GO LONDON

BY DAVID RICH

London is just like going on a roundabout in the world’s largest Ferris wheel, The London Eye. Both literally and figuratively speaking. Start the day with an organic breakfast in one of the city’s innumerable health restaurants, give nourishment to your soul at the top art galleries White Cube and Serpentine and satisfy your shopping genes in luxury bohemian Notting Hill or go vintage shopping in East End. And don’t forget The London Eye. It’s one of the world’s largest tourist attractions – in every sense of the word.

OH - NO GO

Forget about tourist attractions, such as Madame Tussaud and Westminster Abbey. In a city so loaded with history, culture, variety and elbowroom, who wants to spend their time watching Leonardo DiCaprio with make-up on his inanimate wax face? Or a million other transpiring tourists, who all want to get a glimpse of the 800 year old church? Westminster Abbey is beautiful, but go and see it in the morning, where there’s at least a small chance of getting a calming experience.

GO AREAS

Central

A must if it’s your first time in London. This is where you’ll find Covent Garden, which was originally a place where monks grew vegetables. Today it has been transformed into a huge area for shopping and entertainment with restaurants, theaters and up-scale designer stores along The Strand and on the touristy Oxford Street. Take the side streets if you’re chasing the small, hip shops and restaurants. In Central, you’ll also find Piccadilly Circus – London’s Times Square – which should be experienced, but not necessarily dwelled on, with its mess of tourists and traffic.

Westminster

There’s always something going on on Trafalgar Square. A Hindu festival, or some sort of demonstration. It’s also a place where you can take a break and stick your feet in the fountain – or sing a Christmas carol, when it’s that time of the year.

There’s a lot of traffic around the square, so don’t forget to look right before you cross the street! On Trafalgar, you’ll also find one of the city’s best museums, the National Portrait Gallery, which has over 9000 portraits of the country’s leading personalities, like Charles Darwin, Margaret Thatcher and a sleeping David Beckham. You should also keep an eye open for the museum’s changing exhibitions. And grant yourself a cup of coffee in the rooftop restaurant with a great view over the city.

www.npg.org.uk

Soho

Situated behind Piccadilly Circus is Soho, one of the liveliest areas in London. It’s the old area for prostitutes and today you’ll find many gay bars and sex shops here. The streets are narrow and pleasant and a lot of the city’s showbiz people hang out in this area. Soho is flanked by the shopping streets: Oxford Street, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and the teenage-friendly Carnaby Street, where you can buy anything from shoes to designer furniture.

South Bank and Southwark

On the south side of the Thames, you’ll find “the new London” in the South Bank area. It has gone through a huge urban renewal and is now a light and exciting area with cafés, restaurants and pubs situated along the river. Even though it’s touristy, it’s worth going here. Especially because of the architectural innovation such as The London Eye, the gigantic Ferris wheel which has become the new landmark of London. Another must-see is the Tate Modern museum, which is situated a little further up along the Thames. The modern art gallery, The Hayward and the London Aquarium are also recommendable.

Kensington, Chelsea and Notting Hill

You can always recognize a Sloane Ranger by his ripped jeans and extremely expensive blazer. The expression “Sloane Ranger” is well known among locals, because Sloane Street, located in the little area between Chelsea and Hyde Park, is easily the most expensive shopping street in the city.

It is a paradise for the up-scale shoppers, with London’s most famous department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols. West London areas, Kensington, Chelsea and Notting Hill are also home to the city’s celebrities, millionaires and rich bohemians, who live in pastel colored houses with closed gardens. There’s no question it’s a nice area with its flood of designer stores and urban restaurants, but mostly because of all the green spaces. Buy your lunch at Harrods and enjoy it in Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens. Notting Hill, which was originally a Jamaican neighborhood, has become mundane and less edgy than in the late 70’s, but the Portobello Road Market on weekends is great for buying everything from antiques to vegetables.

Marylbone

Marylbone Highstreet is one of London’s coolest streets with small specialized shops, French bakeries, organic supermarkets, fabulous bookstores and lots of great restaurants, cafés and pubs.  The owners of the buildings in this street have kept the rents relatively low in order to keep the big chain stores at a distance, which gives a particular local touch to the area. It may be a tiny bit too politically correct if you’re into something more edgy, but it’s definitely a neighborhood with an atmosphere.

Camden and Islington

Twenty years ago, this was London’s hippest place thanks to the Camden Market – today it has the feeling of an amusement park with loads of teenage fashion items. That’s cool enough, but with its 58 Nike stores and crappy young fashion bulging from the hangers, the weekend market has lost its edge. Sure, it’s always entertaining to watch hordes of colorful punkish kids in black clothes, neon colored cyber-punk bras and Peruvian hats – but there are no longer any rare quality bargains to be made.

For that you should go to Camden Passage Market, right by Islington High Street in the Islington/Angel area, which is relatively unknown by tourists. Camden Passage Market is located out of the way, and so it’s a more quiet and local place, where primarily vintage and antique stuff is being sold. Mostly collector’s items, and the prices are accordingly high. 

East End

The new playground of the creative classes, where everything is happening at the moment. The old working class area with a majority of Indian immigrants, is today London’s hippest spot, with Brick Lane as its centre. It’s a melting pot of raw warehouses, artists, cool designer stores, ethnic restaurants, and trendy café latte places. If you feel like waiting in the long line, that goes all the way out of the shop and into Brick Lane, you should buy a bagel at the legendary, Jewish Beigel Bake and then wander over to Spitalfields Market nearby. A huge indoor market on Brushfield Street, that offers designer clothes, furniture and organic salads.

GO SEE & DO

The Millenium Pier or London Eye

Do as 3,5 million tourists do every year – go for a ride on the London Eye. The ride takes half an hour in the huge 135 meter tall Ferris wheel that towers over London, and you have to try it. It’s wise to book tickets in advance.  It costs £ 15 and up for adults.

www.londoneye.com

Borough Market

If you’re into Jamie Oliver and organic food, Borough Market in Southbank is the place to go. It’s London’s best food market with fresh, ecological products and lunch meals, such as falafel sandwiches and Kidney pie. The market is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

www.bouroughmarket.org.uk

White Cube

The agenda setting gallery in London that was one of the first to grant solo shows to the so-called YBA – Young British Artists – like Damien Hirst. A must for art lovers. Located on Hoxton Square in the East End.

www.whitecube.com

Regent’s Park

Everyone goes to Hyde Park, but Regent’s Park in Marylbone is a great alternative. Especially because it’s less known and less crowded than it’s famous “colleague”.  On the walk from Camden to Baker Street, you will pass a beautiful rose garden with lovely cafés. Close to Baker Street you can also find Central Mosque, which has a small Halal café.

www.royalparks.org.uk

Hampstead Heath

Only four miles north of Trafalgar Square, you will get to the lungs of London: Hampstead Heath. The place to go if you need to take a breath away from the city. Large green spaces and parks surround the small center, which is filled with exclusive vintage- and designer shops, cafés and restaurants. Parliament Hill has a great view over London.

A lovely retreat that can be reached by the underground or by bus. Or on foot.

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Serpentine Gallery

Tremendously interesting art gallery in the southern part of Kensington Gardens, right by Hyde Park. Not just the avant-garde of modern art, but each year an acclaimed architect or artist is invited to design the summer pavilion of the gallery. This year it’s the Danish/Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson and the Norwegian architect Kjetil Thorsen, who are behind the creation. It can be seen until November 5, 2007.

www.serpentinegallery.org

London Rib Voyages

See London in 50 minutes – from a speedboat. This is what London Rib Voyages offers and it is strongly recommended. At 30 knots an hour you get a thorough trip along the Thames, and one that is both informative and much better than the usual tours. A so-called Thames Barrier Trip that goes from London Eye to Thames Barrier and back again costs £ 39 per adult.

www.londonribvoyages.com

GO EAT

Even though the British are not famous for a healthy exciting food culture, London is today only third to Paris and Tokyo when it comes to Michelin star restaurants. The city has over 6000 restaurants and 43 of them have one star.

That position is partially achieved by the fact that food is offered from more than seventy different places in the world, and in numerous variations – particularly Indian. But traditional British food is also getting a revival, and top chefs make a virtue of transforming traditional British dishes, such as bangers and mash, into delicious meals. The well-known “afternoon tea” is still legendary and can be enjoyed in trendy teahouses and mundane hotels and cafés.

Inn The Park: St. James Park

Kick-start your day with a “Great Britain Breakfast”, which is just perfect at the bright drop-shaped restaurant Inn The Park in St. James Park. In addition, you get a beautiful view over London’s oldest park, created by Henry VIII.

www.innthepark.com

Leon Restaurant

Organic food is a big thing in London, and if you’re into that kind of stuff for breakfast, Leon Restaurant in the East End can be recommended. Even though it’s a chain consisting of several restaurants, neither the food nor the interior design is watered down. On the contrary, it’s cool in a very London way, with a laid-back lounge area, where you can eat a healthy breakfast with organic sausage or bacon in a sandwich bread, a so-called ’bap’. And the prices are reasonable.

Leon Restaurant, 3, Crispin Place

Afternoon tea

If you’re searching for a true English experience, enjoy a traditional “high tea” in one of London’s exclusive hotels.

It can be pretty pricy, and you have to be nicely dressed, but then you’re ready for sandwiches, warm crumpets (a mix between a scone and a pancake) and lots of well-brewed tea. It’s such a popular thing that many places require a table reservation.

The Ritz, 150, Piccadilly
£ 36 and up.
www.theritzlondon.com

The Savoy, The Strand
£ 35-43
www.savoy-group.co.uk

The Dorchester
53, Park Lane
£ 29-39
www.thedorchester.com

Claridge’s
55, Brook Street
£ 34-45
www.claridges.co.uk

Fortnum and Mason

It’s not a hotel, but a department store with a “high tea” area and a wide selection of expensive cookies and teas that you can buy and bring home. Everything so neatly wrapped that you will want to keep the wrapping.

Fortnum and Mason, 181, Piccadilly
www.fortnumandmason.com

Eagle

The Eagle in Clerkenwell was the city’s first “gastro pub” – and in 1991 it laid the grounds for a new trend. Namely, traditional pubs that serve quality food. Eagle still ranks among the best ones. It’s airy and unpretentiously decorated and the Mediterranean and American cuisines influence the menu. You will spend around 30 pounds on a meal, and then there’s a great selection of beers!

Eagle, 159, Farringdon Road.

Sketch Gallery

The Sketch is maybe one of the most hyped  restaurant/gallery/bar/club-complexes in London, ever since it opened its doors in 2002. But it’s worth visiting, either for dinner or for hanging out in the bars, the club or the gallery. Or just to enjoy the carried through postmodern decoration with colorful plastic, Louis-something chairs and Swarowski-sponsored toilets. It was particularly the £ 125 menu in the Library and Reading Room restaurant, which made banner headlines in the beginning, but you can actually enjoy a very good dinner at Sketch Gallery.

In the daytime, The Gallery serves as an art gallery, but at night it’s transformed into one of the city’s hippest brasseries, with an exciting and affordable menu. Around midnight, the tables are moved aside and the DJ warms up for clubbing. For lunch, Sketch Glade is also an obvious choice with light dishes at affordable prices.

Sketch Gallery, 9, Conduit Street
www.sketch.uk.com

Maze

Famous chef Gordon Ramsay, who also runs the Michelin kitchen at Claridge’s in London, added this restaurant to his empire in 2005 and it is really a gastronomical delight. What’s missing in the interior decoration, which lacks originality, is richly compensated for in the menu that offers French food with an Asian inspiration.

Maze, 10-13, Grosvenor Square.
www.gordonramsay.com

St. John

They serve British food with a controversial twist and the chef makes a virtue of using the parts of the animals that others would throw away. St. John is one of the restaurants, which in recent years have challenged the British kitchen, and very successfully. Even though you wouldn’t think that you would like to eat pig spleen and rook chicks, it’s not that bad! There is more traditional food to choose from as well. You can also try St. Johns Bread and Wine in Spitalfields, 94-96 Commercial Street, which has more ordinary British dishes in an updated version.

The area has become a kind of ghetto for good British dining. Another recommendable place is Canteen on Crispin Place.

St. John, 26, St. John Street
www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk
www.canteen.co.uk

Tayyabs

If you’re into Indian food and curries, Brick Lane in the East End is the place to go. Indian restaurants lie like pearls on a string, but you can also go to Tayyabs, a Pakistani restaurant in Whitechapel behind the East London Mosque.  The long line outside on every day of the week may be annoying, but it indicates that it’s one of the best curry houses in the city. The food is traditional and the grilled meat and the curries are all very good – and cheap.

Tayyabs, 83-89, Fieldgate St, Whitechapel.
www.tayyabs.co.uk

GO SHOP

Central and Mayfair

Mayfair and Central form the designer clothes center of London. You can find every designer heavyweight here. The shopping streets, Oxford Street and Bond Street, are among the world’s most famous and visited, but the entire area is so packed with shops that you just have to start from one end, if you’re going up-scale shopping. 

Stella McCartney

One of the country’s leading luxury designers, whose creations and shop you must see if you like great stuff. Only a women’s collection.

Stella McCartney, 30, Bruton Street, Mayfair.

Vivienne Westwood

Luxury punk and elegance characterize Westwood’s design, which is sold all over the world. But in her London stores you can find all of her collections, from semi-couture to Red Label, which is the more affordable and usable one. Collections for both men and women.

Vivienne Westwood, 44, Conduit Street, Mayfair.

James Smith and Sons

If you need an umbrella, you can be certain to find it here. Whether it should be an ordinary black one or one with jewels on top. The old family business can almost make rainy weather a delight.  

James Smith and Sons, 53, New Bond Street.

Dover Street Market

A six-storey building with warehouse-like spaces. It’s not just a luxury store, but also a travel in visual and artistic sensations. In charge of the concept store is Rai Kawakub from “Comme des Garçons”, which is one of the many avant-gardish, innovative and provocative brands that are represented in the art installations, created by different designers who were invited to participate. An absolute must.

Dover Street Market, 17-18, Dover Street, Mayfair.

Browns and Browns Focus

Clothes and accessories by international designer brands, like Chloé and Fendi, as well as a shoe department. Across the street is Browns Focus, which is less expensive, but slightly more casual with brands like Marc by Marc Jacobs.

Browns and Browns Focus, 23-27 South Molton Street, Mayfair

Butler & Wilson

A sumptuous Mecca of retro jewelry and vintage design, which you should see for yourself. Glitter and bling and London’s largest collection of vintage dresses, according to the owners.

Butler & Wilson, 20, South Molton Street or 19 Fulham Road.

B Store

Colorful and untraditional clothing that you can find nowhere else. B Store stocks up-and-coming and newly graduated designers, which is reflected in the funky and quirky patterns and cuts. B Store also carries its own shoe collection.

B Store, Savile Row, Mayfair

Chelsea and Notting Hill

These areas offer exclusive designer stores for the quality-conscious clientele.

Joseph

Joseph has several stores in London and primarily offers classic business outfits of the kind that is worn by lots of urban women: Cashmere sweaters and little black dresses in numerous variations. Most stores also carry other designer brands, such as Diane von Furstenberg and Stella McCartney.  They also sell shoes – and across the street you will find Joseph’s own café and restaurant.

Joseph, 124, Draycott Avenue, Chelsea

Matches

Matches has three shops in the street. The one only called Matches carries luxury brands like Prada and Burberry and Matches’ own stylish brand Freda. Matches Soy offers more casual clothing, such as Marc by Marc Jacobs, and the third shop only sells clothes from Diane von Furstenberg.

Matches, 60-64 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill

Persephone Books

You can also find this splendid bookstore in the area. It is a true delight for your mind and your senses and has a wide selection of cook books, overlooked novels and interesting paperbacks.

Persephone Books, 59 Lamb’s Conduit Street, Knightbridge

Diverse

Located in Islington, which is younger and less posh than Notting Hill. The shop carries cool and edgy brands such as Luella. In the small streets behind Upper Street, you will find a lot of vintage stores, where you can make a great bargain.

Diverse, Upper Street, Islington

East End

Spitalfields, Shoreditch and Hoxton form the heart of the city’s bohemian culture. The quirky and edgy part of London – also in regards to shopping.

The Laden Showroom

The leading showroom for the country’s young and independent designers. There are over 3000 clothing items, tightly packed in the small space. But that’s not a problem, since you can find very exciting and original pieces of clothes, which are also affordable.

The Laden Showroom, 103, Brick Lane

Hurwundeki 98

From the outside, a modest-looking shop with its brown wooden façade and the name written in gray cement. But inside you will find hidden treasures, if you’re into vintage and original design. The shop spreads over two levels and the decoration is carried out in a dark atmosphere.

Hurwundeki 98, 98, Commercial Street

Absolute Vintage

A slightly hidden shop in a warehouse on a side street off Commercial Street. The place is packed with luxury vintage clothes for both men and women.  The clothes and the shoes are classified by color and size and the prices are generally below those of similar stores in the city.

Absolute Vintage, 15 Hanbury Street

Dragana Perisic

The designer Dragana Perisic is relatively new on the British fashion scene, and both her shop and her collection are beautiful, with classic feminine cuts and soft colors. The shop is only open from Wednesday through Sunday.

Dragana Perisic, 30, Cheshire Street

GO NIGHT

Maddox Club

One of the hippest new clubs in London that attracts the city’s jet set crowd.  It has two bars, a courtyard and a glass staircase that also serves as the DJ’s work station. Same celebrity vibe as Boujis, Volstead, Aura, Chinawhite and Mo*vida.

Maddox Club, 3-5 Mills Street, Mayfair
www.maddoxclub.com

Fabric

One of London’s largest clubs with room for 1500 people. It doesn’t have a local vibe, but swarms with all kinds of people and tourists and is often referred to as the city’s best dance club.  That is, if you’re into what’s cool, noisy and modern. Another large and legendary club is Turnmills on 63 b, Clerkenwell Road, which encourages its patrons to dress as crazy as possible. The club attracts the biggest DJs within every musical genre.

Fabric, 77 a, Charterhouse Street, Farringdon.
www.fabriclondon.com
www.turnmills.co.uk

Egg

A stylish club in three levels with a courtyard to boot. The music has top priority, with a mix of Goldie and up-and-coming DJ’s. The club offers more style than rave, and despite the fact that it houses 1000 patrons, there are many small breathing spaces, especially the courtyard.

Egg, 200, York Way, King’s Cross.
www.egglondon.com

Hoxton Bar & Kitchen

Industrial, cool and laid-back bar atmosphere in one of London’s hippest areas. The bar is also a venue for live music and connected to the super trendy BoomBox Club, which only grants access to the most madly dressed people.

Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, 2-4 Hoxton Street, Hackney
www.viewlondon.co.uk

Kabaret’s Prophecy

With its laser lights dancing on the walls in time with the music, this club is for those who like an intimate atmosphere. There’s only room for 120 people inside this funky little place.

Kabaret’s Prophecy, 16-18 Beak Street

GO SLEEP

The Halkin

If you want some peace and quiet, streamlined luxury and professional service from a staff dressed in Armani from top to toe, Halkin is the place. The hotel’s theme is inner peace, which is carried out in a stylish, minimalist and Japanese-inspired decoration of rooms, lobby and restaurant. Everything is kept in toned-out colors and shiny black surfaced.

The Halkin, 5, Halkin Street, Belgravia
www.halkin.co.uk

Hazlitt’s Hotel

A so-called boutique hotel, which means a small hotel with a big personality. And this place lives up to its name with its charming, slightly heavy antique and ornamented interior decoration. The rooms have high ceilings, antique furniture, paintings and fire-places (which are not in use, though). The place is named after a former resident of the ancient building, the well-known writer William Hazlitt, and each room has been named after one of his friends, among others Lady Frances Hewitt. There are also lots of signed books to read in, left by writers who have stayed at the hotel. It is a quiet and pleasant place, particularly if you get one of the rooms that are not on the street.

Hazlitt’s Hotel, 6, Frith Street, Soho
www.hazlittshotel.com

Soho Hotel

Four-starred hotel located in what used to be a parking lot. The style is casual and funky, and even though it’s in the center of Soho, it feels quiet and laid-back. It’s a boutique hotel, kept in fun pastel colors and has a library in the salon, next to the popular and trendy restaurant Refuel.

Soho Hotel
4, Richmond Mews
www.firmdale.com

TRANSPORT

To and from the airport

www.baa.co.uk

Heathrow Airport is situated about 16 miles west of London. The cheapest (and most often, the fastest) way to get to the center, is by Underground, Piccadilly Line. The trip to the center takes around 45 minutes. A one-way ticket for an adult costs from £ 5 and up.

Heathrow Express runs every 15 minutes to Paddington Station. Duration about 15 minutes. A return trip costs around £ 29.

Gatwick Airport is situated 30 miles south of London. The Gatwick Express runs every 15 minutes in the daytime to Victoria Station. Duration: around 30 minutes. A return ticket for an adult is £ 28.

Stansted Airport is 32 miles northeast of London. Stansted Express runs every 15 minutes or every half hour to Liverpool Street Station. Duration: 45 minutes.

A return ticket costs from £ 27 and up. 

Getting around in London

London is a huge city, and you will walk a lot, but with the underground (the Tube) and buses you can get around fast and easy.

The underground is easy to figure out and has a well extended network of lines that cover the entire city. A single ticket costs from £ 1,50 and up. And at those prices, it easily pays off to buy a Travel Card.

The bus service is also well functioning and efficient. A bus ticket costs £ 1,20.