In our immediate neighborhood , within a five minute walk, are many lovely shops, restaurants, (Thai, Japanese, Chinese, French, Indian, and English) an all purpose grocery store, 2 delis, 2 pubs, a pharmacy, 2 hairdressers, a wine shop--- everything you might need. It's a leafy neighborhood with gardens in bloom almost all year. There are several local parks. You can easily walk to Regents Park, where there's a boating lake, playground, outdoor theatre (late spring and summer ) and wonderful gardens. One block from our apartment is the Regents Canal with water taxis, houseboats, and a towpath to walk. You can walk the towpath to the London Zoo and to Camden Market, a huge, upscale flea market with everything from jewelry to used books to leather coats, antique toys, etc. We bought a Victorian brass coal bucket there which we use as a magazine rack in the apartment. London is a wonderful city to visit--there's so much going on. And our neighborhood is a very special part of London. Staying in our apartment you will feel like a Londoner, not just a tourist.
Once you hop on a bus or tube, a short ride takes you to the exciting world of downtown London--with world class theaters, museums, concerts, art galleries, shops, and every kind of restaurant you can think of. We love the National Gallery (free!), the British Museum, Sommerset House, and the Tate Modern art museum. There's always something good on at least one if not all of the three theaters that make up the National Theatre on the South Bank. We also love the little theaters, 'fringe theatre' all over London. We are classical music fans. London has five symphony orchestras--all of the wonderful--and all kinds of music from jazz to hip hop in clubs and other venues all over the city. Sadler Wells has amazing modern dance, and if your tastes are more classical, there's amazing ballet and opera (including English versions, if you aren't a purist.)
We don't think the changing of the guard is worth the time, but we love the royal stables with fancy carriages, the London Eye (giant ferris wheel), and the boat rides that provide wonderful views of Parliament and Big Ben. Even if you aren't a Shakespeare fan, the Globe Theatre on the river is a winner. In the attached exhibition center, you can compare your rendition of Hamlet with that of Laurence Olivier!
London is the perfect city for walkers. Walk along the Thames. Walk along the canals. Walk through the beautiful parks (formerly the king's hunting grounds) and gardens. Pick almost any neighborhood--or get on a tube and go to the edge of town to see medieval churches and ancient forests. Don't forget to check websites like 'See London.com' and 'Time Out London.com' for all kinds of special events, including local festivals and street fairs. If you have time, a train or bus ride (1-2 hours) will take you out of town to Oxford, Cambridge (which we like better), Canterbury (my pick) and other wonderful places. The problem is that there's so much to do in London that it's hard to find a day to out of town.
Samuel Johnson said 'If you're tired of London, you're tired of life. ' We alway find new and memorable things to do, and so will you. Our apartment a perfect base for doing whatever you choose to do--and for relaxing, too.
