Visiting London - March 2011 Highlights
London Hotels. London Discount Hotels. London Luxury Hotels. 4-star London Hotels. 5-star London Hotels. Special rates at all-star London Hotels.
London hotels at discount rates
NAVIGATION
London Hotels Guide
Hotel Specials
London Hotels. London Discount Hotels. London Luxury Hotels. Special rates at all-star London Hotels.

London Highlights for March, 2011
Highlights from London's ticketed events; Heritage & Pageantry, Performing Arts, Fairs and Fine Art Exhibitions.

Royal Heritage & Pageantry

Tower of London
Venue: London, EC3N 4AB. Tel: 0870 756 6060.
Date: Daily 9am-4.30pm, (winter opening times).
Tickets: 17 at portcullis. (concessions) Book online for discount.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Tower Hill. DLR: Tower Gateway. Bus routes: RV1 from Covent Garden, 15, 42,78,100. All sightseeing buses. Riverboat: Regular service from Westminster, Charing Cross, Greenwich Piers.
Description: London's top tourist attraction, and the custodians of the Tower are as expert at putting on a family show today as they were at chopping off heads in earlier days of gore. The most famous attractions are the Crown Jewels, the 'Beefeater' yeomen in their ceremonial Tudor dress, and the celebrated ravens. See Fit for a King,, a superb new exhibition of spectacular royal armour spanning five centuries, in the White Tower, (free with entrance ticket). Royal enactments are regular featured events where the Axeman cometh for he or she who doth incur His Majesty's displeasure!

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 State Rooms which form the heart of The Queen's working palace and are used by the monarch and Royal Family for official functions. They have been lavishly decorated by succeeding monarchs since George IV and furnished with some of the greatest 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. The 2011 special exhibition mounted in the State Ballroom will be Royal Fabergé, the 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 justice to your visit, and longer if you wish to enjoy the superb Palace garden walk and browse in the Royal Collection shop. Strongly recommended.
Timely Tip Use the comprehensive audioguide, available free with your entrance ticket. No photography allowed within the Palace.


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: £7.75, (Concessions). Book online to take advantage of special online discounts and advance booking.
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.

Kensington Palace
Venue: Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX. Tel: 0870 751 5170.
Access: Daily, 10am-5pm (winter opening times).
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.
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.

Clarence House
Venue: St. James's Palace, SW1A 1BS, (entry from the Mall). Tel: 020 7766 7303.
Access: Guided tours lasting 45 minutes from 10am-4pm, Mon-Fri; 10am-5.30pm Sat/Sun. 1-31 August,2011. Special VIP tours also available. See Royal Collection for details.
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 next to St. James's Palace for the Duke of Clarence who became King William IV, (1830-1837), and used it as his palace. It was later the home of The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh following their marriage in 1947, and thereafter the London home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002. It is now the official London residence of Charles Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Princes William and Harry.

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. Lunchtime concert season begins September. See website for details. See also 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 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.

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 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, and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs, whose decorated tomb chests and chapels are worth seeing.
The Abbey, which, as a 'Royal Peculiar' is directly controlled by the monarch, is a 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. This remarkable collection should not deter the visitor from raising his 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 allowed within the Abbey.

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.

Hampton Court Palace
Venue: Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, KT8, 9AU. Tel: + 44 (0)844 482 7799.
Access: Daily, 10am-4.30pm, (winter opening times until 28 Feb, 2011).
Tickets: £15.40, (Concessions and online discount) including gardens.
London Transport: Rail, Tube, Bus or Riverboat. Riverboats run from Westminster, Richmond and Kingston during the summer. Check Getting there for all your travel options.
Description: See Henry VIII's magnificent Great Hall and Tudor kitchens, the Royal Chapel, the Tudor Wine Fountain, the world famous Maze, the celebrated Gardens and the unique 17th century Lower Orangery Exotics Garden.
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 King and 1,000 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.
Wheelchair Accessability: 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.

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.

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!

Music, Theatre & Dance: Hot Picks

London Palladium: The Wizard of Oz
Venue: London Palladium, Argyll Street, Soho, W1F 7TF. Tel: 020 7437 4370
Date: Press Night, 1 March. Perfs 7pm or 7.30pm. Matinees Suns 3pm. Booking to 17 September, 2011.
Tickets: From £22. (Concessions & Discounts). Book online.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Oxford Circus.
Description: Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest extravagantly staged musical opens for ticketed Previews performances 2 February. The Musical is sure to be a sell-out following his popular TV Talent Show to pick the silver voiced Danielle Hope to play Dorothy. Early booking is therefore recommended. Lloyd Webber has added a number of his own melodies and lyrics to the classical 1930s film score. Listen to Danielle sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow and you will wish to see this musical.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Check website for special seating arrangements and any discounts. Make your requirements known when booking. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

The Royal Ballet: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Venue: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, WC2.
Date: 2-15 March, 2011.
Tickets: From £9.70. Book online .
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Covent Garden.
Description: The world premiere of a new full-length ballet created by Christopher Wheeldon for The Royal Ballet is a major highlight of 2011. The Victorian childhood of Lewis Carroll's Alice and her encounters with extraordinary people, strange creatures and unusual events gives The Royal Ballet an entire new world to create, and also gives a great chance to see the whole Company on stage in new guises. The music - the first new, full-length ballet score for The Royal Ballet for 20 years - is by Joby Talbot and will be conducted by Barry Wordsworth, Music Director of The Royal Ballet. The production will draw upon the full resources of the Company and the Royal Opera House in what is a major addition to the ballet repertory and a must-see event of the year. See the Trailer.
Burlington Bertie's Tip: Dine at the ROH's excellent Amphitheatre Restaurant. Book your table and pre-order your food and wine before the performance.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

The Royal Opera: Aida
Venue: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, WC2.
Date: 11 March - 15 April, 2011.
Tickets: From £9.70 - £229.50. Book online .
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Covent Garden.
Description: The drama and excitement of Aida returns to the Royal Opera stage for this first revival of the David McVicar's production. The intensity and tragedy of the story of Aida inspired Verdi to some of his most haunting and famous music: the seductive slave dances, the triumphal march, the passion of 'Celeste Aida', the heart-rending finale. Given full reign by the large forces of chorus and orchestra under conductors Fabio Luisi and Daniele Rustioni, the glorious music is some of the most memorable of all opera. This sumptuous production, headed by Roberto Alagana, Carlo Ventre and Dongwon Shin will delight all afficianardos of Verdi's music. See the Trailer
Burlington Bertie's Tip: Dine at the ROH's excellent Amphitheatre Restaurant. Book your table and pre-order your food and wine before the performance.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

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.

Fine Art Exhibitions: Hot Picks

National Gallery: Jan Gossaert's Renaissance
Venue: Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN.
Date: 23 February - 30 May, 2011.
Tickets: £10. (Concessions). Book Online
London Transport: Nearest Tubes. Charing Cross; Leicester Square. Car Park: St. Martin's Lane NCP.
Description: Working for wealthy and extravagant members of the Burgundian court in the Low Countries in the first three decades of the 16th century, Gossaert was especially noted for his sensuous nudes, painted to evoke the sheen of marble, and his stunning illusionistic portraits in which he plays intriguing spatial games. The first northern artist to draw directly from antiquity in Italy, (during a visit to Rome in 1508-9), Gossaert was a peerless exponent of the illusionistic properties of oil paint as practised by his countrymen from Jan van Eyck onwards. This exhibition in association with the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the first of the artist's work for over 40 years and features 80 works.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes, side entrance. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Royal Academy: Modern British Sculpture
Venue: Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W.1.
Date: 10am-6pm daily, 10am-10pm, Fridays; 22 January-7 April, 2011.
Tickets: £12, (Concessions). Book Online or pay on the door.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Piccadilly, Green Park.
Description: The Academy's first exhibition for 30 years to examine British sculpture of the twentieth century. The show offers a unique view of the development of British sculpture, exploring what we mean by the terms British and sculpture by bringing the two together in a chronological series of strongly themed galleries, each making its own visual argument. Key British works include: Alfred Gilbert Queen Victoria, Phillip King Genghis Khan, Jacob Epstein Adam, Barbara Hepworth Single Form, Leon Underwood Totem to the Artist, Henry Moore Festival Figure, Anthony Caro Early One Morning, Richard Long Chalk Line, Julian Opie W and Damien Hirst Let's Eat Outdoors Today.
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Expos & Fairs

Adams Antiques Fairs
Venue Linley Hall, Royal Horticultural Hall, Elverton Street, Victoria, SW5 9TA. 13 Mar, 17 Apr, 22 May, 19 June, 10 July, 4 Sept, 9 Oct, 13 Nov, 4 Dec, 2011. Tel: 020 7385 1200.
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Victoria.
Tickets: £4 at the door.
Description: London's top regular Antiques Fair. Join avid collectors and dealers as they get down to the business of buying and selling! Expect up to 150 specialist British and European dealers offering antiques and collectibles at prices that are considerably friendlier to your wallet than at the posh antiques fairs in fashionably expensive Mayfair. These are firm shopping dates for Burlington Bertie and Shophound Alexia on the look out for special or unusual gifts and collectibles.
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Museums

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.
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: Permanent Exhibition. Victorian opulence in art and architecture are shown here at its 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 lustreware. 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: Open from 11 September 2010. Guided tours: Weds, 11.15am, 2.15pm; Sat/Suns, 11.15am. Costumed tours: Sat/Suns, 1pm, 2.15pm, 3.30pm. 2010.
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.

London Walks & Attractions


London Eye. Millenium Wheel
Venue: Westminster Bridge Road, (Riverside Building County Hall), SE1 7PB. Tel: 0870 990 8883.
Date: Daily.
Tickets: 15. (Concessions). Book online.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Westminster.
Description: Opened at the beginning of 2000 to celebrate the Millennium, this huge 450-foot British Airways Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the Thames overlooking Westminster gives a fabulous bird's eye view of Royal and Civic London, with spectacular views stretching for 25 miles on a clear day to include views of Windsor Castle. Up to 25 people can fit in each of the wheel's "capsules." The wheel turns surprisingly slowly, taking 30 minutes to go round, so you will have plenty of time to spot landmarks, take photos, propose to your beloved, get married and celebrate the occasion with champagne! Combine your London Eye experience with a Thames River cruise. Online booking discount, (champagne supplied)!


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.

Thames Cruising & Banqueting

London River Cruises
Choose from the London Duck Tour, London Thames River Dinner Cruise, London Eye and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise, The London Showboat Dinner Cruise on the Thames River, London Eye: River Cruise Experience, Thames Hop-On Hop-Off River Cruise, Tower of London and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise, London Thames River Jazz Lunch Cruise, River Thames High-Speed Cruise and more.

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!

Free London
Permanent collections in many galleries and museums are entry free. Some individually mounted temporary exhibitions within specified rooms may carry a ticket charge however, (bookable online or at the door). Check Shophound Alexia's comprehensive Free London Diary for details.

Burlington Bertie's Diary Notes
Book now for: Chelsea Flower Show and Charity Gala Preview, 23-28 May;
CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 2011 TICKETS
Shrek the Musical, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane from 2 June;
Hampton Court Flower Show and Evening Preview, 4-10 July
HAMPTON COURT FLOWER SHOW 2011 TICKETS

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.

Top Tips
London has never been better value for Dollar holders! Make the most of your visit with a "Weekender" trip to Paris and Rome.


image: photoeverywhere.co.uk
Day rail trips via Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Paris for a morning's shopping, afternoon visit to the Louvre and evening meal on the Seine are now a popular excursion option. Offtolondon's associated companies, travel specialists Offtoparis and Offtorome will take care of all your travel and accommodation requirements and show you the sites.

A Night 'On the town'
While in Festive London, treat your partner to a great evening out 'On The Town' with OfftoLondon's superbly priced Theatre & Dinner Packages.

Spare a day of your stay in London to take advantage of Offtolondon's discounted whole day visit by luxury coach to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Regency Bath for just $92.

Choose your Hotel
Use OfftoLondon's hassle-free and secure booking facilities to obtain the best internet prices for your overnight, 'City Break', or longer term accommodation requirements; from de-luxe 5-star hotels to comfortable hostels.

Book your tickets online
Book all your tickets and London Travel Passes with Offtolondon.com to ensure best seats and best prices at the events, exhibitions and shows of your choice without the hassle of price bargaining and queuing on the day.

London Transport Oyster Card
The Central London congestion charge zone for visitors driving in London now covers all main areas of attraction. It makes sense to travel by the safe London Transport bus or Tube. Buy a multi-journey Oyster Card before you arrive, (you can top this up at will), and you will save money, time and hassle.


New York City Breaks
Christmas shopping in the Big Apple is an exciting option. Soak up style on Fifth Avenue at Bergdorf Goodman or Sachs Fifth Avenue. Buy your digital cameras and gadgetry for fabulous prices at specialist Adorama on West 18th Street. Take in a Broadway Show, dine superbly and see all the landmark sites.
New York! New York! Its a Wonderful Town!
Check it all out at A Traveller's Guide to New York


London in One Day Sightseeing Tour
8.5 - 9 hours - Drive to Westminster, past Downing Street, home of the Prime Minister, and on to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Stop for a visit inside Westminster Abbey, site of many royal coronations. Visit Poets' Corner and the tombs of many well-known scientists and monarchs. Also see the Chapel of Henry VII.
Stop near Buckingham Palace to see the colourful ceremony of the Changing of the Guard before driving through busy streets and past peaceful parks to Piccadilly, home of London's Theatreland. Pass Trafalgar Square with its impressive Nelson's Column and fountains, before reaching a traditional London pub for lunch.
The afternoon starts with a cruise on the River Thames, during which a Thames Waterman will point out the places of interest along the way. Disembark to visit the Tower of London where you will meet the Beefeaters clad in Tudor uniforms, hear the legend of the ravens and some spine chilling tales from the Tower's 900 year history. You will also see the Crown Jewels, magnificently displayed in the new Jewel House.
Click for more information