jersey Boys follows the rags-to-riches tale of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as they work their way from the streets of Newark to the heights of stardom, and features such hits as 'Sherry,' 'Big Girls Don't Cry,' 'Can't Take My Eyes Off of You,' 'Oh, What a Night' and many more. Directed by Des McAnuff, with a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and music and lyrics by Bob Crewe and The Four Seasons' own Bob Gaudio, it has won four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Actor in a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical and Best Lighting Design of a Musical. McAnuff is on...
Thriller - Live place 29 Shaftesbury Avenue,London,W1D 7ES,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Sunday description Moonwalking into the West End after three acclaimed UK tours and standing ovations across Europe, Thriller - Live?is a spectacular, high octane show celebrating the career of? Michael Jackson, and the Jackson 5. To bring to life on stage the sensational dancing and distinctive sound of the Jackson's greatest hits, Thriller - Live includes eye-popping multi-media effects and dazzling choreography by the shows award-winning director Gary Lloyd (who has previously worked with artists including Leona Lewis, Will Young, Robbie Williams, Kelly Clarkson and Girls Aloud), plus additional...
War Horse place Drury Lane,London,WC2B 5PW,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. He's soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man's land. Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. The National's epic is based on War Horse, the celebrated novel
by the Children's Laureate (2003-05) Michael Morpurgo . Actors working with magnificent, life-sized puppets by the internationally...
Ida Fossil Cast On Display place Cromwell Road,London,SW7 5BD,United Kingdom description Check out Ida, a 47-million-year-old fossil of a 9 or 10-month-old female primate. event url http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/ida-fossil-display/
Dreamboats And Petticoats place Northumberland Avenue,London,WC2N 5DE,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description Inspired by the albums, Bill Kenwright and Laurie Mansfield in association with Universal Music present Dreamboats and Petticoats The Musical, written by Marks and Gran, the team behind Goodnight Sweetheart, Birds Of A Feather, and Shine On Harvey Moon, will give you the greatest time of your life - taking you back to a time when each passing week brought another classic track. Featuring songs from Roy Orbison, The Shadows, Eddie Cochran, Billy Fury, Chuck Berry and many more. In 1961 emotions run high as talented young musicians Norman and Bobby compete to win the hearts of their adoring...
Romantics place Millbank,London,SW1P 4RG,United Kingdom description This enormous display - it takes up nine rooms gives a wonderful overview of Romantic art in Britain by artists such Henry Fuseli and William Blake, amongst many others. event url http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/romantics/default.shtm
Changing The Guard place 13 Buckingham Palace Road,London,SW1A 1AA,United Kingdom description The changing of the guard is common in most European capitals but nowhere is it more famous than in London. The new guard leaves Wellington Barracks a few minutes before the change and marches down Birdcage Walk to Buckingham Palace. The actual ceremony (which lasts around 40 minutes) takes place within the gates of the palace, so get there early to secure a good vantage spot. In addition, the St. James's Palace detachment of the Queen's guard marches to Buckingham Palace then back to St. James's. Please refer the website to find the right schedule and further information. event url http://www.changing-the-guard.com/
All Hands place Romney Road,London,SE10 9NF,United Kingdom frequency Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday description This is a gallery for kids of all ages. Try your hand at underwater exploration, load a cargo ship, send a semaphore signal and even fire a cannon! A fun place for the children to be at.
Banksy place 162 Walton Street,London,SW3 2JL,United Kingdom description No one uses stencil and spray paint on canvas better than Banksy. Visit the Andipa Gallery for a look at his humor loaded paintings on contemporary issues, that tell more
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than words do. The 'Lenin on Roller Blades' spray paint work or the 'Heavy Weaponry' with a missile on the elephant back is just unforgettable. Check the website of the gallery for more details.
Pablo Picasso place 162 Walton Street,London,SW3 2JL,United Kingdom description The Andipa Gallery is proud to exhibit selected works by Pablo Picasso. Works are mostly drawings on paper using pencil and pastels, there are also a few etchings on display. Do visit to have a glimpse at one of the greatest artists.
Sickert Fan place 12 Crooms Hill,London,SE10 8ER,United Kingdom start 11:00h frequency Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday description The Sickert Fan was painted around 1889 by the British artist Walter Richard Sickert. The painting is a portrayal of the performance of artist Little Dot Hetherington at the Old Bedford Theatre, Camden. Contact the museum for precise timings and group bookings.
Antoine Watteau place 13 Lincoln,London,WC2A 3BP,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday description Known for building a very successful career in the field of art and specifically paintings; Sir John Soane's Museum has an ongoing display of Antoine Watteau's works. Highly influenced by the Italian comedy and ballet, his paintings say a great deal of stories. If you are looking for something to decorate the walls of your living room, then the Antoine Watteau's art collection fits the bill perfectly.
Roy Lichtenstein place 162 Walton Street,London,SW3 2JL,United Kingdom description Roy Lichtenstein was probably the only artist who used 'comic book style' as his way of painting. This is the reason why unlike other paintings, Roy's work literally talk like characters out of the comic books. Drop by the Andipa Gallery for a close 'reading' of his screen print and canvas works.
Plant Hunters place Lambeth Palace Road,London,SE1 7LB,United Kingdom start 10:30h frequency Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday description Plant Hunters is a permanent exhibition at the Museum. It highlights the lives of famous Plant Hunters such as the John Tradescants, Ernest Wilson, William Dampier, Frank Kingdon Ward, Joseph Banks, David Douglas, George Forrest and Francis Masson. Artifacts and mode of transportation are also on display.
The St John Ambulance Collections place St John,London,EC1M 4DA,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
description The St John Ambulance Collections will definitely be of great interest to the ones from the medical stream. The collection consists of all the unique articles found since 1870's. It also provides an understanding of all the early ambulance transport means and first aid techniques. Apart from this the collection also comprises of medals and books and uniforms.
Karola Torkos place 33-35a Clerkenwell Green,London,EC1R 0DU,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday description 'Karola Torkos' held at Lesley Craze Gallery displays a collection of his works known as "Fools Gold'. Karola Torkos has done his graduation from The Royal College of Art. Come over and have a look at his beautiful works of jewelry made from plastic beads, cotton threads and polypropylene. You can also pick a piece of your choice.
Britain's First Art Gallery place 40 Brunswick Square,London,WC1N 1AZ,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday description One of the founders of the Foundling Hospital, William Hogarth encouraged artists to showcase their talents. He was also actively involved in the donation of premium artworks to the children's home for fund-raising. With this he created the first British Exhibition space. Today this space displays some great works by Highmore, Hogarth, Roubiliac and Rysbrack, Gainsborough and Reynolds.
First Gallery At The Cuming Museum place 151 Walworth Road,London,SE17 1RY,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday description Richard Cumming's fascination for collecting pieces of objects from all over the world has made the collection at the museum priceless and very treasured. At First Gallery, you will get an in-depth detail about the history and life of this collector and the family. Apart from this, you will also get to see rare pieces from Africa, Asia, Europe and America.
The Order Collections place St John,London,EC1M 4DA,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday description The Order Collections at the St. John's Gate and the Museum of the Order of St John is a must watch for its archaeological finds. The artifacts, documents and paintings throw light on the centuries old order, being found in the 11th century. It also features crusader coins, arms and armory apart from the various materials found at the the Priory sites.
The Royal Collection place Windsor Castle,Windsor,SL4 3BX,United Kingdom start 09:45h
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description The Royal Collection at the Windsor Palace is a sight to behold. Originally commissioned by the royalty, it comprises of paintings, books, jewelry, armor, textiles etc. The collection has a history of over 500 years and is based on the artistic understanding of the kings and queens over the years. Truly a must see!
description The Toy Theater Collection at the Pollock's Toy Museum is a not-to-be-missed exhibit for all the toddlers. The museum presents all the ancestral engraving plates to created frames of different toy theater productions here. With over 100 such items in collection and over 800 printing plates, the exhibit charts down the history of theater through print devices.
distance 33.2 km. approximate from city center
Collection Of Room 5 At The Pollock's Toy Museum
Permanent Collection Of Buckingham Palace place 13 Buckingham Palace Road,London,SW1A 1AA,United Kingdom start 10:00h description Here's your chance to acquaint yourself with the most treasured collection of Britain's queen, Elizabeth II. The queen's gallery in Buckingham palace is open to the public, who can come and gaze at the beautiful and rare treasures of the Royal family. Check website for further details.
Historical Collection place 46-50 Copperfield Road,London,E3 4RR,United Kingdom frequency Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday description The Historical Collection at the Ragged School Museum is an overall insight into the local life of people during the first half of the 20th century. The exhibition is a comprehensive of numerous exhibits that cover various aspects of life like school, home and work. Minute details have been taken care of and the social as well as cultural changes of London's East End have been highlighted. Using personal accounts, photographs and period objects, discover the nuances of East End life. Hours vary for the museum and different groups of people, call for the same.
African Worlds place 100 London Road,London,SE23 3PQ,United Kingdom start 10:30h description Discover the major influence of African Culture on the world with this exhibition highlighting rich and turbulent history of this massive continent. Displaying head dresses, masks, jewelery, and various textiles; the rich diversity is brought alive with pieces from all over the African continent as well as African influenced cultures around the world.
Museum Of London Docklands Library And Archives place West India Quay,London,E14 4AL,United Kingdom start 10:00h description Museum Of London Docklands Library and Archives is an unique collection that serves as a source of educational understanding too. The exhibit deals with conservation of the rivers, port management, social history and documentation of all the changes that the Docklands has experienced since 1979.
The Toy Theater Collection At The Pollock's Toy Museum place 1 Scala Street,London,W1T 2HL,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
place 1 Scala Street,London,W1T 2HL,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday description Collection of Room 5 at the Pollock's Toy Museum will definitely please your daughter dear. For the room five presents an extensive collection of dolls from china and other places. These dolls belonging to the old era are made from wood, fabrics and other materials that were then used. It also has a nursery dating back to 1900s.
Berwick Street Market place Between Berwick Street & Rupert Street,London,W1F 8TW,United Kingdom start 09:00h frequency Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday description Tucked away between Oxford and Old Compton Street, the surprise of Berwick Street Market awaits with sprucely presented stalls of fresh produce at unbeatable prices for central London. In the best popular tradition of street markets, the mouth watering and colorful, fruit and vegetable stalls livened up this authentic Soho quarter since 1830. Jovial coster mongers bawl out the benefits of the fresh greens, exotic fruits and organic vegetables. In addition, you can pick up some tasty cheese, fresh fish, home-made bread and fresh herbs from the stalls and little deli shops lining the streets...
Cocoon place Cromwell Road,London,SW7 5BD,United Kingdom description Walk into a cocoon and enjoy various displays and interactive features. event url http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/darwin-centre-visitors/cocoon/index.html
Raf Museum London Aircraft Collection place Grahame Park Way,London,NW9 5LL,United Kingdom start 10:00h description RAF Museum London Aircraft Collection has a very impressive collection of fighters from the V Bombers to the Cold War aircrafts. The five halls at the museum have various aircrafts hanging from the ceiling. You will find B24, hawker Typhoon and Avro Lancaster too. distance 13.1 km. approximate from city center
The Vault place Cromwell Road,London,SW7 5BD,United Kingdom start 10:00h description Gems and crystals have captivated the human psyche since time immemorial. Learn all about these eyecatching minerals. The gallery features, among other rarities the Aurora Collection, a dazzling array of high-quality tinted diamonds.
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event url http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/galleries/green-zone/vault/index.html
The Bridge Interactive Gallery place Romney Road,London,SE10 9NF,United Kingdom start 10:00h description Explore your navigation skills at sea in this interactive gallery. You can become the captain of a ship and try out the state-of-the-art Bridge simulator. With the compass and the GPS, having a smooth sailing experience is what you get here. Please check the website of the museum to know the precise visiting days. event url http://www.nmm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/on-display/all-hands-and-the-bridgeinteractive-galleries
Your Ocean Gallery place Romney Road,London,SE10 9NF,United Kingdom start 10:00h description Gallery showing how we are dependent on the maintenance and survival of the world's oceans. event url http://www.nmm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/on-display/your-ocean-gallery
Time Galleries place Blackheath Avenue,London,SE10 8XJ,United Kingdom start 10:00h description Explore the importance of time in our lives through interactive exhibits in these new galleries. At 'Time and Longitude', discover how the greatest puzzle of navigation was solved. And at 'Time and Greenwich', visit the center of world time to explore the importance of measuring time accurately. 'Time and Society', explains what does time mean to people while exploring the history of timekeeping. 'Time for the Navy', this gallery is about the provision of accurate timekeepers for the Royal Navy. All in all, you need lot of time to observe all the Time Galleries. event url http://www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-observatory/time-galleries/
Mary Rose (The) place Romney Road,London,SE10 9NF,United Kingdom start 10:00h description After a brief battle against an attacking French fleet, the Mary Rose mysteriously sunk off the coast of Portsmouth. While the cause of the sinking is still unknown, this exhibition outlines the possible theories behind it as well as the excavation efforts involved in unraveling the many secrets of this once grand ship.
A Visit With Miss Nightingale place 2 Lambeth Palace Road,London,SE1 7EW,United Kingdom start 10:00h description An actress who plays the role of Miss Nightingale will tell the story of Nightingale’s life and other experiences such as the war in Crimea. For children, this lively class will be more helpful in getting to know Nightingale than any books.
The Wizard Of Oz place 8 Argyll Street,London,W1A 3AB,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Sunday description 'We're off to see. ' The most magical adventure of them all. Follow the yellow brick road over the rainbow and into The London Palladium, the capital's home of the family
musical. Starring Russell Grant as The Wizard and Sophie Evans (BBC's smash hit Over The Rainbow) as Dorothy. Andrew Lloyd Webber's new production of The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all time classic, totally reconceived for the stage by the award-winning creative team that delighted audiences of all ages with their recent London Palladium revival of The Sound of Music. Developed from the ever popular...
Shrek The Musical place Drury Lane,London,WC2B 5JF,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Sunday description This new stage musical is based on the story and characters from the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film Shrek, the first chapter in the much loved series of irreverent fairy tales. Join Shrek, our unlikely hero, and his loyal steed Donkey, as they set off on an adventure to rescue the beautiful (if slightly temperamental) Princess Fiona from her tower, guarded by a fire breathing love-sick dragon. Add a wannabe King with a height complex, a bunch of fairytale superstars, and a biscuit with attitude, and you've got this year's must see new musical comedy -Shrek. Shrek the Musical brings...
Ghost The Musical place Denman Street,London,W1D 7DY,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description Believe In Love GHOST is a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next trying to communicate with his girlfriend Molly through a phoney psychic in the hope of saving her from his murderer. A roller-coaster ride of romance, drama and excitement, GHOST has been adapted for the stage by Bruce Joel Rubin who, in 1991, won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. GHOST features stunning new music and lyrics by music legends Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard (writer of Michael Jackson's Man In The Mirror) whose combined album sales...
Rock Of Ages place 210 Shaftesbury Avenue,London,WC2H 8DP,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description ROCK OF AGES, starring Justin Lee Collins and Shayne Ward, is the 'insanely fun' (New York Time Out) worldwide smash hit that features a raucous mix of 28 eyebrow-scorching tunes including Don't Stop Believin', We Built This City, The Final Countdown, Wanted Dead or Alive, Here I Go Again, Can't Fight This Feeling and I Want To Know What Love Is. Set in LA's infamous Sunset Strip in 1987, ROCK OF AGES tells the story of Drew, a boy from South Detroit, and Sherrie, a small-town girl, both in LA to chase their dreams of making it big and falling in love.?ROCK OF AGES takes you back to the...
The Bloomberg Commission: Josiah Mcelheny: The Past Was A Mirage I Had Left Far Behind place 77-82 Whitechapel High Street,London,E1 7QX,United Kingdom start 11:00h
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frequency Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday event url http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/the-bloomberg-commissionjosiah-mcelheny-the-past-was-a-mirage-i-had-left-far-behind/
Mine To Medals: The London 2012 Olympic And Paralympic Games Medals place Great Russell Street,London,WC1B 3DG,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Friday, Sunday event url http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/mine_to_medals.aspx/
Matilda The Musical place Earlham Street,London,WC2 9HU,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Sunday description Following a sensational sell-out season at The Courtyard Theatre, the RSC's production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL transfers to London's West End this October. Roald Dahl's much-loved story bursts into life on stage in this brand new musical version by Dennis Kelly? and award-winning musician and comedian Tim Minchin. Children and adults alike will be thrilled and delighted by the story of the special little girl with an extraordinary imagination. Her parents think she is a nuisance and she thinks, quite rightly, they are only interested in watching telly. Life is not much better at school,...
Chicago place 2 Charing Cross Road,London,WC2H 0HH,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description NEW JOINT. SAME JAZZ. This autumn a new chapter opens in the history of Broadway's most successful show. Having snatched the crown of the longest running American musical from A Chorus Line, the London production of Chicago returns to the West End from 7th November at its new home; the Garrick Theatre. Entering what will be its 15th year in London, this universal tale of fame, fortune and. all that jazz, recounts the kiss-and-tell tale of chorus girl Roxie Hart who kills her lover; her rivalry with glamorous double-murderer Velma Kelly and their slick lawyer, Billy Flynn's attempts to keep...
Original London Sightseeing Tour (The) place London,London,United Kingdom description This London sightseeing tour used to be run by London Pride, but so popular is their Original Tour that they've changed their name. The complete tour covers all popular sights - i.e. Buckingham Palace, the Natural History Museum, Parliament etc., and includes a free walking and boat tour. This company does offer the advantage of being able to join part of a tour without having to pay for the whole lot. There are over 90 stops at which you can join, and buses are very frequent (every six minutes in summer), though do call to check details of bus stops and times. event url http://www.theoriginaltour.com/
Book Slam place 55-61 Tabernacle Street,London,EC2A 4AA,United Kingdom frequency Monday, Friday
description Book Slam is a literary night out with top writers reading fiction and poetry. It also includes live music and a semi-professional DJ. Book Slam claims to be clubbing for grown ups and takes place on the last Thursday of every month with additional varying dates. The event has a friendly atmosphere with plenty of good food and is not meant to be a competition. This is the first event of its kind in London and is becoming increasingly popular with literature fanatics of all ages. -Caroline Collard event url http://www.bookslam.com/index.asp
Brixton Arts & Craft Market place Brixton,London,United Kingdom frequency Monday, Friday description A small but classy selection of stalls, bang opposite the tube station on the other side of the street to Brixton Market proper, this features contemporary arts and crafts by local artisans. There is also an excellent music stall stocked up with a wide range of styles and a good selection of roots reggae. Some wonderful jewelery stalls make this especially well worth a visit - with unusual handmade silverwork inlaid with a range of beautiful stones at very reasonable prices. Assorted candles and exotic stones complete the picture. distance 302.9 km. approximate from city center
Harry Potter London Walk place Trafalgar Square,London,WC2N 5DX,United Kingdom description Harry Potter's London Walk is a walking tour showing the magical side of London. You'll be able to see locations that were filmed for Harry Potter's movies. The tour is a complete adventure, including a boat ride and a London Underground trip where you'll need a valid metro card. The tour is around 2 and a half hours long. Booking in advance is necessary. event url
http://www.thecelebrityplanet.com/london/harry-potter-film-locations-
london.html
The Original London Ghost Walk place London,London,United Kingdom start 19:00h frequency Friday, Saturday description This is one of the most popular walking tours of London. You are led around the city by an author whose books include Walking Haunted London and Walking Haunted Britain and Ireland, and who is a member of the Magic Circle. The walk includes the recreation of many psychic phenomena such as spirit writing, ESP and poltergeist activity. This, linked with Richard Jones's excellent story telling ability, makes it an experience never to be forgotten. This walk will take place whatever the weather - the worse the better!! Not for the fainthearted! A Jack the Ripper walk is also available. -... event url http://www.london-ghost-tour.com/
Afternoon Tea At The Milestone Hotel place 1 Kensington Court,London,W8 5DL,United Kingdom start 15:00h description Enjoy your afternoon tea at the Milestone Hotel in the traditional British style. Typical tea etiquettes and accompaniments like cookies take you back to the golden ages of British Empire, where afternoon tea was a ceremony of
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sorts. You can select from the different varieties on offer ranging from Earl Grey, Camomile, Lapsang Souchong to Green tea. For more details, check website. event url http://www.milestonehotel.com/dining/park-lounge/afternoon-tea
Migrations place Millbank,London,SW1P 4RG,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Friday, Sunday event url http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/migrations/default.shtm
Singin' In The Rain place 109-113 Shaftesbury Avenue,London,W1D 7ES,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description From the golden age of musicals to the West End, Singin' In The Rain brings the glamour of the MGM film to the Palace theatre. Set at a time of change in the film world, Singin' In The Rain follows silent movie star Dan Lockwood who has everything he could ever want; fame, adulation and even a well-publicised romance with his co-star Lina Lamont. But there are rumours doing the rounds of a new kind of film that could alter everything, a kind of film where actors talk. and sing. and dance. Singin' in the Rain is the. story of that first Hollywood musical, the moment when the silver screen...
Horrible Histories - Barmy Britain place 2 Charing Cross Road,London,WC2H 0HH,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description Have you ever wondered why the Romans never won MasterChef? Would you lose your heart or head to horrible Henry? Will Parliament escape gunpowder Guy? Enrol yourself at Georgian Crime School, dare to dance the Tyburn jig and find out what a baby farmer did! Set in loathsome London, the BSC proudly present the world premiere of BARMY BRITAIN. Don't miss this history of Britain with the nasty bits left in! Based on the children's book series and the popular BAFTA-winning TV show of the same name, Horrible Histories brings history to life on the stage for the younger generation. Perfect for...
Picasso & Britain place Millbank,London,SW1P 4RG,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Friday, Sunday description This exhibition explores the great Modern master's links to Britain, as well as the influence his work exerted on forward-thinking British artists. On view will be more than 150 pieces, over 60 of which bear Picasso's authorship. Those works will be shown alongside pieces created by British art grands, such as Francis Bacon, Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson, and David Hockney.
description Following sell-out seasons at the National Theatre and Adelphi Theatre, smash-hit comedy One Man, Two Guvnors opens at Theatre Royal Haymarket on 2 March with a brand new lead Owain Arthur as Francis Henshall. In Richard Bean's English version of Carlo Goldoni's classic Italian comedy The Servant of Two Masters, sex, food and money are high on the agenda. Fired from his skiffle band, Francis Henshall becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe, a small time East End hood, now in Brighton to collect ☎6,000 from his fiancee's dad. But Roscoe is really his sister Rachel posing as her own dead brother,...
Sweeney Todd place Strand,London,WC2R 0NS,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description Following sell-out success at Chichester Festival Theatre,?Jonathan Kent's acclaimed production of? Sweeney Todd?transfers to London's West End for a limited season from 10 March 2012.?Widely acknowledged as Stephen Sondheim's musical masterpiece,?Sweeney Todd? stars distinguished musical performer?Michael Ball?as the eponymous demon barber of Fleet Street and Oscarnominated actress?Imelda Staunton?as the devoted Mrs Lovett.? Set amongst London's seedy side streets and laced with Sondheim's characteristically brilliant wit and dark humour, the musical depicts Sweeney Todd's savage quest for...
Noises Off place 5 Aldwych,London,WC2B 4LD,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday description Following its triumphant and universally acclaimed run at The Old Vic, Michael Frayn's multi awardwinning backstage comedy Noises Off will transfer to the Novello Theatre. Described by the critics as "Achingly footstompingly seal-honkingly hysterical" (The Sunday Times), "Stunning" (The Observer), "Riotous" (The Guardian), "Bangon-the-money" (The Daily Telegraph), "The ultimate comedy of theatrical chaos and confusion" (Sunday Express) and "Pure Pleasure" (The Times), this will be the first time The Old Vic Theatre Company has transferred a production to the West End. Directed by Lindsay...
At Home With The World place Kingsland Road,London,E2 8EA,United Kingdom frequency Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday event url http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/whatson/
British Design 1948-2012 place Cromwell Road,London,SW7 2RL,United Kingdom start 10:00h frequency Friday, Sunday
event url http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions/picassoandbritain/default.shtm
event
Titian's Diana And Callisto
design-1948-2012-2782/
place Trafalgar Square,London,WC2N 5DN,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Sunday event url http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/
One Man, Two Guvnors place 18 Suffolk Street,London,SW1Y 4HT,United Kingdom frequency Friday, Saturday
url
http://www.vam.ac.uk/whatson/event/1656/british-
Friday June 22 Club Classics Fridays place 21-25 St. John,London,SW11 1TT,United Kingdom
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Events · Saturday June 23
start 22:00h event url http://www.theclaphamgrand.com
Live Jazz Fusion place 10 Hoxton Street,London,N1 6NG,United Kingdom start 20:00h event url http://www.troybar.com
Rnb/ Dubstep place 20 Entertainment Avenue,London,SE10 0DX,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.incclub.co.uk
description The Cabbages and Frocks Markets work to promote small-scale and cottage industries, as well as new designers. It also enhances the countryside ambiance and the neighborhood feel of the area. Come by to find trendy accessories and clothes, along with home products and local food specialties. Check website for details. event url http://www.cabbagesandfrocks.co.uk/index.html
4-4-2 Football Club (8-13 Years Old) place 18 Lyonsdown Road,London,EN5 1JE,United Kingdom start 09:00h
Paul Rocks!
event url http://www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk/442.html
place 175 High Street,Epping,CM16 4BL,United Kingdom start 20:30h
distance 15.9 km. approximate from city center
event url http://www.speakeasybar.co.uk distance 26.8 km. approximate from city center
Broken Disco place 562 Mile End Road,London,E3 4PH,United Kingdom start 21:00h event url http://www.brokelondon.com
War Story: Serving In Afghanistan place Lambeth Road,London,SE1 6HZ,United Kingdom event url http://www.iwm.org.uk/exhibitions/war-story-serving-in-afghanistan
Friday Fashion Market place Brushfield Street,London,E1 6AA,United Kingdom start 09:00h description The people who brought you Alternative Fashion Week have launched a monthly market at Old Spitalfields' Horner buildings. This event is set to become 'the' platform for London's emerging and established fashion and accessory designers, positioned between trendy Hoxton and London's latest art and design hot-spot, Spitalfields, in the atmospheric listed Eastern half of the covered market. The market is held on the first Thursday of every month.
Adonis Cabaret place 256-264 Old Street,London,EC1V 9DD,United Kingdom start 19:00h event url http://www.clubaquarium.co.uk
Glamorous Saturdays place 21-25 St. John,London,SW11 1TT,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.theclaphamgrand.com
Funky House, Club Anthems place 20 Entertainment Avenue,London,SE10 0DX,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.incclub.co.uk
Saturday Night Lick place 17 Greek Street,London,W1D 4DR,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.moonlightingnightclub.co.uk
DJ Mike Beats place 175 High Street,Epping,CM16 4BL,United Kingdom start 20:30h
event url http://www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/the-market/friday-market.html
event url http://www.speakeasybar.co.uk
London Friday Night Skate
distance 26.8 km. approximate from city center
place Apsley Way,London,W1J 7JZ,United Kingdom start 20:00h description The London Friday Night Skate is a weekly skate for experienced skaters. As many as 400 skaters take part. The requirements being you can stop at speed and can handle hills and bad surfaces. The route varies each week, touring various London landmarks and there is music to skate to and a 15-minute break at half time. It is very well organized and there are strict rules on behavior to ensure that everything flows smoothly and safely. event url http://www.lfns.co.uk/
Saturday June 23 Cabbages And Frocks Markets place 17 Marylebone Road,London,NW1 5LT,United Kingdom start 11:00h
Broadway Market place London,London,United Kingdom start 09:00h description Broadway Market has undergone a renaissance in recent years. One of London's oldest chartered markets, it was a thriving centre thirty years ago before falling out of favor. Thankfully, it has now restored its place at the heart of the community. Lined with a plethora of intriguing restaurants and shops, it's populated by quirky characters selling everything from vinyl to vintage clothes, sushi to street-wear. Here you'll find an eclectic mix of goods including handmade cheese, organic breads and pastries, organic rare breed pork, veal and venison, seafood and fresh fish, beautifully...
Carwash place 256-264 Old Street,London,EC1V 9DD,United Kingdom start 22:00h description Take me to funky town. event url http://carwash.co.uk/
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Events · Sunday June 24
Charing Cross Collector's Fair place Villiers Street,London,WC2N 6RH,United Kingdom start 08:30h description Anything that has ever been collected by anyone can be found in abundance here. Come for a browse and a rummage through the fascinating array of junk and chintz, and seek out the real gems lying in wait. If you're looking for medals, badges, stamps, coins, odds and sods, memorabilia, or even shy, eccentric collectors, then this is for you.
The Wam Bam Club place 3-4 Coventry Street,London,W1D 6BL,United Kingdom start 19:00h event url http://www.cafedeparis.com/home
Open Mic With Niall Kelly place 20 Kingly Street,London,W1B 5PZ,United Kingdom start 16:00h event url http://www.aintnothinbut.co.uk/
Sunday June 24 Wembley Sunday Market place First Way,London,HA9 0DW,United Kingdom start 09:00h description Every Sunday, rain or shine, this market is crawling with people ready to browse through more than five hundred stalls. Clothes, appliances, tools, carpets, accessories and food, although you can't bet on the quality, they do provide a great bargain hunt. Because Wembley Sunday Market takes place within the premises of a major stadium, be ready to walk if you don't want to pay for parking in the car park. Check website for details. event url http://www.wembleymarket.co.uk/
Islington Farmers' Market place Upper Street,London,N1 2GG ,United Kingdom start 10:00h description This Sunday market is popular with those who love the notion of organic food redeeming their comfortable, post-liberal lives. Of course, everyone knows that homegrown food tastes better as well, so you'll be one step closer to succeeding with that recipe in one of those best-seller cookbooks that dominate your weekends. All the produce has been reared by the farmers themselves, which means you can ask whether or not it is organic, how to cook it and so on. Vegetables, fruit, bread, meat and other produce are also available at the Islington Farmers' Market. event url http://www.lfm.org.uk/isling.asp
Alexandra Palace Farmers' Market place Alexandra Palace Way,London,N22 7AY,United Kingdom start 10:00h description The Hornsey Gate Entrance at Alexandra Palace is packed to its full capacity on Sundays when the weekly Farmers' Market takes place. Fresh, organic produce from
Kent, Surrey, Sussex and other parts of London are brought together and put up on sale. Most stall holders sell fruits and vegetables that they produce themselves. Besides fruits and vegetables, you can also buy home made pickles, cheese, sauces and other groceries. Alexandra Palace Farmers' Market is a must visit for those who want to taste the local flavor of London. event url http://www.visitlondon.com/events/detail/3837166
Cant Stop Wont Stop place 256-264 Old Street,London,EC1V 9DD,United Kingdom start 23:00h event url http://www.clubaquarium.co.uk
Traditional Blues place 175 High Street,Epping,CM16 4BL,United Kingdom start 20:00h event url http://www.speakeasybar.co.uk distance 26.8 km. approximate from city center
Brick Lane Market place Brick Lane,London,United Kingdom start 08:00h description Developed during the 18th Century by farmers selling livestock and corresponding produce outside the City's boundaries, the market today offers everything from fruits and vegetables to reduced-priced goods and bankrupt stock. Set among the curry houses and Asian restaurants of the vibrant Brick Lane area, home to many of London's Indian community, the market bustles with activity and is the place to find bargains on goods, including televisions, clothes, cameras, bikes and, yes, even kitchen sinks. event url http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/brick-lane-market.php
Columbia Road Flower Market place Columbia Road,London,E2 7RG,United Kingdom start 08:00h description Are you planning to transform your drawing room into a mini garden? Then Columbia Road is where you should halt. This Flower Market offers you fantastic deals in your floral pursuits! Visit this place on a Sunday and treat your eyes to a colorful and exotic exhibition of fresh flowers and bouquets put up for sale. Gardeners and nursery owners, in need of cheap yet quality products are regular customers of the market. Apart from a wide selection of garden products, the market also has a few potteries that sell hand made pots. And if you are exhausted after a long walk along the street, stop...
Sunday Stroll place West Carriage Drive,London,W2 2UH,United Kingdom description This is a popular weekly communal skate starting in Hyde Park with the route varying each week. The route wraps around the surrounding area of London but the marshaling is good, so traffic and pedestrians are not a problem. Up to 100 skaters attend every week, and the skate is easier and slower than many of the other skating sessions. The main requirement is that you should be able to stop on your skates. Check website for additional information.
Sunday Special place 302 Creek Road,London,SE10 9SW,United Kingdom
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Events
Events · Monday June 25
start 19:30h event url http://www.up-the-creek.com/
Blues Jam place 20 Kingly Street,London,W1B 5PZ,United Kingdom start 16:00h event url http://www.aintnothinbut.co.uk/
The Magic Cavern place 28A Comeragh Road,London,W14 9HR,United Kingdom start 14:45h description London's long running atmospheric and intimate magic show for all the family. You won't believe your eyes as you witness the seemingly impossible.
Monday June 25 Outside The Box Comedy place 56 Old London Road,Kingston-upon-Thames,KT2 6QA,United Kingdom description Every Monday is comedy night with the members of Outside the Box Comedy. Come enjoy some drinks and laughs with your mates to liven up your blue Mondays. Please check the website of the Fighting Cocks for more details. distance 16.1 km. approximate from city center
Jazz Gig & Jamming Session place 10 Hoxton Street,London,N1 6NG,United Kingdom start 20:00h event url http://www.troybar.com
I Love Mondays place 17 Greek Street,London,W1D 4DR,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.moonlightingnightclub.co.uk
Midnight Karaoke place 175 High Street,Epping,CM16 4BL,United Kingdom start 20:30h event url http://www.speakeasybar.co.uk distance 26.8 km. approximate from city center
Comedy Night
Wednesday June 27 Cheapskates place 17 Greek Street,London,W1D 4DR,United Kingdom start 21:00h event url http://www.moonlightingnightclub.co.uk
Jam Night place 175 High Street,Epping,CM16 4BL,United Kingdom start 21:00h event url http://www.speakeasybar.co.uk distance 26.8 km. approximate from city center
Thursday June 28 Live Music place 10 Hoxton Street,London,N1 6NG,United Kingdom start 20:00h event url http://www.troybar.com
Vibe place 17 Greek Street,London,W1D 4DR,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.moonlightingnightclub.co.uk
F**k Me Im Broke! place 562 Mile End Road,London,E3 4PH,United Kingdom start 21:00h event url http://www.brokelondon.com
Best Of Comedy Variety Night place 302 Creek Road,London,SE10 9SW,United Kingdom start 19:30h event url http://www.comedyvarietynight.co.uk
Open Mic place 302 Creek Road,London,SE10 9SW,United Kingdom start 20:15h event url http://www.comedyvarietynight.co.uk/
Friday June 29
place 64 Fulham Palace Road,London,W6 9PH,United Kingdom start 20:00h
Club Classics Fridays
event url http://hammersmith.thedistillerspub.com/
event url http://www.theclaphamgrand.com
place 21-25 St. John,London,SW11 1TT,United Kingdom start 22:00h
Live Jazz Fusion
Tuesday June 26
place 10 Hoxton Street,London,N1 6NG,United Kingdom start 20:00h event url http://www.troybar.com
Spirit Of Soul place 10 Hoxton Street,London,N1 6NG,United Kingdom start 20:00h event url http://www.troybar.com
Rnb/ Dubstep place 20 Entertainment Avenue,London,SE10 0DX,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.incclub.co.uk
Paul Rocks! place 175 High Street,Epping,CM16 4BL,United Kingdom
36
Events
Events · Saturday June 30
start 20:30h
Adonis Cabaret
event url http://www.speakeasybar.co.uk
place 256-264 Old Street,London,EC1V 9DD,United Kingdom start 19:00h
distance 26.8 km. approximate from city center
Broken Disco place 562 Mile End Road,London,E3 4PH,United Kingdom start 21:00h
event url http://www.clubaquarium.co.uk
event url http://www.brokelondon.com
War Story: Serving In Afghanistan
place 21-25 St. John,London,SW11 1TT,United Kingdom start 22:00h
place Lambeth Road,London,SE1 6HZ,United Kingdom
event url http://www.theclaphamgrand.com
event url http://www.iwm.org.uk/exhibitions/war-story-serving-in-afghanistan
Funky House, Club Anthems
Friday Fashion Market place Brushfield Street,London,E1 6AA,United Kingdom start 09:00h description The people who brought you Alternative Fashion Week have launched a monthly market at Old Spitalfields' Horner buildings. This event is set to become 'the' platform for London's emerging and established fashion and accessory designers, positioned between trendy Hoxton and London's latest art and design hot-spot, Spitalfields, in the atmospheric listed Eastern half of the covered market. The market is held on the first Thursday of every month. event url http://www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com/the-market/friday-market.html
London Friday Night Skate place Apsley Way,London,W1J 7JZ,United Kingdom start 20:00h description The London Friday Night Skate is a weekly skate for experienced skaters. As many as 400 skaters take part. The requirements being you can stop at speed and can handle hills and bad surfaces. The route varies each week, touring various London landmarks and there is music to skate to and a 15-minute break at half time. It is very well organized and there are strict rules on behavior to ensure that everything flows smoothly and safely. event url http://www.lfns.co.uk/
Saturday June 30 Cabbages And Frocks Markets place 17 Marylebone Road,London,NW1 5LT,United Kingdom start 11:00h description The Cabbages and Frocks Markets work to promote small-scale and cottage industries, as well as new designers. It also enhances the countryside ambiance and the neighborhood feel of the area. Come by to find trendy accessories and clothes, along with home products and local food specialties. Check website for details. event url http://www.cabbagesandfrocks.co.uk/index.html
4-4-2 Football Club (8-13 Years Old) place 18 Lyonsdown Road,London,EN5 1JE,United Kingdom start 09:00h event url http://www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk/442.html distance 15.9 km. approximate from city center
Glamorous Saturdays
place 20 Entertainment Avenue,London,SE10 0DX,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.incclub.co.uk
Saturday Night Lick place 17 Greek Street,London,W1D 4DR,United Kingdom start 22:00h event url http://www.moonlightingnightclub.co.uk
DJ Mike Beats place 175 High Street,Epping,CM16 4BL,United Kingdom start 20:30h event url http://www.speakeasybar.co.uk distance 26.8 km. approximate from city center
Broadway Market place London,London,United Kingdom start 09:00h description Broadway Market has undergone a renaissance in recent years. One of London's oldest chartered markets, it was a thriving centre thirty years ago before falling out of favor. Thankfully, it has now restored its place at the heart of the community. Lined with a plethora of intriguing restaurants and shops, it's populated by quirky characters selling everything from vinyl to vintage clothes, sushi to street-wear. Here you'll find an eclectic mix of goods including handmade cheese, organic breads and pastries, organic rare breed pork, veal and venison, seafood and fresh fish, beautifully...
Carwash place 256-264 Old Street,London,EC1V 9DD,United Kingdom start 22:00h description Take me to funky town. event url http://carwash.co.uk/
Charing Cross Collector's Fair place Villiers Street,London,WC2N 6RH,United Kingdom start 08:30h description Anything that has ever been collected by anyone can be found in abundance here. Come for a browse and a rummage through the fascinating array of junk and chintz, and seek out the real gems lying in wait. If you're looking for medals, badges, stamps, coins, odds and sods, memorabilia, or even shy, eccentric collectors, then this is for you.
The Wam Bam Club place 3-4 Coventry Street,London,W1D 6BL,United Kingdom start 19:00h
37
Events
Events · Saturday June 30
event url http://www.cafedeparis.com/home
Open Mic With Niall Kelly place 20 Kingly Street,London,W1B 5PZ,United Kingdom start 16:00h event url http://www.aintnothinbut.co.uk/
38
Restaurants
Restaurants · Top Best Restaurants
place 184 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3TQ, England
Restaurants
Restaurants
Top Best Restaurants The Ledbury Cuisine European, French Price $71 - $95 place 127 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AQ, England
Petrus place 1 Kinnerton Street | Knightsbridge, London SW1X 8EA, England
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay Cuisine French Price $38 - $156 place 68 - 69 Royal Hospital Road | Chelsea, London SW3 4HP, England
Laughing Gravy Bar & Restaurant Cuisine British Price $3 - $48 place 154-156 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8EN, England
Goodman Cuisine British Price $42 - $63 place 26 Maddox Street, London W1S 1HQ, England
The Harwood Arms Cuisine British Price $25 - $39 place Walham Grove, Fulham, London, England
Whits
Zeret Kitchen Cuisine Ethiopian place 216-218 Camberwell Road, London SE5 0ED, England
Jose Cuisine Spanish place 104 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3UB, England
Soho Joe Cuisine Dessert, Mediterranean, Pizza Price $6 - $12 place 22 - 25 Dean Street, London W1D 3RY, England
Murano place 20-22 Queen Street, London W1J 5PP, England
Chez Bruce Cuisine British Price $26 - $101 place 2 Bellevue Road, London SW17 7EG, England
Top Italian Soho Joe Price $8 - $14 place 22 - 25 Dean Street, London W1D 3RY, England
Zucca - Bermondsey St. Price $40 place 184 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3TQ, England
Latium Restaurant Cuisine French Price $24 - $82 place 21 Abingdon Road, London W8 6AH, England
Le Gavroche Price $28 - $39 place 43 Upper Brook St. | Marble Arch, London W1K 7QR, England
Monmouth Coffee Company place 27 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9EP, England
Zucca - Bermondsey St. Cuisine Italian Price $40
Price $56 - $71 place 21 Berners Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3LP, England
Pizzeria Oregano Price $58 place 19 St Alban's Place, London N1 0NX, England
Pizzeria Pappagone place 131 Stroud Green Road, London N4 3PX, England
Giovannis place 10 Goodwins Ct, London WC2N 4LL, England
Sartori
39
Restaurants
Restaurants · Top Asian
place 15-18 Great Newport Street | Near Covent Garden, London WC2H 7JE, England
Santa Maria Pizzeria
Asakusa
place 15 St. Mary's Road, London W5 5RA, England
Cuisine Japanese place 265 Eversholt Street | Camden, London NW1 1BA, England
2 Veneti
Abeno
Price $101 place 10 Wigmore Street, London W1U 2RD, England
Cuisine Japanese Price $70 place 47 Museum Street, London WC1A 1LY, England
Ciullo's
Mai Sushi
place 31 Balham High Rd, London SW12 9AL, England
Top Asian Atari-Ya Sushi Bar Cuisine Japanese Price $19 - $29 place 20 James Street, London W1U 1EH, England
Yauatcha Cuisine Chinese Price $103 place 15 Broadwick Street, London W1F 0DL, England
Hakkasan Hanway Place Restaurant Cuisine Chinese Price $30 - $240 place 8 Hanway Place, Off Tottenham Court Road, Fitzrovia, London W1T 1HB, England
Cafe East
Cuisine Japanese, Sushi Price $11 - $34 place 36-38 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JB, England
Top Vegetarian Tibits Price $16 - $36 place 12-14 Heddon Street, London W1B 4DA, England
222 Veggie Vegan Price $9 - $20 place North End Road, London W14 9NU, England
Gaby's Deli Price $52 place 30 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DE, England
Mildred's place 45 Lexington Street, London W1F 9AN, England
Cuisine Vietnamese place 100 Redriff Road | Surrey Quays Leisure Centre, London SE16 7LH, England
Hashi Cuisine Japanese place 54 Durham Road | Raynes Park, London SW20 0TW, England
Mien Tay Cuisine Vietnamese place 122 Kingsland Rd, London E2 8DP, England
Grand Imperial London Cuisine Chinese Price $30 - $63 place 101 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0SJ, England
Vanilla Black Price $39 - $155 place 17- 18 Tooks Court, London EC4A 1LB, England
Food For Thought Price $7 - $17 place 31 Neal Street, London WC2H 9PR, England
Sagar Vegetarian Restaurant Price $4 - $23 place 157 King Street | Hammersmith, London W6 9JT, England
Green Cottage Price $117 place 9 New College Parade, London NW3 5EP, England
40
Restaurants
Restaurants · Top Vegetarian
Gate, The Price $25 - $41 place 51 Queen Caroline St., London, England
41
Useful info
Useful info · Weather
Useful info
Useful info
Weather Rain
22.06.2012
23.06.2012
24.06.2012
25.06.2012
26.06.2012
27.06.2012
28.06.2012
Wind
12–18 h
16°
4 mm
12 m/s Strong breeze to Southwest
18–24 h
18°
<1 mm
11 m/s Strong breeze to West
00–06 h
14°
0 mm
8 m/s Fresh Breeze to West-southwest
06–12 h
11°
<1 mm
6 m/s Moderate Breeze to West-southwest
12–18 h
19°
<1 mm
8 m/s Fresh Breeze to West-southwest
18–24 h
19°
0 mm
9 m/s Fresh Breeze to Southwest
00–06 h
13°
5 mm
7 m/s Moderate Breeze to Southwest
06–12 h
14°
5 mm
8 m/s Fresh Breeze to South
12–18 h
17°
3 mm
9 m/s Fresh Breeze to West-southwest
19–01 h
17°
<1 mm
6 m/s Moderate Breeze to Northwest
01–07 h
12°
0 mm
3 m/s Light Breeze to West-southwest
07–13 h
12°
0 mm
3 m/s Light Breeze to West-southwest
13–19 h
19°
0 mm
3 m/s Light Breeze to West-southwest
19–01 h
17°
0 mm
3 m/s Light Breeze to Southwest
01–07 h
11°
0 mm
2 m/s Light Breeze to Southwest
07–13 h
12°
<1 mm
1 m/s Light Air to South-southwest
13–19 h
18°
<1 mm
5 m/s Gentle Breeze to South-southwest
19–01 h
18°
<1 mm
5 m/s Gentle Breeze to Southwest
01–07 h
16°
<1 mm
4 m/s Gentle Breeze to Southwest
07–13 h
17°
<1 mm
5 m/s Gentle Breeze to West-southwest
13–19 h
22°
<1 mm
5 m/s Gentle Breeze to West-southwest
19–01 h
23°
0 mm
3 m/s Light Breeze to West-northwest
01–07 h
15°
0 mm
2 m/s Light Breeze to South
07–13 h
17°
0 mm
3 m/s Light Breeze to East-southeast
13–19 h
25°
<1 mm
6 m/s Moderate Breeze to SouthEast
19–01 h
24°
<1 mm
5 m/s Gentle Breeze to South-southwest
42
Useful info
Useful info · Sunrise/Sunset
Rain
29.06.2012
30.06.2012
Wind
01–07 h
15°
<1 mm
4 m/s Gentle Breeze to West
07–13 h
13°
0 mm
3 m/s Light Breeze to West-southwest
13–19 h
20°
0 mm
5 m/s Gentle Breeze to Southwest
19–01 h
20°
0 mm
4 m/s Gentle Breeze to Southwest
01–07 h
12°
0 mm
2 m/s Light Breeze to Southwest
07–13 h
13°
0 mm
1 m/s Light Air to South-southwest
13–19 h
21°
0 mm
2 m/s Light Breeze to Southwest
19–01 h
21°
0 mm
3 m/s Light Breeze to Southwest
Sunrise/Sunset Sun will rise at 04:43:23 and will set at 21:21:45 in local time.
Currency The currency from United Kingdom is the Pound Sterling (GBP). 1 GBP costs: Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.24 EUR United States Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.57 USD Yen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125.73 JPY Pound Sterling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.00 GBP Czech Koruna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.83 CZK Danish Krone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.21 DKK Forint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354.21 HUF Litas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.28 LTL New Zloty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.27 PLN Swedish Krona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.95 SEK Swiss Franc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.49 CHF Norwegian Krone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.29 NOK Croatian Kuna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.34 HRK Australian Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.54 AUD Canadian Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.60 CAD Yuan Renminbi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.99 CNY Hong Kong Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.18 HKD Rupiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,850.45 IDR Republic of Korean Won . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,812.36 KRW Ringgit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.99 MYR New Zealand Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.97 NZD Philippines Peso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66.61 PHP Singapore Dollar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00 SGD Baht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49.79 THB Rand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.93 ZAR
43
Useful info
Useful info · Emergency numbers
Emergency numbers Police: 999 or 112 Medical: 999 or 112 Fire: 999 or 112 Notes: In 2006 101 was made available as a non-emergency, non-free number for police and local authorities in a small number of areas in England and Wales. 999 and 112 can be used from any phone. When dialing 999 or 112, the caller is connected with a telecoms operator such as BT, Cable & Wireless, Railnet, or Kingston Communications, and the operator will ask what service is required. Operators have access to interpretation services covering 170 languages. Deaf people can text 18000 for the emergency services (after registration). 999 was first introduced on the 30th June 1937 in London.
44
Maps
Maps · City center
Maps
Maps
City center City center west
45
Maps
Maps · City center east
City center east
46
Maps
Maps · Bus routes
Bus routes Bus routes
47
Maps
Maps · Underground
Underground Underground
48
References
References ·
Reasonable care has been taken in creating this personalized travel guide by combining information from the sources identified under the section 'references'. However, the information is provided 'as is' and there is no warranty about the information in the guide being accurate, complete or up to date. To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, all liability arising from the use of this guide will be denied. Verifying critical information (like visas, health and safety) before you travel is recommended. References
References
London data is from Wikitravel, urls: – http://www.wikitravel.com This page was last edited at 13:51, on 8 July 2011 by Wikitravel user Burmesedays. Based on work by Dale Arnett, Wikitravel user(s) Joactman and Globe-trotter, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others. City info data is from Wikipedia, urls: – http://www.wikipedia.com Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. Events data is from Eventful, urls: – www.eventful.com Weather data is from Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation yr.no, urls: – http://www.yr.no/place/Storbritannia/England/London/ Sunset data is from Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation yr.no, urls: – http://www.yr.no/place/Storbritannia/England/London/ Currency data is from Xavier Finance Api, urls: – http://finance.xaviermedia.com/ Maps data is from Yahoo Local Maps, OpenStreetMap, Qype, urls: – http://maps.yahoo.com – http://www.openstreetmap.org – http://www.qype.com Cover data is from Flickr, urls: – http://flickr.com
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