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Few world cities can compete with the capital of England for sheer scale – its grand history, its wealth of attractions, its abundance of culture at every turn. No wonder it always ranks among the globe’s most visited destinations. It’s easy to knock an urban sprawl, home to 12 million people, but for all its critics there are many more who argue that London is one of the truly great world cities. People who live in London all their lives will not get to see and do it all, so don’t try in a weekend or even a week. To enjoy it, spend some time and choose carefully what you most want to see. Some remarkably sensible political decisions have led to many of London’s most popular museums and galleries offering free admission for all. This is a good thing, because London is not cheap. Check ‘London for free’ in the (also) free newspaper Metro. www.thisislondon.co.uk The best thing about London is, however, free – and that’s the sights. London’s vastness means you can easily spend days just wandering and marvelling with a guidebook, which is highly recommended. But typical must-sees include the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and Trafalgar Square. One piece of advice: start your visit by paying for the best view of all. It’s £11 (adult) to see the city from on high on the London Eye.
There are literally hundreds of attractions vying for your attention, but the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace remains a curiously watchable event. In summer you can even visit 19 of the palace’s staterooms while Her Majesty is on holiday (+44 (0) 20 7830 4832). From here you can walk up the majestic Mall or through pretty St James’ Park to Trafalgar Square, with the National Gallery on the north side. Take the Charing Cross Road up to Leicester Square and have a nice cheap lunch in Chinatown. Then cut across to Covent Garden, where you can spend the afternoon browsing the stalls and watching the street theatre. You’re now in Theatreland, and there’s a huge choice of shows to see, and a good range of pubs and restaurants to serve you a pre-theatre drink and a hearty dinner. Alternatively, you can push on mid-afternoon along the Embankment en route to the stunning Tate Modern, the largest modern art gallery in the world. Admission is free – and you can now walk the new wobble-free Millennium Bridge across the River Thames to get there. www.tate.org.uk If you can get a booking for dinner at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant near Sloane Square, then go for it. Otherwise settle for an early dinner with a large plate of delicious noodles at Wagamama’s at the south end of Leicester Square. Visit the kiosks in the square to pick up some late-availability theatre tickets and go to see a show. Try to fit in a pre- or post-theatre drink in a West End pub. The Lamb and Flag on Rose Street (down an alleyway off Garrick Street) is recommended. This is where the poet John Dryden was stabbed in 1700 - but the locals are a lot friendlier nowadays.
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There are literally thousands of hotels in London and whatever your requirements, there’ll be one to suit. Choose your location carefully, as you’ll be paying top prices to stay in the centre of town. Covent Garden, Soho, and the South Bank arts complex, for example, are some distance from Westminster Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, and Victoria rail/coach stations, and Knightsbridge and the museums of South Kensington are another distinct area. Decide what you most want to do and choose accordingly. For sightseeing, the four-star Jolly Hotel St Ermins is one of the best placed, within walking distance of Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Scotland Yard. The four-star Hampstead Britannia Hotel is close to the tube and also Belsize Park and Hampstead Village with its trendy bars and restaurants. The three-star Vencourt, Hammersmith, offers rooms with sweeping views of the capital and River Thames plus bar, restaurant and Jacuzzi. For a more intimate atmosphere, try the 43-room La Reserve Hotel, Fulham. Other three-star options include the Kensington Close, Berjaya Eden Park, The Imperial and Comfort Inn Hyde Park. Book on + 44 (0) 871 900 8297 or www.flybehotels.com In London Southend, there’s no shortage of small, family-run hotels and guest houses. One of the best located is the Tower Hotel (+44 (0) 1702 348 635), in the heart of the Victorian old town. The Camelia Hotel (+44 (0) 1702 587 917) is right on the seafront, offering excellent views across the Thames estuary. Or, for added comfort, try the Welbeck Hotel (+44 (0) 1702 347 736) The City and surround By car: Explore the city and the countryside in comfort and style at great prices! Get the best deal by checking Flybe's partner Avis for the best available car hire rates at www.flybe.com/avis Flybe operates its own or codeshare services from three of London’s airports.
London Gatwick By road: The airport is 45km south of London, on Junction 9 of the M23 motorway, the first junction after the M25/M23 interchange. Contact Flybe’s partner Avis for the best available car hire rates www.flybe.com/avis By bus or coach: Numerous coach services connect Gatwick with Heathrow, central London and towns and cities throughout the UK. www.gobycoach.com By rail: Services to central London (Victoria) are operated by Gatwick Express, Southern (also serving the south coast), and Capital Connect, which also operates to Luton Airport. By taxi: Taxis are readily available with fixed charges to local towns. London Luton By road: The airport is just 3km from the M1 motorway and clearly signposted from Junction 10. The airport is around 15 minutes from the M25 motorway. Contact Flybe’s partner Avis for the best available car hire rates. www.flybe.com/avis By bus or coach: A Greenline coach service operates to London’s Victoria Station via Baker Street and Marble Arch. (Visit www.greenline.co.uk or call +44 (0) 870 608 7261). Other coach services to towns and cities around the UK are also available. www.gobycoach.com By rail: Regular services into central London, the Midlands, and northern England are operated by Capital Connect (also to London Gatwick) and Midland Mainline. The Capital Connect service to London takes under 30 minutes. A free shuttle bus service operates to and from Luton Airport Parkway Station, just 2km from the terminal building. www.thameslink.co.uk By taxi: Taxis are available from the terminal forecourt. London Southend By road: London Southend Airport is just 3km (2 miles) north of the city centre. Take the A127 north from the centre and follow signs to the airport. Airport parking is free. Contact Flybe’s partner Avis for the best available car hire rates. www.flybe.com By rail: Trains run between the airport and city centre every 10 minutes throughout the day. By bus or coach: Southend Arriva (+44 (0) 8701 201 088) bus services 7a & b, 8a & b and 9 link the town and airport. By taxi: Plenty of taxis outside the terminal. For all your rail timetables and fares UK wide: National Rail Enquiries +44 (0) 8457 48 49 50 For all your rail travel requirements: Lots of people do cycle in London, and new improved cycle lanes have made it easier. It’s a great way to get around London’s huge parks. But the London traffic remains rather daunting for visitors on two wheels. www.sustrans.org.uk While it is possible to bring your car into the city, you have to pay a Congestion charge of £8 currently during weekdays. This becomes due as soon as you pass one of the white ‘C’ markings on the road, and there is no escape, even for tourists. London traffic can be a nightmare anyway, and there are parking restrictions and traffic wardens everywhere. Our advice to visitors is to use public transport. Leisure Parks: Just 12 miles south of London is Chessington World of Adventures, which is a well-established theme park with a zoo on site. The park is geared for younger children slightly more than its neighbouring attraction, Thorpe Park. With lockers, facilities for the disabled and parent-swap facility (where one parent can queue for both whilst the other minds the kids) Thorpe Park endeavours to facilitate everyone and guarantee a great day out. Both parks can be reached from Waterloo train station and have easy bus and car routes. www.chessington.co.uk
Theatre: London’s West End is world renowned for its spectacular theatre district and three new productions you won’t want to miss are Lord of the Rings, Wicked and Bad Girls. The stage production of LOTR has been greeted with fantastic amounts of praise and raises the bar in the visual capabilities of the theatre. The now international, record breaking and award winning musical Wicked is a guaranteed hit for all the family. And finally a brand new stage adaptation of the hit ITV show Bad Girls made its stage debut in the summer using the original characters from the first three TV series. Information for the shows can be found at the following web addresses Golf: The countryside surrounding Gatwick has a great selection of Golf courses. One that stands out is Chartham Park in Felcourt. Just a 20-minute drive from the airport you will be greeted by not only a golf course but also a fully-fledged country club for all the family. After a £4million revamp the club boasts a fantastic course as well as brilliant health and fitness facilities. Telephone +44 (0) 1342 870 340. www.theclubcompany.com Football: London is home to some of the top football teams in the world and when staying in the Gatwick area you will be spoilt for choice. In the London Borough of Croydon you will find Crystal Palace football, Greenwich is the home of Charlton F.C. and not too far away is Stamford Bridge in Fulham, home to Chelsea F.C. Add to this all the other great London clubs and you will have more than enough to keep you satisfied. If you are looking for a break away from London you can catch Brighton and Hove Albion team at the Withdean Stadium. Tickets for each team mentioned are available at
The London Eye: A huge constantly revolving wheel with observation gondolas, is one of the most recent, and best, innovations on London’s skyline, situated between Westminster and Hungerford Bridges. From here, you can spot what you want to do next. Chances are you’ll pick out the shining dome of Sir Christopher Wren’s St Paul’s Cathedral on Ludgate Hill (Tube: St Paul’s). There you’ll want to enjoy some more views from the open-air Golden Gallery, and try the amazing acoustics of the Whispering Gallery. Tombs and memorials include John Donne, Horatio Nelson, The Duke of Wellington, Henry Moore, Sir Christopher Wren himself, and a tribute to the Americans who died in Britain during World War 2. (Tube: Westminster/Waterloo). Tower of London: The next stop, built on the site of William the Conqueror’s bold (and largely successful) attempt to subdue the native English after invading from Normandy in 1066. Arrive early to beat the crowds and take a free guided tour with a red-coated Beefeater, who will show and tell you all about Traitor’s gate, the chopping-block on Tower Green, the Armoury, and the Crown Jewels. (Tube: Tower Hill). The British Museum: It is too big to tackle in a day or in a week; try booking the 90-minute tour for £8 if you want to make any sense of it all. (Tube: Russell Square/Tottenham Court Road). www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Head south now to: ‘Westminster Abbey: 'The Tower of Big Ben…’ so the song goes, and that’s your next stop. All our monarchs bar two since William the Conqueror have been crowned here, and many are buried here, as are the poets Browning, Tennyson, Dryden, and Johnson. Move on to the neo-gothic extravaganza that is the Houses of Parliament, one of the most recognizable buildings on the planet. Check the website for when you are allowed to visit. (Tube: Westminster). Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre: It’s worth it if you can get into a performance. This is as authentic as any production is going to get, and the actors work their socks off to make it as accessible as possible for a modern audience. There is also an exhibition focusing on Shakespeare’s plays.
All roads lead out of London, the central transportation hub for exploring the surrounding countryside. Easy day trips range from the historic university city of Oxford (an hour from Paddington) to cosmopolitan Brighton with its magnificent Royal Pavilion on the coast (one hour from Victoria). Then there are the cobbled streets of Canterbury (one hour 45 min). Historic Leeds Castle is nestled in the Kent countryside near Maidstone. Visitors can explore the medieval grounds, play a round of golf, or even take a balloon ride. Situated on the north bank of the Thames estuary, Southend-on-Sea is only 60km east of London, and has a 10km sandy beach and the world’s longest pier. The town centre boasts four nightclubs, three casinos, and more than 300 restaurants, pubs, and wine bars.
London may be a capital of cool, and the licensing hours are changing, but it is not quite yet a 24-hour city. Shortly after the pubs close at 23.00, the Tube shuts up too. But if you want to dance or drink the night away, there are places that will keep going until the Underground starts up again around 5:30 a.m. Ministry of Sound (Tube: Elephant and Castle) +44 (0) 20 7378 6528 Cargo (Tube: Old Street) +44 (0) 20 7739 3440 Velvet Room (Tube: Tottenham Court Road) +44 (0) 20 7439 4655. For information on bars, restaurants, and clubs, visit www.visitlondon.com London is famed the world over for its West End theatre shows. For the best shows and the best seats pre-booking well in advance is strongly recommended although late availability and returned tickets can often be picked up. Contact the theatres direct or search availability through agencies such as www.ticketmaster.co.uk Within the last year property prices have gone up in just three places in the UK, Wales, London and the South East. First time buyers will struggle to find a place in Surrey, as the average house price is a whopping £363, 554. The average in the southeast as a whole is £256,559 according to the BBC. The Communities and Local Government Department (DCLG) state that London house prices have gone up by 14.5% over the last year. With higher interest rates first time buyers are beginning to think twice about owning a property.
Hugely expensive to visit or live in, with outrageous hotel and property prices, questionable levels of service, and a dodgy climate, London is still in a league of its own for quality of life. There’s so much to see and do, that, as long as your wallet holds up, you’ll be endlessly entertained. England’s capital seems large enough to absorb all and any changes thrown at it and still retain its charm. Even if, in a proposed move that baffles most Britons, we sell our famous Stock Exchange to the Germans, and allow Americans and the French to continue to run our Tube and train services, the essential nature of the place will remain unchanged. After all, it was founded by the Italians, pillaged by the Danes, and has been running in a charmingly chaotic fashion for nearly 2,000 years. It’s a fair bet it’ll still be a fine place to live and work for the next 2,000. London Chamber of Commerce, Cambridge House, 4 Cambridge Rd, Barking (tel. +44 (0) 020 8594 3195
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Was it the sheer variety of London’s street markets that turned the British into a nation of shopaholics? Or our naturally acquisitive nature tempered with a Caledonian eye for a bargain that spawned this commercial phenomenon? Nowhere else in the world do so many go shopping for so much, with so little, to paraphrase one of London’s more famous sons. And as the high street choice for food shopping, in whichever Tesco or Sainsbury’s you favour, becomes more and more limited, this is where the discerning buyer goes. There are markets for everything, every day, all over London. Do as Londoners do, and make them the focus for a great day out. Here are some of the best: Borough Market: Recently voted London’s top tourist attraction, not just for organic bread, honey, cheese, meat and veg, but also for the opportunities it affords to spot telly chefs doing their shopping. Handy for popular tourist attractions Winston Churchill’s Britain at War Experience and the London Dungeon, both of which are likely to put you off your lunch. Instead, try a pint in the ancient George pub, London’s only remaining galleried inn. (Fri p.m., Sat) Portobello Road: Several markets in one, with antiques, food, fruit and veg, clothes and jewellery, and bric a brac. This is Notting Hill country, but not all the stallholders look like Hugh Grant. (Mon-Sat, Thurs a.m. only; Antiques Sat) Brick Lane Market: This is a traditional flea market, selling everything from bagels to furniture to pre-owned clothes to seafood. Worth a browse just for the multicultural atmosphere. You have a choice of the Brick Lane Beigel Bake or a curry from Café Naz for lunch. (Sunday) Brixton Market: Brixton, once a slightly edgy, exotic suburb of London, is now easily reachable by the Victoria Line Tube, and has gone mainstream. But the food market is still good for exotic fruit and veg, and halal meat. Also clothes, toys, and phone accessories. There are often good bands at the Brixton Academy. (Mon-Sat)
Greenwich Market: Here are markets for antiques, food, and crafts, with the latter being a good place to search out holiday gifts. Take the boat to Greenwich Pier, see the Cutty Sark, have a snooze in Greenwich Park, and do the Wren-designed Observatory in the afternoon. (Antiques Sat-Sun; Crafts Thur-Sun; Food Sat) Camden Market: This part of London was once known for its ‘rural lanes, hedge side roads, lovely fields, and fresh air’, all of which would come as a surprise to the modern visitor. The area around the Lock has become home to no less than five markets, selling everything from clothes to jewellery, furniture to crafts, with some interesting ethnic food stalls. (Daily) Petticoat Lane Market: This is good for women’s clothes, as well as toys and electronic goods. Make sure you have a pint in an East End pub to celebrate your purchases. Alternatively, visit Tubby Isaac’s stall on the corner of Whitechapel High Street and Old Castle Street for a plate of winkles. (Mon-Fri, Sun; mornings best) Spitalfields Market: The big indoor market sells CDs, books, cards, stamps, jewellery, clothes, and food. Try one of the surrounding pubs for lunch, before the wrecker’s ball achieves what Hitler could not, and these relics of the original East End disappear forever. (Mon-Fri, Sun) |
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