Stately and quirky by turns
Vast, vibrant and truly multicultural, London is one of the world’s great cities. It is also an eminently walkable city – when it’s not raining and you’re wearing decent shoes. As you wander through its streets, you’ll realize that, in a city hailed for its ability to embrace modernity and change, the past is never far away: there are four UNESCO World Heritage sites in London (the Palace of Westminster, the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich and Kew Gardens) and some 40,000 listed buildings and structures.
If walking’s not your thing, and you’re in London regularly, it’s well worth acquiring an Oyster card (a prepaid, refillable Underground card that automatically deducts your fare each time you swipe it at a turnstile); you’ll save not only time, but single fares are up to 35 percent cheaper). Credits don’t expire and cards can be purchased at most Tube station ticket offices.
| Don’t miss:
|
In for a penny, in for a pound
Even with a weakening pound and a global economic slowdown, London is still über-expensive. But even so, browsing the city’s stores and boutiques is pure pleasure. Notting Hill is boasts a ridiculous per-capita quotient of celebrities (current residents include Bjork, Robbie Williams and Claudia Schiffer), and main thoroughfares Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Grove are a shoppers’
paradise, particularly if your idea of heaven runs to charming and dizzily-priced boutiques. Thrifty visitors also flock to the antiques and flea market on the Portobello Road on Friday and Saturday.
In the heart of London’s East End, Spitalfields is home to thousands of immigrants and is where Jack the Ripper saw off many of his victims. Recently revived and revitalized, this trendy destination on the fringe of London’s financial district has more artists per square kilometer than anywhere else in Europe. Spitalfields is full of cool clubs, restaurants, bars, galleries, shops and markets selling new and vintage clothing, accessories, antiques, jewelry, cosmetics, home furnishings and gifts.
A South Bank stroll
Wandering along the South Bank of the Thames is a lovely way to spend a free day. Starting at London Bridge and heading west, duck first into Borough Market. The largest open-air farmers’ market in London, in impressive 19th-century digs next to Southwark Cathedral, Borough boasts all manner of delicacies, from artisanal ciders and free-range bacon and sausages to sparkling produce, honey and fresh-baked breads. Those with a nose for cheese can taste an extraordinary variety of British farmhouse cheeses at Neal’s Yard Dairy.
Continue on to two bastions of British culture: the Tate Modern museum and the Globe Theatre. Opened in 2000, the Tate Modern is regarded as a model of urban regeneration, with a disused Bankside power station transformed into an avant-garde space dedicated to 20th-century art.
The Globe, a brilliantly realized reconstruction of the theater built by William Shakespeare’s company in 1599, stages open-air productions of Shakespeare and his contemporaries from May to September.
The pub’s the thing
No visit to London would be complete without a pint or two of real ale. It’s hard to go more than a hundred meters without stumbling across a pub, but two neighborhood favorites include Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (145 Fleet Street, Blackfriars tube) and the Charles Lamb (16 Elia Street, Angel tube). The first is haven of old dark wood, open fires and flagstones that’s been around since just after the Great Fire of 1666; the second is tucked into a quiet street in Islington, a newly popular residential area just north of the financial district. Don’t be surprised if pub dog Masha arrives at your table asking for a chin scratch.
Several ways to see the city
If your days are packed with meetings and conference calls, try an evening tour. London by Night offers nightly tours of the city starting at Victoria Rail Station and taking in Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square and St Paul’s Cathedral. Open-top buses are used, weather permitting. See london-by-night.net for a list of pick-up points.
If you’re a photo buff and have brought along your camera, London Photo Tours offers weekly walks focusing on views of Westminster Bridges, the London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral. The tour goes at a slow pace to allow time to compose well-considered photos. londonphototours.co.uk.
Fancy a bit of grub?
English gastronomy is enjoying an extraordinary renaissance, fuelled on the one hand by a renewed interest in seasonal, local ingredients and by an influx of exciting culinary influences from abroad. You’ll be hard-pressed, for example, to find better Indian restaurants outside of Delhi and Mumbai (but stay away from the tourist traps on Brick Lane!). For many Brits, in fact, a good curry is a national staple! Classic English specialties include the “full English breakfast” or “fry-up” (with sausages, bacon, eggs, fried bread, baked beans and grilled tomatoes and mushrooms); smoked fish (from salmon to kippers); pies and Cornish pasties; and fish and chips. High tea, complete with scones and clotted cream, can still be enjoyed at many of London’s top hotels; the Dorchester is a classic afternoon destination.
Check out BCD Travel for more corporate travel tips.
No comments:
Post a Comment