PhotoCredit: Historic Royal Palaces.

Hampton Court Palace
Venue: Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, KT8, 9AU. Tel: + 44 (0)844 482 7799.
Access: Summer opening times. Daily, 10am-6pm until 29 October, 2011.
Tickets: From £15.95, (Concessions and online discount) including the famous Maze and gardens.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Richmond.
Description: A number of interesting Historical Re-enactments, exhibitions and other events have been arranged for 2011 visitors, including live Tudor Cookery, (in the vast kitchens designed to cater for a gourmand King Henry VIII and 1,000 hungry courtiers); promenade performances of Court Dance and Foolery; Ghost tours; Embroidery. Check What's On before you visit and give yourself a full day to do justice to this most interesting and historic of London's Royal Palaces and magnificent gardens.
The Hampton Court Summer Music Festival takes place 7-18 June and the spectacular annual Flower Show 5-10 July, (tickets now on sale).
Check out Burlington Bertie's in depth description of this magnificent historic palace where Henry VIII lived with his many wives before either divorcing them or chopping off their heads. If you have the time, take a leaf out of King Henry's book and travel to the Palace by river from Westminster; a delightful scenic trip on a summer's day. Enjoy a picnic en route>br> Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. The ground floor of the Palace is wheelchair accessible and there are limited facilities for viewing the upper floors with the use of an elevator. Adapted Toilets: Yes. See Palace Disabled Access for full details and help.

Kensington Palace
Venue: Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX. Tel: 0870 751 5170.
Access: Daily, 10am-6pm until 30 September, thereafter 10am-5pm. 2011.
Tickets: £12.50, (concessions and online discount).
London Transport: Nearest Tube: High Street, Kensington.
Description: The Palace is currently undergoing a £12,000,000 transformation with new courtyards, cafés, gardens landscaping, education and community facilities, which will be completed in time for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012.
The exhibitions of Court Ceremonial dress, Diana Fashion and Style, are closed during the current transformation. However the Cupola Room, where Queen Victoria was baptised, and the exquisite trompe d'oeuil ceiling executed by Palladian architect William Kent for George II, (1722) can be seen, together with modern art and fashion installations in the State Rooms.
While the original 17th and 18th century State Rooms have been turned into a museum, this remains a working palace and Royal Residence, housing working members of the Royal Family and retainers. Princess Diana lived here after her divorce and Princess Margaret lived and died here. Prince William and his bride are expected to take up residence here.
A number of interesting special events, exhibitions, displays and activities have been scheduled for 2011 and it is worth checking What's On to ensure you make the most of your visit.
When visiting Kensington Palace, take time to see the nearby Princess Diana Memorial children's playground, (just follow your ears on any bright summer's day to the noise of children playing), and the famous bronze of Peter Pan.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Royal Mews, © Royal Collection.

The Royal Mews
Venue: Buckingham Palace, Westminster, SW1A 1AA, London. Entrance in Buckingham Palace Road.
Access: 11am-4pm Mon-Fri, 3 Jan-25 March; thereafter daily except Fridays until 31 October, 2011.
Tickets: £8. (Concessions). Book online to take advantage of special online discounts, advance booking and special prices for an omnibus ticket giving access to other royal attractions.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Victoria Station.
Description: The Royal Mews houses the Queen's horses in what are undoubtedly one of the finest working stables in existence. Also on view are the Monarch's State Coach and other official vehicles. When visiting Buckingham Palace, add the Royal Mews to your day's itinerary.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow free of charge on first come first served basis for the duration of a visit. Adapted Toilets: Yes. Check out the Detailed accessibility guide.

Kew Palace & Queen Charlotte's Cottage
Venue: Kew Gardens.
Access: Open 2 April - 26 September, 2011;.
Tickets: £5. (Concessions). An admission ticket to the magnificent Kew Gardens must be purchased to gain access to Kew Palace - for Gardens admission prices, visit Kew Gardens.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Kew Gardens.
Description: The intimate country palace of George III, (d.1820), and his beloved Queen Charlotte, (who bore him 15 children), Kew Palace has been meticulously refurbished under Royal patronage, (with notable input by Prince Charles), and is an iconic masterpiece of Georgian Taste, Decor and Furnishings that preceded the more ornate Regency period.
Your ticket also admits you to 'Queen Charlotte's House', an early example of a rustic 'cottage orné', built as a retreat for resting rather than a residence. It was used by the Georgian Royals and their entourage for taking tea on their Park walks.
Special Sunday evening tours are available at £30 per person. An expert will guide you around the Palace into areas not normally open to the public, before offering you complimentary wine and refreshments. Advance booking only for this facility. For details and tour bookings, call 0844 482 7777.
Venue Hire You can hire Kew Palace as a summer venue for an intimate group of friends, family or very special corporate guests, enjoying a private tour of the house before sitting down in royal style to dinner in the King's Dining Room. Check Venue Hire for details and bookings.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Wheelchairs can be hired at Kew Gardens entrance. Yes to all floors. A Disabled toilet facility is at the nearby Welcome Centre.

Kew Palace & Queen Charlotte's Cottage
Venue: Kew Gardens.
Access: Reopens 2 April - 26 September, 2011;.
Tickets: £5. (Concessions). An admission ticket to the magnificent Kew Gardens must be purchased to gain access to Kew Palace - for Gardens admission prices, visit Kew Gardens.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Kew Gardens.
Description: The intimate country palace of George III, (d.1820), and his Queen Charlotte, Kew Palace has been meticulously refurbished under Royal patronage, (with notable input by Prince Charles), and is an iconic masterpiece of Georgian Taste, Decor and Furnishings. Your ticket also admits you to 'Queen Charlotte's House', an early example of a rustic 'cottage orné', built as a retreat for resting rather than a residence. It was used by the Georgian Royals and their entourage for taking tea on their Park walks.
Special Sunday evening tours are available at £30 per person. An expert will guide you around the Palace into areas not normally open to the public, before offering you complimentary wine and refreshments. Advance booking only for this facility. For details and tour bookings, call 0844 482 7777.
Venue Hire You can hire Kew Palace as a summer venue for an intimate group of friends, family or very special corporate guests, enjoying a private tour of the house before sitting down in royal style to dinner in the King's Dining Room. Check Venue Hire for details and bookings.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes to all floors. A Disabled toilet facility is at the nearby Welcome Centre.

Banqueting House: Whitehall Palace
Venue: Banqueting House, Whitehall, SW1A 2ER, Tel: 0870 751 5187
Date: Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm.
Tickets: £4.80 (Concessions) Buy Online or at the door. A multi lingual audioguide comes with the ticket. Take advantage of the £41, (£63 for two adults) annual membership giving unlimited entry to the Tower of London; Kensington, Hampton Court and Kew Palaces; and Banqueting House.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Westminster, Embankment.
Description: Admire the Rubens ceiling, a pictorial paean to the Stuart belief in the 'Divine right of Kings', a concept that cost Charles I his head on the scaffold which Oliver Cromwell had built outside for his beheading. See also the vaulted 'Undercroft', where King James I liked to party in riotous abandon with his courtiers and even 'the ladies abandon their sobriety and are seen to roll about in intoxication'. Check Offtolondon's Banqueting House for descriptive details of this exquisite relic of the once vast Stuart Palace of Whitehall.
Venue Hire You can hire the historic and impressive Banqueting House and or the 'Undercroft', for entertaining, conferences, wedding and civil partnership receptions, functions or film location. Check Venue Hire for details and bookings.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes for portable/standard size wheelchairs. Toilets: Yes.

Westminster Abbey
Venue: Parliament Square, SW1P. Tel: 020 7222 5152.
Access:. Daily 9.30am-3.30pm. Closed on Sundays and significant Church Calendar dates and for special national and Royal commemorative events.
Tickets: £16. (Concessions). Entry to normal religious services is free.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Westminster.
Description: Chosen venue for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate. Over a thousand years of the history of England is encapsulated in the stones of this most beautiful gothic Abbey. which has been the venue for royal coronations since William the Conqueror had himself crowned here in 1066 after seizing the throne. 17 monarchs are interred here in highly decorated tomb chests.
The Abbey, which, as a 'Royal Peculiar' is directly controlled by the monarch, is a unique treasure house of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles and other artifacts dating back to the 11th century. It is also the burial place and commemorative venue for some of the most significant people in the nation's cultural and martial history; a repository of tombs and memorials comprising the most outstanding collection of monumental sculpture and brasses in the United Kingdom. Do not be distracted by this remarkable collection from raising your eyes heavenward to admire the awe-inspiring sweep and soaring gothic beauty of Henry Yevele's high vaulted nave, commissioned by King Edward III in 1375 to replace the original edifice built by Anglo Saxon king St. Edward the Confessor, whose 13th century altar shrine with his remains uniquely survived the iconoclastic fervor of the Reformation, less the original gold feretory covering the coffin and body jewelry.
The twin towers containing the Abbey's 10 bells above the west front were a Nicholas Hawksmoor addition in the 1730s.
. Timely Tip Use the comprehensive audioguide, available free with your entrance ticket. Without this you will miss the significance and history of many items and artifacts within the Abbey. No photography is allowed within the Abbey. See video clip of President Barack Obama laying a memorial wreath at Westminster Abbey
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: No.

Book Now to visit when open in August and September

Buckingham Palace: State Rooms & Gardens
Venue: Buckingham Palace, Westminster, SW1A 1AA.
Access: Open to public 9.45am-6.30pm 1 August-25 September,2011.
Tickets: £17.50, (Concessions) Book online to take advantage of special online discounts and entry times. Otherwise buy on day of visit at the Palace Ticket Office. Special VIP access also available on certain dates.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Victoria Rail Terminal; Hyde Park Corner; Green Park.
Description: Summer visitors can see the 19 State Rooms which form the heart of The Queen's working palace and are used by the monarch and Royal Family for official functions such as state banquets and receptions as well as more private functions such as the Wedding Breakfast of Prince William and his bride. They have been lavishly decorated by succeeding monarchs since George IV and Queen Victoria left their own personal marks and taste in decor. The rooms are furnished with some of the greatest art treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin and Canaletto; sculpture by Canova; exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture; a feast of Fine Art, artifacts and historical royal heritage that should not be missed.
A special exhibition is mounted each year in the State Ballroom where Queen Victoria liked to waltz the night away with her beloved Albert in the early years of her reign. The 2011 exhibition will be Royal Fabergé, the unique and priceless royal collection of Imperial Easter Eggs, dazzling jewel-encrusted boxes and miniature carvings of favourite royal pets by the great Russian goldsmith and jeweler Carl Fabergé.
Allow at least 2 hours for the Palace itself to do minimum justice to your visit, and longer if you wish to enjoy the superb lakeside Palace Garden walk. A browse for quality gifts and souvenirs in the superb Royal Collection shop is strongly recommended. Check out this virtual tour of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms
Timely Tip Use of the free and very comprehensive audioguide.No photography is allowed within the Palace, though you may photograph outside the West Front facing onto the Palace gardens, where the Queen holds her annual Royal Garden Parties.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Manual wheelchairs are available to prebook and borrow free of charge for the duration of a visit. Wheelchair-users are asked to book through the Ticket Sales and Information Office by telephoning (+44) (0)20 7766 7324. Adapted Toilets: Yes. Check out the Detailed accessibility guide.

Clarence House
Venue: St. James's Palace, SW1A 1BS, (entry from the Mall). Tel: 020 7766 7303.
Access: 10am-4pm, Mon-Fri; 10am-5.30pm Sat/Sun. 6 August - 4 September, 2011. Guided tours lasting 45 minutes. Special VIP early evening tours also available on selected dates in August . See Royal Collection for details of such tours at Clarence House and the Palace.
Tickets: £8.50, (Concessions). Book online to take advantage of special online discounts and entry times. Otherwise buy on day of visit at Palace Ticket Office. Special VIP access also available on certain dates. Pre-booked tickets only.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Green Park.
Description: Built by John Nash as the London residence of the Duke of Clarence who ascended the throne as 'the sailer king' William IV, (1830-1837). He and Adelaide his Queen consort used it as their London palace in preference to St. James's Palace next door or Buckingham Palace further down the Mall both of which he disliked. It was later the home of Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh following their marriage in 1947, and thereafter the London residence of Queen Elizabeth 'The Queen Mum' until her death in 2002 after her daughter ascended the throne in 1953. It is now the official London residence of Charles Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Pre-bookable manual wheelchairs are available borrow free of charge for the duration of a visit. Book through the Ticket Sales and Information Office by telephoning (+44) (0)20 7766 7324. Adapted Toilets: Yes. Check out the Detailed accessibility guide.

Palace of Westminster & Big Ben
Access: Closed to visitors until August/September 2011, when Parliament is in recess. Guided tours daily, Monday to Saturday inclusive during these two months.
Venue: Westminster, London SW1A 1AA.
Tickets: TBA.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Westminster.
Description: An unrivalled opportunity to see the Victorian Gothic magnificence of the Palace of Westminster and its Chambers of the House of Commons and House of Lords together with the magnificent mediaeval Westminster Hall with its remarkable hammer beam roof, used for centuries first as the royal banqueting hall, later as a Court of Justice, (King Charles I was 'tried' here), and more recently for the lying in state of sovereigns and particularly eminent persons such as Winston Churchill.
The summer guided tour is made under strict security and lasts just one hour, which gives little time to admire the architecture of Sir Charles Barry, the ornamentation of Augustus Pugin or the statuary in the detail they deserve. Despite this proviso, the visit is still worthwhile.
While at Westminster visit the nearby mediaeval Jewel Tower; Westminster Abbey, (tickets at the door); and London Eye. You can also pop up to the top of Big Ben if you are a UK voter and fit for the climb).
Note the many statues and monuments in the environs of Parliament Square and along the Thames embankment and embankment gardens. These include Cleopatra's Needle, Boadicea, Richard Lionheart, Oliver Cromwell, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, General Smuts.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

PhotoCredit: Britannia.com

The Golden Hinde
Venue:Pickfords Wharf/Clink St., London SE1 9DG. Tel: 020 7407 7056.
Date:Daily 10am - 5.30pm
Tickets: £6. (Concessions).
London Transport: Nearest Tube: London Bridge.
Description: This is an exact working replica of Sir Francis Drake's Naval Flagship, the Tudor warship Golden Hinde, in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the world 1577-1580. This exact reconstruction, a fully working ship, was launched in Devon in 1973. Since then she has circumnavigated the globe and sailed over 140,000 miles - many more than the original. Her present berth is the St Mary Overie Dock on Thames South Bank, just a short walk from the Clink Prison Museum, Shakespeare's Globe and Tate Modern. This is a living history experience of particular interest to maritime history buffs. Explore the 5 decks and the 22 canons.
Venue Hire You can hire the Golden Hinde for entertaining, conferences, wedding and civil partnership receptions, functions or film location. Check website for details and bookings.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.
Walk the Gangplank No!

Royal Albert Hall
Venue: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, SW7 2A
Date: June, 2011. Check Website for details.
Tickets: Varied ticket prices for performances: Check website for details and online booking. Limited parking offered. See venue website for details.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Knightsbridge, Kensington High Street.
Description: A varied choice of musical events to suit all tastes. Donovan, Lisa Minelli, Janet Jackson, B.B.King and Eric Clapton appear for one night dates, as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Sadlers Wells: Sol Sol Picé
Venue: Rosebury Avenue, EC1R.
Date: 23/24 June, 2011
Tickets: £10-£22. Online booking, in person at Box Office, or Tel: +44 (0)844 412 4300. Easrly booking recommended.
London Transport: Nearest Tubes: Holborn; Temple.
Description: Catalan dance phenomenon Sol Picó and her multi award-winning company make their first visit to Sadler's Wells for two nights only with El Llac de les Mosques (The Lake of the Flies), a piece which explores the choices we all face in middle age through the medium of a rock 'n' roll concert. With an exceptional live band playing everything from blues to flamenco and heavy rock, Sol Picó presents her own take on getting older - ignore the clock, enjoy the journey and do all the things you've always wanted to. Accompanied by one male dancer and an actor, the result is an impassioned, dynamic, and at times surreal display of dance with her trademark injection of black humour. Book now for FELA, (20 July - 28 August).
Wheelchair accessibility : Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Shakespeare's Globe: "011 season
Venue: Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9DT. Tel: 020 7902 1400
Date: Throughout the summer.
Tickets: From £5, (Standing, which offers the best view of the stage); £15 seated. (Concessions). Book online .
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Southwark; London Bridge.
Description: As well as a season of Shakespeare tragedies and comedies, the Globe celebrates the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, which was completed in 1611, and the enduring power of dramatic language with a season entitled The Word is God.
The Globe Theatre is also open daily from 9am - 5.50pm for the exhibition and guided tour; exploring the life of Shakespeare, the London where he lived, and the theatre for which he wrote. It also reveals the story of its reconstruction and gives an exciting insight into how the 'wooden O' works today as an imaginative and experimental theatrical space.
An indoor theatre, based on recently discovered original Jacobean designs, will open next door to the Globe in 2013, enabling the Globe Theatre Company to extend to a 12 month season.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Privy: Yes.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre: Lord of the Flies
Venue: Open Air Theatre, Queen Mary's Garden, Regent's Park.
Date: 7.45pm. 19 May - 18 June, 2011.
Tickets: From £14. (Concessions). Book Book online .
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Baker Street; Regent's Park.
Description: The 2011 season opens in May with Lord of the Flies. After a group of schoolboys survive a massive plane crash, what starts as a classic desert island adventure quickly becomes a struggle for survival as superstition and immorality sees the community slide into a darkly sinister world.
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is the only permanent professional outdoor theatre in Britain. Its steeply raked auditorium is one of the largest in London with 1,240 seats, yet those who attend say it is one of the most intimate. Each night an incomparable atmosphere is created by the buzz of people enjoying their theatregoing in every sense: people setting up hampers on the picnic lawn, filling their glasses with wine or drinking Pimms in the bar as the fairy lights twinkle in the trees.
The theatre boasts its own picnic lawn, barbecue, buffet and the West End's longest bar, stocked with all your favourite summer drinks! Pre-order your hot or cold picnic and enjoy a relaxed summer evening meal before the show.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes, nearby.

Offtolondon Theatre Breaks and Offers
Venue: London Theatres and Halls.
Date: Ongoing.
Tickets: Online booking for all seats, accommodation, etc.
Description: Your guide to London's theatre programs, concerts and events with online booking facility. Top musicals Jersey Boys, Billy Eliot, Wicked, Dirty Dancing, Les Miserables, The Lion King, Mama Mia and more continue to draw capacity audiences nightly. Book your tickets for these and other forthcoming shows, together with your hotel Online now, to avoid disappointment later.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Most London theatres and many restaurants and hotels are now wheelchair accessible with Accessible Toilets in their public areas, and have special accommodation facilities for wheelchair users. It is however essential that you make your requirements known when booking.

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
Venue: Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W.1.
Date: 7 June - 15 August, 2011.
Tickets: £10 at door (Concessions). Book Online (Concessions).
London transport: Nearest Tube: Piccadilly, Green Park.
Description:. The world's largest open submission contemporary art exhibition! Now in its 243rd year, the exhibition continues the tradition of showcasing work by both emerging and established artists in all media including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, architecture and film. The majority of selected works will be on sale, offering visitors an unrivalled opportunity to purchase original artwork by both high profile and up-and-coming artists.
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Victoria & Albert Museum: The Cult of Beauty
Venue Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL. Tel: 020 7942 2000
Date: 10am-5.30pm daily. 2 April, 17 July, 2011.
Tickets £12, (Concessions). Book Online<
London Transport Nearest Tube. South Kensington.
Description: The first major exhibition to comprehensively explore Aestheticism, the artistic movement which sought to escape the ugliness and materialism of the Victorian era by creating a new kind of art and beauty. This exhibition shows how Aesthetic artists, designers, poets and collectors promoted the idea of 'art for art's sake' and how the idea of the 'house beautiful' became a touchstone of cultured life. The exhibition gathers together for the first time many of the greatest masterpieces of Victorian painting along with sculpture, design, furniture, architecture, fashion and literature. It includes iconic work by Burne-Jones, Whistler, Leighton, Rossetti, William Morris, Aubrey Beardsley and Oscar Wilde.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Churchill War Rooms
Venue:
Access: Daily. 9.30am-6pm, 2011.
Tickets: £14.95, (Concessions). Online Booking or at door.
London Transport: Nearest Tubes. Westminster, St.James's Park.
Description:Life in Churchill's war bunker. Housed here also is the Churchill Museum. All visitors are provided with a free personal audio-guide, available in English (adult, family and visually impaired versions), French, German, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Dutch and Mandarin.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes from Great George Street. Adapted Toilets: No. Nearest available: St. James's Park.

Sherlock Holmes Museum
Access: Daily. 9.30am-6pm, 2011.
Tickets Adult £6, Child £4. Daily 9:30a.m. - 6:00p.m. Discount Group admissions for 10 + persons. Advance booking telephone: 020 7738 1269, Online or email: info@sherlock-holmes.co.uk
London Transport Nearest Tube. Baker Street. Nos 13 and 139 buses run between Baker Street and Trafalgar Square. The trams and horse drawn hansom cabs of Holmes's day are regrettably a thing of the past.
Description Permanent Exhibition. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson lived at 221b Baker Street, (built 1815), between 1881-1904, according to Holmes's biographer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The famous 1st floor study, where the world's most illustrious detective played the violin while pondering and solving those mystifying cases before the use of fingerprints or DNA made detection so much easier, is still faithfully maintained as it was kept in those late Victorian and Edwardian days of gaslight, horse drawn Hansom cabs and London fogs. Nothing has changed. The rooms are exactly as described by Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes's possessions are in their usual places: his deerstalker, magnifying glass, calabash pipe, violin, chemistry equipment, notebook, Persian slippers and disguises, soda water gazogene on the sideboard. Dr Watson's hand-written notes made at the time of the famous case of the Hounds of the Baskervilles may be perused and visitors will be interested to admire a waxwork in the likeness of the infamous Moriarty. Strongly recommended to all admirers of Holmes. Join the Sherlock Holmes International Society online.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.

Leighton House Museum and Art Gallery
Venue: 12 Holland Park Road, W14 8LZ.
Date: Daily 10am - 5:30pm. Closed Tuesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.
Tickets: £5 (Concessions). Pay at door.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Kensington; High Street, Kensington. Carparking: Olympia Hylton NCP.
Description: Victorian opulence in art and architecture are shown here at their best and most spectacular, (or worst and most decadent, if you are a modern minimalist). The former studio-house of the great Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896), who designed and decorated it between 1864 and 1879, this is one of the most extraordinary buildings of the nineteenth century and filled with golden mosaics, gilded walls, elaborate paintwork, domed ceilings, trickling fountains, cool marble and peacock blue tiles. Leighton House also became home to the owner's extensive collection of Victorian paintings, 81 of which are exhibited here together with a fine collection of ceramics and lusterware. Over 1000 Islamic tiles adorn the Arab Hall, reflecting the influence the East had on Lord Leighton following his travels. It forms the centrepiece and focal point of the house. The Arab Hall, Dining Hall or Studio are available to hire for receptions and functions.
Wheelchair accessibility: No.

Linley Sambourne House
Venue: 18 Stafford Terrace, W8.
Date: Guided tours: Weds, 11.15am, 2.15pm; Sat/Suns, 11.15am. Costumed tours: Sat/Suns, 1pm, 2.15pm, 3.30pm. 2011.
Tickets: £6, (Concessions). Booking recommended. Call 020 7602 3316 (9am to 5pm) or email museums@rbkc.gov.uk
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Kensington High Street. Nearest, Carparking: Olympia Hylton NCP.
Description: The former terrace house of Edward Linley Sambourne, noted Victorian artist, nude photographer and famed illustrator of Punch, who lived here from 1874 - 1914 with his wife Marion. They decorated and filled it with art, artifacts and furniture in the then popular 'aesthetic' style. Victorian domestic life and culture of the 1880s and 1890s is preserved here as if in aspic at this fascinating museum run by the Victorian Society.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.

The London Dungeon
Venue: London Dungeon, 28-34 Tooley Street, SE1 2SZ.
Access: Daily. Opening from 9.30am and closing from 5pm. Times vary. Check website.
Tickets: From £14.44, (Concessions). Book Online. Discount when booked with Madame Tussauds, London Eye or Sea Life London Aquarium.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: London Bridge. Nearest, Carparking: Euro Car Parks, Tower Bridge Road.
Description: London's horrible history is brought to life with 12 shows, live actors, special effects and 2 scary rides. Good for ghouls but not for the squeamish.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes in parts. Check website for details.

Sealife London Aquarium
Venue: Town Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB.
Date: Daily. 9.30am-6pm, 2010.
Tickets: From 16.20, (Concessions). Book online for advance discount or discounted combi tickets with nearby London Eye.
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Westminster.
Description: Home to one of Europe's largest collections of global marine life with everything from tiny sea horses to 11 species of sharks, (watch them at feeding time) this SEA LIFE takes visitors on an immersive, interactive and spectacular journey along the Great Oceanic Conveyor.

Jack the Ripper Walk
Venue: Aldgate, Whitechapel, Spitalfields. EC. Tel: 020 8530 8443
Date: Daily. 7pm-9pm. Check website for 2010 date confirmation.
Tickets: 6.50. Online Booking
London Transport: Aldgate East, (District, Hammersmith and City Lines).
Description: Guided Exploration of the Whitechapel and Spitalfields alleys and pubs where serial killer Jack the Ripper murdered at least five and possibly many more prostitutes in a reign of terror during 1888. Richard Jones, author of the much acclaimed DVD Jack the Ripper will lead you on the bloody trail of London's most infamous murderer.

London Ghost Walks
Venue: Departs from Bank or Blackfriars Underground station. EC. Tel: 020 8530 8443
Date: Tues/Fri/Sats. 7pm-9pm. Check website for 2010 date confirmation.
Tickets: 7. Online Booking
London Transport: Aldgate East, (District, Hammersmith and City Lines).
Description: Alleyways and Shadows; Ghosts, Ghouls and Graveyards; the titles of these walks, painstakingly researched by author and historian Richard Jones, perfectly conjure the haunting atmosphere of these deliciously spooky tours that venture beyond the busy main roads and twist their eerie way through forgotten medieval and Victorian London. Let Richard Jones lead you to places where the disembodied voices from London's eerie past may just whisper in your ear, as their icy fingers lightly stroke the back of your neck.

The Shakespeare City Walk
Venue: Starts from Blackfriars Tube Station, Exit 8. (Circle and District Line).
Date: Mondays and Fridays, 11am. Ends 7 December, 2010. Tel: 020 7625 5155 before date for confirmation. Recommences 3 January, 2011.
Tickets: 6.(Concessions). Book online or pay guide at start.
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Blackfriars.
Description: Thespian Declan McHugh leads you on a 90 minute walk through the City of London, uncovering often little-known monuments and locations with connections to Shakespeare's life, his friends, his loves and his work, while declaiming the Bard's poetry and prose in true Woolfitt style.

The Albert Memorial: Guided Tour
Venue: Queen's Gate, SW7 5EX.
Date: 2pm and 3pm first Sunday of each month, March- December, 2011.
Tickets: £6.(Concessions). Pay Parks Guide at site
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Knightsbridge; Kensington High Street.
Description: 45-50 minute guided tour gives you exclusive access inside the memorial railings surrounding this iconic Victorian monument erected by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband Prince Albert. Sir Gilbert Scott's Albert Memorial is perhaps one of the grandest high-Victorian gothic extravaganzas anywhere.
It celebrates Victorian Imperial, industrial and cultural achievement and Prince Albert's passions and interests, which coincided with these achievements. Marble figures representing Europe, Asia, Africa and America stand at each corner of the memorial, and higher up are further figures representing manufacture, commerce, agriculture and engineering. Yet further up, near the top, are gilded bronze statues of the angels and virtues. All around the base of the memorial the Parnassus frieze depicts celebrated painters, poets, sculptors, musicians and architects, reflecting Albert's enthusiasm for the arts. There are 187 exquisitely carved figures in the frieze, and the tour enables you to appreciate the craftsmanship up close.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Steps make this inaccessible to wheelchair users without help. Adapted Toilets: Yes, Nearby.
Burlington Bertie's Tip Combine your tour with a 12.30pm tour of the Royal Albert Hall opposite or take tea afterwards at the nearby Kensington Palace Orangery.

London River Cruises
Venue: River Thames, departs from round trip from Westminster Pier.
Date: 7pm. Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2011. Additional dates in Spring, Summer and Autumn. Check website for details.
Tickets: £75. Online Booking essential.
London Transport: Nearest tube. Embankment.
Description: Enjoy a 3½ hr river cruise with 4 course dinner, ½ bottle wine, cabaret and disco dancing down the Thames, passing the floodlit landmarks en route.

Medieval Banquet and Merriment by Torchlight in London
Venue: A stone's throw from the Tower of London and Tower Bridge
Date: Nightly. 8.15pm, 2011.
Tickets: $75 Online.
London Transport: Nearest tube. Tower Hill.
Description: Feast with your host Henry VIII and other colorful characters from Merrie England at a medieval banquet straight from the pages of history! Minstrels and strolling players will entertain you as you dine on a four-course traditional English meal, accompanied by unlimited wine and beer, or soft drinks.

This regal banquet takes place by flickering torchlight in vaulted cellars just a stone's throw from the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Sit back and enjoy the show as Henry VIII's court entertainers provide a magical display for your amusement. Dinner is served by comely wenches, knights in armor provide entertainment, and bards sing medieval ballads!

Medieval Banqueting and Lusty Revelry
Venue: Ivory House, E.Smithfield, E1W 1EP. Tel: 020 7480 5353.
Date: Nightly. 8.15pm, 2011.
Tickets: £49.95. Online or telephone booking essential.
London Transport: Nearest tube. Tower Hill.
Description: Celebrate your visit to ancient London Town in true medieval splendor. Eat, drink and make merry over a 5 course Medieval Banquet with unlimited ale and wine, served by winsome wenches. Be entertained by minstrels, contortionists, jesters, musketeers and knights in armor while you dine by candlelight in the vaulted cellars. Medieval dress and accoutrements are available if you wish to emulate Dick Whittington!

Burlington Bertie's Diary Notes
Book now for Shrek the Musical, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane from 2 June; Hampton Court Flower Show and Evening Preview, 4-10 July.

Choose your Hotel OfftoLondon provides expert advice and secure booking facilities for your overnight, 'City Break' or long term London accommodation requirements; from de-luxe 5-star hotels to comfortable backpacker's hostels.