St Paul’s Cathedral

Major Tourist Attraction Place Reviews Sight / Activity

A Bit of History

St Pauls Cathedral, one of the major sight in this city, is awesome and that’s why you should go there.

To convince you, here’s below a list of facts you might not even know:

• St Paul’s Cathedral is the fourth church to stand on the site

•The dome is one of the largest in the world

• The quietest whisper can be heard from across the dome in the Whispering Gallery

• Martin Luther King once gave a sermon at St Paul’s Cathedral

•St Paul’s art collection spans across different art periods, all the way up to the present day

•Sir Christopher Wren, the cathedral’s architect, was the first to be buried in its tombs

•Many of Britain’s famous figures have been honoured in the cathedral

John Donne, Florence Nightingale, William Blake, Sir Alexander Fleming have celebratory monuments, while prime ministers Winston Churchill and more recently Margaret Thatcher have had funeral services held here.

•Suffragettes planned to blow up the Bishop’s throne in St Paul back in 1913

In an attempt to raise awareness for equal voting rights, suffragettes planted a battery-powered bomb underneath the bishop’s throne. However, the bomb was faulty and failed to go off.

•St Paul’s Cathedral and artists

Yoko Ono, Rebecca Horn, Anthony Gormley…

Skygarden

Big London Venues Docklands and Tower Hill Local London Sight / Activity

Up to the Sky!

The Sky Garden is a public space on the 35 top floor of 20 Fenchurch street, in the heart of the City. I wouldn’t call it a garden, as you might be disappointed if you go there expecting to visit a garden, but more a 360 degree spot with great view across the City of London. The entrance is free but you’ll need to book it on their website in advance. They do have a pricey restaurant with unanimous reviews advising you to avoid it. Go there for the view and for the wander around, that’s worth the sight (But remember not for their restaurant!)

Shakespeare’s Globe

Big London Venues Major Tourist Attraction Place Reviews Sight / Activity

Shakespeare’s Iconic Theatre

The Globe theatre is a replica of the theatre that first staged Shakespeare’s plays 400 years ago on Southbank, right next to the Tate Modern and close by Borough Market.

The Globe is more than just a theatre. It is like a working museum to the life and times of Shakespeare. (a replica of the theatre that first staged the writer’s plays 400 years ago) The theatre has been constructed as it was in Shakespeare’s time – without a roof. But is only a functioning theatre during theatre season. (there is the option of affordable standing tickets in the front pit of the theatre – where the ‘unclean’ would have watched the plays during Shakespeare’s time!), there are also tours and a museum at the Globe.

The theatre season dates change each year (they tend to run from around April to October), so it is best to check the Official Shakespeare’s Globe Website to find out whether you will be able to get play tickets during your visit.

Fans of the film ‘Shakespeare in Love’ will recognise the theatre as the central scene for the majority of the film’s action. 😉

Westfield Shopping Centre

Bow and Stratford Local London Place Reviews Shopping Sight / Activity

The Largest Shopping Mall in Europe

Are you seeking something in particular? Do you need a T-shirt, an ice-cream, or you wanna see a new block-buster? In any cases, you can go in Westfield where you will probably end-up buying more than you need.

Westfield is a capitalist haven for those who love giant super mall. And even for the ones who don’t enjoy that much the indoor shopping, they will have to recognise that this is a very convenient place. I believe you can find everything over-there. Thanks to the maps located pretty much everywhere, you can spot easily the shop you are looking for without turning too crazy.

The other good thing about Westfield is that it’s only 1 tube stop away from Park Villa, or 10 minutes away if you decide to walk by the canal 🙂

N.B: Avoid on rainy Saturdays (except if you appreciate to be stifled by a crazy crowd)

Tate Modern

Big London Venues Major Tourist Attraction Sight / Activity

Modern Art

Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in the Bankside, in front of the Millennium Bridge and St Paul . It is Britain’s national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group (together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives and Tate Online)

Even if you are not fond of modern art, the Tate Modern is a sight worth the visit, at least for its incredible architecture. (If you don’t think Picasso, Klee, Bacon and all the others don’t deserve your attention)  Climbing (or queuing for the elevator) to the top of Blavatnik building, will offer you a striking view of London.

So yes, go there 🙂

 

Libreria Bookshop

Bethnal Green and Spitalfields Brick Lane and Aldgate Local London Place Reviews Shopping Sight / Activity

Fantastic Bookshop

Less traditional than the non-less famous Brick Lane Bookshop (10 minutes away) Libreria will make you step into a brand new world. Its looks quite obscure and really classic from the outside but once you’ve opened the door, a world of colours dazzles you. The shelves are endless and you better forget the typical science-fi, thrillers or art sections. Instead books are grouped by ideas! So there you go with ‘The Future and the Death’, ‘Mothers, Madonna, Whores’, or ‘Despair and Redemption’.

Mobile phones are banned (sorry snapchat lovers) so you can purely enjoy the great atmosphere of the boutique. Just grab a book, find a corner and make you comfortable.

N.B : For the ones interested they run risograph printing workshops in the basement.

 

Kyoto Garden

Place Reviews Sight / Activity

London Haven

 

Kyoto Garden is a gem hidden inside an other one. Located in the heart of the beautiful Holland Park, the Japanese-style Kyoto Gardens, with its colours and arrangements, is from spring to winter a treat for the eyes. 

This garden is a combination of impressive photogenicity and invitingly peaceful setting mean that it’s one of London’s least-secret ‘secret’ gardens.

It was donated by the Chamber of Commerce of Kyoto, in recognition of the Japan Festival held in London in 1992 — (including the first international sumo wrestling competition at the nearby Royal Albert Hall!) so why don’t you check it out if you are around?

 

 

 

Broadway Market

Local London Place Reviews Shoreditch & Hackney Sight / Activity

Food Haven in East London

Broadway Market starts from London Field to Regent’s Canal and hosts a lovely food market every Saturday from 10am to 5pm. London streets are packed with every kind of markets these days, and the best known ones are too often overcrowded. Broadway Market is busy, but its location, a bit harder to find, discourages the tourists. It is a delightful way to spend few hours on a sunny day. Close to Regent’s canal path walk, and 2 minutes from London Fields. I would highly recommend it to you; this is a true food haven where price and quality are matching. From lobster brioche to traditional scotch eggs (or even vintage teapot) I am sure you’ll find something to bright up your day.

(It is also rumoured that the old Broadway Market partly inspired the BBC soap opera EastEnders…)

Tower of London

Docklands and Tower Hill Major Tourist Attraction Place Reviews Sight / Activity

The Most Famous Castle

 

The Tower of London, officially Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London is open to public all week long and all year long!  ( • Adult / 16+ years old: £21.5 • Childs  / 5-15 years old: £9.70 )

Inside the fortress you can:

•See the world most famous jewels : the Crown Jewels (still used in Royal Ceremonies)

•Walk in the footsteps of those condemned to death by order of the state; in Green Tower.

•Watch the ravens, known as the guardian’s Tower (It is said the kingdom and the Tower will fall if the six resident ravens ever leave the fortress. Today you have 6 ravens + one spare!)

So that’s what you should expect from Tower of London. If you are a family it’s a place to go as you will find entertaining and interesting activities for everyone.

By sunny day it’s the perfection destination and the right place to take a boat till Westminster or Greenwich.

For history with a modern twist, go to ice-skate in winter. Open till the 2 January.

 

Hunterian Museum

Exhibition Place Reviews Sight / Activity

The Royal College of Surgeon

 

The Hunterian Museum houses one of the oldest collections of anatomical, pathological and zoological specimens in the UK. Both fascinating and gruesome, this museum is a true hidden gem in London. With its collection of bizarre and unusual anatomical things you have everything from two headed cats to a collection of human genetalia. Nothing more real!

The museum is free but unfortunately will be closed till 2020 while the Royal College of Surgeons building is redeveloped.

Did you know that early surgeons did not require a medical degree to become a surgeon? Surgeons became qualified by attending lectures and serving apprenticeships before gaining a diploma. A medical degree only became compulsory in the 20th century.