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| London |
London is one city where you can lose yourself like no other city in the world. A million different Londons exist side by side - from beggars on Bond Street to penthouses in Peckham. The city possesses the extremes of rich and poor, tranquillity and raucousness, style and squalor. Despite its enormous size, London is still the fastest growing city in Europe, which means that the only thing certain about they city is that it will not stay still.
Nightlife: Sip cocktails in upmarket Mayfair, live it up in Soho in the West End, or party with the arty crowd in East London's Shoreditch and Hoxton. Relax in a pub for a quiet evening, or hear live music in Camden. Most pubs close around 11pm - 12am, while clubs stay open till 2am. Fresh air is abundant, as London's bars, restaurants and public spaces became non-smoking in 2007.
Hotels: Take your pick between a palatial hotel and a Victorian townhouse. Stay amidst theatre houses in Soho or Covent Garden or amongst greenery in Regent's Park, Hyde Park and Hampstead. For five-star luxury choose Knightsbridge, Kensington and Mayfair, and for arty touches head East for Clerkenwell, Shoreditch or Hoxton. And if you can wait till 2009, the gothic Marriott Renaissance Hotel opens at St. Pancras International.
Restaurants: If you're in the mood for modern British cuisine, try a laid-back gastropub like The Eagle (Farringdon) or The Princess (Old Street). For a more cosmopolitan experience, there's Chinatown in Soho, Turkish cuisine in Hackney, and Indian food in Brick Lane and Whitechapel. Book ahead at London's most posh restaurants, such as Claridges and Fifteen.
Shopping: Be lavish at Harrods and Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, or save in Oxford Street's high street stores. The place for vintage fashion is Brick Lane. Most shops in London are open on Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 6/7pm (8pm on Thursdays), and from 12pm - 6pm on Sundays. It's also a good idea to check out the weekend markets at Notting Hill and Camden on Saturdays and Spitalfields on Sundays.
Sightseeing: The Tower of London and the London Eye big wheel are great vantage points to see London from. To experience royalty, go to Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. Visit the British Museum or the cavernous Tate Modern (most of London's major museums and galleries are free), or check out the hidden gems of Somerset House and Hampstead Heath. |
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