London Things to Do

30km South of London nestled in the vibrant student hub of Surrey, Box Hill is one of South England‘s most popular lookout points, famed for its sweeping panoramas. A popular picnic spot since Victorian times, Box Hill cemented its tourist itinerary status when it hosted the cycling portion of the 2012 London Olympics.

After years as a bit of an outsider, Bermondsey is firmly staking its place as a great place to go in London for food and drinks.

On the south side of the river, not far from London Bridge Station, Borough Market, Tower Bridge and of course the new rising star, The Shard, Bermondsey is full of hip bars and excellent restaurants.

Around The Shard, which opens in February 2013, a new zone is developing called London Bridge Quarter. There will be new restaurants and bars to service all the new offices and apartments, and even London Bridge Station – one of the world’s oldest railway stations – will be getting a redevelopment in the next few years. The wharves along the Thames to the east of Tower Bridge have long been a place for good restaurants and shopping.

Regent Street, London. We all know the elegant curve of its Georgian facades – it’s the famous shopping heart of this city, crossing with Oxford Street at Oxford Circus. Regent Street has the huge flagship Apple Store, the famous Hamleys toy shop, and Liberty department store. It’s so crowded before Christmas that you can hardly move along its pavement. But do you know its history?

“I know I have lounged about the streets, insufficiently and unsatisfactorily fed. I know that, but for the mercy of God, I might easily have been, for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a little vagabond” – Charles Dickens

Luckily for him and us, he grew up to be one of our greatest writers – Charles John Huffam Dickens, born 200 years ago

So you’ve trawled the British Museum for Egyptian relics, the Science Museum for dinosaur bones and the V&A for Art Nouveau designer flair, but now you’d like to visit something a little different… London’s top-drawer museums are just the tip of the iceberg

One of Sydney’s favorite and famous sons is Bill Granger. Now he’s opened his first restaurant in London, bringing to Notting Hill some of the laid back Aussie attitude combined with the excellent food that made Bill’s so popular in Sydney.

2012 promises to be an exciting year for London. The New Year began with the familiar sounds of the chimes of Big Ben, followed by a spectacular firework display over the River Thames. But there is even more to look forward to!

It’s that time of the year in London. As the days get shorter and the air gets colder and colder, people are strapping on ice skates and spinning in circles. Well, if you’re me, you are just falling down and bruising every part of yourself, but for other people the winter ice rinks across London are a highlight of the year.

Heading out in London on New Year’s Eve is a commitment. Be prepared for crowds, potentially spending lots of cash and getting home a challenge. A main focus is the free fireworks display at midnight based around the London Eye. People crowd along the both banks of the river between Waterloo and Lambeth Bridges in designated viewing areas and wait for Big Ben to toll midnight – then ten spectacular minutes of fireworks begins.

London has many secrets, be it streets, shops, legends, or something you never even thought of. One is The Cut. Tucked in just behind Waterloo Station and Southbank is a street called The Cut.