London Things to Do

The flame has been extinguished and  London‘s  2012 Olympics is over, but memories of the big event will live on as the custom built sporting arenas and public areas are refurbished and reopened to the public.

Olympic Park is set to reopen as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with the first stage, North Park, opening up in July 2013, and the area becoming East London’s biggest public park, equipped with event stages, children’s playgrounds and 35km of walkways and cycle routes.The remainder of the 560-acre (230-hectare) park, including hockey and tennis facilities, The South Plaza and stadium, the aquatic center and the Orbit, will be open by Easter of 2014.

Immortalized on film as the setting for Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts’ frolics in the 1999 eponymous rom-com, Notting Hill (an area encompassing Ladbroke Grove, Portobello Road and parts of North Kensington) has lingered on to-do lists ever since, but there’s far more to this cosmopolitan hub than its sojourn on the big screen suggests.

As quintessentially British as the Queen or the red double-decker bus, ordering a pint at one of London’s historic drinking dens is a right of passage for all visitors to the big smoke, so to get you started, here are 10 of the best pubs in the capital.

1. The Artillery Arms, the City

With its stately dark wood and stone interiors, this traditional British pub checks off all the boxes with a cozy, open-wood fire for the winter months, a menu packed with perfectly assembled pub fare and a prime location right on the edge of the city.

The London skyline is continuously evolving and there is a gleaming new addition, The Shard. At 1,016-feet high, it is the tallest building in Western Europe. The 11,000 triple-glazed panels were erected by a team of specialist rappellers.

Prince Andrew, who was present at the official opening of the building this month, is going to rappel down the building on September 3rd to raise money for charity!

Those at the top of their sport have left London feeling rather weighed down by gold, silver, bronze or a combination of them clanking around their necks. One ex-Olympian admitted on TV that after one game (several years ago) he borrowed a medal from a friend who had won multiple so he could get an upgrade on his flight home – bravo!

The dramatic site of the 2012 London Olympics, Olympic Park has been taking a break since the close of the games but plans are well under way to transform the space into the ‘Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’. Set to become East London’s biggest public park, equipped with event stages, children’s playgrounds and 35km of walkways and cycle routes, the idyllic parklands will be back on the tourist itinerary in July 2013, as the North Park reopens its gates. The remainder of the 560-acre (230-hectare) park, including hockey and tennis facilities, The South Plaza and stadium, the aquatic center and the Orbit, will be open by Easter of 2014.

Who is the oldest Olympian ever? Who was the youngest to ever win a medal? Who has made the most Olympic games appearances? Who began the Modern Olympics? Which country decided Beach Volleyball should be an olympic sport? And BMX racing?

If you’ve ever wondered the answers to some or all of these questions, then London has the answers for you in the many exhibitions around town at the moment.

The London Eye is one of the most popular things to do in London, even for people who live in this great city. The Eye dominates the city landscape opposite the towers of Westminster and Big Ben and the views when riding the Eye are spectacular.

Here are a few tips on how to maximize your experience.

Harry Potter’s world was a world where magic and reality met, sometimes not too happily. London was a place where some of this magic happened, where secret train platforms and lane-ways opened up to the lucky ones.

Here are some of the sights that we mere mortals are able to see:

1. London Zoo Reptile House

The zoo in Regents Park is where Harry first realized his powers, by talking to a boa constrictor.

All eyes have been glued to the British capital this year, with the epic Queen’s Jubilee celebrations and the upcoming Olympic games thrusting the city firmly into the limelight. Of course, London has long been renowned for its cosmopolitan population, rich history and trailblazing status in art, fashion and music, but this year the city is set to reclaim its ranking as one of Europe’s most popular destinations.

If you’re joining the masses in London this year, you’re sure to be swamped with sightseeing options, but for those looking to get a taste of the real London alongside checking off their to-do list, here’s the insider lowdown on what, where and how to get the most out of the Big Smoke.