A city with such schizophrenic traits can be nothing short of the extraordinary to explore. There are so many things to 'see' and 'do' in London that when people spend their time only visiting Madam Tussaud's museum and getting photographed at Piccadilly Circus (thank you, Bollywood), it seems to be a real shame. So do get a picture clicked with Angelina Jolie's/Johnny Depp's wax statue we say, but do not return from London without having tried these activities we have enlisted to discover, really discover, this beautiful city.
Get extra batteries for your camera, your sturdiest umbrella, your most comfortable boots, a tube map, and let's get going!
Roam the Embankment / Waterloo area at night
You walk out of the Embankment tube station and climb the pedestrian bridge. And then you're mesmerised. The Thames stretches in front of you, wide and placid, with all of London's history reflecting in the water. Old Georgian and Victorian facades lit orange by sodium lights twinkle in the river and in the distance, high-rises shimmer. People stroll on the bridge. Some play guitar, others sing, and there is an air of bonhomie all around. Strangers will smile at you and ask to have their pictures clicked with you. Go down the bridge where trendy restaurants and bars sparkle at the banks. The facade of the Big Ben and the London Eye, all reflecting in the water never leaves you. Do spend one evening at the Embankment. Highly recommended. (tube: Embankment)
Covent Garden
Fashion, food, books - Covent Garden offers the good living. Lively restaurants, pubs and cafes mingle with some of the city's trendiest shops. The erstwhile fruit and flower market has been refurbished into one of London's hippest districts. It's charming. A must visit.
Alohomora!
Sounds familiar? Then you might want to visit Platform nine and three quarters at King's Cross, the famous platform where the train to Hogwarts departs from. The authorities have fixed half a trolley inside the wall here to mark the place where Harry and his friends famously disappear to come out on the other side. Great vantage point for pictures and indispensable if you are a Harry Potter fan. (tube station: King's Cross or St. Pancras)
Shakespeare's Globe
The original venue where the Bard's plays were performed, this is where Shakespeare worked from 1598 to 1611. This area (across the river) then was home to prostitutes and robbers but so popular were Shakespeare's plays that everyone from the meanest thief to the Queen came to watch. The theatre lay in neglect for a long time but it has been lovingly restored now, run by people who are as interested in theatre as in preserving heritage. So not only do you get to watch Shakespeare's plays in the round, open-roofed theatre, but also get an informative tour of the premises, go through an exhibition showcasing the history of the plays, see original costumes on display from the Elizabethan age, all this while sipping mulled wine which is on-the-house!
Along with traditional plays, a lot of avant-garde performances take place here with post-modern interpretation of the plays too. There is also a Shakespeare goodies shop with great posters, bookmarks, pocket books, badges and even shot-glasses with quotes such as "By this light, a most perfidious and drunken monster!" printed on them. (tube station: Southwark. Follow signboards for the Globe Theatre)
Eat an English Breakfast
The English might not have any cuisine but they definitely know how to do a perfect breakfast. Eggs (fried, poached, boiled, scrambled), bacon, sausages, fried tomato, hash browns, mushrooms, fried toast, marmalade, butter, mayonnaise...all washed down with a cup of Earl Grey. It's heavy, unhealthy and so, so satisfying.
Cruise down the Thames at sundown
The greatest tomes of the history of London nestle by the banks of the Thames. A sunset cruise up or down the river gives you a chance to marvel at the beautiful old architecture and you also witness London's bildungsroman - growing up - from Roman to Norman to Gothic to Renaissance to Baroque to Neo Classical to Victorian to the post-modern. London's architecture tells cultural tales and it's incredibly beautiful. As it gets dark, the buildings appear to be more and more mystic, floodlit in their ancient splendour. For a comprehensive tour, a ferry ride from the Westminster Pier (tube: Westminster) to Greenwich is ideal.
Go to Greenwich - stand at the centre of the world
Greenwich Mean Time (00:00) is the basis of standard time in the world and Greenwich has been the zero point of terrestrial longitudes since 1884. Relish the feeling of stepping exactly at the centre of the world. Roam around the charming village and if here on a weekend, pay a visit to its famous market. Also see the National Maritime Museum, the Old Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, the renowned ship. (tube: Greenwich)
Catch a play at the Westend
London's theatre scene is more vibrant than even New York's, and that's saying something. From musicals to the most avant-garde theatre, you get to see all, and, maybe even the next year's Broadway hit. Watching one play is an absolute must. See Happenings for details. (tube: Leicester Square or Piccadilly)
Walk across the Bridges
While you are at the Globe, step out to the waterfront - the Thames flows by, modern skyscrapers adorn the horizon on the opposite bank and the Tate Modern stands tall on the banks, a little away from cafes and restaurants. It's the world's most successful modern art gallery, its Dalis and Picassos complemented by the building's spectacular architecture and oh, stunning location. Highly recommended.
If modern art is not your scene, simply stroll down the bank with three prominent bridges - Tower, London and the contemporary Millennium Bridge, as also all of London's historic landmarks, in view, all lit up in splendour. The Tower Bridge is probably the most famous - and the most misrepresented - London landmark splayed in brochures and books, with its thick towers and vaulted arches.
It is misrepresented because it is usually referred to as London Bridge (remember the drawing that accompanies "London Bridge is falling down, falling down..."?) London Bridge is further down the Thames, and has nothing much to write about architecturally. Millennium Bridge is the pedestrian bridge. It's the entire atmosphere of this area which is the biggest draw. The walk is pleasant and in good weather, utterly charming with the river flowing by. (tube station: Southwark or London Bridge)
If you cross Millennium Bridge and go west you will reach St. Paul's Cathedral (follow signboards). It remains one of the most famous London monuments and is worth a dekko for its grand Gothic-Victorian facade. (You can also take the tube to St. Paul's and explore the entire area of Westminster, rich with literary and historical resonance.)
Soho
In Soho narrow alleys intersect each other, crammed with flashy signboards that make way to some of the hippest restaurants and clubs in the UK. Highly popular with the cosmopolitan workforce of London, Soho is where all the action happens. Highly recommended. (tube: Leicester Square)
Sports
Cricket
If you feel about cricket what most our countrymen (and women) do (read: fanatic passion) chances are that you'd jump with joy at the thought of visiting Lord's, the 'home of cricket'. If visiting London in summer, you can catch a match.
Do not be disappointed if you cannot because the very opportunity of being in the space where Kapil Dev lifted the world cup in 1983 is reason enough to cheer. The authorities conduct tours of the property before 3 pm daily; you get to visit the dressing rooms and see the grounds/sit in the stalls where some of the greatest cricket in the world has been played. Must visit for cricket fans. (Tube: St. John's Wood. Call 020 - 7582-6660 for more info on tours.)
Football
To say that football is a national obsession in England is an understatement. The day there is a league football match in a neighbourhood, all roads get jammed, fistfights break out in alleys, the stadiums get mobbed. It's advisable to book well in advance as tickets are expensive, anywhere between £20 - £150.
Tennis
One word - Wimbledon. Witness some of the world's best tennis in the months of June and July. Tickets range from £18 - £85. If you are a tennis aficionado, simply visit the venue to soak up the feel. (tube: Wimbledon)
Et cetra
These are only the highlights and London offers much, much more. You can go see the Kohinoor diamond at Tower Hill (tube: Tower Gateway) or visit the erstwhile Clink's Prison at London Bridge (tube station by same name) which has archaic torture instruments (boots that crushed people's legs) and unusual British laws that have existed in times past ("It is illegal to be drunk in possession of a cow." 1558 - 1603).
Or are you besieged by a literary feeling? Visit Westminster's Abbey where some of the greatest poets and writers of the English language are buried or visit Sherlock Holm's Museum at 222, Baker Street. Or spend a lazy afternoon in Hyde Park, reclining with a book and a thermos of tea, watching people sprint by.
Look out for great with 2-for-1 offers available on tickets for sightseeing at www.tfl.gov.uk.
The London Pass provides admission to more than 50 attractions in and around London, £5 worth of phone calls, gives you the options of bypassing the queues at some venues and also offers free travel on buses, tubes, and trains along with a pocket guidebook. It costs £27 for 1 day, £60 for 3 days and £94 for 6 days and includes admission to St. Paul's Cathedral, HMS Belfast, the Jewish Museum, and the Thames Barrier Visitor Centre - and many other attractions. Visit the website at www.londonpass.com. Purchase the pass before you go because passes purchased in London do not include free transportation.
