London outshone as Gateshead takes 'hippest street' award It's enough to make a Hoxton fin crawl away and die of mortification: Gateshead has beaten London in a competition to find the hippest street in Britain. South Shore Road – home to the Lord Foster-designed Sage music centre and the Baltic contemporary arts building – has won the title in a contest run by Google to name the best streets in Britain. The road, which overlooks the "Blinking Eye" millennium bridge and has a view across the water to Newcastle, inspired a recent travel guide to urge visitors to "think Budapest". London may shrug off not winning the "most romantic street" category, which went to Copse Hill Road in Lower Slaughter, a corner of the Cotswolds equally famous for quaint villages and appalling traffic jams involving tourist buses. It will, however, have pained the capital's retailers that it did not even make the shortlist for "best shopping street", won by Alnwick's Bondgate Within in Northumberland, with Kingston's Market Place in Surrey a surprising second. Hippest:
Ten alternative ways to explore London EmailEmail Westminter Abbey (image courtesy of slurm) London is a city that most first-time visitors will undoubtedly find overwhelming. It truly is one of the world’s greatest cities, with a financial and cultural influence that emanates around the globe. London is home to some of the world’s most recognisable icons like the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. While I’m not denying that many sights are priceless, I’d urge any visitor to be selective. Choosing a theme truly is a different approach to exploring the city but I bet it’s a lot more rewarding. Brick lane (image courtesy of Steve Cadman) 1. 2. Masonic Temple (image courtesy of Neil Alderney) 3. ) but London has its fair share of historic windmills. Mini Cooper tour of London 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Royal Opera House (image courtesy of Andrea Puggioni) 9. 10. London is an expensive city but there are many things you can see and do for free. Search for hotels in London.
Search : London Cookies on the BBC website We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the BBC website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Find out more Accessibility links Skip to content Skip to local navigation Accessibility Help bbc.co.uk navigation News Sport Weather Travel Future Radio More… Search results for London Categories All Results Food TV & Radio Sites TV & Radio Programmes Blogs Local (archive) Learning Music Teenagers iPlayer Science & Nature About the BBC History Films Health & Parenting Ouch! Elsewhere on the web BBC Travel London Plan your trip with the London travel guide from BBC Travel. London in pictures 03 August 2010 Striking sights from around the city. Great Britain Living in... The London that locals love 14 February 2012 Venturing beyond the tourist hotspots London’s fashionable future 05 October 2012 England One day in One day in...
Hidden London: 10 of the city’s lesser known delights London has more than its fair share of must-see sights and instantly recognisable landmarks, but hidden down the side streets and tucked away in urban backwaters is a scattered collection of equally fascinating, lesser known icons. Throw off the crowds and get to know an unfamiliar but intriguing side to London with our top ten. Dennis Severs’ House In this entrancing Georgian house, visitors find themselves in the home of a family of Huguenot silk weavers who, leaving half-eaten meals and candlelit rooms strewn with possessions, remain audibly just beyond reach. Where: 18 Folgate St E1Underground: Liverpool StWebsite Brixton Windmill A glorious sight, this superbly-restored windmill is an eye-catching reminder that much of town is a mosaic of once pastoral villages. Where: West end of Blenheim Gardens, off Brixton Hill SW2Underground: BrixtonWebsite Horniman Museum With its heavenly gardens, graceful Victorian conservatory and eclectic displays, the Horniman Museum is a gem. Michelin House
Routemaster Buses - Find Out About London Routemaster Buses The old Routemaster buses are definitely a design icon of London transport. They are the buses where you could jump on and off at the back. There was a bus conductor to sell you a ticket on-board (from a machine they had hung round their neck), and the driver was tucked away in a cab at the front. Unfortunately they went out of general service at the end of 2005 as they were not accessible to all (most new buses have lower floors and wider door opening for wheelchairs and baby strollers). Don't despair that you missed your opportunity to ride on one of these design classics, because they've been saved on two London Heritage routes: routes no.9 and no.15. There are ten Routemasters in service (five on each route) and all have been used on these routes to date from 1960-1964, although they have been refurbished with engines that meet Euro II emissions standards, and have been repainted in 1960s London bus style. Standard bus fares apply so you don't need to pay any more to enjoy these buses.
The Very Best of London Planning a trip to London can seem overwhelming. How do you choose what to do when there are so many options? Stop worrying as we've made it a bit easier for you. From the best attractions to what to do for free, to the best shopping, dining and nightlife, we've gathered recommendations on the best of London in just about every category. Enjoy the very best of London. Best Free Things to Do in London Visitors worry that London is an expensive city but there really is so much to do for free from museums and galleries to free music and walking tours. Best London Attractions London has so many great places to see it's hard to know which are the ones not to be missed. Best Things To Do with Kids London can be a wonderful destination for a family vacation but it pays to do your research on child-friendly venues. Best London Hotels London has hotels of all shapes and sizes to suit all travelers and all budgets. Best London Shopping Best London Dining Best London Nightlife
London views on a budget There are few experiences as rewarding as looking out on the London skyline from a choice vantage. Since The Shard opened on February 1, one of the best views of London on offer can be experienced from its 244 metre-high viewing gallery. But if you fancy taking in the sights on a budget, there are plenty of other fantastic views that charge a pittance, or cost nothing at all. Liz Walsh from Top Dog Days has put together a few of her favourite ways to enjoy the views of London on a budget. The One New Change roof terrace The Monument The Monument was built in the heart of London to commemorate the 1666 Great Fire of London. Climb the 311 steps to the top of the Monument and take in this lofty view of London’s historic sights. With tickets priced at just £3 an adult & £1.50 a child, it’s a great budget option for the family. Learn more about the Monument here Parliament Hill Take in the London skyline for free from the top of Parliament Hill. Learn more about Parliament Hill here Greenwich Park
Free Guided Tours at Somerset House Historical Highlights... We offer free guided tours every Thursday at 13.15 and 14.45 and every Saturday at 12.15, 13.15, 14.15 and 15.15. In approximately 45 minutes to an hour, you'll discover evidence of Tudor intrigue and Georgian Enlightenment, scientific curiosity and naval power, extravagant entertainments and 'the King's Shilling', as we lead you from the airy lightwells of graceful staircases to the atmospheric Deadhouse. A new highlight of the tour is The Miles Stair, named in honour of our outgoing Director. Located in the West Wing and designed by the internationally renowned architect Eva Jiricna, the stair represents her most ambitious stair structure yet. Collect your free tickets from the Information Desk in the Seamen's Hall, South Building. Here's what people have been saying about our guided tours: So fascinating! Private Guided Tours For information about private guided tours of Somerset House please email info@somersethouse.org.uk
Luxury on a budget in London? Some tips from the Budget Traveller Travelling on a budget doesn’t necessarily exclude one from the pleasures of luxury. Here are some tips about how to enjoy luxury in London, on a modest budget. Enjoy! Where to stay The Tower Bridge Apartments offer clean, modern and spacious accommodation option within Central London. Location is excellent: a short walk across Tower Bridge gets you onto the Underground plus a host of nearby bus routes will carry you into the heart of London. A night’s stay at one of the London Tower Bridge apartments starts from £84. Another great value ‘luxury’ accommodation option in London is the excellent Hoxton Hotel. Hoxton’s motto is that ‘Budget Hotels don’t have to be boring’ You may have heard of their legendary £1 room sale-which is still a bit of myth to me as every time I have tried, I have failed. You walk into the hotel and it has all the trappings and style of a very chic boutique hotel. I love Hoxton’s innovative complimentary, Pret on-the-move breakfast. Where to eat Where to go shopping
Highlights of 'Secret London: Unusual Bars & Restaurants', Photo 1 of 7 Happening upon some delightful little place down a crooked back street must be one of the most memorable experiences of a city break - and just as thrilling if you live in that city, when it seems everything worth knowing about has already been discovered. A new insider guide, Secret London: Unusual Bars & Restaurants (£12.99; Editions Jonglez), unearths more than 100 of the best unconventional establishments of the capital. Author Rachel Howard braved the bad pints and tacky tablecloths of London's lesser-known spots to find the antidote to designer lounge bars: clandestine clubs, cafés with authentic cuisines, magical interiors and eccentric hosts, speakeasies and cabarets with music and dancing that goes on all night. Here she gives us a sneak preview and reveals a few of her favourites, from Chelsea to Stepney. Continued>> Continued >>
10 London neighbourhoods worth exploring Posted on: July 27th in Travel by Becky Padmore. Like this Post? This is it – tonight Danny Boyle’s £27m opening ceremony officially launches the London 2012 Olympic Games and the UK capital is now welcoming visitors by the bucket load. Bloomsbury Start your visit to this fashionable residential area by taking the tube to Russell Square, London’s largest square. Notting Hill You may have first heard the name Notting Hill when the Julia Roberts film came out. Chelsea This classy neighborhood is an exclusive residential area recently made famous by the docu-soap Made in Chelsea. Kensington Take the tube to South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner or High Street Kensington tube stations to reach this neighbourhood. Shoreditch For a hip, cool bohemian area with a gritty edge travel to Brick Lane in Shoreditch to the Brick Lane Market bordered by Old Street, Great Eastern Street and Shoreditch High Street. Camden and Primrose Hill Angel, Islington Soho Hampstead Little Venice
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