KEY PLACES TO VISIT
Getting around London is very efficient , either by simply walking everywhere or by using the London Underground Tube , famous London cabs , bus network , rail trains and trams . Buy a tourist ’ s London Travelcard ahead of time ($ 18 one day , $ 48.50 seven days ) via mail ; or pick up a more expensive ( but more flexible ) Oyster Card when you arrive that works on all the transport systems .
Big Ben won ’ t chime again until 2021 , as it is under a four-year repair program , but coming upon it , the Palace of Westminster ( Parliament ) and Westminster Bridge is still an iconic sight for any London visitor . Westminster Abbey is nearby , too , the ancient church where the country ’ s monarchs are crowned ( each one since 1066 ) and many are buried . It ’ s fascinating to just wander around and read the gravestones in the abbey — you ’ ll find everyone from Queen Elizabeth I to Charles Dickens , Geoffrey Chaucer , Rudyard Kipling , Charles Darwin and Laurence Olivier .
Buckingham Palace is an easy walk from there through St . James Park ; arrive just before 11 a . m ., when the spectacle of the Changing of the Guard occurs , usually every other day ( check online for the exact schedule ). Visit on June 9 to see the annual Trooping of the Colour at the Horse Guards Parade on the opposite side of the park , for that commemorates Queen Elizabeth II ’ s birthday , and you might get a glimpse of the monarch herself .
Three miles east along the river you ’ ll come to the Tower of London , the palace and prison where past monarchs , princes , lords and ladies came to terrible ends . Henry VIII imprisoned and executed two of his wives here , as well as his advisor Thomas Cromwell . Hear those and many other stories from the red-uniformed Beefeaters who still guard the palace , and revel in the Crown Jewels stored there . Those crowns , scepters , swords and other regalia are out of this world .
MUST-SEE MUSEUMS
Britain ruled the waves and most of the world for generations , which means the British Museum ( built in 1753 ) is one of the greatest repositories for historical art and artifacts on the planet . It ’ s a massive undertaking to see all the exhibits in this huge , 94-gallery museum located in the Bloomsbury district , but happily they offer a list of the “ don ’ t miss ” items . Those include the Rosetta Stone , Tang Dynasty tomb figures , an Easter Island moai statue , sculptures plundered from the Parthenon and much more .
Lovers of art and design need to spend some quality time at the Victoria and Albert Museum ( the V & A ) in Knightsbridge , built in 1899 under the auspices of Queen Victoria . With over 2.3 million objects spanning 5,000 years of architecture , fashion , ceramics , painting , glass , jewelry , textiles , sculpture and more , the V & A melds old and new into an always fascinating group of rotating exhibits .
To see particularly British art , visit the Tate Britain in Vauxhall , the beautiful museum right on Thames River , where Brit artists like Turner , Bacon , Millais , Blake , Hockney , Moore , Hepworth , Sargent and many others have their best works displayed . For important contemporary artworks , head to the Tate Modern in Bankside , to immerse yourself in the minds of Dali , Picasso , Warhol , Rothko , Matisse and other modern art geniuses .
SHOP TILL YOU DROP
From bespoke men ’ s suits made in tony shops on Savile Row in Mayfair , to casual open markets filled with stalls selling everything from socks to chandeliers , London has something special for every shopper ’ s taste . Be sure to wander through Oxford Circus , starting at the venerable Selfridge ’ s and moving on to other quintessentially English retailers like Topshop , John Lewis and Ted Baker , finally indulging at Liberty London department store . Over in Knightsbridge , the must-visit department stores are Harrod ’ s and Harvey Nichols , and a stroll down Sloane Street will dent your wallet with visits to top international designers like Tom Ford , Prada and Dolce & Gabbana .
The lively Spitalfields Markets ( both the Traders and Arts markets ) are London ’ s oldest . Now open every day ( it used to just be weekends ), the Traders Market has 110 stalls brimming with new and vintage clothing , children ’ s toys , jewelry and interior design items . The Spitalfields Arts Market is full of works offered from both established and up-andcoming artists , but is only open on Market Street on select weekends ( Thursday to Sunday ) from March through September .
Other interesting places to shop for unique goods and gifts are Carnaby Street , Covent Garden , King ’ s Road and ( for really quirky , interesting items ) the Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill .
DELIGHTFUL DINING
London has so many places to dine , from cozy local pubs to worldclass Michelin-starred restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs known all over the planet , it is tough to choose where to have a meal . Visit Gordon Ramsay ( in Chelsea ), run by Chef Clare Smyth , or Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester , as each boast a three-star Michelin experience ; try Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental or Umu in Mayfair for two-star deliciousness .
Enjoy excellent , authentic Indian fare at Dishoom , with outposts in Kensington , Shoreditch , King ’ s Cross , Carnaby and Covent Garden ; all are stylish restaurants serving breakfast and all-day dining . Check out the newly opened Bang Bang Oriental in North London for a pan-Asian cornucopia of flavors from 33 different kiosks under one roof — there ’ s bound to be more than one that delights with Chinese , Korean , Japanese and other cuisines represented .
The Borough Market began in 1014 near the London Bridge in Southwark . It ’ s the city ’ s oldest food market and today it features produce and meat stalls , shops and restaurants . It ’ s a delightful place to wander and explore . Try Eliot ’ s Café for seasonal , locally sourced meals cooked over a wood-grill fire and paired with organic wines .
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FLYWASHINGTON . COM 32 SPRING 2018