When you're visiting London and if you're strolling down Westminster Bridge Road, watch out for the building you see above. The architecture is pretty lovely of course. But it also has a rather unusual history It's close to Waterloo, The Houses of Parliament, various...
If you’re visiting England, then the chances are good that you’ll include Windsor Castle as one of your must-see places. It’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in England and is an easy drive from Central London. It’s easy to get...
If you’ve been to London, you might have noticed them. If you’re planning to go there, then watch out for them. These curious little structures, looking rather like a Victorian garden shed, are scattered throughout the city.There are only thirteen of them...
If you’re visiting London and have had your fill of the usual tourist attractions, then head to Kennington Road where you’ll find the site of a gory murder, the childhood home of Charlie Chaplin, a war museum, a one-time residence of Vincent van Gogh and...
You know what Londoners are like. If you think that there are buildings in London that have official names such as the Gherkin then you’d be wrong – although just about everyone refers to it as such. There’s also no building that’s officially...
Many people visit London because it’s jam-packed with history. Visitors from newer countries love the fact that there are buildings, streets and stories that existed long before their own country did. But history from way back, although fascinating, is only part...
The location scouts looking for fantastic places to make part of the Harry Potter films probably were delighted to find Leadenhall Market. It was featured quite a few times in the movie series – just take a look at the photographs and the video below and you can...
Number two Willow Road is the central apartment in a row of three – built in the late thirties and designed by Ernő Goldfinger. Goldfinger was a well-known designer and architect – he was originally from Budapest but made his home in London for many years...
Until it was closed in 1853, Cross Bones was an unconsecrated, unofficial graveyard. Many of the corpses that were buried there were those of babies due to the high infant mortality rate in earlier times, or those of women thought to be prostitutes. It was closed...
It’s something that was glossed over for many years. We know all about it now though, the fact that millions of animals served Britain and its Allies during the wars of the last century. It’s said that eight million horses died in the First World War...
Millions of passengers travel through St Pancras Station in London every year. With trains going to Europe (Paris, Amsterdam, Rotterdam… via the Channel Tunnel), connections going to various parts of the UK – with all that train activity going on people...
The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is to be found in Westminster Abbey, London. Many countries have similar memorials – which honour the dead of the First and/or Second World War but this is the first of its type being installed in the abbey in 1920. Most people...
See the photograph above? Now that is one gorgeous place to swim, dine or enjoy a luxurious spa day. But here’s what Kings Meadow Pool, now known as the Thames Lido. But in 2009, here’s what the place looked like. And seeing what the place looks like now...
Swimming is one of the most popular forms of exercise and these days, more and more people are enjoying the benefits of swimming outdoors. In England. Yes, although many people in other countries seem to think that Egland is always cold and always raining (it...
As the man in the video says ‘these are proper English chips – none of yer poncey French fries’. The super-stylish frontage – those wonderful tiles and that fabulous font! – could be the work of a modern architect but it is original to...
There are so many fascinating buildings in London, For travellers interested in architecture, London is without doubt a feast. But among the important, historical and ancient, there are buildings and structures that have stories to tell about relatively recent times...
Built in 1934, this modernist building housing small but efficient (and wonderfully designed) apartments became popular with its inhabitants – and those inhabitants included artists, designers, writers, architects … and even spies. Today the building is...
Once you’ve visited the obvious tourist traps in London, the chances are that you’ll start to explore the less-familiar aspects of the city. And there are several reasons why you might end up in the Cleveland Street area. For example, Charles Dickens lived...
Yes, I know that I tend to extol the virtues of other tourist places in England in addition to London, but there are some features of the city that are quirky enough to be included on this website. One of them is to be found in the famous Trafalgar Square. It’s...
Well, here we have two very different musicians. One, in recent memory, lived in the twentieth century. The other in the eighteenth. But surprisingly, only a wall separated their living quarters. George Handel lived at 25 Brook Street in Mayfair. Two hundred years...
What you see above is probably the most famous pedestrian crossing in the world. Recorded in 1969, Abbey Road was an album by the Beatles and the cover featured the four band members walking across the road on the crossing. Use the map below to locate the crossing our...
There are a couple of unusual things that you might need to know if you come across this sculpture in London. The first is that it isn’t the work of one artist but of a collective. That’s not terribly unusual but stand and watch the sculpture for a few...
I can’t even begin to describe to you that wonderful moment when I realised that Maggie Smith was going to play Miss Shepherd in Alan Bennett’s Lady in the Van. And a marvellous film it is too. For those who don’t know, it’s the (largely) true...
Baywater is a lovely area of London with elegant terraces featuring delightful architecture. But next time you’re in London, it’s worth visiting Leinster Gardens because two of the houses there are not what they first appear to be. Numbers 23 and 24 are...
It’s not only me who finds this building (above, left) perfectly awful. In 2015, the building won the Carbuncle Cup – which is awarded annually to the ugliest building in the UK. And it’s not just ugly, it also has a serious solar glare problem....
How many hotels are there in London? I’m sure that Google would be able to tell me but the information would soon be out of date. There are faceless chain hotels, independent quirky hotels and then … there’s 40 Winks. It defies description –...
I imagine that in years to come, there will be an increase in American visitors to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle – thanks to the marriage of the UK’s Prince Harry to American actor Meghan Markle. Our two countries have a long history together...
So, there you are exploring London and it’s time for lunch. (Or breakfast or dinner or a light snack). Of course, there are so many places you can go. But how about something a little different this time? Enjoy coffee in a crypt! In Central London, you’ll...
If I told you that you could enjoy accommodation in London at a budget price but with the advantages of a luxurious swimming pool, sauna, hot tub, wifi and even breakfast you’d probably think I was joking. But it’s true. You’ll be staying in a great...
Have you ever considered enjoying a cooking class when you’re on your trip? Or even having a culinary class vacation? If so, the internet makes it easy. Today we have two websites to recommend to you – one that organises cooking classes and vacations in...
Wouldn’t you, or someone you know, love to attend a chocolate masterclass and learn how to make the most delectable chocolate treats? At the risk of started the Third World War here I have to say that I think that the chocolate from the other side of the pond is...
Have you seen what hotel prices are like in Central London? London is on everyone’s wishlist as one of the places they must visit but accommodation prices can be prohibitively high. The answer is to look at home stay alternative like the one you see featured...
Are you planning to visit London? If so, then you can spend a splendid day seeing the sights from a Thames riverboat – you’ll see all the iconic City of London landmarks. Then, to have a truly splendid end to an exciting day, enjoy a meal at one of Marco...
