“When a man is tired of London, he’s tired of life,” said essayist and poet Samuel Johnson back in 1777. We couldn’t agree more. With over two thousand years of history to explore and an abundance of dining and entertainment options there to please one of the world’s most diverse populations, there really is something to do, all the time. Start at the Tower of London, built in 1078 by William the Conqueror and one of the city’s four World Heritage sites, where the ravens watch over tourists as they once watched over the imprisoned Elizabeth I. Work your way down the list of the other World Heritage sites: head over to the Palace of Westminster and the nearby St. Margaret's Church and Westminster Abbey, final resting place of everyone from Mary Queen of Scots to Charles Darwin.
If you have the capacity for more history, visit Greenwich, recognized by UNESCO for the historic buildings along the district’s riverfront, and Kew Gardens, a botanical garden dating back to the 18th century. Visit the spruced-up Docklands, the city's new financial and commercial hub, and grab some lunch at one of the many restaurants along Canary Wharf. Take the tube to West End for some shopping along Oxford Street, and when night falls, catch a show or a play in Covent Garden, or perhaps a red carpet movie premiere around Leicester Square. Go for a stroll in West London’s quaint—and expensive—neighborhoods of Notting Hill and Chelsea. In East London, check out the development projects as the city gears up to host the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Partly cloudy. Mild. Temperature of 57.97°F. Winds SSW 16.5mph. Humidity will be 59% with a dewpoint of 44° and feels-like temperature of 57.97°F. Hi: 58° F, Low: 46° F.
Tomorrow's forecast
Partly cloudy. Mild. Temperature of 58.39°F. Winds SW 10.63mph. Humidity will be 62% with a dewpoint of 45° and feels-like temperature of 58.39°F. Hi: 58° F, Low: 45° F.
I wish I was one of those women who shopped glamorously. Whose attention to detail spanned even the apples she chooses and the width of the cut of her Italian cured meats. Women like that carry old fashioned shopping bags that usually have a baguette sticking out of them and go shopping for food dressed in an ‘outfit’ – she’s put herself together even to do the groceries! And will finish her shopping expedition with the purchase of a bunch of flowers. Those kinds of women find their sustenance at the Borough Markets. As do people who like to eat organic or locally grown produce, foodies and wanna be foodies, and people looking to prepare a special dinner party menu – I don’t know many places in London where you can buy hand stuffed wild boar sausages or so many different varieties of cheese or olive oil and the bakery stalls are WAY above par.
I’m not a big meat eater but I’ve been with people who’ve managed to ingest ostrich, deer and pheasant in the same meal – that’s quite a feat. In my own way I contributed to the record breaking feast by eating a brownie, a blondie (white chocolate brownie), a cheesecake brownie and a raspberry and dark chocolate brownie. If I could have handled the sugar over dose I could have got stuck into another couple of varieties.
If I was planning a perfect dinner party I would definitely come here for ingredients; from cherry and plum tomatoes that taste like they’ve been in the ground – and there is a difference trust me – to the balsamic you’ll want to squoosh them up with, the fresh fish and shellfish, meats sold to you by the men who raised it, cheese made by French nuns, the breads and wines you’ll want to serve it with and the Monmouth coffee and handmade chocolates you should be serving at the end of the meal. You can even buy locally made ales or sparkling wines if that’s your tipple of choice.
One of the best things about shopping at Borough is that you get to taste and natter. In a lot of cases it’s the producers who’re standing behind the counter, so looking mildly interested is enough to encourage them to offer you a taste and give you a run down about how it’s done and why it’s the best. And personally I enjoy that – it makes me feel like those glamorous shopping ladies. And complimentary tasters are always welcome. Before you choose your flowers from the two flower stands by the pub.
If I had to choose only one of London’s great sites to see it would be the British Museum. In fact if I had to choose a building in which I had to spend the rest of my life it would be the British Museum. There is that much to find within its halls, chambers and recesses that I think it would be a good five years or so before I got bored.
If anyone comes to visit me in London they can expect my own personal version of the grand tour. It begins with a swift left towards the Rosetta stone then you follow through to the Elgin Marbles, the contentious friezes that came off the Parthenon and ended up in the care of Lord Elgin. There are all sorts of sights to see along the way and each time I go I see something new and ancient but the tour next takes us upstairs to the Egyptian galleries past the rows of sarcophagi to the man I like to call ‘5,000 Year Old Dead Guy’. He ended up buried in a super dry sandy pit which means he still has teeth and hair yet he’s been dead for more than the aforementioned 5,000 years. Seeing him never fails to give me some perspective about my life, prune-like though he is. I then pass though the ye olde Englyish section which includes the treasures from a Viking burial mound, Roman jewellery and coins and a Bronze age cape moulded from gold. Heading back towards the front of the museum looking for the Lewis Chessmen I discovered the final stop on the tour-de-my-favourites by chance, Rooms 38-9 – the Clock Galleries.
Before I entered these rooms I had no idea how interested I am in the mechanisms that make clocks tick, but inside are watches and clocks that have been ticking continuously since the 14th Century. I never knew they had clocks in the medieval period – I thought people were still passing the time burning marked candles, but I was mistaken and I was very pleased to be put right. In fact I was totally fascinated. Now I feel the need to spread my wonder amongst my visitors…but after that I give them some free time and let them finish the tour by looking for their own wondrous discoveries.
London is my favorite city in the world . . . a bold statement, I know. This city is what I like to call a “throwback metropolis” – a nod to the seamless integration of London’s Dickens-esque past with its progressive present. I never get tired of seeing red phone booths, riding double-decker buses and stuffing my face with fish-and-chips – all of which are must-do London experiences. However, throw in a ride on the London Eye, a trip to Tate Modern and dinner at a gastropub, and experience the city beyond its better-known traditions. My most recent London adventure deftly combined old and new – Covent Garden for tea and scones, window shopping at Harrods, dim sum in Chinatown, and a trip to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to see The Lord of the Rings . . . not exactly Mary Poppins, but a modern ending to a quintessential London experience nonetheless.
Whether you’re shopping on Oxford Street or relaxing in Hyde Park, London offers plenty to see, do and explore – even on a rainy day.
Home to dozens of historical sites, art galleries, museums - and of course a tea shop or two - this capital city on the Thames is home to home to nearly 14 million residents and has become a vibrant tourist destination for millions of travelers from around the globe.
Make your way to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament for a peek into political life, or head down the Thames on a riverboat cruise to watch Tower Bridge accommodate the traveling crowds. When those hunger pangs creep up on you, hop on a Double Decker bus and head to the food market for a roundup of fresh eats.
From shopping and dining to taking a literary tour, it won’t take long to discover London’s charm!
London was nothing like I expected. I stayed at the Generator Hostel near Russell Square. They have their own bar, which makes it extremely easy to meet people from all over the world. Most buildings in the city have a six-floor height limit, so the neighborhoods feel cozier than large American cities. There were only a couple downsides. First, the air pollution is pretty bad, so it’s easier to get sick. Second, it’s an expensive city, and there’s no avoiding the terrible exchange between dollars and pounds ($1.00 currently equals £0.53). It’s vital to grab a copy of Time Out; this will inform you about clubs, restaurants, live music, plays, comedy, and any other kind of event. Still, I left feeling like I had missed some important highlights. I think London is the kind of city you have to visit more than once in order to enjoy it all.
At the risk of sounding a little cheesy…I grew up in admiration of Princess Diana. The wedding, the photos in the magazines, the drama…the whole fairy tale that went wrong. London was another world to me and I was fascinated by it. I’ve always loved any movies set in London or about historical English figures and events. A bit of an Anglophile if you want to use a technical term. It was no wonder that when I was actually there…I couldn’t get over the fact that I WAS ACTUALLY THERE!!! Standing on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral thinking “I can’t believe I’m standing here”, sitting in a pub overlooking the Tower Bridge thinking “I can’t believe I’m sitting here”, drinking tea at Kensington Palace thinking “I can’t believe I’m sitting here”, eating pizza at Harrod’s…ok, you get the point! Besides being in total awe of my very presence in London…I found it to be one of my favorite places in the world. There are so many places to see that it’s nearly impossible to do it all in one visit, which is why I went back for a second round. I would love to live there one day. The old streets, riding the “tube”, the architecture, the history, the shops, the cabs, the trains, the pubs, the buses…I could see myself as a Londoner for sure. Maybe in my next life…
My first experience in London was part of a high school trip to Paris/London with my highly disorganized French class. After spending four days in what was supposed to be the most romantic city in Europe in the springtime, I was looking forward to the Chunnel ride back into a friendlier, English-speaking society.
The Chunnel was a pleasant three-hour train ride. Before we entered the underground tunnel to fjord the English Channel, I passed the time taking in the surrounding countryside, full of green pastures and wooly sheep. Once arriving in London and sorting out the fun task of going through customs, I could already tell this would be my favorite leg of the trip. After four rainy days in a seedy section of Paris (we stayed among the red light district, I believe), the sun was beaming brightly, ready to greet 30 weary high school students. If the weather was any indication of what was to come, I was ready to put my umbrella away and take to the streets to my first stop: The Strand.
We stayed at The Strand Palace Hotel, a much swankier place that what I was used to. While putting away my suitcase and settling into my room, I was delighted to find a full set of cups and saucers, tea bags and a tea pot. I thought to myself, "This is MY kind of place." (I've been a tea connoisseur since the tender age of 10 and couldn't wait for my first official, authentic Tea.)
Wandering down to the lobby, I came upon several brochures for upcoming shows. My group and I decided to see "Chicago" at the Strand Theater, conveniently located just down the street from our hotel. (I won't you down with all the details, but the show was amazing--great acting, outstanding singing and wonderful choreography!)
Which brings me to my next favorite characteristic about London: It's easier navigable! Originally hailing from the suburbs in South Jersey, where it takes at least a 20-minute drive to find the closest thing to civilization, I found the Underground and bus system easy to use and convenient. (A word to the wise: If you're claustrophobic, using the Underground during peak hours is NOT for you!) Even during my first visit to this foreign city, I was easily able to find my way across town with the help of a simple map of the Underground system to see all the major tourist attractions.
And when the Underground and buses weren't running in the wee hours of the morning, London is also easily navigable on foot with a handy map of the city (which I picked up in the hotel lobby).
There was only one problem I came upon during my stay in London. I didn't have enough time to see everything! I've been back since my first trip and I STILL haven't seen it all. I would advise taking at least two weeks to visit London and the cultural and historic wonders it offers, but I'd recommend even three or four weeks so you can take short trips out of the city to tour nearby attractions such as Canterbury, Leeds Castle, Stratford upon Avon (the Birthplace of William Shakespeare) and Stonehenge.
I've traveled throughout several countries in Western Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. And London still sits atop my list of favorite places to visit.
Here's an abridged version of the attractions I recommend checking out while in London: Westminster Abbey, the Tate Museum, the British Museum, the Globe Theater, Buckingham Palace (learn to live like the royals), the London Eye (gives a bird's eye view of the city), 10 Downing Street, life in Soho, Hyde Park, Covent Garden, the Tower Bridge, Big Ben (and Parliament), the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, St. Paul's Cathedral and, of course, a trip to London wouldn't be complete without a stop in a local pub for fish and chips. I recommend the Eerie Pub Company, which is just down the street from St. Paul's Cathedral. It features medieval/gothic decor, speedy service and their chips are to die for!
I was a student in London for 2 1/2 years. My wife and I picked up and moved out there in 2003. Our friends leeched onto us and took full advantage of their new vacation home in SE London. So we became well versed in all things London travel.
This could very well be a 100 page opus, so I will try to be brief. Let's assume you've got a week to spend. Here's what you do...
Day 1: Find a place to stay. Since I no longer live there you can't stay with me. So I suggest finding a hostel. They're cheap and it'll force you to get up early and hit the town (unless loafing around in the morning in a room full of bunked strangers is your thing). While looking for a place to live we stayed at a place called St. Christopher's Inn in Greenwich. It's a great area on the Thames and a short train ride to the heart of London. It's also the birthplace of time and home to many beautiful parks and bloky pubs. I recommend eating at Godard's Pie Shoppe. How meat pies haven't made their way across the pond yet I will never know. Also, I suggest going to the shore and finding a ferry to the heart of London. It's a shockingly affordable trip that takes you along many sites and under the London and Tower bridges. The conductor will give you a history lesson along the way.
Day 2: Hit the cash machine. Take out 60 pounds. Then, out of curiosity, find a internet cafe and check the exchange rate in your bank account. Go through the "5 stages" - shock, horror, denial, delirium, acceptance. Spend the rest of the day polishing off the 6 pints of Stella for 5 pounds you got from the corner shop. By the way, don't overlook little things like hitting the corner shop to poke around or just anything that a local might do. So much of London is the experience of being there. I'm sure the Queen would love to see you, but she can only teach you so much about the London lifestyle.
Day 3: Visit the Queen, walk to Big Ben and the National Gallery (FREE!) and eat at one of the pubs. Pub food is usually great. You needn't look too hard to find a good one. If it looks like a stereotypical English pub then it is. There aren't many gimmicks in London. Walk up Charing Cross Road. Hang a right to Covent Garden or if you're feeling like a crowd - left to Oxford Circus. If you missed that pub before you'll be happy to find the pasty shop on the corner of Covent Garden. That's meat/potato/onion in a pastry. Again, this should really be more popular in the states than it is.
Day 4: Hit the London Bridge market. It's big and delicious. Be sure to do a round before you figure out what to eat else you'll be too stuffed if you see something more delicious. This is also a nice break from being a tourist. You can live the life a little bit and think about how it would be nice if you had a little market close by. Your friend will remind you that there is a market just down the road from where you live. You'll give each other the silent treatment the rest of the day. The market is also a nice starting point to walk along the Thames. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is just down the path.
Day 5: Get on a double-decker bus. Forget the tube, ride the bus. You can see stuff from the bus. It'll slowly chip away your romanticized perception of London, which is okay. But graffiti wasn't on the brochure! So much of London is grimy. Who knows, you might find it charming. While taking a bus down New Cross Road with my friend from India he said "This reminds me of home." The road twists through an area called Elephant & Castle and suddenly, like that, it opens up the city you've always imagined. Strange and fascinating.
6. Day Trip: Brighton. A lot of people like to go to Brighton. It's about 1 1/2 hours away by train. Part of the fun will be getting there since odds are you don't take a train very often. You can act like it's no big deal while in your head you'll be saying "WEEE!" Brighton is on the Southern Coast and boasts a big pier with amusement park-style activities. I went to Brighton a couple times and didn't fully understand what all the hoopla was about. It's a nice little city on the coast but it never really felt like the rest of England does. If you're going to England you're probably not there for the beaches. So I suggest a more ambitious day trip such as Bath.
Day 7: Time to go home. If possible, try to go through Gatwick airport. Heathrow is a long meandering ride from the center of London. (I should also note here that if you do land in Heathrow, you might not want to take my suggestion of getting a place in Greenwich, since it's on the opposite side of town). Be sure to mingle with the locals during your trip. The city itself is great, but the Brits make the experience so much more enjoyable. Some towny will always engage you in conversation at the pub if you are willing to listen to their take on the state of England. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You just might leave with some new slang, innit?
I've missed a lot. London is a huge city, however you'll find a lot of it to be walkable. Big Ben/Parliament/Buckingham Palace/Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery - all in the same area code. Come with a loose plan but don't be afraid of a little adventure. And don't forget to talk to the people, "o'ight?"
My love for London is like my addiction to dark chocolate; keep me away from it and I can live happily, but put us together and I can’t get enough. It is a 2,000 year old city with streets that run in random directions and people who drive on the left side of the road. Getting around is easy if you carry a map of the underground with you and show no fear – after all, everyone does speak English! Years ago I spent four days in London with my three teenage kids. We road on double-decker buses, taxis, and trains. I even rented a small car and we drove to the English Channel where the kids swam in the frigid water. We ordered steak and kidney pie at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street and sat where Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle use to dine. This restaurant was rebuilt in 1667 after the great fire that destroyed most of the city. Since then I have toured the Tower of London, checked out the Crown Jewels, visited St. Paul’s Cathedral and seen the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. A few years from now my grandchildren will want to see Diagon Alley and Platform nine and three quarters at King’s Cross Station. If its history you crave, this city will continue to feed your addiction.
Possibly the most expensive place I've ever been, London was also a lot of fun. There's so much to see in terms of culture, and so many different areas to explore. I really liked PIccadilly Circus. I also saw Footloose in one of London's many theaters. I strongly recommend seeing a show here, as its interesting to compare the theater to that on Broadway in New York. As far as dining, I enjoyed great Indian food, and there's always traditional pub fare, too. Grab a pint with the locals and dive into the culture. Fish 'n chips are a must, but do try them in a local pub; not a fancy touristy restaurant. They'll be much more authentic this way.
If I could live in London, I would. Though the exchange rate leaves me gasping, the sheer multitude of possible activities more than makes up for it. While the usual sightseeing spots like Big Ben, the Tower of London, Piccadilly Circus and Buckingham Palace are well worth seeing, my method of getting a feel for a city usually involves just walking around and seeing where my feet lead me. Another tried and true method of experiencing a new culture and metropolis like London is to eat my way through it. My goodness, does London have good food! Say what you will about English cuisine (“It’s all fried, hardy har har!”), my experience was that London’s mix of cultures has produced a fusion that is to die for. The area of London that I enjoyed the most during my visit was probably Chinatown. Walking through the streets, I was practically assaulted by all the delicious smells and fun merchandise stalls to pick through. I have never seen so many whole roast ducks in my life! This was also an area with one of my favorite things in the world: people everywhere of different shades and colors speaking different languages, while smiling and good-naturedly jostling each other. Multiculturalism to the max! My friends and I randomly chose a restaurant on a corner once we got hungry, and though I can’t even remember what I ate, I remember that it was made all the more delicious by the setting, the camaraderie, and my contented feeling of being exactly where I wanted to be. I truly cannot wait to go back.
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