Travel
Monday, 01 February 2010 05:02
Written by Jade Bremner
The most culturally captivating capital on earth
Despite the hype, many people despise London. So we’re not going to delude you – those with an outdoorsy temperament feel claustrophobic in London’s itsy bitsy, teeny weenie, unreasonably expensive accommodation. They also suffocate among its eight million inhabitants, often all trying to walk down Bond Street at the same time. And be warned, despite their renowned politeness, Londoners are also famous for their ability to scorn you with a look. To experience this simply hold up the queue at the Underground ticket machine while figuring out how to use your Oyster card. You can always blow off steam, though, in one of the many verdant Royal parks, but bring a brolly; it’s likely to chuck it down.
Travel Pack
What else to do
In no particular order, try to get to a few of the following: London Dungeon, the London Eye, Theatre Town, Soho, a bus tour (don’t bother with the extortionate open air tourist traps, travel with the locals on the No. 25 through all the sights for RMB12) and a canal walk or barge ride.
Where to stay
For a posh stay at RMB3,600 a night, it’s got to be the Langham, Portland Place. This beautiful building is only a five minute walk from Oxford Circus, right in the thick of things and five-star service at its best, (london.langhamhotels.co.uk). For a comfy hostel try Astor’s, all in great locations around London for as little as RMB150 per night (www.astorhostels.co.uk).
What to eat and drink
Despite what most of the world believes, British food is delicious. No, really! Try a traditional roast dinner in a local pub, with a pint of ale or cider. They’ll serve you up roast beef, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and, if you’re lucky, some extras like stuffing and bread sauce. A standard roast in London should cost between RMB70–80; see www.pubs.com for help. For high tea pop over to Claridges in Mayfair for afternoon or cream tea with scones, jam and Cornish clotted cream, cucumber sandwiches and delicious cakes, accompanied by as much tea as you can consume. RMB350, www.claridges.co.uk.
How to get there
How about the obvious choice – British Airways? Yes, we know they’ve not been too reliable of late (almost striking for Christmas), but for this reason alone their prices are super cheap for this time of year. Direct flights from Shanghai cost as little as RMB4,500 return, visit www.britishairways.com for details. Or try www.moneysupermarket.com to compare airlines from around the world.
Handy tips
Purchase a copy of an A – Z street map, or London’s roads will make you dizzy. London can be dangerous, keep your belongings with you at all times and don’t flash around valuable items, you’ll get jacked – innit mate.
If you’re an arty, academic type however, you’ll not even notice London’s flaws. Spend your time basking in the cultural immensity of this ancient metropolis founded by the Romans in 43 AD. It’s since been cultivated by Saxons, Vikings, Normans and a couple of century’s worth of other settlers. We assure you that walking through its streets, visiting its museums, theatres, opera houses, galleries and historical sites will be far more enjoyable than winning Monopoly.
See
A good place to start is the Tower of London. Although most of it was rebuilt after 1666 (the great fire of London), this giant castle, complete with moat, sits grandly in the middle of London and encases one of the city’s oldest remaining buildings – the White Tower. Built by William the Conqueror, it’s nearly 1,000 years old. It’s got a steep entrance fee (around RMB150), but you can easily spend a whole day inside visiting an old British prison, checking out armor and weaponry from through the ages, sneaking a peek at the Crown Jewels and, of course, watching the bizarre changing of the Royal Guards.
East meets West
For a view of new and old London visit Greenwich Park. Climb to the highest point in the park and you’ll see the meridian line, separating the east and the west of the world. Greenwich was once a busy medieval port and has an intriguing explorer, maritime village feel about it. From the park you can see the former Royal Naval College below and an illuminated skyline of Canary Wharf skyscrapers on the horizon.
Museums
It may take months to visit all the museums and galleries in London, but while transport and accommodation may require a small bank loan, these attractions are usually free. The Natural History Museum, the Tate Modern, the British Museum and the Portrait Gallery should not be missed; they hold some of the most valuable, mind-boggling and extraordinary artefacts on the planet.
Fashion
As it’s one of the four fashion capitals in the world we wouldn’t send you home without doing a spot of shopping. For traditional English attire, and the equivalent of Bloomin’dales in New York, visit the beautiful Tudor building that is Liberty’s on Regent Street for luxury clothing, gifts and decor, while gentlemen should head over to Savile Row for bespoke tailoring. Past customers here have included everyone from Winston Churchill to Mick Jagger and Samuel L. Jackson. Those who prefer to pick up a bargain or something authentic should try the uber-cool Old Spitalfields Market in east London, which is full of retro collectable items. Or head to Portobello Market, which covers an area of two miles around Notting Hill and sells everything from antiques to fruit.
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