Useful London Information
London is and will always be a city which draws in millions of visitors each year, given the excellent range of museums, art galleries, sporting events, culture, palaces and everything else the city can offer people of all ages. To get you started – some helpful sites
Useful London Sites
- British Airways – the UK flag carrier provides a wide range of flights into the London airports.
- London apartments – staying in a vacation rental apartment can be a great per person low-cost way to stay in accommodation which also means self catering facilities and lots of room. Great for families and small groups.
- London Eye – now an iconic part of the London skyline and an attraction you must ride on and which provides outstanding views on the city on a clear day. Read our previous post on the London Eye also.
- London Travel & Events – a chance to find the latest events information for London, England.
- London travel insurance - information on getting travel insurance for London.
- O2 Arena – One of the events venues now in the capital and an interesting structure worth visiting.
- London Travel Guides – Find more excellent information on a wide range of travel information on London with the Holiday Velvet Guides series.
London attractions
Guide to Borough Market – one of the best London Markets
If you are visiting the city of London and you are interested in food, then a trip to Borough Market is a must. The produce and food you will find here is amongst some of the freshest and best quality found anywhere in the country.
The history of the market stretches back nearly a thousand years to 1014 when traders began selling fresh fish and vegetables as well as grains and livestock. In the 13th century a market was located in Borough High Street and in 1755 residents paid to buy an area of land called The Triangle where the heart of the market has been ever since.
There are now more than one hundred individual stalls within the market that serve the community and the city as a whole. Next to the traditional veg, fruit butchers and bakers stalls there is also a huge array of produce made by local artisan producers. The high standards and quality of the food is ensured through an impartial panel of experts who regularly test the produce to maintain the exceptional standards throughout the market.
There is the opportunity to learn about and experience the market first hand with a Gastrotour run by Celia Brooks, a cook and food writer. The 3 hour experience will show you some of the hidden gems the market has to offer with tastings that involve charcuterie, fine British cheeses, meat from rare breeds and fine pastry’s and deserts. There is also the opportunity to have an organised wine tasting session with a tutor to find out how to match the perfect wine to any dish you prepare.
The Best Hot Spots in London
The five best hot spots in London really depend on what your definition of a hotspot is. If one is traveling from overseas to London, hot spots could refer to tourist attractions like Big Ben or Buckingham Palace. The main tourist sites in London are all a stone’s throw away from the major airports, one can grab their ride at parking at gatwick and head out to see the famed Trafalgar Square or the dark history of the Tower of London.
The sightseeing hot spots are truly endless in London. The best spots all revolve in a way around The River Thames, it could easily be considered the best spot of all of them. Almost all the major places in London are within walking distance of the River Thames, it’s definitely a place to at least start your trip.
Trafalgar London
Those traveling from within the United Kingdom however, might wish for a slightly different interpretation for hot spot. If one is traveling in from Manchester for example, one might leave their vehicle at manchester airport parking and then hop in a plane to Heathrow and head out for a day or night on the town.
In that case, hot spots might refer to restaurants or shopping that might not be available outside of London. There are always a host of events going in London from comediennes to plays to concerts that should not be missed. The best west end shows of the moment are Wicked or perhaps Opera is more the thing with La Traviata.
The hottest shopping spot might just be Carnaby Street near Oxford Street open to foot traffic only. There is no end to the amazing finds one can stumble open at the various stores. There are a variety of shopping spots on Oxford Street including Mango and Zara that should not be missed. Then of course there is King’s Road with all of its little boutiques filled to the brim with trendy designer clothing and off the wall labels just a short distance from Chelsea Anitques Market and of course Vivenne Westood’s famed shop where punk was first designed in the 1970s.
There are a variety of restaurants that are just a short cab ride from stansted airport parking and then another short walk to the airport and you are off home again with an empty wallet, full stomach and way too many bags to carry on an airplane.
London Olympic Site
The Olympics are edging closer and the Olympics site seems to be devloping on time and with every month the venues are looking increasingly impressive. Despite the economic problems in the world over the last 2 years, the 2012 Olympics looks as though it will meet all expectations.
Visiting Wembley Stadium
Wembley stadium is the best stadium in the UK and one of the best in the world. The new stadium, on the same site as its famous predecessor which was the home to English football and pop concerts for so long, cost hundreds of Millions of pounds to build and represents the very latest in stadium technology. There is great debate in the UK as to whether Wembley stadium is worth all of the money that was spent on it, but anyone who has visited there will tell you that it certainly is, and you can only truly make your mind up once you have been there yourself.
Traditionally, one of the most exciting aspects of visiting the old Wembley stadium in London was walking down Wembley Way towards the Twin Towers, and although these landmarks were not preserved for the new stadium, the walk towards the stadium and the enormous arch above still fills one with excitement and a sense of occasion.
Wembley Stadium
Many other stadiums in the UK which claim to be on the same level of Wembley Stadium and were built for a much smaller fee simply do not have the same standard of facilities inside the stadium. Wembley has state of the art restaurants, shops and conference facilities which make it stand out from the competition.
Walking from the concourse out into the seating area at Wembley for the first time is one of those stomach tingling moments. The grass is so green, the stands so vast and the atmosphere so electric that you instantly forget all of the bad press associated with the development of the stadium and take it to your heart.
When visiting the stadium, especially for an event, it is recommended to use public transport. There is parking available at the stadium but it is extremely limited and needs to be booked well in advance. Whilst there are a number of non official car parks in the area it is not advised to use these for security reasons, mainly that these car parks are not paroled during events and that they generally do not have sound insurance policies. When arriving by public transport there are three stations within easy access of the stadium, Wembley Park, Wembley Central and Wembley Stadium.
A Trip on the London Eye
London has one of the most famous skylines in the world, and one of the best ways to enjoy it is from the London Eye.
The London Eye was built as part of the millennium celebrations and also to take London forward into the new century as a modern and high tech city. The absolutely immense structure, which is the largest structure of its type in Europe, is the most significant addition to the London skyline in recent years, and is the most visited attraction in the United Kingdom. This comes as no surprise considering then views that can be enjoyed of not only London, but the surrounding areas for miles around. It is the views of London though which represent the biggest attraction of the London Eye, as its central location means that it is right on top of some of the most famous buildings in the city, including the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, really allowing you to enjoy every aspect of these buildings and fully appreciate their presence and importance.
London Eye
Essentially, the London Eye is a slow moving ferris wheel with enclosed carriages capable of holding up to 25 people. The wheel is designed entirely as an observational facilitator, and is not a fair ground or adrenaline ride. Each of the carriages is air conditioned, meaning that it can run on any day of the year, regardless of the weather.
Arriving in London via Eurostar
There are various ways to arrive in London from the continent, but in one of the fastest and most efficient methods of doing so is to take the Eurostar. The Eurostar is an express train service which departs from various cities around Europe and arrives into London Euston within a few hours. This is an uninterrupted service as the train travels under the channel.
London Euston station is one of the major train stations in the centre of the city, meaning that those who arrive in the city do not have to worry about the transfers which are associated with other methods of transport such as air travel, they have direct access to the city’s extensive underground system which means that they can reach anywhere in the London within around 30 mins, and anywhere in the centre of the city within around 15 mins.
Eurostar
When travelling to London via Eurostar the same restrictions to travel apply as to all inter country travel within Europe, you will be required to present a current passport at either end of the journey. If you do not have such a document you will be denied entry into the country pending enquiries with the UK Borders Agency. For travellers from certain countries in Europe, such as those from Belgium and France, access can be gained with a national identity card.
Travelling to London via Eurostar is a highly comfortable and efficient method for those who need quick access to the inner city.
More free London travel information from the Holiday Velvet travel guides series can be found online. Also learn more about exhibitions in London and some of London’s best attractions.
Best Things to do When Visiting the Tower of London
When visiting theTower of London for the first time you will be amazed at the amount of things there are to see and do. Below are some of the best things to do inside this highly popular tourist attraction.
Prisoner’s exhibition
The prisoners are one of the most famous features in the history of this great tower, so to come here and not explore this further would be a great shame. You can find out about the most famous prisoners to have been held here and engage in interactive activities designed to make the learning experience fun for all, especially for kids.
The White Tower
This tower provides one of the most iconic images of the Tower of London having been built to have a large and intimidating presence which, it was hoped, would encourage the residents of London to abide by the law and avoid imprisonment. You can explore this building and learn all about its colourful history.
Crown Jewells
These are the most famous jewels in the country and possibly even the world. The items which make up the monarch’s most prized possession are centuries old and the opportunity to view them in person should definitely not be missed.
Yeoman Warder Tour
The image of the Yeoman is one of the most iconic to be associated with the tower of London. These are the ceremonial guardians of the tower and make great hosts.
In London on business? You might be interested in learning about the London exhibition venues and which include the ExCel Centre and Olympia.
Otalo
