Immediately east of The City (and Liverpool Street Station), London’s East End is a vibrant neighborhood with great eateries, lively markets, and interesting street art. It’s also known as “Banglatown” for its Bangladeshi communities and curry houses along Brick Lane. Anchoring the area is Old Spitalfields Market, filled with merchants and creative food counters (see here and here).
In medieval times, this was the less desirable end, in part because it was downwind from the noxious hide-tanning district. London’s east/west disparity was exacerbated in Victorian times, when the wind carried the pollution of a newly industrialized London. And it was during this time that Jack the Ripper terrorized this neighborhood.
This area has also long been the city’s arrival point for new immigrants, from the French Protestant Huguenots (late 16th century), to Ashkenazi Jews (late 19th century), to Bangladeshi refugees (1970s). This mixing of cultures—along with a spirit of redevelopment—has given this area a wonderful energy that’s well worth exploring.
This low-key museum (formerly the Geffrye Museum) is housed in an 18th-century almshouse north of Liverpool Street Station. Its rooms are furnished, themed to everyday life in different times and all very well described. It’s an intimate peek at the middle class as its comforts evolved from 1600 to 2000. In summer, explore the fragrant herb garden. The museum has been closed for renovation but should be reopened by the time you visit; check locally.
Cost and Hours: Free, £3 suggested donation, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, garden open April-Oct, 136 Kingsland Road, tel. 020/7739-9893, www.museumofthehome.org.uk.
Getting There: Take the Tube to Liverpool Street, then ride the bus 10 minutes north (bus #149 or #242—leave station through Bishopsgate exit and head left a few steps to find stop; hop off at the Pearson Street stop, just after passing the brick museum on the right). Or take the East London line on the Overground to the Hoxton stop, which is right next to the museum.
This riverside path is a popular pub-crawling pedestrian promenade that stretches all along the South Bank, offering grand views of the Houses of Parliament and St. Paul’s. On a sunny day, this is the place to see Londoners out strolling. The Walkway hugs the river except just east of London Bridge, where it cuts inland for a couple of blocks. It has been expanded into a 60-mile “Greenway” circling the city, including the 2012 Olympics site.
This giant Ferris wheel, towering above London opposite Big Ben, is one of the world’s highest observational wheels and London’s answer to the Eiffel Tower. Riding it is a memorable experience, even though London doesn’t have much of a skyline, and the price is borderline outrageous. Whether you ride or not, the wheel is a sight to behold.
The experience starts with an engaging, four-minute show combining a 4-D movie with wind and water effects. Then it’s time to spin around the Eye. Twenty-eight people ride in each of its 32 air-conditioned capsules (representing the boroughs of London) for the 30-minute rotation (you go around only once). From the top of this 443-foot-high wheel—the second-highest public viewpoint in the city—even Big Ben looks small. Built to celebrate the new millennium, the Eye has become a permanent fixture on the London skyline and inspired countless other cities to build their own wheels.
Cost and Hours: £30, cheaper online, family ticket and combo-ticket with Madame Tussauds and other attractions available; daily 10:00-20:30 or later, Sept-May generally 11:00-18:00, check website for latest schedule, these are last-ascent times, Tube: Waterloo or Westminster. Thames boats come and go from London Eye Pier at the foot of the wheel.
Advance Tickets and Crowd-Beating Tips: The London Eye is busiest between 11:00 and 17:00, especially on weekends year-round and every day in July and August. For visits during these times, buy timed-entry tickets online in advance at www.londoneye.com or in person at the box office (in the corner of the County Hall building nearest the Eye); day-of tickets can sell out. You can present your advance ticket on your phone; otherwise print it at home, retrieve it from an onsite ticket machine (bring your payment card and confirmation code), or stand in the “Ticket Collection” line. Even if you buy in advance, you may wait 30-45 minutes to board your capsule. The Fast Track ticket may still entail a wait up to 30 minutes—it’s probably not worth the expense.
This impressive museum covers the wars and conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries. You can walk chronologically through World War I, to the rise of fascism, World War II, the Cold War, The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and terrorism. Rather than glorify war, the museum explores the human side of the wartime experience and its effect on people back home. It raises thoughtful questions about one of civilization’s more uncivilized, persistent traits. Allow plenty of time; lots of artifacts, interactive experiences, and multimedia exhibits can be engrossing.
Cost and Hours: Free, £5 suggested donation, special exhibits extra, daily 10:00-18:00, last entry one hour before closing, Tube: Lambeth North or Elephant and Castle; buses #3, #12, and #159 from Westminster area; tel. 020/7416-5000, www.iwm.org.uk.
Visiting the Museum: Start in the atrium to grasp the massive scale of warfare as you wander among and under notable battle machines. The Spitfire plane overhead flew in the Battle of Britain. From here, the displays unfold chronologically as you work your way up from floor to floor. On level 0, enter The First World War, with hundreds of fascinating items. The highlight of the exhibit is a reconstructed trench, with a massive tank rearing overhead, where you’re bombarded with the sounds of war. Climb the stairs for exhibits on World War II. A video clip shows the mesmerizing Adolf Hitler, who roused a defeated Germany to rearm for war again. At the museum shop, double back to see displays on Britain’s fight against the Nazis in North Africa and Operation Overlord—i.e., D-Day.
Level 2, which may be under renovation in 2020, covers the Post-War Years, which began (as the plaque says) “In the shadow of The Bomb” (alongside an actual casing made for the Hiroshima bomb). Level 3 generally has temporary exhibits shedding light on why humans fight. The most powerful exhibit is on level 4—The Holocaust. Photos, video clips, and a few artifacts trace the sad story. A room-size model of the Auschwitz camp testifies to the scale of the slaughter and its banal orderliness. Crowning the museum on level 5, the Lord Ashcroft Gallery celebrates Britain’s heroes who received the Victoria and George Crosses.
These sights are in Southwark (SUTH-uck), the core of the tourist’s South Bank. Southwark was for centuries the place Londoners would go to escape the rules and decency of the city and let their hair down. Bearbaiting, brothels, rollicking pubs, and theater—you name the dream, and it could be fulfilled just across the Thames. A run-down warehouse district through the 20th century, it’s been gentrified with classy restaurants, office parks, pedestrian promenades, major sights (such as the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe), and a colorful collection of lesser sights. The area is easy on foot and a scenic—though circuitous—way to connect the Tower of London with St. Paul’s.
This striking museum fills a former power station across the river from St. Paul’s with a powerhouse collection including Dalí, Picasso, Warhol, and much more.
Cost and Hours: Free, £5 suggested donation, fee for special exhibits; daily 10:00-18:00, Fri-Sat until 22:00, last entry to special exhibits 45 minutes before closing, especially crowded on weekend days (crowds thin out Fri and Sat evenings); view restaurant on top floor, across the Millennium Bridge from St. Paul’s; Tube: Southwark, London Bridge, St. Paul’s, Mansion House, or Blackfriars plus a 10- to 15-minute walk; or connect by Tate Boat museum ferry from Tate Britain—see here; tel. 020/7887-8888, www.tate.org.uk.
Tours: Free 45-minute guided tours are offered at the top of each hour between 11:00 and 16:00; free 10-minute gallery talks take place on occasion (see info desk for details).
Visiting the Museum: The permanent collection is generally on levels 2, 4, and part of level 3 of the Natalie Bell Building. Paintings are arranged according to theme, not artist. Paintings by Picasso, for example, might be scattered in different rooms on different levels. To help you get started, find the “Start Display” room on level 2—highlighting a range of artworks.
Since 1960, London has rivaled New York as a center for the visual arts. You’ll find British artists displayed here—look for work by David Hockney, Henry Moore, and Barbara Hepworth. American art is also prominently represented—keep an eye out for abstract expressionist works by Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock, and the pop art of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. After you see the Old Masters of Modernism (Matisse, Picasso, Kandinsky, and so on), push your mental envelope with works by Pollock, Miró, Bacon, Picabia, Beuys, Twombly, and beyond.
You’ll find temporary exhibits throughout the museum—some free, some requiring a special admission. Additionally, the main hall features a different monumental installation by a prominent artist each year. The museum’s newer twisted-pyramid, 10-story Blavatnik Building also hosts changing themed exhibitions, performance art, experimental film, and interactive sculpture incorporating light and sound.
The pedestrian bridge links St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Tate Modern across the Thames. This is London’s first new bridge in a century. When it opened, the $25 million bridge wiggled when people walked on it, so it promptly closed for repairs; 20 months and $8 million later, it reopened. Nicknamed the “blade of light” for its sleek minimalist design (370 yards long, four yards wide, stainless steel with teak planks), its clever aerodynamic handrails deflect wind over the heads of pedestrians.
This replica of the original Globe Theatre was built, half-timbered and thatched, as it was in Shakespeare’s time. (This is the first thatched roof constructed in London since they were outlawed after the Great Fire of 1666.) It serves as a working theater by night and offers tours by day. The original Globe opened in 1599, debuting Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. The Globe originally accommodated 2,200 seated and another 1,000 standing. Today, slightly smaller and leaving space for reasonable aisles, the theater holds 800 seated and 600 groundlings.
Its promoters brag that the theater melds “the three A’s”—actors, audience, and architecture—with each contributing to the play. The working theater hosts authentic performances of Shakespeare’s plays with actors in period costumes, modern interpretations of his works, and some works by other playwrights. For details on attending a play, see here.
The complex’s smaller Sam Wanamaker Playhouse—an indoor, horseshoe-shaped Jacobean theater—allows the show to go on in the winter, when it’s too cold for performances in the outdoor Globe. Seating fewer than 350, the playhouse is more intimate and sometimes uses authentic candle lighting for period performances. While the Globe mainly presents Shakespeare’s works, the playhouse tends to focus on the works of his contemporaries (Jonson, Marlow, Fletcher) and some new plays, though there’s some crossover.
Touring the Globe: Tours depart from the box office every half-hour and last for 40 minutes (£17, £10 for kids 5-15; during outdoor theater season—April-mid-Oct—last tours depart Mon at 17:00, Tue-Sat at 12:30, Sun at 11:30; off-season last tours at 17:00; Tube: Mansion House or London Bridge plus a 10-minute walk; tel. 020/7902-1400, www.shakespearesglobe.com).
Eating: The $$$ Swan at the Globe café offers a sit-down restaurant (for lunch and dinner, reservations recommended, tel. 020/7928-9444, www.swanlondon.co.uk), a drinks-and-plates bar, and a sandwich-and-coffee cart (Mon-Fri 8:00-closing, depends on performance times, Sat-Sun from 10:00).
While made a cathedral only in 1905, this has been the neighborhood church since the 13th century, and comes with some interesting history. The enthusiastic docents give impromptu tours if you ask.
Cost and Hours: Free, £1 map serves as photo permit, Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00, Sat-Sun from 8:30, Tube: London Bridge, tel. 020/7367-6700, www.cathedral.southwark.anglican.org.
Music: The cathedral hosts evensong Sun at 15:00, Tue-Fri at 17:30, and some Sat at 16:00; organ recitals are Mon at 13:15 and music recitals Tue at 15:15 (call or check website to confirm times).
Climb a tight and creaky wooden spiral staircase to a church attic where you’ll find a garret used to dry medicinal herbs, a fascinating exhibit on Victorian surgery, cases of well-described 19th-century medical paraphernalia, and a special look at “anesthesia, the defeat of pain.” Then you stumble upon Britain’s oldest operating theater, where limbs were sawed off way back in 1821.
Cost and Hours: £6.50, Tue-Sun 10:30-17:00, Mon from 14:00, 9a St. Thomas Street, Tube: London Bridge, tel. 020/7188-2679, www.oldoperatingtheatre.com.
Rocketing dramatically 1,020 feet above the south end of the London Bridge, this addition to London’s skyline is by far the tallest building in Western Europe...for now. Designed by Renzo Piano (best known as the co-architect of Paris’ Pompidou Center), the glass-clad pyramid shimmers in the sun and its prickly top glows like the city’s nightlight after dark. Its uppermost floors are set aside as public viewing galleries, but the ticket price is as outrageously high as the building itself, especially given that it’s a bit far from London’s most exciting landmarks. (For cheaper view opportunities in London, see the sidebar on here.)
Cost and Hours: £39—book online in advance, advance ticket includes free return ticket in case of bad weather, otherwise pay 25 percent more on-site; family ticket available, least crowded on weekday mornings, but perhaps better photo opportunities in the early evening (less haze); daily 10:00-22:00, shorter hours Oct-March; Tube: London Bridge—use London Bridge exit and follow signs, tel. 0844-499-7111, www.theviewfromtheshard.com.
This former Royal Navy warship, a veteran of World War II that took part in the D-Day invasion, clogs the Thames just upstream from the Tower Bridge. The huge vessel—now manned with wax sailors—thrills kids who always dreamed of sitting in a turret shooting off their imaginary guns. If you’re into WWII warships, this is the ultimate. Otherwise, it’s just an expensive opportunity to get lots of exercise with a nice view of the Tower Bridge.
Cost and Hours: £18, cheaper online, kids 5-15—£9, kids under 5—free, family ticket available, includes audioguide; daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-Feb until 17:00, last entry one hour before closing; Tube: London Bridge, tel. 020/7940-6300, www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast.
The glassy, egg-shaped building near the south end of Tower Bridge is London’s City Hall, designed by Sir Norman Foster, the architect who worked on London’s Millennium Bridge and Berlin’s Reichstag. Nicknamed “the Armadillo,” City Hall houses the office of London’s mayor—it’s here that the mayor consults with the Assembly representatives of the city’s 25 districts. An interior spiral ramp allows visitors to watch and hear the action below in the Assembly Chamber—ride the lift to floor 2 (the highest visitors can go) and spiral down. On the lower ground floor is a large aerial photograph of London and a handy cafeteria. Next to City Hall is the outdoor amphitheater called The Scoop (see here for info on performances).
Cost and Hours: Free, open to visitors Mon-Thu 8:30-18:00, Fri until 17:30, closed Sat-Sun; Tube: London Bridge Station plus 10-minute walk, or Tower Hill Station plus 15-minute walk; tel. 020/7983-4000, www.london.gov.uk.
One of Europe’s great art houses, Tate Britain specializes in British painting from the 16th century through modern times. The museum has a good representation of William Blake’s religious sketches, the Pre-Raphaelites’ naturalistic and detailed art, Gainsborough’s aristocratic ladies, and the best collection anywhere of J. M. W. Turner’s swirling works.
Cost and Hours: Free, £4 suggested donation, fee for special exhibits; daily 10:00-18:00, last entry 45 minutes before closing; free tours generally daily; on the Thames River, south of Big Ben and north of Vauxhall Bridge, Tube: Pimlico, Tate Boat museum ferry goes directly to the museum from Tate Modern—see here; tel. 020/7887-8888, www.tate.org.uk.
Tours: Free guided tours are generally offered daily at 11:00 (the best overview tour), with specialty tours at 12:00, 14:00, and 15:00.
Visiting the Museum: Works from the early centuries are located in the west half of the building (to your left), and 20th-century art is in the east half. Also to the east, in the adjacent Clore Gallery, are the works of J. M. W. Turner, John Constable, and William Blake. The Tate rotates its vast collection of paintings, so it’s difficult to predict exactly which works will be on display. Pick up a map as you enter (£1 suggested donation) or download the museum’s helpful app for a room-by-room guide.
1700-1800—Art Blossoms: With peace at home (under three King Georges), a strong overseas economy, and a growing urban center in London, England’s artistic life began to bloom. As the English grew more sophisticated, so did their portraits. Painters branched out into other subjects, capturing slices of everyday life (find William Hogarth’s unflinchingly honest portraits, and Thomas Gainsborough’s elegant, educated women).
1800-1850—The Industrial Revolution: Newfangled inventions were everywhere, but along with technology came factories coating towns with soot, urban poverty, regimentation, and clock-punching. Many artists rebelled against “progress” and the modern world. They escaped the dirty cities to commune with nature. Or they found a new spirituality in intense human emotions, expressed in dramatic paintings of episodes from history. In rooms dedicated to the 1800s, you may see a number of big paintings devoted to the power of nature.
1837-1901—The Victorian Era: In the world’s wealthiest nation, the prosperous middle class dictated taste in art. They admired paintings that were realistic (showcasing the artist’s talent and work ethic), depicting slices of everyday life. Some paintings tug at the heartstrings, with scenes of parting couples, the grief of death, or the joy of families reuniting.
Overdosed with the gushy sentimentality of their day, a band of 20-year-old artists—including Sir John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and William Holman Hunt—said “Enough!” and dedicated themselves to creating less saccharine art (the Pre-Raphaelites). Like the Impressionists who followed them, they donned their scarves, barged out of the stuffy studio, and set up outdoors, painting trees, streams, and people, like scientists on a field trip. Still, they often captured nature with such a close-up clarity that it’s downright unnatural.
British Impressionism: Realistic British art stood apart from the modernist trends in France, but some influences drifted across the Channel (Rooms 1890 and 1900). John Singer Sargent (American-born) studied with Parisian Impressionists, learning the thick, messy brushwork and play of light at twilight. James Tissot used Degas’ snapshot technique to capture a crowded scene from an odd angle. And James McNeill Whistler (born in America, trained in Paris, lived in London) composed his paintings like music—see some of his paintings’ titles.
1900-1950—World Wars: As two world wars whittled down the powerful British Empire, it still remained a major cultural force. British art mirrored many of the trends and “-isms” pioneered in Paris (Room 1930). You’ll see Cubism like Picasso’s, abstract art like Mondrian’s, and so on. But British artists also continued the British tradition of realistic paintings of people and landscapes.
If British painters were less than avant-garde, their sculptors were cutting edge. Henry Moore’s statues—mostly female, mostly reclining—capture the human body in a few simple curves, with minimal changes to the rock itself. Francis Bacon has become Britain’s best-known 20th-century painter, exemplifying the angst of the early post-WWII years. His deformed half-humans/half-animals express the existential human predicament of being caught in a world not of your own making, isolated and helpless to change it.
1950-2000—Modern World: No longer a world power, Britain in the Swinging ’60s became a major exporter of pop culture. British art’s traditional strengths—realism, portraits, landscapes, and slice-of-life scenes—were redone in the modern style. Look for works by David Hockney, Lucian Freud, Bridget Riley, and Gilbert and George.
Clore Gallery: Walking through J. M. W. Turner’s life’s work, you can watch Turner’s style evolve from clear-eyed realism to hazy proto-Impressionism (1775-1851). You’ll also see how Turner dabbled in different subjects: landscapes, seascapes, Roman ruins, snapshots of Venice, and so on. The corner room of the Clore Gallery is dedicated to John Constable (1776-1837), who painted the English landscape realistically, without idealizing it.
This museum tells the story of the British army from 1415 through the Bosnian conflict and Iraq, and how it influences today’s society. The five well-signed galleries are neatly arranged by theme—“Army,” “Battle,” “Soldier,” “Society,” and “Insight”—with plenty of interactive exhibits for kids. History buffs appreciate the carefully displayed artifacts, from 17th-century uniforms to Wellington’s battle cloak. Other highlights of the collection include the skeleton of Napoleon’s horse, Lawrence of Arabia’s silk robe, and Burberry’s signature trench coat (originally designed for WWI soldiers).
Cost and Hours: Free, £5 suggested donation, daily 10:00-17:30; Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, Tube: 10-minute walk from Sloane Square, exit the station and head south on Lower Sloane Street, turn right on Royal Hospital Road, the museum is two long blocks ahead on the left, tel. 020/7730-0717, www.nam.ac.uk.
Having beaten Napoleon at Waterloo, Arthur Wellesley, the First Duke of Wellington, was once the most famous man in Europe. He was given a huge fortune, with which he purchased London’s ultimate address, Number One London. His refurbished mansion offers a nice interior, a handful of world-class paintings, and a glimpse at the life of the great soldier and two-time prime minister. The highlight is the large ballroom, the Waterloo Gallery, decorated with Anthony van Dyck’s Charles I on Horseback (over the main fireplace), Diego Velázquez’s earthy Water-Seller of Seville (to the left of Van Dyck), and Jan Steen’s playful Dissolute Household (to the right). Just outside the door, in the Portico Room, is a large portrait of the Duke of Wellington by Francisco Goya. The place is well described by the included audioguide, which has sound bites from the current Duke of Wellington (who still lives at Apsley).
Cost and Hours: £10.30, Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00, closed Mon-Tue, shorter hours Nov-March, open only Sat-Sun in Jan-March, 20 yards from Hyde Park Corner Tube station, tel. 020/7499-5676, www.english-heritage.org.uk.
London’s “Central Park,” originally Henry VIII’s hunting grounds, has more than 600 acres of lush greenery, Santander Cycles rental stations, the huge man-made Serpentine Lake (with rental boats and a lakeside swimming pool), the royal Kensington Palace (described next), and the ornate Neo-Gothic Albert Memorial across from the Royal Albert Hall (for more about the park, see www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park). The western half of the park is known as Kensington Gardens. The park is huge—study a Tube map to choose the stop nearest to your destination.
On Sundays, from just after noon until early evening, Speakers’ Corner offers soapbox oratory at its best (northeast corner of the park, Tube: Marble Arch). Characters climb their stepladders, wave their flags, pound emphatically on their sandwich boards, and share what they are convinced is their wisdom. Regulars have resident hecklers who know their lines and are always ready with a verbal jab or barb. “The grass roots of democracy” is actually a holdover from when the gallows stood here and the criminal was allowed to say just about anything he wanted to before he swung. I dare you to raise your voice and gather a crowd—it’s easy to do.
The Princess Diana Memorial Fountain honors the “People’s Princess,” who once lived in nearby Kensington Palace. The low-key circular stream, great for cooling off your feet on a hot day, is in the south-central part of the park, near the Albert Memorial and Serpentine Gallery (Tube: Knightsbridge). A similarly named but different sight, the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, in the park’s northwest corner, is loads of fun for kids (Tube: Queensway).
For nearly 150 years (1689-1837), Kensington was the royal residence, before Buckingham Palace became the official home of the monarch. Sitting primly on its pleasant parkside grounds, the palace gives a barren yet regal glimpse into royal life—particularly that of Queen Victoria, who was born and raised here.
After Queen Victoria moved the monarchy to Buckingham Palace, lesser royals bedded down at Kensington. Princess Diana lived here both during and after her marriage to Prince Charles (1981-1997). More recently, Will and Kate moved in. However—as many disappointed visitors discover—none of these more recent apartments are open to the public. The palace hosts a revolving series of temporary exhibits, some great, others not so. To see what’s on during your visit, check online.
Cost and Hours: £17.50; daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-Feb until 16:00, last entry one hour before closing; a long 10-minute stroll through Kensington Gardens from either High Street Kensington or Queensway Tube stations, tel. 0844-482-7788, www.hrp.org.uk.
Outside: Garden enthusiasts enjoy popping into the secluded Sunken Garden, 50 yards from the exit. Consider afternoon tea at the nearby Orangery (see here), built as a greenhouse for Queen Anne in 1704.
(See “Victoria & Albert Museum Tour” map.)
The world’s top collection of decorative arts encompasses 2,000 years of art and design (ceramics, stained glass, fine furniture, clothing, jewelry, carpets, and more), displaying a surprisingly interesting and diverse assortment of crafts from the West, as well as from Asian and Islamic cultures. There’s much to see, including Raphael’s tapestry cartoons, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, the huge Islamic Ardabil Carpet (4,914 knots in every 10 square centimeters), a cast of Trajan’s Column that depicts the emperor’s conquests, and pop culture memorabilia, including the jumpsuit Mick Jagger wore for The Rolling Stones’ 1972 world tour.
Cost and Hours: Free, £5 donation requested, fee for some special exhibits, daily 10:00-17:45, some galleries open Fri until 22:00, free tours daily, much-needed map—£1 donation; on Cromwell Road in South Kensington, Tube: South Kensington, from the Tube station a long tunnel leads directly to museum, tel. 020/7942-2000, www.vam.ac.uk.
Visiting the Museum: In the Grand Entrance lobby, look up into the rotunda to see the 1 Dale Chihuly chandelier, epitomizing the spirit of the V&A’s collection—beautiful manufactured objects that demonstrate technical skill and innovation, wedding the old with the new, and blurring the line between arts and crafts.
Now look up to the balcony (above the shop) and see the pointed arches of the 2 Hereford Screen, a 35-by-35-foot, eight-ton rood screen (built for the Hereford Cathedral’s sacred altar area). It looks medieval, but it was created with the most modern materials the Industrial Revolution could produce. George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878), who built the screen, redesigned much of London in the Neo-Gothic style, restoring old churches such as Westminster Abbey, renovating the Houses of Parliament, and building new structures like St. Pancras Station and the Albert Memorial—some 700 buildings in all.
The V&A has (arguably) the best collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy. One prime example is 3 Samson Slaying a Philistine, by Giambologna (c. 1562), carved from a single block of marble, which shows the testy Israelite warrior rearing back, brandishing the jawbone of an ass, preparing to decapitate a man who’d insulted him.
The 4 Medieval and Renaissance Galleries display 1,200 years of decorative arts, showing how the mix of pagan-Roman and medieval-Christian elements created modern Europe. In Room 8 is a glass case displaying the blue-and-gold, shoebox-sized 5 Becket Casket, which contains the mortal remains (or relics) of St. Thomas Becket, who was brutally murdered. The enamel-and-metal workbox is a specialty of Limoges, France. In Room 10a, you’ll run into the 6 Boar and Bear Hunt Tapestry. Though most medieval art depicted the Madonna and saints, this colorful wool tapestry—woven in Belgium—provides a secular slice of life.
Two floors up, you’ll see the tiny, pocket-size 7 notebook by Leonardo da Vinci (Codex Forster III, 1490-1493), which dates from the years when he was living in Milan, shortly before undertaking his famous Last Supper fresco. The book’s contents are all over the map: meticulous sketches of the human head, diagrams illustrating nature’s geometrical perfection, a horse’s leg for a huge equestrian statue, and even drawings of the latest ballroom fashions. The adjacent computer lets you scroll through three of his notebooks and even flip his backwards handwriting to make it readable.
Back on level 0, enter Room 46b, and find 8 Michelangelo casts and other replica statues. These plaster-cast versions of famous Renaissance statues allowed 19th-century art students who couldn’t afford a rail pass to study the classics. In Room 42, you’ll see 9 Islamic art, reflecting both religious influences and a sophisticated secular culture. Many Islamic artists expressed themselves with beautiful but functional objects, such as the 630-square-foot Ardabil Carpet (1539-1540), which likely took a dozen workers years to complete. Also in the room are ceramics and glazed tile—all covered top to bottom in similarly complex patterns. The intricate interweaving, repetition, and unending lines suggest the complex, infinite nature of God (Allah).
In the hallway (technically “Room” 47b) is a glass case with a statue of 10 Shiva Nataraja, one of the hundreds, if not thousands, of godlike incarnations of Hinduism’s eternal being, Brahma. As long as Shiva keeps dancing, the universe will continue. In adjoining Room 41, a glass case in the center of the room contains 11 possessions of Emperor Shah Jahana, including a cameo portrait, thumb ring, and wine cup (made of white nephrite jade, 1657). Shah Jahan—or “King of the World”—ruled the largest empire of the day, covering northern India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. At the far end of Room 41 is the huge wood-carved 12 Tipu’s Tiger, a life-size robotic toy, once owned by an oppressed Indian sultan. When you turned the crank, the Brit’s left arm would flail, and both he and the tiger would roar through organ pipes. (The mechanism still works.)
The 13 Fashion Galleries display centuries of English fashion, from ladies’ underwear, hoop skirts, and rain gear to high-society evening wear, men’s suits, and more. Across the hall are 14 Raphael’s tapestry cartoons. The V&A owns seven of these full-size designs (approximately 13 by 17 feet, done in tempera on paper, now mounted on canvas). The cartoons were sent to factories in Brussels, cut into strips (see the lines), and placed on the looms.
Upstairs, Room 57 is the heart of the 15 British Galleries, which cover the era of Queen Elizabeth I. Find rare miniature portraits—a popular item of the day—including Hilliard’s oft-reproduced Young Man Among Roses miniature, capturing the romance of a Shakespeare sonnet. Back in the Grand Entrance lobby, climb the staircase to level 2 to see 16 jewelry, theater artifacts, silver, and more.
Across the street from the Victoria and Albert, this mammoth museum is housed in a giant and wonderful Victorian, Neo-Romanesque building. It was built in the 1870s specifically for the huge collection (50 million specimens). Exhibits are wonderfully explained, with lots of creative, interactive displays. It covers everything from life (“creepy crawlies,” human biology, our place in evolution, and awe-inspiring dinosaurs) to earth science (meteors, volcanoes, and earthquakes).
Cost and Hours: Free, £5 donation requested, fee for special exhibits, daily 10:00-18:00, helpful £1 map, long tunnel leads directly from South Kensington Tube station to museum (follow signs), tel. 020/7942-5000, exhibit info and reservations tel. 020/7942-5011, www.nhm.ac.uk. Free visitor app available via the “Visit” section of the website.
Next door to the Natural History Museum, this sprawling wonderland for curious minds is kid-perfect, with themes such as measuring time, exploring space, climate change, the evolution of modern medicine, and the Information Age. It offers hands-on fun, with trendy technology exhibits, a state-of-the-art IMAX theater (shows—£11, £9 for kids, family ticket available), the Garden—a cool play area for children up to age seven, plus several other pay-to-enter attractions, including a virtual-reality spacecraft descent to Earth (£7) and Wonderlab kids area (£8, £6 for kids). Look for the family “What’s On” brochure and ask about tours and demonstrations at the info desk.
Cost and Hours: Free, £5 donation requested, daily 10:00-18:00, last entry 45 minutes before closing, Exhibition Road, Tube: South Kensington, tel. 0333-241-4000, www.sciencemuseum.org.uk.
This borough of London is an easy, affordable boat trip or DLR (Docklands Light Railway) journey from downtown. Along with majestic, picnic-perfect parks are the stately trappings of Britain’s proud nautical heritage (the restored Cutty Sark clipper, the over-the-top-ornate retirement home for sailors at the Old Royal Naval College, and the comprehensive National Maritime Museum). It’s also home to the Royal Observatory Greenwich, with a fine museum on how Greenwich Mean Time came to be and a chance to straddle the eastern and western hemispheres at the prime meridian. Boasting several top-notch museums (including some free ones), Greenwich is worth considering and easy to combine with a look at the Docklands (described later).
Getting There: For maximum efficiency and sightseeing, take the boat there for the scenery and commentary, and take the DLR back to avoid late-afternoon boat crowds (this plan also allows you to stop at the Docklands on the way home).
Various tour boats—with commentary and open-deck seating (2/hour, 30-75 minutes)—and faster Thames Clippers (every 20-30 minutes, 20-55 minutes) depart from several piers in central London. Thames Clippers also connects Greenwich to the Docklands’ Canary Wharf Pier (2-3/hour, 15 minutes).
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) runs from the Bank-Monument Station to Cutty Sark Station in central Greenwich; it’s one stop before the main—but less central—Greenwich Station (departs at least every 10 minutes, 20-minute ride, all in Zone 2).
Or, catch bus #188 from Russell Square near the British Museum (about 45 minutes to Greenwich).
Eating: Greenwich’s parks are picnic-perfect, especially around the National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory. Greenwich Market offers an international variety of tasty food stalls. Greenwich has almost 100 pubs. $$$ The Old Brewery, in the Discover Greenwich center, is a gastropub decorated with all things beer.
Markets: The Greenwich Market is an entertaining mini Covent Garden, located in the middle of the block between the Cutty Sark DLR station and the Old Royal Naval College (farmers market, arts and crafts, and food stands; daily 10:00-17:30; antiques Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri, www.greenwichmarketlondon.com).
When first launched in 1869, the Scottish-built Cutty Sark was the last of the great China tea clippers and the queen of the seas. She was among the fastest clippers ever built, the culmination of centuries of ship design. With 32,000 square feet of sail—and favorable winds—she could travel 300 miles in a day. But as a new century dawned, steamers began to outmatch sailing ships for speed, and by the mid-1920s the Cutty Sark was the world’s last operating clipper ship.
In 2012, the ship was restored and reopened with a spectacular new glass-walled display space (though one critic groused that the ship now “looks like it has run aground in a giant greenhouse”). Displays explore the Cutty Sark’s 140-year history and the cargo she carried—everything from tea to wool to gunpowder—as she raced between London and ports all around the world.
Cost and Hours: £15, cheaper online, kids ages 4-15—£7.50, free for kids under age 4, family tickets available, combo-ticket with Royal Observatory—£26.25, kids combo-ticket—£17.60; daily 10:00-17:00; to skip the ticket-buying line reserve timed-entry tickets online or by phone, or show up around 13:00; unnecessary £6 guidebook, reservation tel. 020/8312-6608, www.rmg.co.uk.
Despite the name, these grand structures were built (1692) as a veterans’ hospital to house disabled and retired sailors who’d served their country. In 1873, the hospital was transformed into one of the world’s most prestigious universities for training naval officers. Today, the buildings host university students, music students, business conventions, concerts, and film crews drawn to the awe-inspiring space.
Originally intended as a dining hall for pensioners, this sumptuously painted room was deemed too glorious (and, in the winter, too cold) for that purpose. So almost as soon as it was completed, it became simply a showcase for visitors. Impressive as it is, the admission is quite steep to see gigantic paintings by an artist you’ve never heard of, featuring second-rate royals. But those who appreciate artistic spectacles and picking out lavish details will find it worthwhile.
Cost and Hours: £12, daily 10:00-17:00, sometimes closed for private events, www.ornc.org. Ticket includes audioguide and a 45-minute guided tour of the Old Royal Naval College grounds, not including the Painted Hall (departs from Discover Greenwich at the top of each hour).
Great for anyone interested in the sea, this museum holds everything from a giant working paddlewheel to the uniform Admiral Horatio Nelson wore when he was killed at Trafalgar. A big glass roof tops three levels of slick, modern, kid-friendly exhibits about all things seafaring.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-17:00, tel. 020/8858-4422, www.rmg.co.uk. The museum hosts frequent family-oriented events—singing, treasure hunts, and storytelling—particularly on weekends; ask at the desk. Listen for announcements alerting visitors to free tours on various topics.
Located on the prime meridian (0° longitude), this observatory is famous as the point from which all time and distances on earth are measured. It was here that astronomers studied the heavens in order to help seafarers navigate. In the process, they used the constancy of the stars to establish standards of measurement for time and distance used by the whole world.
Cost and Hours: £16, includes audioguide, combo-ticket with Cutty Sark—£26.25; daily 10:00-17:00; tel. 020/8858-4422, reservations tel. 020/8312-6608, www.rmg.co.uk.
Visiting the Observatory: A visit here gives you a taste of the sciences of astronomy, timekeeping, and seafaring—and how they all meld together—along with great views over Greenwich and the distant London skyline. In the courtyard, snap a selfie straddling the famous prime meridian line in the pavement. In the museum, there’s the original 1600s-era observatory and several early telescopes. You’ll see the famous clocks from the 1700s that first set the standard of global time, as well as more recent timekeeping devices.
The Weller Astronomy Galleries has interactive, kid-pleasing displays allowing you to guide a space mission and touch a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite (free, daily 10:00-17:00). And the state-of-the-art, 120-seat Peter Harrison Planetarium offers entertaining and informative shows several times a day where they project a view of the heavens onto the interior of the dome (£10, shows about every 45 minutes during the observatory’s opening times, no morning shows on school days, check schedule online).
Nestled around a hairpin bend in the Thames, this area was London’s harbor and warehouse district back in the 19th century, when Britannia ruled the waves. Today, glittering new skyscrapers rise from those historic canals and docks.
The heart of the Docklands is the Isle of Dogs, a marshy peninsula in the river’s curve. But don’t expect Jolly Olde England here. The Docklands is more about businesspeople in suits, creatively planned parks, art-filled plazas, and chain restaurants. Even so, traces of its rugged dockworker past survive. You’ll see canals, former docks, brick warehouses, and a fine history museum. Most impressive of all, there’s not a tourist in sight.
Because these two sights are in the same general direction, you can visit both in one day. Take the train from London Waterloo to Hampton Court Palace, then taxi to Kew Gardens (£20, about 30 minutes). If you’re on a tight budget, the transit connection between Hampton Court and Kew is long but doable: Take bus #R68 from Hampton Court Station to the West Park Road stop (about one hour), then walk about a half-mile to the Kew Gardens gate (walk up West Park Road to, then through, the Kew Gardens train station).
For a fine riverside park and a palatial greenhouse jungle to swing through, take the Tube or the boat to every botanist’s favorite escape, Kew Gardens. While to most visitors the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew are simply a delightful opportunity to wander among 50,000 different types of plants, to the hardworking organization that runs them, the gardens are a way to promote the understanding and preservation of the botanical diversity of our planet.
Cost and Hours: £18, June-Aug £11 after 16:00, kids 4-16—£6, kids under 4—free; Mon-Thu 10:00-19:00, Fri-Sun until 20:00, closes earlier Sept-March—check schedule online, glasshouses close at 17:30 in high season—earlier off-season, free one-hour walking tours daily at 11:00 and 13:30, tel. 020/8332-5000, www.kew.org.
Getting There: By Tube, ride to Kew Gardens station, then cross the footbridge over the tracks, which drops you in a little community of plant-and-herb shops, a two-block walk from Victoria Gate (the main garden entrance). Boats also run to Kew Gardens from Westminster Pier (April-Oct; see here).
Eating: For a sun-dappled lunch or snack, walk 10 minutes from the Palm House to the $$ Orangery Cafeteria (Mon-Thu 10:00-17:30, Fri-Sun until 18:30, until 15:15 in winter, closes early for events).
Visiting the Gardens: Pick up a map brochure and check at the gate for a monthly listing of the best blooms. Garden lovers could spend days exploring Kew’s 300 acres. For a quick visit, spend a fragrant hour wandering through three buildings: the Palm House, a humid Victorian world of iron, glass, and tropical plants that was built in 1844; a Waterlily House that Monet would swim for; and the Princess of Wales Conservatory, a meandering modern greenhouse with many different climate zones growing countless cacti, bug-munching carnivorous plants, and more. Check out the Xstrata Treetop Walkway, a 200-yard-long scenic steel walkway that puts you high in the canopy 60 feet above the ground.
Fifteen miles up the Thames from downtown, the 500-year-old palace of Henry VIII, William and Mary, and other royals is worth ▲▲▲ for palace aficionados. The stately brick-and-stone palace stands overlooking the Thames and includes some fine Tudor halls and Georgian-era rooms, all made engaging by a sharp, well-produced, included audioguide.
Cost and Hours: £23.70, cheaper online, family ticket available, daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-March until 16:30, last entry one hour before closing—but you’ll need 2-3 hours to see the place; café, tel. 0844-482-7777, www.hrp.org.uk.
Getting There: From London’s Waterloo Station, take a South West train. The train will drop you on the far side of the river from the palace—just walk across the bridge (2/hour, 35 minutes). Consider arriving at or departing from the palace by boat (connections with London’s Westminster Pier, see here); it’s a relaxing and scenic three- to four-hour cruise past two locks and a fun new/old riverside mix.
Background: Hampton Court was originally the palace of Henry VIII’s minister and right-hand-man, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. When Wolsey realized Henry VIII was experiencing a little palace envy, he gave the mansion to his king...clever guy. The Tudor palace was also home to Elizabeth I and Charles I. Later, when William and Mary moved in, they renovated about one-third of the palace (with help from Christopher Wren).
Visiting the Palace: Use the free map to find your way to the audioguide tour routes. Red-vested docents throughout the complex are happy to answer questions.
Henry VIII’s apartments feature a breathtaking Great Hall, with a marvelous hammerbeam ceiling, precious Abraham tapestries that kept this huge room warm and cozy, and a portrait of Henry VIII’s family. His private balcony looks down into the stunning Chapel Royal. His kitchens were capable of keeping 600 schmoozing courtiers well fed. At the end of the kitchens, dip into the Chapel Royal for a closer look at the wood-carved decor and the starry-sky-and-gold-beam ceiling.
The Young Henry VIII’s Story exhibit introduces you to the dashing, athletic, young Henry VIII, from the perspective of Henry himself; his first wife, Catherine of Aragon; and his right-hand man, Thomas Wolsey. At the end of the Young Henry VIII section, stairs lead up to William III’s apartments, from about 150 years after Henry’s time.
Before leaving, stroll in the gardens. Don’t miss the easy-to-overlook entrance (immediately on the right) to William and Mary’s walled privy garden, like a mini-Versailles.
While you can visit several real-life locations where the Harry Potter movies were filmed, there’s only one way to see imaginary places like Hogwarts’ Great Hall, Diagon Alley, Dumbledore’s office, and #4 Privet Drive: Visit the Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden 20 miles northwest of London.
Attractions include the actual sets, costumes, and props used for the films; video interviews with the actors and filmmakers; and exhibits about how the films’ special effects were created.
The visit culminates with a stroll down Diagon Alley and a room-sized 1:24-scale model of Hogwarts.
Plan Ahead: It’s essential to buy a ticket far in advance (entry possible only with reserved time slot). Allow about three hours at the studio, plus nearly three hours to get there and back.
Cost and Hours: £45—purchase timed-entry ticket online in advance, kids ages 5 to 15—£37, family ticket available; opening hours flex with season—first tour at 9:00 or 10:00, last tour as early as 14:30 or as late as 18:30, audio/videoguide-£5, café, tel. 0345-084-0900, www.wbstudiotour.co.uk.
Getting There: Take the frequent train from London Euston to Watford Junction (about 5/hour, 20 minutes), then catch the Mullany’s Coaches shuttle bus (instantly recognizable by its bright paint job) to the studio tour (2-4/hour, 15 minutes, £2.50 round-trip—cash only, buy ticket from driver).
More direct (and more expensive), Golden Tours runs multiple daily buses between their office near Victoria Station and the studio (price includes round-trip bus and studio entrance: adults—£75-90, kids—£70-85; reserve ahead at www.goldentours.com).
Most stores are open Monday through Saturday from roughly 9:00 or 10:00 until 17:00 or 18:00, with a late night on Wednesday or Thursday (usually until 19:00 or 20:00). Many close on Sundays. Large department stores stay open later during the week (until about 21:00 Mon-Sat) with shorter hours on Sundays. If you’re looking for bargains, visit one of the city’s many street markets.
The best and most convenient shopping streets are in the West End and West London (roughly between Soho and Hyde Park). You’ll find midrange shops along Oxford Street (running east from Tube: Marble Arch), and fancier shops along Regent Street (stretching south from Tube: Oxford Circus to Piccadilly Circus) and Knightsbridge (where you’ll find Harrods and Harvey Nichols; Tube: Knightsbridge). Other streets are more specialized, such as Jermyn Street for old-fashioned men’s clothing (just south of Piccadilly) and Charing Cross Road for books. Floral Street, connecting Leicester Square to Covent Garden, is lined with boutiques.
Another fine street, which runs between Oxford Street and Marylebone Road, is Marylebone High Street (ending near Regent’s Park and Madame Tussauds). It feels more quaint and less ritzy than some of the streets described earlier, and it’s fun to browse for its combination of high-end chain stores, local one-off shops, art concept stores, clothing boutiques, and sleek home decor...all under handsome red-brick turreted townhouses. Along this street is the unique Daunts Books, filling an old townhouse with titles organized geographically (for details, see here), and an outpost of Emma Bridgewater, a country-charming home decor store (sort of the English Martha Stewart, www.emmabridgewater.co.uk).
Harrods is London’s most famous and touristy department store. With more than four acres of retail space covering seven floors, it’s a place where some shoppers could spend all day. (To me, it’s still just a department store.) Big yet classy, Harrods has everything from elephants to toothbrushes (Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00, Sun 11:30-18:00, Brompton Road, Tube: Knightsbridge, tel. 020/7730-1234, www.harrods.com).
Once Princess Diana’s favorite and later Duchess Kate’s, “Harvey Nick’s” remains the department store du jour (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 11:30-18:00, near Harrods, 109 Knightsbridge, Tube: Knightsbridge, tel. 020/7235-5000, www.harveynichols.com). The store’s fifth floor is a veritable food fest, with a gourmet grocery store, a fancy restaurant, a sushi bar, and a lively café.
The official department store of the Queen, Fortnum & Mason embodies old-fashioned, British upper-class taste. While some feel it is too stuffy, you won’t find another store with the same storybook atmosphere. With rich displays and deep red carpet, Fortnum’s feels classier and more relaxed than Harrods (Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00, Sun 11:30-18:00, elegant tea served in their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon—see here, 181 Piccadilly, Tube: Green Park, tel. 020/7734-8040, www.fortnumandmason.com.
Designed to make well-heeled shoppers feel at home, this half-timbered, mock-Tudor emporium is a 19th-century institution that thrives today. Known for its gorgeous “Liberty Print” floral fabrics, well-stocked crafts department, and castle-like interior, this iconic shop was a favorite of writer Oscar Wilde, who called it “the chosen resort of the artistic shopper” (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 11:30-18:00, Great Marlborough Street, Tube: Oxford Circus, tel. 020/7734-1234, www.liberty.co.uk.
Those who appreciate antiques, artisan goods, and a fine bargain love London’s street markets. There’s good early-morning market activity somewhere any day of the week. The best markets—which combine lively stalls and a colorful neighborhood with cute and characteristic shops of their own—are Portobello Road and Camden Lock Market. Hagglers will enjoy the no-holds-barred bargaining encouraged in London’s street markets. Greenwich (a quick DLR ride from central London) also has its share of great markets, especially lively on weekends. Warning: Markets attract two kinds of people—tourists and pickpockets.
Arguably London’s best street market, Portobello Road stretches for several blocks through the delightful, colorful, funky-yet-quaint Notting Hill neighborhood. Charming streets lined with pastel-painted houses and offbeat antique shops are enlivened on Fridays and Saturdays with 2,000 additional stalls (9:00-19:00), plus food, live music, and more. (The best strategy is to come on Friday; most stalls are open, with half the crowds of Saturday.) If you start at Notting Hill Gate and work your way north, you’ll find these general sections: antiques, new goods, produce, vintage clothing, more new goods, a flea market, and more food. While Portobello Road is best on Fridays and Saturdays, you can still enjoy this street’s quirky shops on most other days as well (Tube: Notting Hill Gate, near recommended accommodations, tel. 020/7727-7684, www.portobelloroad.co.uk).
This huge, trendy arts-and-crafts market is divided into three areas, each with its own vibe (but all of them fresh and funky). The whole complex sprawls around an old-fashioned, still-functioning lock (used mostly for leisure boats) and its retro-chic, yellow-brick industrial buildings. The main market, set alongside the picturesque canal, features a mix of shops and stalls selling boutique crafts and artisanal foods. The market on the opposite side of Chalk Farm Road is edgier, with cheap ethnic food stalls, lots of canalside seating, and punk crafts. The Stables, a sprawling, incense-scented complex, is decorated with fun statues of horses and squeezed into tunnels under the old rail bridge just behind the main market. It’s a little lowbrow and wildly creative, with cheap clothes, junk jewelry, and loud music (daily 10:00-19:00, busiest on weekends, tel. 020/3763-9999, www.camdenmarket.com).
One of London’s oldest, Leadenhall Market stands on the original Roman center of town. Today, cheese and flower shops nestle between pubs, restaurants, and boutiques, all beneath a beautiful Victorian arcade (Harry Potter fans may recognize it as Diagon Alley). This is not a “street market” in the true sense, but more a hidden gem in the midst of London’s financial grind (Mon-Fri 10:00-18:00, tel. 020/7332-1523, Tube: Monument or Liverpool; off Gracechurch Street near Leadenhall Street and Fenchurch).
These East End markets are busiest and most interesting on Sundays. See the map on here for locations.
Petticoat Lane Market: Just a block from Spitalfields Market, this line of stalls sits on the otherwise dull, glass-skyscraper-filled Middlesex Street; adjoining Wentworth Street is grungier and more characteristic. Expect budget clothing, leather, shoes, watches, jewelry, and crowds (Sun 9:00-14:00, sometimes later; smaller market Mon-Fri on Wentworth Street only; no market Sat; Middlesex Street and Wentworth Street).
Spitalfields Market: This huge, mod-feeling market hall combines a shopping mall with old brick buildings and sleek modern ones, all covered by a giant glass roof. The shops, stalls, and a rainbow of restaurant options are open every day, tempting you with ethnic eateries, crafts, trendy clothes, bags, and an antiques-and-junk market (Mon-Fri 10:00-17:30—but vendors begin shutting down around 17:00, Sat from 11:00, Sun from 9:00; from the Tube stop, take Bishopsgate East exit, turn left, walk to Brushfield Street, and turn right; www.spitalfields.co.uk).
Truman Markets: Housed in the former Truman Brewery on Brick Lane, this cluster of markets is in the heart of the “Banglatown” Bangladeshi community. Of the East End market areas, these are the grittiest and most avant-garde. The markets are in full swing on Sundays, though you’ll see some action on Saturdays and possibly other days (see hours below).
From Liverpool Street, head a few blocks east to Brick Lane and turn left. As you work your way north along Brick Lane through the Truman complex, you’ll first come to the Boiler House Food Hall (on the left, filling an old warehouse with food stands and loud music), then the entrance to the Vintage Market, which occupies the basement with what claims to be London’s largest assortment of vintage vendors (Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun from 10:00, www.vintage-market.co.uk). Just beyond, on the left, follow the crowds into the Backyard Market, with stylish clothing, arts, and crafts (Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-17:00). Just beyond on the right, the House of Vegan fills yet another warehouse with exclusively vegetarian and vegan food stalls (Sat-Sun 11:00-18:00). Surrounding shops and eateries, including a fun courtyard of food trucks tucked off Brick Lane, are open all week.
Brick Lane Market: If you leave the Truman Brewery complex and continue north along Brick Lane, the action flows into a more casual assortment of food and arts stands and street performers called the Brick Lane Market. This spans several short blocks, from about Buxton Street to Bethnal Green Road—about a 10-minute walk. Continuing another 10 minutes north, then turning right onto Columbia Road, takes you to the next market.
Columbia Road Flower Market: This colorful shopping street is made even more lively by the Sunday-morning commotion of shouting flower vendors (Sun 8:00-15:00, www.columbiaroad.info). Halfway up Columbia Road, be sure to loop left up little Ezra Street, with characteristic eateries, boutiques, and antique vendors.
Covent Garden Market: Originally the convent garden for Westminster Abbey, the iron-and-glass market hall hosted a produce market until the 1970s (earning it the name “Apple Market”). Now it’s a mix of fun shops, eateries, markets, and a more modern-day Apple Store on the corner. Mondays are for antiques, while arts and crafts dominate the rest of the week. Yesteryear’s produce stalls are open daily 10:30-18:00, and on Thursdays, a food market brightens up the square (Tube: Covent Garden, tel. 020/7395-1350, www.coventgardenlondonuk.com).
Jubilee Market: This market features antiques on Mondays (5:00-17:00); a general market Tuesday through Friday (10:30-19:00); and arts and crafts on Saturdays and Sundays (10:00-18:00). It’s located on the south side of Covent Garden (tel. 020/7379-4242, www.jubileemarket.co.uk).
For the best list of what’s happening and a look at the latest London scene, check www.timeout.com/london. The free monthly London Planner covers sights, events, and plays, though generally not as well as the Time Out website.
London’s theater scene rivals Broadway’s in quality and often beats it in price. Choose from 200 offerings—Shakespeare, musicals, comedies, thrillers, sex farces, cutting-edge fringe, revivals starring movie celebs, and more. London does it all well.
Seating Terminology: Just like at home, London’s theaters sell seats in a range of levels—but the Brits use different terms: stalls (ground floor), dress circle (first balcony), upper circle (second balcony), balcony (sky-high third balcony), and slips (cheap seats on the fringes). Discounted tickets are called “concessions” (abbreviated as “conc” or “s”). “Restricted view” seats can be a bargain, but you won’t be able to see all (or even most) of the stage. For floor plans of the various theaters, see www.theatremonkey.com.
Nearly all big-name shows are hosted in the theaters of the West End, clustering around Soho (especially along Shaftesbury Avenue) between Piccadilly and Covent Garden. With a centuries-old tradition of pleasing the masses, they present London theater at its grandest.
Well-known musicals may draw the biggest crowds, but the West End offers plenty of other crowd-pleasers, from revivals of classics to cutting-edge works by the hottest young playwrights. These productions tend to have shorter runs than famous musicals. Many productions star huge-name celebrities—London is a magnet for movie stars who want to stretch their acting chops.
You’ll see the latest offerings advertised all over the city. The Official London Theatre Guide, a free booklet that’s updated every two weeks, is a handy tool (find it at hotels, box offices, the City of London TI, and online at www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk). You can check reviews at www.timeout.com/london.
Most performances are nightly except Sunday, usually with two or three matinees a week. The few shows that run on Sundays are mostly family fare (such as The Lion King).
For most visitors, it makes sense to simply buy tickets in London. Most shows have tickets available on short notice—likely at a discount. But if your time in London is limited—and you have your heart set on a particular show that’s likely to sell out (usually the newest shows, and especially on weekends)—you can buy peace of mind by booking tickets from home.
Advance Tickets: It’s generally cheapest to buy your tickets directly from the theater, either through its website or by calling the theater box office. In most cases, a theater will reroute you to a third-party ticket vendor such as Ticketmaster (which usually comes with a booking fee of around £3/ticket). You can have your tickets emailed to you or pick them up before show time at Will Call. Note that many third-party websites sell all kinds of London theater tickets, but these generally charge higher prices and fees. It’s best to try the theater’s website or box office first.
Discount Tickets from the TKTS Booth: This famous outlet at Leicester Square sells discounted tickets (25-50 percent off) for many shows (£3/ticket service charge included, open Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00, Sun 11:00-16:30). TKTS offers a wide variety of shows on any given day, though they may not always have the hottest shows in town. You must buy in person at the kiosk, and the best deals are same-day only.
The list of shows and prices is continually updated and posted outside the booth and on their website (www.tkts.co.uk). For the best choice and prices, come early in the day—the line starts forming even before the booth opens (it moves quickly).
Take note: The real TKTS booth (with its prominent sign) is a freestanding kiosk at the south edge of Leicester Square. Several dishonest outfits nearby advertise “official half-price tickets”—avoid these, where you’ll rarely pay anything close to half-price.
Tickets at the Theater Box Office: Even if a show is “sold out,” there’s usually a way to get a seat. Many theaters offer various discounts or “concessions”: same-day tickets, cheap returned tickets, standing-room, matinee, senior or student standby deals, and more. Start by checking the show’s website, then call the box office or simply drop by (many theaters are right in the tourist zone).
Same-day tickets (called “day seats”) can be an excellent deal. These generally go on sale only in person when the box office opens (typically at 10:00; for popular shows, people start lining up well before then). These tickets (£20 or less) tend to be single seats either in the nosebleed rows or with a restricted view—but sometimes they can be front-row seats.
Very popular shows don’t bother with “day seats,” but a few distribute tickets through a lottery (for instance, via the show’s website or a drawing for hopefuls who show up in person during a certain time window on the day of the show). The more popular the show, the lower your chances are, but it’s fun to give it a shot. Look up details on each show’s website.
Another strategy is to show up at the box office shortly before show time (best on weekdays) and—before paying full price—ask about cheaper options. Last-minute return tickets are often sold at great prices as curtain time approaches.
For a helpful guide to “day seats”—including recent user reports on how early you need to show up—consult www.theatremonkey.com/dayseatfinder.htm; for tips on getting cheap and last-minute tickets, visit www.londontheatretickets.org and www.timeout.com/london/theatre.
Booking Through Other Agencies: Although booking through a middleman such as your hotel or a ticket agency is quick and easy (and may be your last resort for a sold-out show), prices are greatly inflated. Ticket agencies and third-party websites are often just scalpers with an address. If you do buy from an agency, choose one who is a member of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers (look for the STAR logo—short for “secure tickets from authorized retailers”). These legitimate resellers normally add a maximum 25 percent booking fee to tickets.
Scalpers (or “Touts”): As at any event, you’ll find scalpers hawking tickets outside theaters. And, just like at home, those people may either be honest folk whose date just happened to cancel at the last minute...or they may be unscrupulous thieves selling forgeries. London has many of the latter.
Tickets for lesser-known shows tend to be cheaper (figure £15-30), in part because most of the smaller theaters are government-subsidized. Remember that plays don’t need a familiar title or famous actor to be a worthwhile experience—read up on the latest offerings online; Time Out’s website is a great place to start. Major noncommercial theaters include the National Theatre, Barbican Centre, Royal Court Theatre, Menier Chocolate Factory, and Bridge Theatre. The Royal Shakespeare Company performs at various theaters around London.
To see Shakespeare in a replica of the theater for which he wrote his plays, attend a play at the Globe. In this round, thatched-roof, open-air theater, the plays are performed much as Shakespeare intended—under the sky, with no amplification.
The play’s the thing from late April through mid-October (usually Tue-Sat 14:00 and 19:30, Sun either 13:00 and/or 18:30, tickets can be sold out months in advance). You’ll pay £5 to stand and £23-47 to sit, usually on a backless bench (only a few rows and the pricier Gentlemen’s Rooms have seats with backs, £2 cushions and £4 add-on backrests a good investment; dress for the weather).
The £5 “groundling” or “yard” tickets—which are open to rain—are most fun. Scurry in early to stake out a spot on the stage’s edge, where the most interaction with the actors occurs. You’re a crude peasant. You can lean your elbows on the stage, munch a snack (yes, you can bring in food—but bag size is limited), or walk around. I’ve never enjoyed Shakespeare as much as here, performed as it was meant to be in the “wooden O.” If you can’t get a ticket, consider waiting around. Plays can be long, and many groundlings leave before the end. Hang around outside and beg or buy a ticket from someone leaving early (groundlings are allowed to come and go). A few non-Shakespeare plays are also presented each year. If you can’t attend a show, you can take a guided tour of the theater and museum by day (see here).
At the indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, the season is designed to complement the Globe’s summer season, though a few summer performances may take place here. In winter, the Playhouse hosts Shakespeare, Shakespearean-era plays, new works by up-and-coming playwrights, and early-music concerts. Many of the productions in this intimate venue (about 350 seats) are one-offs and can be more expensive.
To reserve tickets for plays at the Globe or Playhouse, drop by the box office (daily 10:00-18:00, open one hour later on performance days, New Globe Walk entrance, box office tel. 020/7401-9919; info tel. 020/7902-1400). You can also reserve online (www.shakespearesglobe.com, £2.50 booking fee). If the tickets are sold out, don’t despair; a few often free up at the last minute. Try calling around noon the day of the performance to see if the box office expects any returned tickets. If so, they’ll advise you to show up a little more than an hour before the show, when these tickets are sold (first-come, first-served).
The theater is on the South Bank, directly across the Thames over the Millennium Bridge from St. Paul’s Cathedral (Tube: Mansion House or London Bridge). The Globe is inconvenient for public transport, but during theater season a regular supply of black cabs waits nearby, or you could try to order an Uber.
In summer, enjoy Shakespearean drama and other plays under the stars at the Open Air Theatre, in leafy Regent’s Park in north London. You can bring your own picnic, order à la carte from the theater menu, or preorder a picnic supper from the theater at least 24 hours in advance (tickets from £25, available beginning in mid-Jan, season runs mid-May-mid-Sept; book at www.openairtheatre.org or—for an extra booking fee—by calling 0333-400-3562; grounds open 1.5 hours before performances; only one small bag permitted per person; 10-minute walk north of Baker Street Tube, near Queen Mary’s Gardens within Regent’s Park; detailed directions and more info at www.openairtheatre.org).
London’s rougher evening-entertainment scene is thriving. Choose from a wide range of fringe theater and comedy acts (find posters in many Tube stations, or search for “fringe theater” on www.timeout.com; tickets can start as cheap as £5-10).
For easy, cheap, or free concerts in historic churches, attend a lunch concert, especially:
• St. Bride’s Church, with free half-hour lunch concerts twice a week at 13:15 (usually Tue and Fri—confirm in advance, church tel. 020/7427-0133, www.stbrides.com).
• Temple Church, also in The City, with free organ recitals weekly (Wed at 13:15, www.templechurch.com).
• St. James’s at Piccadilly, with 50-minute concerts on Mon, Wed, and Fri at 13:10 (suggested £5 donation, info tel. 020/7734-4511, www.sjp.org.uk).
• St. Martin-in-the-Fields, offering concerts on Mon, Tue, and Fri at 13:00 (suggested £3.50 donation, church tel. 020/7766-1100, www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org).
St. Martin-in-the-Fields also hosts fine evening concerts by candlelight (£9-29, several nights a week at 19:30) and live jazz in its underground Café in the Crypt (£8-15, Wed at 20:00).
Evensong services are held at several churches, including St. Paul’s Cathedral (see here), Westminster Abbey (see here), Southwark Cathedral (see here), and St. Bride’s Church (Sun at 17:30).
Free organ recitals are usually held on Sunday at 17:45 in Westminster Abbey (30 minutes, tel. 020/7222-5152). Many other churches have free concerts; ask for the London Organ Concerts Guide at the TI.
If you’re visiting London in summer, consider hitting the South Bank neighborhood after hours.
Take a trip around the London Eye while the sun sets over the city (the wheel spins until late—last ascent at 20:30 or later in summer). Then cap your night with an evening walk along the pedestrian-only Jubilee Walkway, which runs east-west along the river. It’s where Londoners go to escape the heat. This pleasant stretch of the walkway—lined with pubs and casual eateries—goes from the London Eye past Shakespeare’s Globe to Tower Bridge (you can walk in either direction).
If you’re in the mood for a movie, take in a flick at the BFI Southbank, located just across the river, alongside Waterloo Bridge. Run by the British Film Institute, the state-of-the-art theater shows mostly classic films, as well as art cinema (Tube: Waterloo or Embankment, check www.bfi.org.uk for schedules and prices).
Farther east along the South Bank is The Scoop—an outdoor amphitheater next to City Hall. It’s a good spot for movies, concerts, dance, and theater productions throughout the summer—with Tower Bridge as a scenic backdrop. These events are free, nearly nightly, and family-friendly. For the latest event schedule, see www.morelondon.com and click on “Events” (next to City Hall, Riverside, The Queen’s Walkway, Tube: London Bridge).
Tennis, cricket, rugby, football (soccer), and horse races all take place within an hour of the city. In summer Wimbledon draws a half-million spectators (www.wimbledon.com), while big-name English Premier League soccer clubs—including Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United—take the pitch in London to sell-out crowds (www.premierleague.com). The two biggest horse races of the year take place in June: the Royal Ascot Races (www.ascot.co.uk) near Windsor and the Epsom Derby (www.epsomderby.co.uk) in Surrey are both once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Securing tickets to anything sporting-related in London can be difficult—and expensive. Check the official team or event website several months in advance; tickets can sell out within minutes of going on sale to the general public. Third-party booking companies such as SportsEvents 365 (www.sportsevents365.com) and Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.co.uk) often have tickets to popular events at a premium price—a godsend for die-hard fans. Many teams also offer affordable, well-run stadium tours—check your favorite side’s official website for details. Even if you can’t attend a sports event in person, consider cheering on the action in a London pub.
London is an expensive city for lodging. Focus on choosing the right neighborhood, which is as important as selecting the right hotel. I’ve picked a handful of my favorite neighborhoods (Victoria Station, South Kensington, Earl’s Court, Bayswater, and North London) and recommend a range of options for each, from £20 bunks to deluxe £300-plus doubles with all the comforts. Because such comforts (and charm) come at a price, I’ve also listed big, modern, good-value chain hotels scattered throughout the city, along with hostels, dorms, and apartment rental information.
I rank accommodations from $ budget to $$$$ splurge. For the best deal, contact my family-run places directly by phone or email. When you book direct, the owner avoids a commission and may be able to offer a discount. Book well in advance for peak season or if your trip coincides with a major holiday or festival (see the appendix). For more details on reservations, short-term rentals, and more, see the “Sleeping” section in the Practicalities chapter.
Looking for Hotel Deals Online: Given London’s high hotel prices, it’s worth searching for a deal. For more options, browse these accommodation discount sites: www.londontown.com (an informative site with a discount booking service), www.athomeinlondon.co.uk and www.londonbb.com (both list central B&Bs), www.lastminute.com, www.visitlondon.com, and www.eurocheapo.com.
The streets behind Victoria Station teem with little, moderately-priced-for-London B&Bs. It’s a safe, surprisingly tidy, and decent area without a hint of the trashy, touristy glitz of the streets immediately surrounding the station. I’ve divided these accommodations into two broad categories: Belgravia, west of the station, feels particularly posh, while Pimlico, to the east, is still upscale and dotted with colorful eateries. While I wouldn’t go out of my way just to dine here, each area has plenty of good restaurants (see “Eating in London,” later). All of my recommended hotels are within a five-minute walk of the Victoria Tube, bus, and train stations. In summer, request a quiet back room; most of these B&Bs lack air-conditioning and may front busy streets.
Laundry: The nearest laundry option is Pimlico Launderette, about five blocks southwest of Warwick Square (self-service and same-day full-service, daily 8:00-19:00, last wash at 17:30; 3 Westmoreland Terrace—go down Clarendon Street, turn right on Sutherland, and look for the launderette on the left at the end of the street; tel. 020/7821-8692).
Parking: The 400-space Semley Place NCP parking garage is near the hotels on the west/Belgravia side (£42/day, possible discounts with hotel voucher, just west of Victoria Coach Station at Buckingham Palace Road and Semley Place, tel. 0845-050-7080, www.ncp.co.uk). Victoria Station car park is cheaper but a quarter of the size; check here first, but don’t hold your breath (£30/day on weekdays, £15/day on weekends, entrance on Eccleston Bridge between Buckingham Palace Road and Bridge Place, tel. 0345-222-4224, www.apcoa.co.uk).
In Belgravia, the prices are a bit higher and your neighbors include some of the world’s wealthiest people. These two places sit on tranquil Ebury Street, two blocks over from Victoria Station (or a slightly shorter walk from the Sloane Square Tube stop). You can cut the walk from Victoria Station to nearly nothing by taking a short ride on frequent bus #C1 (leaves from Buckingham Palace Road side of Victoria Station and drops you off on corner of Ebury and Elizabeth streets). Both places come with some street noise; light sleepers should request a room in the back.
$$$$ Lime Tree Hotel has 28 spacious, stylish, comfortable, thoughtfully decorated rooms, a helpful staff, a fun-loving breakfast room, and a delightful garden in back (135 Ebury Street, tel. 020/7730-8191, www.limetreehotel.co.uk, info@limetreehotel.co.uk, Charlotte and Matt, Laura manages the office).
$$$ B&B Belgravia comes with 26 bright, colorful rooms and high ceilings. It feels less than homey, but still offers good value for the location. Most of its rooms come with closets and larger-than-average space (family rooms, 66 Ebury Street, tel. 020/7259-8570, www.bb-belgravia.com, info@bb-belgravia.com).
This area feels a bit less genteel than Belgravia, but it’s still plenty inviting, with eateries and grocery stores. Most of these hotels are on or near Warwick Way, the main drag through this area. Generally the best Tube stop for this neighborhood is Victoria (though the Pimlico stop works equally well for the Luna Simone). Bus #24 runs right through the middle of Pimlico, connecting the Tate Britain to the south with Victoria Station, the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, the British Museum, and much more to the north.
$$$ Luna Simone Hotel rents 36 fresh, spacious, remodeled rooms with modern bathrooms. It’s a smartly managed place, run for more than 50 years by twins Peter and Bernard—and Bernard’s son Mark—and they still seem to enjoy their work (RS%, family rooms, 47 Belgrave Road near the corner of Charlwood Street, handy bus #24 stops out front, tel. 020/7834-5897, www.lunasimonehotel.com, stay@lunasimonehotel.com).
$$ Best Western Victoria Palace offers modern, if slightly worn, business-class comfort compared with some of the other creaky old guesthouses in the neighborhood. Choose from the 43 rooms in the main building (at 60 Warwick Way), or pay about 20 percent less by booking a nearly identical room in one of the annexes, each a half-block away—an excellent value for this neighborhood if you skip breakfast (air-con, elevator in main building only, 17 Belgrave Road and 1 Warwick Way, reception at main building, tel. 020/7821-7113, www.bestwesternvictoriapalace.co.uk, info@bestwesternvictoriapalace.co.uk).
$ Cherry Court Hotel, run by the friendly and industrious Patel family, rents 12 very small but bright and well-designed rooms with firm mattresses in a central location. Considering London’s sky-high prices, this is an extraordinary budget choice (family rooms, fruit-basket breakfast in room, air-con, laundry, 23 Hugh Street, tel. 020/7828-2840, www.cherrycourthotel.co.uk, info@cherrycourthotel.co.uk, Neha answers emails and offers informed restaurant advice).
$$ OYO Hotels, an India-based chain that finances renovations for thousands of run-down budget hotels worldwide, has arrived in London. While they’ve salvaged some places that were at death’s door, the standards are still pretty basic. If you’re on a very tight budget, OYO hotels may be worth considering—including several in the Victoria Station area (www.oyorooms.com/gb). One of these is Bakers Hotel, which shoehorns 12 brightly painted rooms into a tight building (cheaper single rooms with shared bath, family rooms, 126 Warwick Way, tel. 020/7834-0729, www.bakershotel.co.uk, reservations@bakershotel.co.uk, Amin Jamani).
If considering chain hotels, there’s also a fine $$$ Premier Inn in this area (82 Eccleston Square, www.premierinn.com).
To stay on a quiet street so classy it doesn’t allow hotel signs, make “South Ken” your London home. This upscale area has plenty of colorful restaurants and easy access to the Victoria & Albert and Natural History museums; shoppers like being a short walk from Harrods and the designer shops of King’s Road and Chelsea. When I splurge, I splurge here. The South Kensington Tube stop gives you access to both the handy Piccadilly and Circle/District lines, making it easy to get virtually anywhere in London; it’s also easy to reach from Heathrow.
$$$$ Aster House, in a lovely Victorian town house, is run with care by friendly Simon and Leonie Tan, who’ve been welcoming my readers for years (I call it “my home in London”). It’s a stately and sedate place, with 13 comfy rooms, a cheerful lobby, and lounge. Enjoy breakfast or just kicking back in the whisper-elegant Orangery, a glassy greenhouse (RS%, air-con, 3 Sumner Place, tel. 020/7581-5888, www.asterhouse.com, asterhouse@gmail.com).
$$$$ Number Sixteen, for well-heeled travelers, packs over-the-top class into its 41 artfully imagined rooms, plush designer-chic lounges, and tranquil garden. It’s in a labyrinthine building, with boldly modern decor—perfect for an urban honeymoon (air-con, elevator, 16 Sumner Place, tel. 020/7589-5232, US tel. 1-888-559-5508, www.numbersixteenhotel.co.uk, sixteen@firmdale.com).
$$$$ The Pelham Hotel, a 52-room business-class hotel with crisp service and a pricey mix of pretense and style, is genteel, with low lighting and a pleasant drawing room and library among the many perks (air-con, elevator, fitness room, 15 Cromwell Place, tel. 020/7589-8288, US tel. 1-888-757-5587, www.pelhamhotel.co.uk, reservations.thepelham@starhotels.com).
This neighborhood—a couple of Tube stops farther from South Kensington on the Piccadilly and Circle/District lines—is a nice compromise between local-feeling and accessible to travelers. It has a stately residential feel, and a high concentration of high-capacity, relatively expensive hotels. Solo travelers might consider one of the several quality chains here. The main drag that runs in front of the Tube station—Earl’s Court Road—is lined with easy chain eateries.
$$$$ K+K Hotel George occupies a grand Georgian building on a quiet street just behind the Earl’s Court Tube station. With spacious public areas, a wellness center, and 154 well-appointed rooms, it feels polished and professional (air-con, elevator, 1 Templeton Place, tel. 020/7598-8700, www.kkhotels.com, hotel.george@kkhotels.com).
$$$$ NH London Kensington, part of a Spanish hotel chain, has 121 business-style rooms offering reliable comfort and class. Bonuses include a pleasant garden patio, a fitness center, and an extensive, tempting, optional breakfast buffet (air-con, elevator, 202 Cromwell Road, tel. 020/7244-1441, www.nh-hotels.com, nhkensington@nh-hotels.com).
$$$$ The Nadler Kensington, on a residential block, is a five-minute walk from Earl’s Court Tube station. The 65 smallish rooms come with kitchenettes (air-con, elevator, 25 Courtfield Gardens, tel. 020/7244-2255, www.thenadler.com, kensington.info@thenadler.com).
$$$ Henley House Hotel is smaller and more warmly run than the others listed here, with 21 rooms in a modern, red-and-black color scheme. It fills a handsome brick townhouse overlooking a garden, a half-block from the Tube stop (RS%, air-con, elevator, 30 Barkston Gardens, tel. 020/7370-4111, www.henleyhousehotel.com, reservations@henleyhousehotel.com, Roberta).
From the core of the tourist’s London, vast Hyde Park spreads west, eventually becoming Kensington Gardens. Along the northern edge of the park sits Bayswater, with a cluster of good-value, reasonably priced accommodations in an area that’s sleepy and very “homely” (Brit-speak for cozy). Your money will take you farther here than in most parts of central London—though the area can feel a bit sterile, and the hotels tend to be impersonal.
The Queensway Tube stop, while a couple of blocks from my recommendations, is handiest as it sits on the Central Line. I’ve also listed a few choices in the adjacent areas of Notting Hill (to the west), Paddington (to the east) and Holland Park (to the south)—each one just one or two Tube stops away.
Most of my Bayswater accommodations flank a peaceful, tidy park called Kensington Gardens Square (not to be confused with the much bigger Kensington Gardens adjacent to Hyde Park). One block east is the bustling street Queensway, a multicultural festival of commerce and eateries popular with young international travelers.
$$$ Vancouver Studios has 45 modern, tastefully furnished rooms that come with fully equipped kitchenettes, or you can pay for a continental breakfast. It’s nestled between Kensington Gardens Square and Prince’s Square and has its own tranquil garden patio out back (laundry, 30 Prince’s Square, tel. 020/7243-1270, www.vancouverstudios.co.uk, info@vancouverstudios.co.uk).
$$$ Phoenix Hotel offers spacious, stately public spaces and 125 modern-feeling rooms with classy decor. While the rates can vary wildly, it’s a good choice if you can get a deal (elevator, 1 Kensington Gardens Square, tel. 020/7229-2494, www.phoenixhotel.co.uk, reservations@phoenixhotel.co.uk).
$$$ London House Hotel has 103 spiffy, modern, cookie-cutter rooms at reasonable prices (family rooms, air-con, elevator, 81 Kensington Gardens Square, tel. 020/7243-1810, www.londonhousehotels.com, reservations@londonhousehotels.com).
$$$ Princes Square Guest Accommodation is a crisp (if impersonal) place renting 50 businesslike rooms with pleasant, modern decor. It’s well located, practical, and a very good value, especially if you can score a good rate (elevator, 23 Prince’s Square, tel. 020/7229-9876, www.princessquarehotel.co.uk, info@princessquarehotel.co.uk).
$$$ Garden Court Hotel is understated, with 40 simple, homey-but-tasteful rooms (family rooms, elevator, 30 Kensington Gardens Square, tel. 020/7229-2553, www.gardencourthotel.co.uk, info@gardencourthotel.co.uk).
$$ Kensington Gardens Hotel, with the same owners as the Phoenix Hotel, laces 17 rooms together in a tall, skinny building (breakfast served at Phoenix Hotel, 9 Kensington Gardens Square, tel. 020/7243-7600, www.kensingtongardenshotel.co.uk, info@kensingtongardenshotel.co.uk).
Just west of Bayswater (Tube: Notting Hill Gate), spreading out from the northwest tip of Kensington Gardens, this area is famous for two things: It’s the site of the colorful Portobello Road Market (see here), and was the setting of the 1999 Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts film of the same name. The $$$$ Portobello Hotel is on a quiet residential street in the heart of the neighborhood. Its 21 rooms are funky yet elegant—both the style and location give it an urban-fresh feeling (elevator, 22 Stanley Gardens, tel. 020/7727-2777, www.portobellohotel.com, stay@portobellohotel.com).
The streets and squares around Paddington Station teem with “budget” (but still overpriced) hotels handy to the Heathrow Express train and useful Tube lines. The well-run $$ Stylotel feels like the stylish, super-modern, aluminum-clad big sister of the EasyHotel chain. While the 42 rooms can be cramped, the beds have space for luggage underneath (RS%, family rooms, air-con, elevator, 160 Sussex Gardens, tel. 020/7723-1026, www.stylotel.com, info@stylotel.com, Andreas).
These hotels are north of Regent Street, a long walk or quick Tube or bus ride from the lively Soho area and Hyde Park. These are my closest hotels to the center of London, and some of my most expensive. The wide streets and grand homes (including Sherlock Holmes’) gives this area an elegant aura...which is only slightly compromised by the hordes of tourists flocking through to reach Madame Tussauds.
$$$$ The Sumner Hotel rents 19 rooms in a 19th-century Georgian townhouse sporting large contemporary rooms and a lounge with fancy modern Italian furniture. This swanky place packs in all the amenities and is conveniently located north of Hyde Park and near Oxford Street, a busy shopping destination—close to Selfridges and a Marks & Spencer (RS%, air-con, elevator, 54 Upper Berkeley Street, a block-and-a-half off Edgware Road, Tube: Marble Arch, tel. 020/7723-2244, www.thesumner.com, hotel@thesumner.com).
$$$$ Charlotte Street Hotel, in the Fitzrovia neighborhood close to the British Museum, has inviting public spaces and 52 bright, elegant rooms (connecting family rooms, air-con, elevator, 15 Charlotte Street, Tube: Tottenham Court Road, tel. 020/7806-2000, www.charlottestreethotel.com, reservations@charlottestreethotel.com).
$$$$ The Mandeville Hotel, at the center of the action just one block from Bond Street Tube station, has a genteel British vibe, with high ceilings, tasteful art, just-vibrant-enough colors, and 142 rooms. It’s a worthy splurge for its amenities and location, especially if you score a good deal (air-con, elevator, Mandeville Place, tel. 020/7935-5599, www.mandeville.co.uk, info@mandeville.co.uk).
$$$ The 22 York Street B&B offers a casual alternative in the city center, with an inviting lounge and 10 traditional, hardwood, comfortable rooms, each named for a notable London landmark (near Marylebone/Baker Street: From Baker Street Tube station, walk 2 blocks down Baker Street and take a right to 22 York Street—no sign, just look for #22; tel. 020/7224-2990, www.22yorkstreet.co.uk, mc@22yorkstreet.co.uk, energetically run by Liz and Michael Callis).
These two hotels—pricey but oh so central—are a short walk from Covent Garden, in the heart of the action.
$$$$ The Fielding Hotel is a simple and slightly more affordable place lodged in the center of all the action on a quiet lane. They rent 25 basic rooms, serve no breakfast, and have almost no public spaces (family rooms, air-con, 4 Broad Court off Bow Street, Tube: Covent Garden, tel. 020/7836-8305, www.thefieldinghotel.co.uk, reservations@thefieldinghotel.co.uk).
$$ Seven Dials Hotel’s 38 no-nonsense rooms are plain and fairly tight, but they’re also clean, reasonably priced, and incredibly well located (some, but not all, have air-con). Since doubles here all cost the same, request a larger room when you book (family rooms, elevator, 7 Monmouth Street, Tube: Leicester Square or Covent Garden, tel. 020/240-0823, www.sevendialshotel.co.uk, sevendialshotel@gmail.com, run by friendly and hardworking Hanna).
If you can score a double for £100 (or less—often possible with promotional rates) and don’t mind a modern, impersonal, American-style hotel, one of these can be a decent value in pricey London. (for details on chain hotels, see here).
I’ve listed a few of the dominant chains, along with a quick rundown on their more convenient London locations (see the map earlier to find chain hotels in North London). Quality can vary wildly so check online reviews. Some of these branches sit on busy streets in dreary train-station neighborhoods. While I wouldn’t necessarily rule these out, ask for a quieter room, use common sense when exploring after dark, and wear a money belt.
I’ve focused on affordable options here. Pricier London hotel chains include Millennium/Copthorne, Grange, Firmdale, Thistle, InterContinental/Holiday Inn, Radisson, Hilton, and Red Carnation.
$$ Motel One, the German chain that specializes in affordable style, has a branch at Tower Hill, a 10-minute walk north of the Tower of London (24 Minories—see map on here, tel. 020/7481-6420, www.motel-one.com, london-towerhill@motel-one.com).
$$ Premier Inn has more than 70 hotels in greater London. Convenient locations include a branch inside London County Hall (next to the London Eye), at Southwark/Borough Market (near Shakespeare’s Globe, 34 Park Street), Southwark/Tate Modern (15 Great Suffolk Street), Kensington/Earl’s Court (11 Knaresborough Place), Victoria (82 Eccleston Square), and Leicester Square (1 Leicester Place). In North London, the following branches cluster between King’s Cross St. Pancras and the British Museum: King’s Cross, St. Pancras, and Euston. Avoid the Tower Bridge location, south of the bridge and a long walk from the Tube—but London City Tower Hill, north of the bridge on Prescot Street (see map on here)—works fine (www.premierinn.com).
$$ Travelodge has close to 70 locations in London, including at King’s Cross (200 yards in front of King’s Cross Station, Gray’s Inn Road) and Euston (1 Grafton Place). Other handy locations include King’s Cross Royal Scot, Marylebone, Covent Garden, Liverpool Street, Southwark, and Farringdon; www.travelodge.co.uk.
$$ Ibis, the budget branch of the AccorHotels group, has a few dozen options across the city, with a handful of locations convenient to London’s center, including London Blackfriars (49 Blackfriars Road) and London City Shoreditch (5 Commercial Street). The more design-focused Ibis Styles has branches near Earl’s Court (15 Hogarth Road) and Southwark, with a theater theme (43 Southwark Bridge Road; https://ibis.accorhotels.com).
$ EasyHotel, with several branches in good neighborhoods, offers generally tiny, super-efficient, no-frills rooms that feel popped out of a plastic mold, down to the prefab ship’s head-type “bathroom pod.” Rates can be surprisingly low (with doubles as cheap as £30 if you book early enough)—but you’ll pay à la carte for expensive add-ons, such as TV use, Wi-Fi, luggage storage, fresh towels, and daily cleaning (breakfast, if available, comes from a vending machine). If you go with the base rate, it’s like hosteling with privacy—a hard-to-beat value. But you get what you pay for (thin walls, flimsy construction, noisy fellow guests, and so on). They’re only a good deal if you book far enough ahead to get a good price and skip the many extras. Locations include Victoria (34 Belgrave Road), South Kensington (14 Lexham Gardens), and Paddington (10 Norfolk Place); www.easyhotel.com.
$ Hub by Premier Inn—the budget chain’s no-frills, pod-style division—offers extremely small rooms (just a little bigger than the bed) in convenient locations for low prices (as affordable as £69; www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hub.html).
Hostels can slash accommodation costs while meeting your basic needs. The following places are open 24 hours, have private rooms as well as dorms, and come with Wi-Fi.
¢ London Central Youth Hostel is the flagship of London’s hostels, with all the latest in security and comfortable efficiency. Families and travelers of any age will feel welcome in this wonderful facility. You’ll pay the same price for any bed—so try to grab one with a bathroom (families welcome to book an entire room, book long in advance; between Oxford Circus and Great Portland Street Tube stations at 104 Bolsover Street—see map on here, tel. 0345-371-9154, www.yha.org.uk, londoncentral@yha.org.uk).
¢ Oxford Street Youth Hostel is right in the shopping and clubbing zone in Soho (14 Noel Street—see map on here, Tube: Oxford Street, tel. 0345-371-9133, www.yha.org.uk, oxfordst@yha.org.uk).
¢ St. Paul’s Youth Hostel, near St. Paul’s Cathedral, is modern, friendly, well-run, and a bit scruffy (36 Carter Lane, Tube: St. Paul’s, tel. 0345-371-9012, www.yha.org.uk, stpauls@yha.org.uk).
¢ Generator Hostel is a brightly colored, hip hostel with a café and a DJ spinning the hits. It’s in a renovated building tucked behind a busy street halfway between King’s Cross and the British Museum (37 Tavistock Place—see map on here, Tube: Russell Square, tel. 020/7388-7666, http://staygenerator.com, ask.london@generatorhostels.com).
¢ St. Christopher’s Inn, a cluster of three hostels, south of the Thames near London Bridge, has cheap dorm beds; one branch (the Oasis) is for women only. All have loud and friendly bars attached (must be over 18 years old, 161 Borough High Street, Tube: Borough or London Bridge, reservations tel. 020/8600-7500, www.st-christophers.co.uk).
¢ Norwegian YWCA (Norsk K.F.U.K.) is open to all Norwegian women and to non-Norwegian women under 30. (Men must be under 30 with a Norwegian passport.) On a quiet street near Holland Park in the Kensington area, it offers an open-face Norwegian ambience (private rooms available, 52 Holland Park—see map on here, Tube: Holland Park, tel. 020/7727-9346, www.kfukhjemmet.org.uk, kontor@kfukhjemmet.org.uk).
Consider this option if you’re traveling as a family, in a group, or staying several days. Websites such as Airbnb and VRBO let you correspond directly with property owners or managers, or consider one of the sites listed next. For more information on short-term rentals, see the Practicalities chapter.
LondonConnection.com rents several properties around London. OneFineStay.com offers stylish, contemporary flats (most of them part-time residences) in desirable London neighborhoods. SuperCityUk.com rents chic, comfortable aparthotels and serviced apartments in four buildings. Other options include Cross-Pollinate.com, Coach House Rentals (www.chsrentals.com), VisitApartmentsLondon.co.uk, HomeFromHome.co.uk, and APlaceLikeHome.co.uk.
Far from the dated stereotypes of dreary British food, London is one of Europe’s great food cities. Whether it’s dining well with the upper crust, sharing hearty pub fare with the blokes, or venturing to a fringe neighborhood to try the latest hotspot or street food at a market, eating out is an essential part of the London experience. The sheer variety of foods—from every corner of Britain’s former empire and beyond—is astonishing.
I rank eateries from $ budget to $$$$ splurge. For more advice on eating in London, including ordering, tipping, and British cuisine and beverages, see the “Eating” section of the Practicalities chapter.
(See “Central London Restaurants” map.)
Central London is absolutely packed—with both locals and tourists—and restaurants are overflowing, even on a “quiet” night. On weekends and later in the evenings, sidewalks and even the streets become congested with people out barhopping and clubbing. If you’re looking for peace and quiet and a calm meal, avoid Friday and Saturday evenings here and go early on other nights.
Many popular chain restaurants permeate this area (for a description of some reliable chains, see here). There’s no need to clutter up my listings and maps with these—like Starbucks or McDonald’s, you can count on seeing them wherever you go.
(See “Central London Restaurants” map.)
With its many theaters, reputation as a rollicking nightspot, and status as the place where budding restaurateurs stake their claim on London’s culinary map, the Soho neighborhood is a magnet for diners. As it’s close to London’s must see’s and do’s, you could find yourself eating here a lot (convenient for dinner after a day of sightseeing, or before going to the theater). Even if Soho isn’t otherwise on your radar, make a point to dine here at least once.
$$$ Andrew Edmunds Restaurant is a tiny candlelit space where you’ll want to hide your guidebook and not act like a tourist. This little place—with a loyal clientele—is the closest I’ve found to Parisian quality in a cozy restaurant in London. The extensive wine list, modern European cooking, and creative seasonal menu are worth the splurge (daily 12:30-15:30 & 17:30-22:45, these are last-order times, come early or call ahead, request ground floor rather than basement, 46 Lexington Street, tel. 020/7437-5708, www.andrewedmunds.com).
$$ Mildred’s Vegetarian Restaurant, across from Andrew Edmunds, has a creative, fun menu and a tight, high-energy interior filled with happy herbivores (daily 12:00-23:00, vegan options, 45 Lexington Street, tel. 020/7494-1634).
$$$ Bao is a minimalist eatery selling top-quality Taiwanese cuisine, specializing in delicate and delectable steamed-bun sandwiches (portions are small so order more than one). This is a popular spot, often with a line across the street; try to arrive early or late (Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00 & 17:30-22:00, Sun 12:00-17:00, 53 Lexington Street).
$$$ Temper Soho pleases well-heeled carnivores. From the nondescript office-block entrance, you’ll descend to a cozy, stylish cellar filled with rich smoke from meat grilling on open fires. They carve off chunks for tacos and parathas (Indian-style flatbreads). The portions are small and pricey (order multiple courses), but meat lovers willing to pay leave satisfied (Mon-Sat 12:00-22:30, Sun until 21:00, 25 Broadwick Street, tel. 020/3879-3834).
$$$ Kiln invigorates the taste buds with the explosive flavors of Northern Thailand. Squeeze along the long, stainless-steel counter—peering into the wood-fired kilns where the frantic staff does all the cooking—or grab a table in the cramped cellar dining room. The menu skews slightly to the adventurous (i.e., organ meat and strong sauces and curries), with delicious results (daily 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-23:00, 58 Brewer Street).
$$$ Bocca di Lupo, a stylish and popular option, serves half and full portions of classic regional Italian food. Dressy but with a fun energy, it’s a place where you’ll be glad you made a reservation. The counter seating, on cushy stools with a view into the lively open kitchen, is particularly memorable, or you can take a table in the snug, casual back end (daily 12:30-15:00 & 17:15-23:00, 12 Archer Street, tel. 020/7734-2223, www.boccadilupo.com).
$$$ Kricket Soho serves upmarket Indian fare a few steps from Piccadilly Circus. Opt for the tight, stylish, unpretentious main floor (with counter seating surrounding an open kitchen) or the dining room in the cellar. The small-plates menu is an education in Indian cuisine beyond the corner curry house, with kulchas (miniature naan breads with toppings), kheer (rice pudding), and KFC—Keralan fried chicken (Mon-Sat 12:00-14:30 & 17:15-22:30, closed Sun, 12 Denman Street, tel. 020/7734-5612).
$$$$ Nopi is one of a handful of restaurants run by London celebrity chef Yotam Ottolenghi. The cellar features communal tables looking into the busy kitchen, and the cuisine is typical of Ottolenghi’s masterful Eastern Mediterranean cooking, with an emphasis on seasonal produce. If you want to splurge in Soho, do it here (Mon-Sat 10:00-15:00 & 17:30-22:30, Sun until 16:00, 21 Warwick Street, tel. 020/7494-9584, www.ottolenghi.co.uk).
$$ Hoppers is an easy entry into Sri Lankan cuisine—reminiscent of Indian but with more tropical flourishes. You’ll be glad the menu comes with a glossary of key terms—for example, hopper (a spongy yet firm rice-and-coconut pancake, shaped like a bowl), kari (Tamil for “curry”), and roti (flatbread). Be adventurous, and seek the waitstaff’s advice (Mon-Sat 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-22:30, closed Sun, 49 Frith Street, tel. 020/3319-8110).
$$ Princi is a vast, bright, efficient, wildly popular Italian deli/bakery with Milanese flair. Along one wall is a long counter with display cases offering a tempting array of pizza rustica, panini, focaccia, pasta dishes, and desserts. Order your food at the counter, then find a space to share at a long table; or get it to go. They also have a classy restaurant section with reasonable prices if you’d rather have table service (daily 8:00-24:00, 135 Wardour Street, tel. 020/7478-8888).
$$ Yalla Yalla is a bohemian-chic hole-in-the-wall serving up high-quality Beirut street food—hummus, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and shawarmas. Eat in the cramped and cozy interior or at one of the few outdoor tables (daily 10:00-24:00, 1 Green’s Court—just north of Brewer Street, tel. 020/7287-7663).
Between Soho and Covent Garden: Cozy and convivial, $$ Fernandez & Wells is a delightfully simple wine, cheese, and ham bar. Grab a stool as you belly up to the big wooden bar. Share a plate of tapas, top-quality cheeses, and/or Spanish, Italian, or French hams with fine bread and oil, all while sipping a nice glass of wine (generally Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00, Sun until 17:00, quality sandwiches at lunch, 1 Denmark Street, tel. 020/3302-9799).
Coffee and Pastries: Nordic Bakery is Scandinavian-sleek and faces the green and lovely Golden Square. They serve up good coffee, as well as delicious cinnamon buns and dark rye bread, among other light bites (Mon-Fri 7:30-20:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-19:00, 14A Golden Square, tel. 020/7487-5877). Similarly, keep an eye out for Ole & Steen, a chain of coffee shops with generous free samples of cinnamon buns (one location near Soho at 67 Charing Cross Road).
Gelato: Across the street from Bocca di Lupo (listed earlier) is its sister gelateria, Gelupo, with a wide array of ever-changing but always creative and delicious dessert favorites. Take away or enjoy their homey interior (daily 11:00-23:00, 7 Archer Street, tel. 020/7287-5555).
(See “Central London Restaurants” map.)
The area south of Oxford Circus between Regent Street and Soho Gardens entices hungry shoppers with attention-grabbing, gimmicky restaurants that fill the niche between chains and upscale eateries. Stroll along Ganton, Carnaby, Kingly, and Great Marlborough streets for something that fits your budget and appetite, or consider these.
Kingly Court, with three levels of international restaurants overlooking a convivial courtyard, is a handy place to comparison-shop for a meal. Favorites include Le Bab, serving elevated kebabs, and Señor Ceviche, with Peruvian raw fish fare (long hours daily, enter either at 9 Kingly Street or at 49 Carnaby Street).
$$$ Dishoom, the super-popular Indian restaurant (see full listing later, under “Near Covent Garden”) also has a branch on Kingly Street, with the same top-notch fare and the same long lines (daily 8:00-23:00, 22 Kingly Street, tel. 020/7420-9322).
$$ Mother Mash is a bangers-and-mash version of a fish-and-chips shop. Choose your mash, meat, and gravy and enjoy this simple, satisfying, and thoroughly British meal (daily 10:00-22:00, 26 Ganton Street, tel. 020/7494-9644).
(See “Central London Restaurants” map.)
Chinatown is just next door to Soho. These listings straddle the two districts.
On the Main Drag, near the Archways: The intersecting main streets of Chinatown—Wardour Street and Gerrard Street, with the ornamental archways—are lined with touristy, interchangeable Chinese joints. $$ Four Seasons is a cheap, reliable, traditional standby (12 Gerrard Street; second location at 23 Wardour). A bit more appealing is $$ Dumplings’ Legend. The draw here is their dumplings—particularly siu long bao (soup dumplings), which you can see being made fresh through the glassed-in kitchen as you enter (no reservations; on pedestrian main drag, 15 Gerrard Street). Other options worth considering include $$$ Viet Food, featuring tapas-style Vietnamese small plates with a busy chef in the window (34 Wardour Street); and $ Rasa Sayang, a hole-in-the-wall serving Malaysian wok dishes (5 Macclesfield Street).
On Rupert Street: These places are on easy-to-miss Rupert Street, one block over from Wardour. $$$ XU Teahouse and Restaurant—more sedate and sophisticated than the eateries in the heart of Chinatown—has a retro-feeling interior, genteel tea counter, and a short, well-curated Taiwanese menu. Come here to escape the bustle and enjoy a quality meal (daily 12:00-23:00, at #30, tel. 020/3319-8147). $$$ The Palomar, next door, serves well-respected Israeli and Middle Eastern small plates in a cozy atmosphere (daily 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-23:00, at #34, tel. 020/7439-8777).
On the Edge of Chinatown: $$ Y Ming Chinese Restaurant—across Shaftesbury Avenue from the ornate gates, clatter, and dim sum of Chinatown—has dressy, porcelain-blue European decor, serious but helpful service, and authentic Northern Chinese cooking. It’s worth the short walk from the heart of Chinatown for food that’s a notch above (good £15 meal deal offered 12:00-18:00, open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:30, closed Sun, 35 Greek Street, tel. 020/7734-2721, run for more than 20 years by William). $ Jen Café, across from the main Chinatown strip in the little square called Newport Place, is a humble Chinese corner eatery. Appreciated for its homemade dumplings, it only has stools and simple seating, but fast service, a fun and inexpensive menu, and a devoted following (Mon-Wed 11:00-20:30, Thu-Sun until 21:30, cash only, 4 Newport Place, tel. 020/7287-9708).
(See “Central London Restaurants” map.)
$$$$ The Wolseley is the grand 1920s showroom of a long-defunct British car. The last Wolseley drove out with the Great Depression, but today this old-time bistro bustles with formal waiters serving traditional Austrian and French dishes in an elegant black-marble-and-chandeliers setting fit for its location next to the Ritz. Although the food can be unexceptional, prices are reasonable considering the grand presentation and setting. Reservations are a must (cheaper soup, salad, and sandwich “café menu” available in all areas of restaurant, daily 11:30-23:00, 160 Piccadilly, tel. 020/7499-6996, www.thewolseley.com). They’re popular for their fancy cream tea or afternoon tea (details later, under “Taking Tea in London”).
$$$ Brasserie Zédel is the former dining hall of the old Regent Palace Hotel, the biggest hotel in the world when built in 1915. Climbing down the stairs from street level, you’re surprised by a gilded grand hall that feels like a circa 1920 cruise ship, filled with a boisterous crowd enjoying big, rich French food—old-fashioned brasserie dishes. With vested waiters, fast service, and paper tablecloths, it’s great for a group of friends. After 21:30, the lights dim, the candles are lit, and it gets more romantic with live jazz (nightly inexpensive plats du jour, daily 11:30-24:00, 20 Sherwood Street, tel. 020/7734-4888). Across the atrium is the hotel’s original Bar Américain (which feels like the 1930s) and the Crazy Coqs venue—busy with “Live at Zédel” music, theater, comedy, and literary events (see www.brasseriezedel.com for schedule).
$$$$ Rules Restaurant, established in 1798, is as traditional as can be—extremely British, classy yet comfortable. It’s a big, stuffy place, where you’ll eat in a plush Edwardian atmosphere with formal service and plenty of game on the menu. (A warning reads, “Game birds may contain lead shot.”) This is the place to dress up and splurge for classic English dishes (daily 12:00-23:00, between the Strand and Covent Garden at 34 Maiden Lane, tel. 020/7836-5314, www.rules.co.uk).
(See “Central London Restaurants” map.)
Covent Garden bustles with people and touristy eateries. The area feels overrun, but if you must eat around here, you have some good choices.
$$$ Dishoom is London’s hotspot for upscale Indian cuisine. The dishes seem familiar, but the flavors are a revelation. People line up early (starting around 17:00) for a seat, either on the bright, rollicking, brasserie-like ground floor or in the less appealing basement. Reservations are possible only until 17:45. With its oversized reputation, long lines of tourists, and multiple locations, it’s easy to think it’s overrated. But the food is simply phenomenal (daily 8:00-23:00, 12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, tel. 020/7420-9320, www.dishoom.com). Other locations include near King’s Cross Station and Carnaby Street (listed earlier).
$$$ Shapur Indian Restaurant is a well-respected place serving classic Indian dishes from many regions, fine fish, and a tasty and filling thali combination platter (including a vegetarian version). It’s small, low energy, and dressy, with good service (Mon-Fri 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-23:30, Sat 15:00-23:30, closed Sun, next to Somerset House at 149 Strand, tel. 020/7836-3730, Syed Khan).
$$ Lamb and Flag Pub is a survivor—a spit-and-sawdust pub serving traditional grub (like meat pies) two blocks off Covent Garden, yet seemingly a world away. Here since 1772, this pub was a favorite of Charles Dickens and is now a hit with local workers. At lunch, it’s all food. In the evening, the ground floor is for drinking and the food service is upstairs (long hours daily, 33 Rose Street, go up the narrow alley from Floral Street, tel. 020/7497-9504).
(See “Central London Restaurants” map.)
$$$ Terroirs Wine Bar is an enticing place with a casual but classy ambience that exudes happiness. It’s a few steps below street level, with a long zinc bar that has a kitchen view and two levels of tables. The fun menu is mostly Mediterranean and designed to share. The meat and cheese plates complement the fine wines available by the glass (Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00, small bites only from 15:00-17:30, closed Sun, reservations smart, two blocks from Trafalgar Square but tucked away at 5 William IV Street, tel. 020/7036-0660, www.terroirswinebar.com).
$$ St. Martin-in-the-Fields Café in the Crypt is just right for a tasty meal on a monk’s budget—maybe even on a monk’s tomb. You’ll dine sitting on somebody’s gravestone in an ancient crypt. Their enticing buffet line is kept stocked all day, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner (hearty traditional desserts, free jugs of water). They also serve a restful £11 afternoon tea (daily 12:00-18:00). You’ll find the café directly under St. Martin-in-the-Fields, facing Trafalgar Square—enter through the glass pavilion next to the church (generally daily 10:00-19:30, profits go to the church, Tube: Charing Cross, tel. 020/7766-1158). On Wednesday evenings you can dine to the music of a live jazz band at 20:00 (food available until 21:00, band plays until 22:00, £8-15 tickets). While here, check out the concert schedule for the busy church upstairs (or visit www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org).
$$ The Chandos Pub’s Opera Room floats amazingly apart from the tacky crush of tourism around Trafalgar Square. Look for it opposite the National Portrait Gallery (corner of William IV Street and St. Martin’s Lane) and climb the stairs—to the left or right of the pub entrance—to the Opera Room. This is a fine Trafalgar rendezvous point and wonderfully local pub. They serve sandwiches and a better-than-average range of traditional pub meals for around £10—meat pies and fish-and-chips are their specialty. The ground-floor pub is stuffed with regulars and offers snugs (private booths) and more serious beer drinking. To eat on that level, you have to order upstairs and carry it down (kitchen open daily 11:30-21:00, Fri until 18:00, order and pay at the bar, 29 St. Martin’s Lane, Tube: Leicester Square, tel. 020/7836-1401).
$$ Gordon’s Wine Bar is a candlelit 15th-century wine cellar filled with dusty old bottles, faded British memorabilia, and nine-to-fivers. At the “English rustic” buffet, choose a hot meal or cold meat dish with a salad; the cheese plate comes with two big hunks of cheese (from your choice of 20), bread, and a pickle. Then step up to the wine bar and consider the many varieties of wine and port available by the glass (this place is passionate about port—even the house port is excellent). The low carbon-crusted vaulting deeper in the back seems to intensify the Hogarth-painting atmosphere. Although it’s crowded—often downright packed with people sitting at shared tables—you can normally find a spot. When sunny, the crowd spills out onto the tight parkside patio (daily 11:00-22:30, 2 blocks from Trafalgar Square, bottom of Villiers Street at #47—the door is locked but it’s just around the corner to the right, Tube: Embankment, tel. 020/7930-1408, manager Gerard Menan).
Historic pubs still dot the London cityscape. The only place to see the very oldest-style tavern is at $$ Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, which was rebuilt in 1667 (after the Great Fire) from a 16th-century tavern. Imagine this mazelike place, with three separate bars, in the pre-Victorian era: With no bar, drinkers gathered around the fireplaces, while tap boys shuttled tankards up from the cellar (pub grub, pricier meals in the restaurant, open daily, 145 Fleet Street, Tube: Blackfriars, tel. 020/7353-6170).
Late-Victorian pubs are more common, such as the lovingly restored $$ Princess Louise, dating from 1897 (open daily, no food Sat-Sun, 208 High Holborn, see map on here; Tube: Holborn, tel. 020/7405-8816). These places are fancy, often with heavily embossed wallpaper ceilings, decorative tile work, fine-etched glass, ornate carved stillions (the big central hutch for storing bottles and glass), and even urinals equipped with a place to set your glass.
London’s best Art Nouveau pub is $$ The Black Friar (c. 1900-1915), with fine carved capitals, lamp holders, and quirky phrases worked into the decor. While now operated by a chain, it retains its period charm (open daily, outdoor seating, 174 Queen Victoria Street, Tube: Blackfriars, tel. 020/7236-5474).
These days, former banks are being repurposed as trendy, lavish pubs, with elegant bars and freestanding stillions, which provide a fine centerpiece. Three such places are $$ The Old Bank of England (closed Sun, 194 Fleet Street, Tube: Temple, tel. 020/7430-2255), $$ The Jugged Hare (open daily, 172 Vauxhall Bridge Road—see map on here, Tube: Victoria, tel. 020/7614-0134), and $$ The Counting House, with great sandwiches, homemade meat pies, fish, and fresh vegetables (closed Sat-Sun; gets really busy with the buttoned-down 9-to-5 crowd after 12:15, especially Thu-Fri; 50 Cornhill, Tube: Bank, tel. 020/7283-7123).
These restaurants are within a few blocks of Victoria Station. As with the accommodations in this area, I’ve grouped them into east and west of the station (for locations, see the map on here).
Cheap Eats: For groceries, try the following places (all open long hours daily). Inside Victoria Station you’ll find an M&S Simply Food (near the front, by the bus terminus) and a Sainsbury’s Local (at rear entrance, on Eccleston Street). A larger Sainsbury’s is on Wilton Road near Warwick Way, a couple of blocks southeast of the station (closes early on Sun). A string of diverse restaurants lines Wilton Road. For affordable if forgettable meals, try the row of cheap little eateries on Elizabeth Street.
$ La Bottega is an Italian delicatessen that fits its upscale Belgravia neighborhood. It offers tasty, freshly cooked pastas, lasagnas, and salads, great sandwiches, and a good coffee bar with Italian pastries. It’s fast (order at the counter). Grab your meal to go, or enjoy the Belgravia good life with locals, either sitting inside or at a sidewalk table (Mon-Fri 7:30-19:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-18:00, on corner of Ebury and Eccleston Streets, tel. 020/7730-2730).
$$$ The Thomas Cubitt, named for the urban planner who designed much of Belgravia, is a trendy neighborhood gastropub packed with young professionals. It’s pricey, a pinch pretentious, and popular for its modern English cooking. With a bright but slightly cramped interior and fine sidewalk seating, it’s great for a drink or meal. Upstairs is a more refined and pricier restaurant with the same kitchen (food served daily 12:00-22:00, reservations recommended, 44 Elizabeth Street, tel. 020/7730-6060, www.thethomascubitt.co.uk).
$$ Duke of Wellington pub is a classic neighborhood place with forgettable grub, sidewalk seating, and an inviting interior. A bit more lowbrow than my other Belgravia listings, this may be your best glimpse of ye olde London (food served Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-21:00, Sun lunch only, 63 Eaton Terrace, tel. 020/7730-1782).
$$ Grumbles brags it’s been serving “good food and wine at non-scary prices since 1964.” Offering a delicious mix of “modern eclectic French and traditional English,” this unpretentious little place with cozy booths inside (on two levels) and a few nice sidewalk tables is the best spot to eat well in this otherwise workaday neighborhood. Their traditional dishes are their forte (early-bird specials, open daily 12:00-14:30 & 18:00-23:00, reservations wise, a half-block north of Belgrave Road at 35 Churton Street, tel. 020/7834-0149, www.grumblesrestaurant.co.uk).
$ Pimlico Fresh’s breakfasts and lunches feature fresh, organic ingredients, served up with good coffee and/or fresh-squeezed juices. This place is heaven if you need a break from your hotel’s bacon-eggs-beans routine (takeout lunches, vegetarian options; Mon-Fri 7:30-18:00, breakfast served until 15:00; Sat-Sun 8:30-18:00; 86 Wilton Road, tel. 020/7932-0030).
$$$ Seafresh Fish Restaurant is the neighborhood place for plaice—and classic and creative fish-and-chips cuisine. You can either step up to the cheaper takeout counter, or eat in—enjoying a white-fish ambience. Though Mario’s father started this place in 1965, it feels like the chippy of the 21st century (Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00 & 17:00-22:30, closed Sun, 80 Wilton Road, tel. 020/7828-0747).
$$ The Jugged Hare, a 10-minute walk from Victoria Station, fills a lavish old bank building, with vaults replaced by kegs of beer and a kitchen. They have a traditional menu and a plush, vivid pub scene good for a meal or just a drink (food served Mon-Fri 11:00-21:00, Sat-Sun until 20:00, 172 Vauxhall Bridge Road, tel. 020/7828-1543).
$$ St. George’s Tavern is the neighborhood’s best pub for a full meal. They serve dinner from the same menu in three zones: on the sidewalk to catch the sun and enjoy some people-watching (mostly travelers with wheelie bags), in the ground-floor pub, and in a classier downstairs dining room with full table service. The scene is inviting for just a beer, too (food served daily 12:00-22:00, corner of Hugh Street and Belgrave Road, tel. 020/7630-1116).
$ Tachbrook Market, filling a short traffic-free block near several recommended hotels, is a delightful place to browse a variety of food stalls. Sit on a nearby curb with the locals for a quick lunch. There’s also a row of produce, fish, and meat vendors, making this more local-feeling than most London street markets (Mon-Sat 8:00-18:00, closed Sun, on Tachbrook Street just off Warwick Way).
These places are close to several recommended hotels and just a couple of blocks from the Victoria and Albert Museum and Natural History Museum (Tube: South Kensington; for locations see the map on here). The Anglesea Arms pub is a bit farther, but well worth the walk.
Exhibition Road Food Circus: This one-block-long pedestrian zone (on the Victoria and Albert Museum side of the South Kensington Tube station) is lined with enticing little $-$$ eateries. Facing down Exhibition Road is the best-regarded place in the area, $$$ Daquise—serving elevated Polish cuisine in a sophisticated but unstuffy atmosphere. With so many chain restaurants in this area, Daquise is a rare “destination” restaurant (daily 12:00-23:00, 20 Thurloe Street, tel. 020/7589-6117).
Indian: $$ Moti Mahal, with minimalist-yet-upscale ambience and attentive service, serves delicious, mostly Bangladeshi cuisine. Consider chicken jalfrezi if you like spicy, and butter chicken if you don’t (daily 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-23:30, 3 Glendower Place, tel. 020/7584-8428).
Old Brompton Road Eateries: This street, just one block from the South Kensington Tube station, is lined with a variety of good eateries. These two $ places are good for a quick bite: Bosphorus Kebabs (Turkish food, at #59) and Beirut Express (Lebanese, #65). $$ Rocca, at #73, is a bright and dressy Italian place with a heated terrace (daily 11:30-23:30, tel. 020/7225-3413).
Classic London Pub: $$ The Anglesea Arms, with a great terrace buried in a classy South Kensington residential area, is a destination pub that feels like the classic neighborhood favorite. It’s a thriving and happy place, with a woody ambience. While the food is the main draw, this is also a fine place to just have a beer. Don’t let the crowds here put you off. Behind all the drinkers, in back, is an elegant, mellow step-down dining room a world away from any tourism (meals served daily 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-22:00; heading west from Old Brompton Road, turn left at Onslow Gardens and go down a few blocks to 15 Selwood Terrace; tel. 020/7373-7960).
Supermarkets: Tesco Express (50 Old Brompton Road) and Little Waitrose (99 Old Brompton Road) are both open long hours daily.
These are close to my recommended Bayswater and Notting Hill accommodations (for locations, see the map on here).
(See “Earl’s Court Bayswater & Notting Hill” map.)
$$ Cocotte is a “healthy rotisserie” restaurant specializing in delectable roast chicken, plus tempting sides and healthy salads (dine in or take away; daily 12:00-22:00, 95 Westbourne Grove, tel. 020/3220-0076).
$$$ Farmacy is focused on organic vegan fare...with a side of pretense. The menu includes earth bowls, meatless burgers and tacos, and superfood smoothies. With an all-natural, woodgrain vibe, it feels like a top-end health food store (daily 9:00-16:00 & 18:00-22:00, 74 Westbourne Grove, tel. 020/7221-0705).
$$$ Hereford Road is a cozy, mod eatery tucked away on Leinster Square, serving heavy, meaty English cuisine made with modern panache. Cozy two-person booths face the open kitchen up top; the main dining room is down below under skylights. There are also a few sidewalk tables (daily 18:00-22:00, also open for lunch Thu-Sun 12:00-14:30, reservations smart, 3 Hereford Road, tel. 020/7727-1144, www.herefordroad.org).
$$ Taqueria turns out tasty tacos, quesadillas, and other Mexican fare a short walk from my recommended Bayswater accommodations (daily 12:00-23:00, 141 Westbourne Grove, tel. 020/7229-4734).
$$ The Prince Edward serves good grub in a comfy, family-friendly, upscale-pub setting and at its sidewalk tables (Mon-Sat 10:30-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:30, 2 blocks north of Bayswater Road at the corner of Dawson Place and Hereford Road, 73 Prince’s Square, tel. 020/7727-2221).
Supermarkets: Queensway is home to several supermarkets, including Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express (both next to Bayswater Tube stop; a larger Tesco is near the post office farther along Queensway), and Marks & Spencer (inside Whiteleys Shopping Centre). All of these open early and close late (except on Sundays).
$$$ Geales, which opened its doors in 1939 as a fish-and-chips shop, has been serving Notting Hill ever since. Today, while the menu is more varied, the emphasis is still on fish. The interior is casual, but the food is upscale. The crispy battered cod that put them on the map is still the best around (£15 two-course express menu for lunch and until 20:00 Tue-Fri; open Tue-Sun 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-22:00, closed Mon, reservations smart, 2 Farmer Street, just south of Notting Hill Gate Tube stop, tel. 020/7727-7528, www.geales.com).
$$$$ Mazi is a highly regarded Greek restaurant serving refined renditions of classic dishes, including Greek salad, grilled octopus, and loukoumades (doughnuts) in a contemporary, sophisticated setting. Since ordering several small plates can add up, the £15 two-course lunch is a good deal (daily 18:30-22:30, also Tue-Sun 12:00-15:00, 12 Hillgate Street, tel. 020/7229-3794).
$ The Fish House of Notting Hill is an old-fashioned and well-loved chippy, with takeaway on the ground floor and a more expensive table service section upstairs (daily 11:30-22:00, 29 Pembridge Road, tel. 020/7229-2626).
Supermarkets: Tesco Metro is a half-block from the Notting Hill Gate Tube stop (near intersection with Pembridge Road at 114 Notting Hill Gate).
(See “Earl’s Court Bayswater & Notting Hill” map.)
$$$$ Maggie Jones’s has been feeding locals for over 50 years. Its countryside antique decor and candlelight make a visit a step back in time. It’s a longer walk than most of my recommendations, but you’ll get solid English cuisine. The portions are huge (especially the meat-and-fish pies, their specialty), and prices are a bargain at lunch. You’re welcome to split your main course. The candlelit upstairs is the most romantic, while the basement is lively (daily 12:00-14:00 & 18:00-22:30, reservations recommended, 6 Old Court Place, east of Kensington Church Street, near High Street Kensington Tube stop, tel. 020/7937-6462, www.maggie-jones.co.uk).
$$$$ The Shed offers farm-to-table dishes in a rustic-chic setting. Owned by three brothers—a farmer, a chef, and a restaurateur—The Shed serves locally sourced modern English dishes. The portions are hearty, with big, meaty flavors—a change of pace from London’s delicate high-end dining scene. It’s tucked a block off busy Notting Hill Gate (Mon-Sat 18:00-24:00, also open for lunch Tue-Sat 12:00-15:00, closed Sun, reservations smart, 122 Palace Gardens Terrace, tel. 020/7229-4024, www.theshed-restaurant.com).
$$ The Churchill Arms Pub and Thai Kitchen is a combo establishment that’s a hit in the neighborhood. It offers good beer and a thriving old-English ambience in front and hearty Thai dishes in an enclosed patio in the back. You can eat the Thai food in the tropical hideaway (table service) or in the atmospheric pub section (order at the counter). Bedecked with flowers on the exterior, it’s festooned with Churchill memorabilia and chamber pots on the inside (including one with Hitler’s mug on it—hanging from the ceiling farthest from Thai Kitchen—sure to cure the constipation of any Brit during World War II). Arrive by 18:00 or after 21:00 to avoid a line (food served daily 12:00-22:00, 119 Kensington Church Street, tel. 020/7727-4242 for the pub or 020/7792-1246 for restaurant, www.churchillarmskensington.co.uk).
$ Café Diana is a healthy little eatery serving sandwiches, salads, and Middle Eastern food. It’s decorated—almost shrine-like—with photos of Princess Diana, who used to drop by for pita sandwiches (daily 8:00-23:00, cash only, 5 Wellington Terrace, on Bayswater Road, opposite Kensington Palace Garden gates, where Di once lived, tel. 020/7792-9606, Abdul).
To avoid the touristy crush right around the British Museum, head a few blocks west to the Fitzrovia area. Here, tiny Charlotte Place is lined with small eateries (including my first two listings); nearby, the much bigger Charlotte Street has several more good options (Tube: Goodge Street). See the map on here for locations.
$ Salumeria Dino serves up hearty £5 sandwiches, pasta, and Italian coffee. Dino, a native of Naples, has run his little shop for more than 30 years and has managed to create a classic-feeling Italian deli (cheap takeaway cappuccinos, Mon-Sat 7:30-18:00, closed Sun, 15 Charlotte Place, tel. 020/7580-3938).
$ Lantana OUT, next door to Salumeria Dino, is an Australian coffee shop that sells modern soups, sandwiches, and salads at their takeaway window (£8 daily hot dish). Lantana IN is an adjacent sit-down café that serves pricier meals (both Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-17:00, 13 Charlotte Place, tel. 020/7637-3347).
Near the British Library: Farther north, in the Coal Drops Yard development just behind King’s Cross Station, is a branch of the renowned Indian restaurant $$$ Dishoom (see description for Covent Garden branch, earlier). Not only is the food excellent, but it’s a fun excuse to explore this development—a repurposing of an old industrial site on Regent’s Canal.
Once known as the place to get authentic Indian and Bangladeshi food, the East End is now where lively restaurants, food trucks, and “pop-ups” come to get a toehold in an ever-evolving culinary scene. For locations, see the “East End” map on here.
A few blocks east of Liverpool Street Station, this cavernous hall is filled with a festival of eateries. The modern part of the market—to the west, closer to the train station—has big, brassy outposts of all the predictable London chains. It’s much better to focus on the historic, Victorian-age Old Spitalfields Market section, where you’ll find a more interesting array of small, one-off $-$$ eateries and pop-ups. Hours vary, but most places open around 10:00 (11:00 on Sat) and start closing down around 17:00. On weekdays, some stay open until 20:00, but selection is limited (www.oldspitalfieldsmarket.com).
These places are burrowed in the tight streets near Spitalfields, a couple of blocks east of Liverpool Street Station.
$$$$ Ottolenghi Spitalfields showcases the big flavors of celebrity chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s modern Israeli/Eastern Mediterranean dishes. It’s squeezed along tiny Artillery Lane, one of the East End’s narrowest and most atmospheric streets. Its little shop in front displays its appetizers and desserts, and sells a few Ottolenghi products, such as preserves, cookbooks, and so on (Mon-Sat 8:00-22:30, Sun 9:00-18:00, reservations recommended, 50 Artillery Lane, tel. 020/7247-1999, www.ottolenghi.co.uk).
$$$$ The English Restaurant, across from Spitalfields Market, started out as a Jewish bakery in the 17th century. It feels traditional for this trendy district, and is perhaps the best place to capture the ambience of the old East End. They serve up traditional British cuisine with a Belgian flair—like updated bread-and-butter pudding—in a snug dining room or a bistro-style bar area (Mon-Fri 8:00-23:00, Sat-Sun 9:30-18:00, 52 Brushfield Street, tel. 020/7247-4110).
$$$ St. John Bread and Wine Restaurant, with a “nose to tail” philosophy, is especially popular at breakfast—served until noon and featuring their award-winning bacon sandwich on thick bread with homemade ketchup (see if you can guess the special seasoning). They also have good lunches and dinners (daily 8:00-23:00, 94 Commercial Street, tel. 020/7251-0848).
$$$ Gunpowder—a modern alternative to the traditional curry houses on nearby Brick Lane—offers a short and carefully crafted menu of updated Indian fare in a tight, noisy, cozy brick space (Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00 & 17:30-22:30, closed Sun, 11 White’s Row, www.gunpowderlondon.com).
Once synonymous with curry houses, historic Brick Lane now has many more options (though curry is still what many come here for).
$$ Brick Lane’s Famous Curry Houses: This “Curry Row” comes with its own subculture—it’s one of the only places in London where curbside hawkers pitch each eatery’s “award-winning” pedigree and are eager to offer a discount. Ultimately, little distinguishes the options along here. Compare menus and deals, and take your pick. For something a notch above, head a half-block off Brick Lane to Meraz Café, offering a small, simple menu of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi dishes and homemade chutney (daily 11:00-23:00, 56 Hanbury Street, tel. 020/7247-6999).
Other Brick Lane Delights: The Old Truman Brewery hosts a fun courtyard of $ food trucks surrounded by prominent street art. Inside the brewery, Café 1001 is a good place for coffee and cheap cafeteria fare.
In this expensive city, one of the most cost-effective ways to sample local dishes is to graze through a food market. You’ll find English classics (meat pies, bangers and mash, grilled English cheddar cheese sandwiches) and cuisine from every corner of the globe. Most vendors accept credit cards. Keep track of which day of the week the various markets thrive, coordinate your sightseeing accordingly, and suddenly you’re a temporary Londoner.
Some of the best food markets in London are South of the Thames.
Borough Market: London’s oldest fruit-and-vegetable market has been serving the Southwark community for more than 800 years. Today, it’s the granddaddy of all London food halls. There are as many people taking photos as buying fruit, cheese, and beautiful breads, but it’s still a fun carnival atmosphere with fantastic food stalls.
For maximum market and minimum crowds, join the locals on Thursdays (full market open Wed-Sat generally 10:00-17:00, surrounding food stalls also open Mon-Tue; south of London Bridge, where Southwark Street meets Borough High Street; Tube: London Bridge, tel. 020/7407-1002, www.boroughmarket.org.uk).
Southbank Centre Food Market: You’ll find some of the city’s most popular vendors in this paradise of street food near the London Eye. Food vendors are wedged between ugly concrete buildings and elevated train tracks, but the selection is enticing and the location is handy (Fri-Sat 12:00-20:00, Sun-Mon until 18:00, closed midweek; between the Royal Festival Hall and BFI Southbank at Hayward Gallery—from the river, go around behind the buildings to find it; Tube: Waterloo, or Embankment and cross the Jubilee Bridge; tel. 020/3879-9555, www.southbankcentre.co.uk). The market also hosts various festivals throughout the year (German Christmas, coffee, and chocolate are among the favorites).
Ropewalk (Maltby Street Market): This short-but-sweet, completely untouristy food bazaar bustles on weekends under a nondescript rail bridge in the shadow of the Shard. Two-dozen vendors fill the narrow passage—about as long as a football field—with a festival of hipster/artisan carts selling a fun array of foods. Tucked among the carts are some good sit-down eateries, including The Walrus & The Carpenter for seafood and Spanish tapas bar Tozino (Sat 9:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-16:00, www.maltby.st). A short walk southeast of Tower Bridge, this youthful area has several rustic microbreweries tucked between self-storage shops and auto-repair garages.
While visiting London, consider partaking in this most British of traditions. While some tearooms—such as the wallet-draining tea service at Claridges and the finicky Fortnum & Mason—still require a jacket and tie, most others that I list happily welcome tourists in jeans and sneakers (and cost, on average, £35-50). Most tearooms are usually open for lunch and close about 17:00. At all the places listed next, it’s perfectly acceptable for two people to order one afternoon tea and one cream tea and share the afternoon tea’s goodies. At many places, you can spring an extra £10 or so to upgrade to a boozy “champagne tea.” For details on afternoon tea, see here.
$$$ The Wolseley serves a good afternoon tea between their meal service. Split one with your companion and enjoy two light meals at a great price in classic elegance (generally served 15:00-18:30 daily, see full listing on here).
$$$$ The Capital Hotel, a luxury hotel a half-block from Harrods, caters to weary shoppers with its intimate five-table, linen-tablecloth tearoom. It’s where the ladies-who-lunch meet to decide whether to buy that Versace gown they’ve been eyeing. Even so, casual clothes, kids, and sharing plates are all OK (daily 14:00-17:30, book ahead—especially on weekends, 22 Basil Street—see the “West London” color map at the back of this book, Tube: Knightsbridge, tel. 020/7591-1202, www.capitalhotel.co.uk).
$$$$ Fortnum & Mason department store offers tea at several different restaurants within its walls. You can “Take Tea in the Parlour” for a reasonably priced experience (including ice cream and scones; Mon-Sat 10:00-19:30, Sun 11:30-17:00). The pièce de resistance is their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, named in honor of the Queen’s 60th year on the throne. At royal prices, consider it dinner (Mon-Sat 12:00-19:00, Sun until 18:00, dress up a bit—no shorts, “children must be behaved,” 181 Piccadilly—see the “West London” color map at the back of this book, smart to reserve at least a week in advance, tel. 020/7734-8040, www.fortnumandmason.com).
$$$$ Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair serves a fancy afternoon tea in its English tearoom (you’re welcome to ask for second helpings of your favorite scones and sandwiches). Said to be the inspiration for Agatha Christie’s At Bertram’s Hotel, the wood-paneled walls and inviting fire set a scene that’s more contemporary-cozy than pinky-raising classy (daily 12:00-18:00, reservations smart, no casual clothing, 33 Albemarle Street—see the “Central London Restaurants” map on here, Tube: Green Park, tel. 020/7518-4155, www.roccofortehotels.com).
$$$$ The Orangery at Kensington Palace may be closed for restoration when you visit. If so, you can take tea next door at the Kensington Palace Pavilion (daily 12:00-16:00, a 10-minute walk through Kensington Gardens from either Queensway or High Street Kensington Tube stations—see the map on here; tel. 020/3166-6113, www.hrp.org.uk).
Taking tea is not just for tourists and the wealthy—it’s a true English tradition. If you want the teatime experience but are put off by the price, consider these options, more in the £15-30 range.
$$$ Browns Restaurant at Butler’s Wharf serves an affordable afternoon tea with brioche sandwiches, traditional scones, and sophisticated desserts (daily 15:00-17:00, 26 Shad Thames facing Tower Bridge—see the map on here, tel. 020/7378-1700, www.browns-restaurants.co.uk).
$$ The Restaurant at Sotheby’s, on the ground floor of the auction giant’s headquarters, gives shoppers a break from fashionable New Bond Street (tea served Mon-Fri 15:00-16:45, reservations smart, 34 New Bond Street—see the map on here, Tube: Bond Street or Oxford Circus, tel. 020/7293-5077, www.sothebys.com).
At $ Waterstones bookstore you can put together a spread for less than £10 in their fifth-floor view café (203 Piccadilly).
Museum Cafés: Many museum restaurants offer a fine inexpensive tea service. The $$$ National Dining Rooms, within the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, serves a £7.50 cream tea and £22.50 afternoon tea with a great view from 14:30 to 16:30 (tea also served in National Café at the museum’s Getty entrance, from 14:30 to 17:30; Tube: Charing Cross or Leicester Square, tel. 020/7747-2525). The $$ Victoria and Albert Museum café serves a classic cream tea in an elegant setting that won’t break your budget, and the $$$ Wallace Collection serves reasonably priced afternoon tea and cream tea in its atrium (see here).
Shop Cafés: You’ll find good-value teas at various cafés in shops and bookstores across London. Most department stores on Oxford Street (including those between Oxford Circus and Bond Street Tube stations) offer an afternoon tea.
London has six airports; I’ve focused my coverage on the two most widely used—Heathrow and Gatwick—with a few tips for using the others (Stansted, Luton, London City, and Southend). For more on flights within Europe, see the “Transportation” section of the Practicalities chapter.
Heathrow Airport is one of the world’s busiest airports. Consider this: 75 million passengers a year on 500,000 flights from 200 destinations traveling on 80 airlines, like some kind of global maypole dance. For Heathrow’s airport, flight, and transfer information, call the switchboard at 0844-335-1801, or visit the helpful website www.heathrow.com (code: LHR).
Heathrow’s terminals are numbered T-2 through T-5. Each terminal is served by different airlines and alliances; for example, T-5 is exclusively for British Air and Iberia Air flights, while T-2 serves mostly Star Alliance flights, such as United and Lufthansa.
You can walk between T-2 and T-3. From this central hub (called “Heathrow Central”), T-4 and T-5 split off in opposite directions (and are not walkable). The easiest way to travel between the T-2/T-3 cluster and either T-4 or T-5 is by Heathrow Express train (free to transfer between terminals, but tickets are required—hold onto your ticket even once you’ve passed through the turnstile—train departs every 15-20 minutes). You can also take a shuttle bus (free, serves all terminals), or the Tube (requires a ticket, serves all terminals).
If you’re flying out of Heathrow, it’s critical to confirm which terminal your flight will use (look at your ticket/boarding pass, check online, or call your airline in advance)—if it’s T-4 or T-5, allow extra time. Taxi drivers generally know which terminal you’ll need based on the airline, but bus drivers may not.
Services: Each terminal has an airport information desk (open long hours daily), car-rental agencies, exchange bureaus, ATMs, a pharmacy, a VAT refund desk (tel. 0845-872-7627), and pay baggage storage (long hours daily, www.left-baggage.co.uk). Heathrow offers both free Wi-Fi and pay internet access points (in each terminal, check map for locations). You’ll find a post office on the first floor of T-3 (departures area). Each terminal also has cheap eateries.
Heathrow’s small “TI” (tourist info shop), even though it’s a for-profit business, is worth a visit if you’re nearby and want to pick up free information, including the London Planner visitors guide (long hours daily, 5-minute walk from T-3 in Tube station, follow signs to Underground; bypass queue for transit info to reach window for London questions).
You have several options for traveling the 14 miles between Heathrow Airport and downtown London: Tube (about £6/person), bus (£8-10/person), express train with connecting Tube or taxi (£22-25, price does not include connecting Tube fare), or most expensive—taxi or car service. The one that works best for you will depend on your arrival terminal, your destination in central London, and your budget.
By Tube (Subway): The Tube takes you from any Heathrow terminal to downtown London in 50-60 minutes on the Piccadilly Line (6/hour, buy ticket at Tube station self-service machine). Depending on your destination in London, you may need to transfer (for example, if headed to the Victoria Station neighborhood, transfer at Hammersmith to the District line and ride six more stops).
If you plan to use the Tube in London, it makes sense to buy a pay-as-you-go Oyster card (possibly adding a 7-Day Travelcard) at the airport’s Tube station ticket machines. (For details on these passes, see here.) If you add a Travelcard that covers only Zones 1-2, you’ll need to pay a small supplement for the initial trip from Heathrow (Zone 6) to downtown.
If you’re taking the Tube from downtown London to the airport, note that Piccadilly Line trains don’t stop at every terminal. Trains either stop at T-4, then T-2/T-3 (also called Heathrow Central), in that order; or T-2/T-3, then T-5. When leaving central London on the Tube, allow extra time if going to T-4 or T-5, and check the reader board in the station to make sure that the train goes to the right terminal before you board.
By Bus: Most buses depart from the outdoor common area called the Central Bus Station, a five-minute walk from the T-2/T-3 complex. To connect between T-4 or T-5 and the Central Bus Station, ride the free Heathrow Express train or the shuttle buses.
National Express has regular service from Heathrow’s Central Bus Station to Victoria Coach Station in downtown London, near several of my recommended hotels. While slow, the bus is affordable and convenient for those staying near Victoria Station (£8-10, 1-2/hour, less frequent from Victoria Station to Heathrow, 45-75 minutes depending on time of day, tel. 0871-781-8181, www.nationalexpress.com). A less-frequent National Express bus goes from T-5 directly to Victoria Coach Station.
By Train: The Heathrow Express runs between Heathrow Airport and London’s Paddington Station. At Paddington, you’re in the thick of the Tube system, with easy access to any of my recommended neighborhoods—my Paddington hotels are just outside the front door, and Notting Hill Gate is just two Tube stops away.
The Heathrow Express is fast but pricey (£22-25 one-way, price depends on time of day, £37 round-trip, cheaper if purchased online in advance, covered by BritRail pass; 4/hour, Mon-Sat 5:00-24:00, Sun from 6:00, 15 minutes to downtown from Heathrow Central Station serving T-2/T-3, 21 minutes from T-5; for T-4 take free transfer to Heathrow Central, tel. 0345-600-1515, www.heathrowexpress.co.uk).
All Heathrow Express stations have ticket barriers, which require a mobile or paper train ticket to pass through (required even for free transfers between terminals; well-marked machines located near barriers). Tickets can be purchased through the Heathrow Express website or app, or at ticket machines and windows at stations. You can also use funds on an Oyster card, but only for same-day fares (not for buying in advance).
A cheaper alternative to the Heathrow Express—the new Crossrail Elizabeth line—may not yet be operational by the time you visit, but when it opens, it will be faster (and more expensive) than the Tube; see www.tfl.gov.uk for updates.
By Car Service: Just Airports offers a private car service between five London airports and the city center (see website for price quote, tel. 020/8900-1666, www.justairports.com).
By Taxi or Uber: Taxis from the airport cost £45-75 to west and central London (one hour). For four people traveling together, this can be a reasonable option. Hotels can often line up a cab back to the airport for about £50. If running, Uber also offers London airport pickup and drop-off.
Gatwick Airport is halfway between London and the south coast (code: LGW, tel. 0844-892-0322, www.gatwickairport.com). Gatwick has two terminals, North and South, which are easily connected by a free monorail (two-minute trip, runs 24 hours). Note that boarding passes say “Gatwick N” or “Gatwick S” to indicate your terminal. The Gatwick Express trains (described next) stop only at Gatwick South. Schedules in each terminal show only arrivals and departures from that terminal.
Getting Between Gatwick and Downtown London: Gatwick Express trains are the best way into London from this airport. They shuttle conveniently between Gatwick South and London’s Victoria Station, with many of my recommended hotels close by (£20 one-way, £35 round-trip, at least 10 percent cheaper if purchased online, Oyster cards accepted but no discount offered, 4/hour, 30 minutes, runs 5:00-24:00 daily, a few trains as early as 3:30, tel. 0845-850-1530, www.gatwickexpress.com). If you buy your tickets at the station before boarding, ask about possible group deals. (If you see others in the ticket line, you could suggest buying your tickets together.) When going to the airport, at Victoria Station note that Gatwick Express has its own ticket windows right by the platform (tracks 13 and 14). You’ll also find easy-to-use ticket machines nearby.
A train also runs between Gatwick South and St. Pancras International Station (£12.10, 3-5/hour, 45-60 minutes, www.thetrainline.com)—useful for travelers taking the Eurostar train (to Paris, Amsterdam, or Brussels) or staying in the St. Pancras/King’s Cross neighborhood.
While even slower, the bus is a cheap and handy option to the Victoria Station neighborhood. National Express runs a bus from Gatwick directly to Victoria Station (£10, at least hourly, 1.5 hours, tel. 0871-781-8181, www.nationalexpress.com); EasyBus has one that stops near the Earl’s Court Tube stop (£4-10 depending on how far ahead you book, 2-3/hour, www.easybus.com).
Stansted Airport: From Stansted (code: STN, tel. 0844-335-1803, www.stanstedairport.com), you have several options for getting into or out of London. Two different buses connect the airport and London’s Victoria Station neighborhood: National Express (£9-12, every 15 minutes, 2 hours, runs 24 hours a day, picks up and stops throughout London, ends at Victoria Coach Station or Liverpool Street Station, tel. 0871-781-8181, www.nationalexpress.com) and Airport Bus Express (£9, 2/hour, 1.5-2 hours). Or you can take the faster, pricier Stansted Express train (£19, cheaper if booked online, connects to London’s Tube system at Tottenham Hale or Liverpool Street, 2-4/hour, 45 minutes, 4:30-23:00, www.stanstedexpress.com). Stansted is expensive by cab; figure £100-120 one-way from central London.
Luton Airport: For Luton (code: LTN, tel. 01582/405-100, www.london-luton.co.uk), the fastest way to get into London is by train to St. Pancras International Station (£14-17 one-way, 1-5/hour, 35-45 minutes—check schedule to avoid slower trains, tel. 0345-712-5678, www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk); catch the 10-minute shuttle bus (every 10 minutes) from outside the terminal to the Luton Airport Parkway Station. You can purchase a shuttle bus and train combo-ticket from kiosks or ticket machines inside the airport. When buying your train ticket to Luton, make sure you select “Luton Airport” as your destination rather than “Parkway Station” to ensure the shuttle fare is included.
The National Express bus A1 runs from Luton to Victoria Coach Station (£7-11 one-way, 2/hour, 1-1.5 hours, runs 24 hours, tel. 0871-781-8181, www.nationalexpress.com). The Green Line express bus #757 runs to Buckingham Palace Road, just south of Victoria Station, and stops en route near the Baker Street Tube station—best if you’re staying near Paddington Station or in North London (£10 one-way, 2-4/hour, 1-1.5 hours, runs 24 hours, tel. 0344-800-4411, www.greenline.co.uk). If you’re sleeping at Luton, consider EasyHotel’s Luton location.
London City and Southend Airports: To get into the city center from London City Airport (code: LCY, tel. 020/7646-0088, www.londoncityairport.com), take the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to the Bank Tube station, which is one stop east of St. Paul’s on the Central Line (less than £6 one-way, covered by Travelcard, a bit cheaper with an Oyster card, 20 minutes, www.tfl.gov.uk/dlr). Some EasyJet flights land farther out, at Southend Airport (code: SEN, tel. 01702/538-500, www.southendairport.com). Trains connect this airport to London’s Liverpool Street Station (£16.20 one-way, 3-8/hour, 55 minutes, www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk).
A handy National Express bus runs between Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton airports—easier than having to cut through the center of London—although traffic can be bad and can increase travel times (tel. 0871-781-8181, www.nationalexpress.com).
From Heathrow Airport to: Gatwick Airport (£25, 1-6/hour, about 1.5 hours—but allow at least three hours between flights), Stansted Airport (£27, 1-2/hour direct, 1.5 hours), Luton Airport (£27, roughly hourly, 1 hour).
London has a different train station for each region of Britain. There are nine main stations (see the map):
Euston: Serves northwest England, North Wales, and Scotland.
St. Pancras International: Serves north and south England, plus the Eurostar to Paris, Amsterdam, or Brussels (see “Crossing the Channel by Eurostar Train,” later).
King’s Cross: Serves northeast England and Scotland, including York and Edinburgh.
Liverpool Street: Serves east England, including Essex and Harwich.
London Bridge: Serves south England, including Brighton.
Waterloo: Serves south England, including Salisbury and Southampton.
Victoria: Serves Gatwick Airport, Canterbury, Dover, and Brighton.
Paddington: Serves south and southwest England, including Heathrow Airport, Windsor, Bath, Oxford, South Wales, and the Cotswolds.
Marylebone: Serves southwest and central England, including Stratford-upon-Avon.
In addition, London has several smaller train stations that you’re less likely to use, such as Charing Cross (serves southeast England, including Dover) and Blackfriars (serves Brighton).
Any train station has schedule information, can make reservations, and can sell tickets for any destination. Most stations offer a baggage-storage service (look for left luggage signs); because of long security lines, it can take a while to check or pick up your bag (www.left-baggage.co.uk). For more details on the services available at each station, see www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations. UK train and bus info is available at www.traveline.org.uk. For information on tickets and rail passes, see the Practicalities chapter.
From Paddington Station to: Windsor (Windsor & Eton Central Station, 2/hour, 35 minutes, easy change at Slough), Bath (2/hour, 1.5 hours), Oxford (4/hour direct, 1 hour, more with transfer), Moreton-in-Marsh (hourly, 1.5 hours), Penzance (every 2 hours, 5 hours, more with change in Plymouth), Cardiff (2/hour, 2 hours).
From King’s Cross Station: York (3/hour, 2 hours), Durham (hourly, 3 hours), Edinburgh (2/hour, 4.5 hours). Trains to Cambridge also leave from here (4/hour, 1 hour).
From Euston Station to: Conwy (nearly hourly, 3.5 hours, transfer in Chester), Liverpool (hourly, 3 hours, transfer at Liverpool South Parkway), Blackpool (hourly, 3 hours, transfer at Preston), Keswick/Lake District (train to Penrith—hourly, 3.5 hours, then bus at Keswick), Glasgow (1-2/hour, 4.5 hours).
Trains run between London and Canterbury: St. Pancras International Station to Canterbury West (hourly, 1 hour, more with transfer); Victoria Station to Canterbury East (hourly, 2 hours); Charing Cross Station—with stops at Waterloo East and London Bridge—to Canterbury West (hourly, 1.5 hours, more with transfers).
From Marylebone Station: Trains leave for Stratford-upon-Avon from this station, located near the southwest corner of Regent’s Park (2/day direct, 2.5 hours; also 1-2/hour, 2 hours, transfer in Leamington Spa, Dorridge, or Birmingham Moor).
To Other Destinations: Greenwich (from Bank or Monument Tube stop take the DLR to Cutty Sark Station, 6/hour, 20 minutes), Windsor (to Windsor & Eton Riverside Station, 2/hour, 1 hour, from Waterloo Station), Dover (hourly, 1 hour, direct from St. Pancras International Station; also 1-2/hour, 2 hours, direct from Victoria Station; or hourly, 2 hours, direct from Charing Cross Station), Brighton (2/hour, 1 hour, direct from Victoria Station; 2/hour, 1.5 hours, direct from Blackfriars Station), Portsmouth (3/hour, 2 hours, direct from Waterloo Station, a few with change in Clapham Junction from Victoria Station), Salisbury (2/hour, 1.5 hours, from Waterloo Station).
Buses are slower but considerably cheaper than trains for reaching destinations around Britain and beyond. Most depart from Victoria Coach Station, which is one long block south of Victoria Station (near many recommended accommodations, Tube: Victoria). Inside the station, you’ll find basic eateries, kiosks, and a helpful information desk stocked with schedules and staff ready to point you to your bus or answer any questions. Watch your bags carefully—thieves thrive at the station.
Ideally you’ll buy your tickets online (for tips on buying tickets and taking buses, see here of the Practicalities chapter). But if you must buy one at the station, arrive an hour before the bus departs, or drop by the day before. Ticketing machines are scattered around the station (separate machines for National Express/Eurolines and Megabus; you can buy either for today or for tomorrow); there’s also a ticket counter near gate 21. For UK train and bus info, check www.traveline.info.
National Express buses go to: Bath (hourly, 3 hours), Oxford (2/hour, 2 hours), Cambridge (every 60-90 minutes, 2 hours), Canterbury (hourly, 2 hours), Dover (every 2 hours, 2.5 hours), Brighton (hourly, 2.5 hours), Penzance (5/day, 9 hours, overnight available), Cardiff (hourly, 3.5 hours), Stratford-upon-Avon (3/day, 3.5 hours), Liverpool (8/day direct, 5.5 hours, overnight available), Blackpool (1/day direct, more with transfer, 7 hours, overnight available), York (3/day direct, 6 hours), Durham (3/day direct, 7 hours, train is better), Glasgow (2-4/day direct, 10 hours, train is much better), Edinburgh (2/day direct, 10 hours, go by train instead).
To Dublin, Ireland: This bus/boat journey, operated by Eurolines, takes 10-12 hours (£45, 1/day, departs Victoria Coach Station at 18:00, check in with passport one hour before). Consider a cheap 1-hour Ryanair flight instead.
To the Continent: Especially in summer, buses run to destinations all over Europe, including Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Germany (sometimes crossing the Channel by ferry, other times through the Chunnel). For any international connection, you need to check in with your passport one hour before departure. For details, call 0871-781-8181 or visit www.nationalexpress.com.
The Eurostar zips you (and up to 800 others in 18 sleek cars) from downtown London to downtown Paris (1-2/hour, 2.5 hours), Brussels (9/day, 2 hours), or Amsterdam (3/day, 4 hours; more with transfer in Brussels). The train travels at 190 mph, and the tunnel crossing is a 20-minute, silent, 100 mph nonevent. Your ears won’t even pop.
Currently, trains only run direct from London to Amsterdam—those traveling from Amsterdam will need to change trains in Brussels and go through passport control. (Direct service from Amsterdam is in the works.)
Eurostar Tickets and Fares: A one-way ticket between London and Paris, Brussels, or Amsterdam can vary widely in price; for instance, $45-200 (Standard class), $160-310 (Standard Premier), and $400 (Business Premier). Fares depend on how far ahead you reserve and whether you’re eligible for any discounts—available for children (under 12), youths (under 26), and adults booking months ahead or purchasing round-trip. You can book tickets 4-9 months in advance. Tickets can be exchanged before the scheduled departure for a fee (about $45 plus the cost of any price increase), but only Business Premier class allows any refund.
Buy tickets online using the print-at-home eticket option (see www.ricksteves.com/eurostar or www.eurostar.com). You can also order by phone through Rail Europe (US tel. 800-387-6782) for home delivery before you go, or through Eurostar (tel. 0843-218-6186, priced in euros) to pick up at the station. In Britain, tickets are issued only at the Eurostar office in St. Pancras. In continental Europe, you can buy tickets at any major train station in any country or at any travel agency that handles train tickets (expect a booking fee). If you have a Eurail Global Pass, seat reservations are available at Eurostar departure stations, through US agents, or by phone with Eurostar (generally harder to get at other train stations and travel agencies; $35 in Standard, $45 in Standard Premier, can sell out, no benefit with BritRail or other single-country pass).
Taking the Eurostar: Trains depart from and arrive at St. Pancras International Station. Check in at least 30 minutes early (times listed on tickets are local; Britain is one hour earlier than continental Europe). Pass through airport-like security, show your passport to customs officials, and locate your departure gate. The waiting area has shops, newsstands, horrible snack bars and cafés (get food beforehand), free Wi-Fi, and a currency-exchange booth.
Many cruises begin, end, or call at one of several English ports offering easy access to London. Cruise lines favor two ports: Southampton, 80 miles southwest of London; and Dover, 80 miles southeast of London. If you don’t want to bother with public transportation, most cruise lines offer transit-only excursion packages into London. For more details, see my Rick Steves Scandinavian & Northern European Cruise Ports guidebook.
Within Southampton’s sprawling port (www.cruisesouthampton.com), cruises use two separate dock areas, each with two terminals.
To reach London, it’s about a 1.5-hour train ride. To get to Southampton Central Station from the cruise port, you can take a taxi or walk 10-15 minutes to the public ferry dock (Town Quay), where you can ride the QuayConnect bus to the train station. From there, trains depart at least every 30 minutes for London’s Waterloo Station.
If you have time to kill in port, consider taking the train to Portsmouth (50-60 minutes), best known for its Historic Dockyard and many nautical sights, or stick around Southampton and visit the excellent SeaCity Museum, with a beautifully presented exhibit about the Titanic, which set sail from here on April 10, 1912.
Little Dover has a huge port. Cruises put in at the Western Docks, with two terminals.
Trains go hourly from Dover Priory Station to London. From either cruise terminal, the best way into town (or to the train station) is by taxi or shuttle bus (take it to Market Square, then walk 15 minutes to the train station). From Dover’s station, a fast train leaves for London’s St. Pancras International Station (hourly, 1 hour); slower, direct trains go to Victoria Station (1-2/hour, 2 hours) and Charing Cross Station (hourly, 2 hours).
If you have extra time in port, Dover Castle, perched upon chalk cliffs, is well worth a visit for its WWII-era Secret Wartime Tunnels. Or take the train to Canterbury (2/hour, less than 30 minutes), notable for its important cathedral and fine historic core.