Origins of London Medieval Westminster Tudor Hampton Court Wren's London Georgian London Victorian London Modern London

Greenwich Bankside Hampton Court

Camden Market Portobello Rd & Notting Hill Albertopolis & the South Kensington Museums

A Walk around Bermondsey

Open Top Bus Around London

It may seem cheesy but it gets you orientated!

AM Guided Walking Tour.  

Explore the City of London founded by the Romans in AD47 - Take a City Walking tour Or buy the Citisights Guide to the History of London and do it yourself!

On the walk try and visit St. Bartholemew's Priory, Smithfield - a lovely Norman Church.

PM Museum of London and the Guildhall

Deepen your knowledge of London by visiting the glorious Museum of London. The Museum of London tells the story of London from the Prehistoric period to the present day.

PM Guildhall

If you have time walk to the Guildhall. The Guildhall is the home of the City's governing board and where the Lord Mayor is elected. it is also the site of the Roman Amphitheatre - remains of which can be seen in the newly built Guildhall Art Gallery.

AM Westminster Abbey

Start with a visit to Westminster Abbey - this is perhaps the peak of Gothic Architecture ( as well as the last resting place of most of the Kings and Queens of England)

Lunch - eat in the Cafe of the Methodist Central Hall - across the road from the Abbey.

PM. National Gallery

Walk to the National Gallery, via the Cabinet War Rooms, the Cenotaph, 10, Downing Street, the Banqueting House, by the sublime Inigo Jones with the Reubens Ceiling. Cross Trafalgar Sq to the Nationall Gallery.

Once in the Gallery visit the Salisbury Wing to visit the medieval paintings. Also visit the Royal Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery.

Hampton Court

Spend the entire day at Hampton Court - the fabulous Palace, once owned by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and take over by Henry VIII.

Come back into London by train. Alight at Waterloo and walk along the River to the Globe.

For cheap tickets buy Groundling Tickets (If you get in early you can lean on the stage or the back wall so that it is not uncomfortable standing throughout the performance)

If you are out of season (May - September Globe Theatre Season), then visit the Globe in the morning and take the tour and see the exhibition.

AM St. Brides and St. Pauls.

At the eastern end of Fleet Street is St. Bride's - famous for Wren's Steeple. The Church was rebuilt after the Blitz and has a museum in the crypt with Roman remains.

crypt of St Brides

St. Pauls

Christopher Wren's Masterpiece - walk up to the top of the Dome and enjoy the view.

Excursions: - Cross the Millennium Bridge and visit Tate Modern. Lunch at the wonderful 'Crypt Below' a vegetarian restaurant in St. Mary-le-Bow.

St. Mary-Le-Bow.

From St. Paul's walk to Cheapside and find St Mary-Le-Bow. This is the church that rang the curfew, when the City Gates and the drawbridge on London Bridge were closed. The crypts date back to the 11th Century and among the few Norman remains in London.

St Stephens

St. Stephen's Walbrook in Walbrook St. perhaps Wren's best Church. The centrally planned interior under the Dome is dominated by the altar by Henry Moore. Nearby, in Lombard St. you can visit Hawksmoor's St. Mary Wolnoth, or cross the road to No 1 Poultry, find the lift and have a drink in Conran's rooftop restaurant. Here, you can look down on the remains of the roman Temple of Mithras

No 1 Poultry

Sir John Soane Museum.

One of London's most wonderful interiors. Soane filled his house with treasures from the ancient world, paintings by Canaletto, Hogarth, and his own innovative architectural experiments.

Stroll across the park (where Antony Babbington was hanged, drawn and quartered) to visit the Hunterian Museum. John Hunter's collection includes the bones of the Giant O'Brien, on display despite his desperate attempts to escape the clutches of the Body Snatchers.

Stroll across to Lincoln's Inn. This is where the lawyers are trained, including More, Cromwell, Gladstone, Thatcher and the Blairs. Walk on to Fleet Street, to the Cheshire Cheese Pub practice of many literary visitors and eat a pie washed down with a pint of ale! Then on to the great Dr Johnson's House

Sir John Soane Museum

British Museum

Not only one of the world's greatest Museums but, now, with Sir Norman Foster's Great Court a pleasure to visit!.

AM The Old Operating Theatre Museum

This day is designed to give a view of opposites. Firstly, visit the Old Operating Theatre Museum in Southwark to see what life was really like in the days before Modern Medicine.

The Old Operating Theatre

PM Leighton House

On route for Leighton House take of the world's earliest Underground Railway System. Visit Farringdon Street or Baker Stree to see the first Underground Line. Pop up to visit 221b Baker Street. Visit the huge arches of Brunel's Paddington Station, or the Gothic Revival at St Pancras.

Proceed to Kensington to visit Leighton House to see what life was really like it you were rich, talented, and handsome!

Leighton House Garden

Evening: Take a Dickens London Walking Tour

Where to go to see Modern London - silly really just look all around you!

Greenwich

Greenwich is full of things to do. First, walk through the park and up the hill to see the Observatory. Here you can see the Prime Meridian and the wonderful clocks by John Harrison as described in Dava Sobell's book.

On the way back down from the hill look in at the National Maritime Museum, and Inigo Jones' Queen's House - built in 1619 for Queen Anne of Denmark. To get home walk to the Cutty Sark, and by the River you will see the Foot Tunnel under the River. Walk through to Island Gardens where you can get the Docklands Light Railway back into the centre of town and enjoy the sights of Docklands on the way.

Cutty Sark in Greenwich

St Pauls, Southwark, Bankside, the Tate Modern and the Globe

Walk around St. Paul's, then follow the signs to the Millennium Bridge, walk over the bridge but don't visit the Tate Modern yet. First, go into the rebuilt Globe Theatre because the Exhibition closes for performances in Summer afternoons.

The restaurant is very nice and so its a good place for lunch. After lunch visit the Tate Modern.

If you have any energy left take a walk along the Riverfront towards London Bridge. On the way you will pass an historic pub called the Anchor which is well worth a visit. You will then pass Vinopolis, the Clink Prison Museum, the Rose Window of Winchester Palace, a replica of the Golden Hinde, Borough Market and Southwark Cathedral. If you continue over Borough High Street you will find the Old Operating Theatre Museum in St. Thomas St.; London Dungeon, and Churchill at War Museum, Hays Gallerie and H.M.S. Belfast all in or near Tooley Street

Camden Market

This is the place to take your teenage children to. Camden is a massive market which has spilled out from the original site at Camden Lock until it has now taken over the whole area. It is heaven for those seeking grungey clothes, hippy clothes, strange sounds and exotic nic nacs. The shops alongside the road have spawned a new art form seen only in Camden - the oversize, house sized signs!

To make a day of it you can enjoy a walk along the canal bank to Regents Park - where you can even enjoy London Zoo. Currently, the Royal Shakespeare Company is performing in the Round House at Chalk Farm. Its a wonderful theatrical space so well worth catching a performance!

Portobello Market & Notting Hill

Tedious though it is to mention Hugh Grant this is where the film (yawn) Notting Hill was filmed. However, it is the home of the atmospheric Portobello Road which is a warren of antique shops and stalls and worth spending a Sunday afternoon in. The Notting Hill Carnival is also here at the end of August. Wonderful though it is its always seemed far too crowded for me to enjoy!

Prehistoric Britain Day out!

You just have to go to Avebury prehistoric Henge (Stonehenge too)..  It is the best archaeology site, the best monument, the best work of art you'll see!

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