Where Magazine London Apr 2018

GUIDE TO LONDON ®

APRIL 2018

WWW.WHERETRAVELER.COM

BRITISH ICONS How roles from Winston Churchill to Mary Poppins are lighting up the screen

PLUS

SPECTACULAR EASTER EGGS THE UNDERBELLY FESTIVAL GUIDE ALEXANDER O’NEAL’S LONDON HOTSPOTS

THE WORLD’S GREATEST PLAYWRIGHT

Where to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

The ultimate children’s shopping experiences

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E N T E R TA I N M E N T

SHOPPING

DINING

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Contents See more of London at www.wheretraveler.com/london

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RECOMMENDED BY YOUR CONCIERGE Where London has direct access to the head concierges and their teams across London’s four and five-star hotels, and is considered to be the ‘concierge’s bible’.

April

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GUIDE TO LONDON ®

APRIL 2018

WWW.WHERETRAVELER.COM

BRITISH ICONS How roles from Winston Churchill to Mary Poppins are lighting up the screen

PLUS

SPECTACULAR EASTER EGGS THE UNDERBELLY FESTIVAL GUIDE ALEXANDER O’NEAL’S LONDON HOTSPOTS

THE WORLD’S GREATEST PLAYWRIGHT

Where to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

The ultimate children’s shopping experiences

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E N T E R TA I N M E N T

SHOPPING

DINING

MAPS 06/03/2018 11:19

ON THE COVER

Lights, camera, London! Relive the magic of the movies. Darkest Hour image courtesy of Universal

The Guide 20 SIGHTSEEING Let the games begin!

The London Games Festival returns with cosplay, video games and more.

38 MUSEUMS & GALLERIES Find out about eco-friendly fashion in anticipation of the V&A’s new exhibition, Fashioned by Nature.

SHAKESPEARE © STATIONERS’ HALL/WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF STATIONERS & NEWSPAPER MAKERS; KETTNER’S TOWNHOUSE © SOHO HOUSE; EMMA WATSON COURTESY OF VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM; BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL © SPECULAR

44 ENTERTAINMENT The musical Bat Out of Hell returns and the South Bank hosts Underbelly Festival’s 10th year of comedy, circus and more.

52 SHOPPING Hamleys, Trotters and the LEGO store – keep children entertained at one of these familyfriendly shops.

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Best of the month 6 WHERE NOW

14 SHAKESPEARE’S LONDON

We look forward to this month’s biggest festivals and events, including the Queen’s birthday gun salute, Sam Smith playing at The O2 arena and the world-famous London Marathon.

The Bard would have celebrated his 454th birthday this month – discover where you can mark the occasion.

10 MOVIE MAGIC

Take your pick from these Easter-inspired gifts, including toy bunny rabbits, luxury chocolate eggs and hampers.

From Gary Oldman’s Oscar-winning turn in Darkest Hour, to Emily Blunt in Mary Poppins – find out where you can follow in the footsteps of your favourite movie stars across the capital and the rest of the country.

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18 FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

74 MY PERFECT DAY Ahead of his British tour, soul singer Alexander O’Neal shares his favourite spots in the city.

TA L K I N G T O T H E W O R L D ’ S V I S I T O R S We are the world’s largest publisher of maps and magazines for visitors. Today, Where can be found on hotel concierges’ desks in more than 80 destinations around the globe.

In this city, we also produce IN London – a portfolio of luxury magazines in Arabic, Chinese and English – and London Planner, the official monthly guide to the capital from VisitBritain and the Mayor’s promotional company, London & Partners.

56 DINING From steakhouses to afternoon tea, discover the newest openings across the capital.

64 NIGHTLIFE Add some fizz to your trip at Bloomsbury’s latest cocktail bar, inside The Principal London hotel.

68 WELLBEING Experience the history and heritage of the city’s oldest barbers, Truefitt & Hill, which was loved by Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde and Sir Winston Churchill.

70 ESSENTIALS London concierges share their travel tips, hidden gems and strangest requests.

72 MAPS A useful map of central London.

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Vol. No. 44 Issue No. 4 ISSN 0951 323X

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WELCOME

Lights, camera, London!

Twitter: @WhereLondon Facebook: Where London Instagram: wherelondon

Who is the biggest movie star of our time? Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Will Smith?

None of these. It’s London. These days it’s not just people who use our historic streets, but action blockbusters, romantic comedies and British dramas, from Spectre to Harry Potter.

As British icons, from Sir Winston Churchill to Mary Poppins, make their way on to the big screen, we show you how to follow in the footsteps of your favourite actors and become the star of your own holiday (p. 10).

In an issue that celebrates the best of British, we’re saluting the world’s most iconic playwright, William Shakespeare. As this month marks his 454th birthday, we visit

London landmarks linked to The Bard, including the Globe (pictured), to give an insight into Britain’s greatest son (p. 14) When I was growing up, one of the things I loved most about this time of year was Easter and, of course, the tradition of eating chocolate eggs. Take your pick from our round-up of Easter goodies, from luxury treats to fun ones (p. 18).

This month I had the pleasure of speaking to legendary soul singer Alexander O’Neal about his favourite places in the city – he picked some lesser-known spots, including one of my local restaurants (p. 74). Catch him in concert at the London Palladium.

Hope you have an amazing trip!

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE © JOHN TRAMPER

KOHINOOR SAHOTA Group Editor Where London

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ÂŽ

On your marks, get set, go!

Enjoy this month’s biggest events, from the London Marathon to British superstar Sam Smith performing at The O2

VAISHAKI SATURDAY 28 APRIL

This lively festival sees more than 20 million people across the world celebrating the Sikh new year.

In central London, you can join the events in Trafalgar Square including traditional dancing, folk music, turban tying, street food, Sikh artwork and plenty of fun activities for children. The event was originally a harvest festival in Punjab before it became the most important festival for Sikhs. www.visitlondon.com 6 W H E R E LO N D O N I A P R I L 2 01 8

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SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS FROM FRIDAY 20 APRIL

LONDON MARATHON SUNDAY 22 APRIL

Where can you spot RoboCop, a giant sunflower and world-famous sports stars running side by side? At the London Marathon. With more than 40,000 runners taking part, this is one of the world’s most spectacular races, with millions of pounds being raised for charities each year. Records are likely to tumble, as legendary sports stars are taking part, including Britain’s Sir Mo Farah and Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge. The route begins in Greenwich, passes the Tower of London and ends in front of Buckingham Palace. www.virginmoney londonmarathon.com

Every year, the World Photography Organisation invites practitioners from all over the world to enter the Sony World Photography Awards, which welcomes a wide range of subjects. The organisation does not charge those who wish to enter and categories include ‘professional’, ‘open’, ‘youth’, ‘students’ and ‘still life’, so you can expect to see an incredibly diverse array of images. From current affairs and news, to architecture and street photography, you’re bound to find a picture to fire your imagination.

The 2018 winners’ works will be on display at Somerset House. www.worldphoto.org

SAM SMITH

VAISAKHI © GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY; MARATHON © VIRGIN MONEY LONDON MARATHON; SONY AWARDS © PEDRO JARQUE; SAM SMITH COURTESY OF THE O2

6, 7, 9 & 10 APRIL

Few performers can boast an Oscar and Grammy Award. But Londonbased Sam Smith has been so internationally successful, it’s no surprise to see that his tour of the UK is coming to one of the country’s biggest venues: The O2 arena.

His show includes songs from his new album, The Thrill of It, as well as hits including Money on My Mind, Stay with Me, and, of course, his James Bond theme song, Writing’s on the Wall. www.theo2.co.uk www.wheretraveler.com 7

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WHERE NOW | CALENDAR

APRIL SATURDAY 21 APRIL

Having two birthdays is merely a dream for most people, but not if you’re the Queen of England.

Her Majesty’s first (real) birthday is this month, and it’s marked with gun salutes across central London at noon. In Hyde Park, 41 guns are fired; 62 are fired at the Tower of London and there is a 21-gun salute in Windsor Great Park.

And, in case you’re wondering, the Queen’s official birthday is held in June. www.royal.uk

CIRCUSFEST FROM TUESDAY 3 APRIL

If you thought circus was all clowns with big feet and spinning ties, think again. CircusFest at the Roundhouse combines dance, film and virtual reality. Highlights include Breaking Point, a show about tension featuring everyday objects on a tightrope, and Relentless Unstoppable Human Machine, which has a mechanically ingenious set with spinning carousels, vertical-swinging trapezes and high wires. www.roundhouse.org.uk

ST GEORGE’S DAY MONDAY 23 APRIL

How many countries have a saint who killed a dragon? England does, and St George’s Day is celebrated every year with a party in Trafalgar Square (21 Apr). The square is filled with food stalls serving traditional English food, as well as music and pearly kings and queens (above). With so many pubs named The George & Dragon (including one in Fitzrovia), the next-best way to pay tribute is in a bar, with a beer – naturally. www.visitlondon.com

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Cimb up to the top of Western Europe’s tallest building, The View from The Shard The hell-raising musical, Bat Out of Hell, opens at the Dominion Theatre Visit the recently reopened Hayward Gallery to see contemporary art The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra plays at the Royal Festival Hall It’s the opening night of David Hare’s play, The Moderate Soprano The French company, Cheek by Jowl, brings Pericles to the Barbican Leonard Bernstein’s Mass is performed today at the Royal Festival Hall It’s the last day of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Winnie-the-Pooh exhibition Monet & Architecture opens today at The National Gallery It’s the British superstar Sam Smith’s last night at The O2 arena Arcade Fire takes to the stage at Wembley Arena for the next three nights If you can’t get by without your morning cup, visit the London Coffee Festival The Wizard of Oz is screened at the London Palladium with an orchestra Kenneth MacMillan’s dance Steps Back in Time comes to the Barbican It’s the last day to see Ferrari: Under the Skin at The Design Museum Flamenco musicians Paco Peña & Friends perform at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Comedian Iliza Shlesinger performs tonight at the Southbank Centre Painter Cedric Morris is celebrated in an exhibition at the Garden Museum Roy Orbison: The Hologram Tour is on at the Hammersmith Apollo Latin music lovers will enjoy La Linea, a 10-day music festival Watch the actor Ben Chaplin star in the show Mood Music at The Old Vic Cheer on the runners in this year’s iconic London Marathon Visit one of the city’s most historical buildings, the Tower of London Watch Indian dancing at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with Thari – The Loom As spring is in the air, visit Hyde Park and hire a pedalo on the Serpentine lake Chess, written by Tim Rice and ABBA, opens today at the Coliseum Learn about the explorer Captain James Cook at the British Library’s exhibition Nightfall, about a woman struggling to cope with her husband’s death, opens Quentin Blake: Arrows of Love closes today at the House of Illustration Watch the Changing the Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palce

For more ideas visit www.wheretraveler.com

GUN SALUTE © THE ROYAL PARKS; CIRCUSFEST © MARK DAWSON; PEARLY KINGS AND QUEENS © JAMES O JENKINS

QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY GUN SALUTE

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he capital boasts historical architecture, record-breaking skyscrapers, A-listers and studios, from Pinewood and Shepperton, to the proposed Dagenham East Studio, all of which make London worthy of being called the new Tinseltown. When it comes to choosing where to film dramas, musicals and animated movies, it’s no surprise then that, out of all the cities in the world, London gets top billing.

DARKEST HOUR Joe Wright, the director of Pride & Prejudice, Atonement and Anna Karenina, kicked off the year with the World War II drama, Darkest Hour, which won four Oscars, including Best Actor for Gary Oldman’s portrayal of

Sir Winston Churchill. British actress Kristin Scott Thomas plays Churchill’s wife, Clementine, while fellow Brit Lily James stars as the prime minister’s secretary.

Shooting took place outside 10 Downing Street – Prime Minister Theresa May’s office and home off Whitehall – and inside The Treasury, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and House of Commons in the Houses of Parliament, where the events actually took place during World War II. In a scene where Churchill makes a royal visit, Somerset House was used as the entrance to Buckingham Palace. Visitors to the house can join a free guided Old Palace Tour (Tue), to learn about the three Catholic queens who once lived here: Anne of Denmark, Henrietta Maria and Catherine of Braganza.

SHERLOCK HOLMES Meanwhile, John Stevenson, director of Kung Fu Panda, will focus on the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Gnomes (from 11 May). The animation, which is the sequel to Gnomeo & Juliet, follows the detective as he investigates the disappearance of some garden gnomes.

British favourites Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith and James McAvoy star alongside Johnny Depp (Sherlock), while Londoner Chiwetel Ejiofor plays his sidekick Watson. The team whizz through Chinatown and under Tower Bridge. To take a closer look at the bridge, visit Tower Bridge Exhibition, which grants you access to a glass floor 42m above the River Thames. Then head into the West End to have dinner in Chinatown.

Sherlock Holmes will return this winter in the comical period drama Holmes and Watson (from 7 Dec), this time played by Will Ferrell. John C Reilly (Watson) will be supported by the Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald and Brit actors Ralph Fiennes and Hugh Laurie. While much of the film was shot in Shepperton Studios in Middlesex, you might also recognise scenes filmed at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

Visitors can see the Painted Hall, which was completed in 1726 – current renovations allow you to climb up 18m-high scaffolding for a close-up look at the ceiling.

You can also attend a church service at the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul, a Neoclassical masterpiece that hosts regular choral

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN © 2017 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED/PHOTO © DAVID APPLEBY; AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR © MARVEL STUDIOS 2018

Harry Potter, Spectre and Paddington were all filmed in London, and why not? For directors, London is a Technicolor dream, as it’s got historic architecture alongside soaring skyscrapers, says Sarah Riches

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LONDON ON FILM | WHERE NOW

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INC;

Clockwise from left: Goodbye Christopher Robin; Darkest Hour; Mary Poppins Returns; Sherlock Gnomes; Avengers: Infinity War

performances.

An outdoor fair scene, with red, white and blue bunting, was filmed at Hampton Court Palace, the home of King Henry VIII. Visitors can see his crown and the palace chapel.

MARY POPPINS RETURNS Another fictional character is back in Mary Poppins Returns (from 21 Dec), which is set in 1930s London. Emily Blunt plays the magical nanny Mary. Following a personal loss, Mary revisits her former charges Jane and Michael Banks, who now have children of their own. Blunt performs alongside Colin Firth and Julie Walters.

Dick Van Dyke – who played chimney sweep Bert and bank manager Mr Dawes Senior in the original 1964 film – takes the role of Mr Dawes Junior in the 2018 version.

As well as filming in Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, scenes were shot on Threadneedle Street in the City of London, as well as on Constitution Hill outside Buckingham Palace. Eagle-eyed viewers might also recognise the Victoria Monument, a memorial to Queen Victoria on The Mall.

DISOBEDIENCE The Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of Golders olders Green features heavily in Disobedience (from 24 Aug).

Produced by and starring Rachel Weisz, it sees Ronit (Weisz) embark on a lesbian affair with Esti (Rachel McAdams), causing shockwaves throughout the conservative community. The film includes Hampstead Garden Suburb and Maida Vale’s synagogue. Check out Lauderdale Road synagogue, a Victorian red-brick building with a grand dome and go celebrityspotting on Hampstead Heath. w w w.wh e ret r ave l e r. com 11

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WHERE NOW | LONDON ON FILM

LOCAL LANDMARKS

Film directors are wising up to the fact that the UK has more to offer than just London – here is a selection of films that will inspire you to venture further afield PETER RABBIT

PHANTOM THREAD

Peter Rabbit, starring Margot Robbie, Domhnall Gleeson and Rose Byrne (inset), is based on Beatrix Potter’s otter’s tales about a mischievous rabbit. While it was mostly shot in Australia, alia, it was also filmed in Ambleside town and Lake Windermere in the Lake District in Cumbria, where Potter lived. Visit the area to climb Loughrigg Fell, mountain bike in Grizedale Forest, see Wray Castle and cruise around the lake. No time?

Then go to the Peter Rabbit festival at Kew Gardens instead (to 15 Apr) and stroll along a themed trail with outdoor games, while learning how to grow vegetables.

This stars Sir Daniel Day-Lewis as a tailor in a toxic relationship and is set in London’s couture world in the 1950s. However, Phantom Thread ’s scenes were filmed in Blackpool Tower Ballroom in Lancashire, as well as Lythe village, Robin Hood’s Bay and the seaside town of Whitby in North Yorkshire. For a classic English day out, take the 199 steps from Whitby Abbey’s ruins to Whitby harbour, where there’s a lighthouse, seafood restaurants, an arch made from whale bones and the Captain Cook Memorial Museum, which is dedicated to the local explorer. Visit Blackpool for afternoon tea in the grand Blackpool Tower Ballroom, which was built in 1894.

The 158m-tall structure resembles the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and offers views of the beach, rollercoasters and 19th-century pier.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Following the success of last year’s Goodbye Christopher Robin, starring Margot Robbie, Christopher Robin (from 17 Aug) – an animation starring Ewan McGregor, Chris O’Dowd and Toby Jones – is set to be just as popular. AA Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh tale sees the bear help an adult Christopher Robin rediscover his imagination in Hundred Acre Wood, which is based on East Sussex’s Ashdown Forest. Walk or horse ride there, then play Poohsticks where it was meant to have been played – on the bridge over the River Medway in Posingford Wood. Scenes were shot at Dover Harbour Marine Station and Harbour Beach in Dover, Kent, and in Windsor Great Park, too.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR When you watch Avengers: Infinity War (from 27 Apr), starring Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth, you may be surprised to discover that evil Thanos wants to end the universe around Durham Cathedral in the north east, Edinburgh’s Waverley train station and Cockburn Street, and St Abb’s Head in Berwickshire. Follow in the Avengers’ footsteps and visit Durham Cathedral, then cross the river

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to Crook Hall and Gardens, before spending an afternoon at Beamish, an open-air museum that recreates life in the north east in the 1820s, 1900s and 1940s.

Edinburgh, meanwhile, is best-known for its castle and the Queen’s official Scottish residence, the Palace of Holyroodhouse. While you’re there, soak up the atmosphere of the Old Town, browse the shops on Princes Street and climb up Arthur’s Seat for views of the city.

READY PLAYER ONE Director Steven Spielberg swapped Hollywood for Birmingham while shooting Ready Player One, a film about a games designer who challenges players to find his fortune in a virtual reality world after his death. Starring English actor Sir Mark Rylance, it was filmed in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, Floodgate Street and also Gravelly Hill Interchange – a confusing network of roads better known as Spaghetti Junction.

Skip the junction in favour of the city’s sights – which include the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham Museum & Art Ar Gallery and the Bullring Centre – then go and watch Wicked at the Birmingham Hippodrome (4-29 Apr).

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t’s William Shakespeare’s birthday on April 23, and there’s nowhere better to celebrate The Bard’s big day than in London, where he spent much of his life. From Macbeth at the National Theatre, starring Rory Kinnear, to Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice at Leicester Square Theatre, there’s something for everyone this spring.

You can try walking in Shakespeare’s footsteps and visiting some of the London landmarks most closely associated with him. For more inspiration this month, take a look at our list of places, twinned with events that are happening nearby.

1. THE THEATRE, SHOREDITCH This was London’s first playhouse, built

by James Burbage, father of the actor and friend of Shakespeare, Richard Burbage, in 1576. An open-air timber structure, resembling the future Globe Theatre, it played host to many acting companies, but was used chiefly by Shakespeare’s acting troupe after 1594.

Although some spectators sat in the covered galleries, many stood throughout the performances in the main ‘yard’. The theatre was closed in 1597 and dismantled the following year, forcing Shakespeare’s troupe to find another venue. But in 2008,

archaeologists discovered the foundation of a structure they believed to be the remains of The Theatre, and you can visit the original site in New Inn Broadway.

Shoreditch is also the starting point for one of this year’s Sonnet Walks (28 & 29 Apr), on which you can hear Shakespeare’s texts being brought alive by actors.

2. THE GLOBE, BANKSIDE Built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s playing company, in an area famous for bear-baiting and other dubious entertainment, the original Globe was the London theatre most closely associated with The Bard. It was

Clockwise from this image: Sir Mark Rylance at Westminster Abbey; Anne-Marie Duff and Rory Kinnear in Macbeth; Shakespeare’s Globe; Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare; Banqueting House; David Morrissey in Julius Caesar; the auditorium at Shakespeare’s Globe

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3. ST HELEN’S BISHOPSGATE For some time this was Shakespeare’s parish church, and it is assumed that he worshipped here. It is a rare survivor of the Great Fire of 1666 and, unusually, has two naves: one for the parishioners and one for the Benedictine nuns who lived there (it’s the only building from a nunnery to survive in the City of London). In 1597, it was noted that, out of the parish’s notable residents, Shakespeare failed to pay five shillings on taxable goods worth £5. The church is just around the corner from the Barbican Centre, where you can catch Pericles (6-21 Apr) performed by the company Cheek by Jowl.

4. BANQUETING HOUSE, WHITEHALL Many Shakespeare plays were staged in royal settings, notably in Banqueting House at the Palace of Whitehall (closed until 18 Apr).

This is where Othello premiered, as well as King Lear and Measure for Measure.

Originally made out of wood, it was rebuilt in extravagant style by Inigo Jones in 1619, and as the only surviving part of the original palace, it is well worth a visit.

It’s just a stone’s throw from Westminster Abbey, where Sir Mark Rylance leads a company of actors in a promenade performance to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday (26-28 Apr).

PHOTO CREDIT GOES HERE

intended to rival The Rose – Bankside’s first theatre, which was erected 12 years before.

But it went up in flames during a 1613 performance of Henry VIII, before being rebuilt. It was eventually pulled down in the mid-17th century.

A reconstruction of the Globe opened nearby in 1997, and is the main London home for Shakespeare’s plays. Like the original, it is open-air, and those craving the Elizabethan experience can buy standing tickets (£5) to productions, which, this spring, include Hamlet, Hamlet As You Like It and Twelfth Night.

From a theatre going up in flames to dodging taxes, Hannah Nepil finds out how William Shakespeare spent his time in London

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5. BLACKFRIARS PLAYHOUSE, BLACKFRIARS Housed at the old Blackfriars monastery site, this was the most important Jacobean London theatre and, from 1609, the only indoor theatre of the Shakespeare company, or ‘King’s Men’. They used it during the winter when it was too cold to perform outdoors at the Globe, often entertaining members of the elite including Charles I’s wife Henrietta Maria.

Following the English Revolution, the theatre was closed and, despite the King’s Men’s pleas, it was torn down in 1655. But you can see where it stood on Playhouse Yard, a quiet backstreet leading to an obscured churchyard and a maze of alleys.

Or, to get an idea of how the building might have looked, check out the beautiful Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe: an indoor Jacobean-style structure,

loosely modelled on the Blackfriars theatre and lit by candles, where, on 10 May, you can hear a lecture on Shakespeare and the Mind.

perhaps on your way to the Museum of London, where, on 8 May, there is a talk about Shakespeare’s relationship with classical antiquity.

6. ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, CITY Shakespeare’s plays were sold here, and he himself would probably have enjoyed browsing the area for poetry books.

He would have regularly made the journey past St Paul’s Cathedral to have his plays registered at the Stationers’ Hall, the headquarters of the bookselling trade.

On other occasions, he might have wandered east of the cathedral to have a drink at the Mermaid Tavern on Cheapside, the site of a drinking club that played host to some of the Elizabethan era’s leading literary figures. The tavern was destroyed in 1666 during the Great Fire, but you can take a stroll through the surrounding area,

7. TOWER OF LONDON, TOWER HILL Ever since its founding in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest, this castle has played a huge role in English history, serving as a royal palace, armoury, prison, execution chamber, zoo, barracks and jewel house. No wonder it has inspired several writers, not least of all Shakespeare himself.

He famously evoked it in Richard III, where it sets the scene for Richard’s seizure of the throne and the murder of the Princes in the Tower. Talking of historical drama, you can catch Nicholas Hytner’s promenade staging of Julius Caesar, Shakespeare’s political thriller, at the nearby Bridge Theatre (to 15 Apr).

Clockwise from left: Details at Stationers’ Hall; the Tower of London; St Paul’s Cathedral

PREVIOUS PAGES: SIR MARK RYLANCE © MARC BRENNER; MACBETH © BRINKHOFF AND MOEGENBURG; SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE © JOHN WILDGOOSE AND SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE; SH*T-FACED SHAKESPEARE © RAH PETHERBRIDGE; BANQUETING HOUSE COURTESY OF BANQUETING HOUSE; JULIUS CAESAR © MANUEL HARLAN. THIS PAGE: STATIONERS’ HALL © WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF STATIONERS AND NEWSPAPER MAKERS; TOWER OF LONDON AND ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL © ISTOCK

WHERE NOW | WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

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WHERE NOW | PRODUCTS

A CRACKING TIME From Roald Dahl’s favourite chocolatier Hot Cross Bun Spiced Easter Egg, £17.50, Prestat, 14 Princes Arcade, SW1Y 6DS

BEAUTIFUL BUNNIES Toys from Jellycat Jellycat Bashful Bright Bunny Hamper, £60, Selfridges, 400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB

FROM LONDON

HOPPING MAD A piece by the eccentric British designer Paul Smith Scarf, £100, House of Fraser, 318 Oxford St, W1C 1HF

Take your pick from these Easter-inspired gifts, from beautiful chocolate eggs to luxury hampers

CRACK OPEN THE CHAMPAGNE Easter egg hand-painted by artists in Kashmir Booja-Booja Organic Champagne Truffle-Filled Easter Egg, £4.99, Selfridges, 400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB

BLACK OR WHITE Limited-edition eggs from the iconic hotel Claridge’s Easter Eggs, £50, Claridge’s, Brook St, W1K 4HR

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE STOCKISTS; WOMAN © ISTOCK

HAPPY HAMPERS From a famous store that is more than 300 years old The Extraordinary Easter Hamper, £125, Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER

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OCEAN LINERS SPEED AND STYLE Until 17 June #OceanLiners

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SIGHTSEEING | THE GUIDE

Let the games begin!

The next level

If you would like to have a Pac-Man-sized smile on your face, then visit the annual London Games Festival (5-15 Apr). Spread across various locations, this joyous festival whizzes you around the world of games.

Think computer games are for people who like hiding in dark rooms? Well, think again, because the computer games world is leaping from the screen to the streets. The Games Character Parade (14 Apr) will fulfil all of your childhood dreams, as a wave of real-life Marios, Zeldas and Tetris blocks march through London. It starts at 12.30pm at Guildhall Yard in the City – be prepared for a visual treat.

Over in east London at Wapping’s Tobacco Dock (a 19th-century tobacco store-turnedevents space) is EGX Rezzed (13-15 Apr).

It features playable PC and console games, which haven’t yet been released, workshops led by renowned games designers and merchandise inspired by the world of gaming, all under one roof (www.egx.net/rezzed).

Somerset House is home to Now Play This (6-8 Apr) – a mini-festival in itself, it celebrates those who are experimenting and pushing

boundaries in the gaming industry. There’s a range of games and exhibitions to get stuck into, as well as special events. Expect strange new video games, extraordinary parlour games (games played indoors that are often based around words) and everything in between.

London has serious ambitions when it comes to the gaming scene, aiming to soon become the games capital of the world. The idea for the Games Festival came from Film London, the agency which represents the city’s screen industries. Visual effects for some of the film industry’s biggest successes are created in London, from the Harry Potter series to Blade Runner 2049. One example is Double Negative in Fitzrovia: founded in 1998 with a team of 30, the company now has six offices across the world and multiple Academy Awards for its work on titles such as Inception and Ex Machina.

With so much CGI expertise in London, it’s no wonder that the computer games scene here is hot. So, if you’re passionate about the world of gaming, you‘ve picked the perfect time to visit. www.games.london

Are you game for even more games?

Then head to South Kensington, where the Science Museum is loading up for action with Power UP (to 15 Apr). Back for its third year, the event takes over a large area of the museum, filling it with more than 180 consoles and video games from the past 40 years. It’s a celebration of old and new computer games, which means that whether you love Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man or Minecraft, you’ll find the game for you. There’s even the chance to visit a whole new dimension, with the latest virtual reality experiences available to try out. Power UP is a ticketed event, with a range of sessions available every day and adult-only evening slots (4, 5 & 11 Apr).

Booking is essential. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/power-up

MAIN IMAGE COURTESY OF LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL; POWER UP © BENJAMIN EALOVEGA

Do you love video games? Then head to the London Games Festival for a look at new and retro games, says Neil Simpson

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THE ULTIMATE FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE GO BEHIND THE SCENES AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

To book please call 0371 811 1955, email tours@chelseafc.com or visit chelseafc.com/stadium-tours

02138

For full terms and conditions, please visit www.chelseafc.com

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SIGHTSEEING T: Telephone number. Station: including Underground (’Tube‘), railway and Docklands Light Railway. Please check for full listings, online discounts and last entry time. References at the end of listings (A1; B5 etc.) refer to coordinates on the map on p. 72-73

SIGHTSEEING Apsley House This Georgian building was the London home of the first Duke of Wellington and has changed very little since his victory at Waterloo in 1815. It has grand interiors as well as fine art on display.

Wed-Sun & bank hols 11am-5pm. Adult £9.30; child £5.60. www.english-heritage.org.uk/apsleyhouse.

149 Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, W1J 7NT. T: 0207499 5676. F6. Station: Hyde Park Corner.

ArcelorMittal Orbit

Banqueting House

This 115m-tall observation tower, designed

by Turner Prize-winning artist Sir Anish Kapoor, offers 20-mile views over Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and beyond. Adventurous types can abseil to the ground or whizz down its 178m tunnel slide, which is the world’s longest. MonFri 11am-5pm; Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. Adult £12.50; child £7.50. www.arcelormittalorbit.com. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20 2SS. T: 0333-800 8099.

Off map. Station: Stratford.

This 17th-century building was designed by Inigo Jones for James I, with an exquisite painted ceiling by celebrated Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens (p. 15). It is the only remaining part of the Palace of Westminster, which was destroyed by fire.

Closed until 18 Apr for conservation work. Then, daily 10am-5pm, but call before visiting. Adult £7.20; child free. www.hrp.org.uk/banquetinghouse. Whitehall, SW1A 2ER. T: 020-3166 6000.

E8. Station: Westminster.

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo Zoo with keeper experiences, a play area and a petting farm. Attend feeding sessions throughout the day to watch animals such as otters, meerkats and monkeys as they eat (monkey feeding sessions during weekends and school holidays only). Other animals to visit include pigs, ferrets, wallabies, emus and snakes. Open daily 10am-4.30pm or dusk. Adult £9.50; child £7.50. www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk. Battersea Park, Chelsea Bridge Gate, SW11 4NJ. T: 020-7924 5826.

Off map. Station: Battersea Park.

British Library The world’s largest library, with a great permanent collection as well as a programme of temporary exhibitions. To 13 May: Listen: 140 Years of Recorded Sound. Step inside a listening booth to explore the museum’s vast collection of recordings, alongside a display discussing the impact of recorded sound since the invention of the phonograph in 1877.

From 27 Apr: James Cook: The Voyages.

Explore original maps, artworks and journals from Cook’s historic journeys to the Antarctic Circle, New Zealand and Australia (p. 40). Mon-Thur 9.30am-8pm; Fri 9.30am-6pm; Sat 9.30am-5pm; Sun 11am-5pm. Please check for times. Admission free; charges for tours, some exhibitions and events. www.bl.uk. 96 Euston Rd, NW1 2DB. T: 0330-333 1144. C7. Station: King’s Cross.

Buckingham Palace The London residence and principal workplace of the monarchy has 775 rooms. It’s closed to the public, except in summer when you can explore the stunning state rooms. www.royalcollection.org.uk.

Buckingham Palace, The Mall, SW1A 1AA. T: 0303123 7300. F6/F7. Station: Victoria/Green Park.

Changing the Guard

Free entry for Friends of the RA Green Park, Piccadilly Circus

Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641), Charles I in Three Positions (detail), 1635–36. Oil on canvas, 84.4 x 99.4 cm. RCIN 404420. Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018.

Watch the changing of the Queen’s Guard on the Palace’s forecourt (except in very wet weather).

During the ceremony, one regiment takes over from another. The Queen’s Guard consists of the St James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace detachments. The New Guard, who during the course of the ceremony become the Queen’s Guard, march to Buckingham Palace from Wellington Barracks. From 10am; please check for dates. Free to attend. www.householddivision. org.uk/changing-the-guard. Buckingham Palace, The Mall, SW1A 1AA. T: 0303-123 7300. F6/F7.

Station: Victoria/Green Park.

ENJOY A ROYAL DAY OUT OF DAZZLING ART AT TWO MAGNIFICENT EXHIBITIONS

XXXXXXXXX

27 January — 15 April 2018

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SIGHTSEEING Chelsea Physic Garden

Dr Johnson’s House

London’s oldest botanic garden was founded in 1673 as the Apothecaries’ Garden. Admire 5,000 species of plants, especially medicinal varieties including tropical plants in glasshouses. 18 Apr: Bruce Oldfield in Conversation with James AlexanderSinclair. The legendary fashion designer reveals the important role gardening, plants and flowers have played in his life. Free daily tours. Sun-Fri & bank hols 11am-6pm. Adult £6.10; child £4.40. www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk. 66 Royal Hospital Rd, SW3 4HS. T: 020-7352 5646.

Off map. Station: Sloane Square.

Writer Dr Samuel Johnson compiled his first English dictionary, published in 1755, in this 18th-century period home. Check for staged performances, talks and tours. Mon-Sat 11am-5pm. Adult £6; child £2.50. www.drjohnsons house.org. 17 Gough Square, EC4A 3DE. T: 020353 3745. D9. Station: Temple/Chancery Lane.

Chiswick House & Gardens See Old Masters on display in this manor, which features neo-Palladian interiors designed

by William Kent and architecture inspired by ancient Rome and 16th-century Italy (p. 24).

The 18th-century restored gardens inspired Blenheim Palace and New York’s Central Park.

21-22 Apr: National Tea Day. Family-friendly event with celebrity bakers, music, mixology masterclasses and a chance to see Lord Nelson’s teapot from the famous Chitra Collection.

Gardens daily 7am-dusk year round, conservatory daily 10am-3pm; house Wed-Mon 10am-5pm.

House adult £7.50; child free. www.chgt.org.uk.

Chiswick House & Gardens, W4 2RP. T: 020-8995 0508. Off map. Station: Chiswick Park.

Eltham Palace & Gardens Experience the decade of decadence as you are transported back to the 1930s – it’s part showpiece of Art Deco design and part medieval royal palace.

To 2 Apr: Easter Adventure Quest at Eltham Palace. Join historical characters on a trail

to discover hidden dragon eggs; 11am-5pm.

Sun-Fri & bank hols 10am-6pm. Adults £14.40; child £8.60. www.english-heritage.org.uk/eltham.

Court Yard, SE9 5QE. T: 020-8294 2548. Off map.

Station: Eltham.

Fulham Palace This attractive 15th-century building was the summer retreat of the Bishops of London. Now it’s a museum with a café, art gallery, gardens and a programme of themed tours. 5 & 15 Apr: Garden Walk. Guided tour of the garden and the rare plants which grow there; check for times.

To 15 Apr: Fulham Palace Through Postcards. Presenting a variety of postcards from

THE QUEEN’S GALLERY BUCKINGHAM PALACE

Cutty Sark This 19th-century ship is the world’s last surviving tea clipper. Explore interactive displays on deck, enjoy afternoon tea under the hull or take part in the lively programme of family-friendly events.

28 Apr: Sailor School. Little sailors can join in the sailors’ academy and take part in games and activities. Daily 10am-5pm. Adult £13.50; child £7.

Joint tickets with Royal Observatory available. www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark. Cutty Sark, King William Walk, SE10 9HT. T: 020-8312 6608.

Off map. Station: Cutty Sark/Greenwich.

Dennis Severs’ House Since 1979, visitors have been able to explore the home of artist Dennis Severs. Ten rooms, from the cellar to the attic, illustrate the life of a family of Huguenot silk weavers from the 17th to 19th century. Silent night tour Mon, Wed & Fri 5pm-9pm. Daytime tour Mon noon-2pm & Sun noon-4pm. Tickets £5-£15. www.dennissevers house.co.uk. 18 Folgate St, E1 6BX. T: 020-7247 4013. D11. Station: Liverpool Street.

Dinosaurs in the Wild This immersive, family-friendly attraction takes visitors back in time to the age of the dinosaurs. Through simulations, theatre and interactive exhibitions and sets, see prehistoric animals in cages, a dinosaur autopsy and a research station, all while learning more about these creatures. Tue-Sun 10am-4.30pm.

Adult £33; child £28.50. Advance booking recommended. www.dinosaursinthewild.com.

West Parkside, SE10 0BE. T: 0844-854 1355.

Off map. Station: North Greenwich.

SPECIAL JOINT TICKET Enjoy two exhibitions from the Royal Collection, only £29 including tea and cake BOOK ONLINE roy.ac/cake

8 DECEMBER 2017 – 13 MAY 2018

www.royalcollection.org.uk +44 (0)303 123 7301 www.wheretraveler.com 23

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SIGHTSEEING all periods relating to the Palace and exploring what they can reveal of its history. 18 Apr: The Friends of Fulham Palace Present The Busch Trio. The Tudor Great Hall provides the perfect backdrop for this piano trio. 21 Apr: Little Green Fingers.

Hands-on gardening workshop for children and their carers to explore how vegetables and flowers grow. Museum, historic rooms and shop Mon-Thur 12.30pm-3.30pm; Sun noon-4pm. Admission free, charges for special events. www.fulhampalace.org.

Bishop’s Ave, SW6 6EA. T: 020-7736 3233. Off map.

Station: Putney Bridge.

Go Ape Alexandra Palace A new treetop obstacle course with ladders, bridges and zip lines has opened for kids at this grand palace atop a hill, which has beautiful views of London. Make a day of it and enjoy the boating lake nearby. Mon-Sun from 9am; closed 23 & 30 Apr. Adult from £20; child from £20. www.goape.co.uk. Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY. T: 0330-057 2329.

Off map. Station: Alexandra Palace.

Grand designs Chiswick House & Gardens, built in 1726, has opened its doors to the public once more (p. 23). The house was designed by friends William Kent and Lord Burlington, the latter famed for his love of the arts. Clashing with design trends in England at the time, the house’s bold exterior of soaring Roman columns and intricate staircases are a tribute to Italy’s classical architecture. Inside, the majestic décor looks like the setting for a fairytale, featuring glorious excess wherever you look. A former resident (and lover of lavish parties) was Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, an ancestor of Princess Diana. Chiswick House also boasts beautiful grounds (open all year), including a lake and a conservatory.

Go Ape Battersea Park Make like a monkey at this treetop adventure playground, which is suitable for children over six and adults. Negotiate ladders, bridges and zip lines while attached to a reassuring harness. Enthusiastic staff are on hand throughout the three-and-a-half-hour experience.

Open from 9am Mon-Sun; closed 17 and 24 Apr. Please check for prices. www.goape.co.uk.

Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ. T: 0330-057 2329.

Off map. Station: Battersea Park.

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SIGHTSEEING Ham House and Gardens One of Europe’s greatest 17th-century houses.

The house has changed little in 300 years, and its gardens – reputed to be haunted – contain Britain’s oldest orangery, an icehouse and a dairy.

To 15 Apr: Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt.

Discover fun activities as you search for the 20 bird eggs that are hidden around the garden and win a chocolate egg. Historical tours of house daily at noon and 12.30pm; architecture tour daily at 1pm. General admission daily noon-4pm; garden daily 10am-5pm. Adult £11.05; child £5.50.

TVFTS_WHERE_LONDON_AD_276X206_SUNSET_AW.pdf 1 04/12/2017 15:36 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ham-house-and-garden.

Ham St, Surrey, TW10 7RS. T: 020-8940 1950.

Off map. Station: Richmond.

Handel & Hendrix in London

HMS Belfast

Former homes of both the Anglo-German composer George Frideric Handel and American guitarist Jimi Hendrix. See where Handel lived and composed for 36 years, plus Hendrix’s bedroom restored to how it was between 1968 and 1969.

3 Apr: The Duel. Gilbert Rowland describes the time when Handel survived a duel with his friend and fellow composer Johann Matthesson. 16 Apr: Speaking in Tones. With soprano Gwen Martin.

Mon-Sat 11am-6pm; closed 2 Apr. Check for full event details, times and prices. Adult £10; child £5. www.handelhendrix.org. 25 Brook St, W1K 4HB. T: 020-7495 1685. D6. Station: Bond Street.

Permanently moored on the River Thames, this ship is Europe’s only surviving World War II cruiser. In service until 1965, it’s now a reminder of Britain’s naval heritage. Visitors can take part in a simulation of the Battle of North Cape and do the Pony Express exercise (the code name given to a major drill in 1961, to rehearse amphibious landings off North Borneo) in the interactive operations room. See rooms including the bakery, the dentist’s office, the laundry room and the sick bay. Daily 10am-6pm. Adult £15.50; child £8.50. www.iwm.org.uk. The Queen’s Walk, off Tooley St, SE1 2JH. T: 020-7940 6300. E11.

Station: London Bridge.

A firestarter

GOBLET OF FIRE COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR

Do you know where the Beauxbatons Academy and Durmstrang Institute are? If you’re a Harry Potter fan, then we would imagine that you’ve just shouted, ‘Triwizard Tournament!’ Stay excited, because a Potter artefact is coming to London: the Goblet of Fire is on show at Warner Bros. Studio Tour (to 23 Sep; p. 30). Recreating scenes from the movie, the Goblet of Fire (below) propels pieces of parchment into the air, with experts on hand to demonstrate and explain how the effect was created. Carved from a single block of wood, the goblet is part of a display of props and costumes used for the Triwizard Tournament.

The studio tour includes Hagrid’s Hut and Diagon Alley. By the way, if you knew that France is where you’d find the Beauxbatons Academy and that the Durmstrang Institute is somewhere around Russia, then well done – we bet you’ve booked your tickets already.

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Houses of Parliament

The London Dungeon

The Jewel Tower

This thrilling attraction will whisk you back to the capital’s most perilous past. See, hear, feel and (ahem) smell the ‘bad old days’ as they come to life before you thanks to costumed characters. Jack the Ripper and Sweeney Todd are among some of London’s most infamous characters you’ll meet.

Not for small children or the faint-hearted. Joint tickets available with SEA LIFE London Aquarium, Coca-Cola London Eye, Shrek’s Adventure! and Madame Tussauds. Please check for times and prices. www.thedungeons.com. County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, SE1 7PB. T: 020-7654 0809.

F8. Station: Waterloo/Embankment.

from £18; child from £38. www.kidzania.co.uk.

Westfield London Shopping Centre, Ariel Way, See the stunning art and architecture inside W12 7GA. T: 0330-131 3333. Off map. Station: this working parliament building which is also Shepherd’s Bush. a royal palace. Tours every Sat, and Tue-Fri from 3-13 Apr only. Advance: audio tour adult £18.50, The London Bridge Experience & Tombs child £7.50 (one child free per paying adult); An exciting history lesson on the past of the guided tour adult £25.50, child £11; family guided 1,700-year-old London Bridge site. Special effects tour adult £18.50, child free. On the day: audio and actors bring this spine-tinglingly scary attraction tour adult £20.50, child £8.50 (one child free per to life. There are Guardian Angel tours for little ones. paying adult); guided tour adult £28, child £12.

Tickets also include the London Tombs, under the Where London www.parliament.uk/visit. Palace of Westminster, bridge, which are in a former plague pit. Please 118w x 190h Parliament Square, SW1A 0AA. T: 020-7219 4114.

August check for times and prices. www.thelondonbridge F8. Station: Westminster. experience.com. 2-4 Tooley St, SE1 2SY. T: 020Built around 1365 to house Edward III’s treasures, this is one of only two buildings left from the medieval Palace of Westminster after an 1834 fire.

Don’t miss the ornate ceiling carvings. Please check for times and full info. Adult £5; child £3. www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/ jewel-tower. Abingdon St, SW1P 3JX. T: 020-7222 2219. F8. Station: Westminster.

Keats House This 19th-century home belonged to the Romantic poet John Keats. See his paintings, books, letters and household items, plus the engagement ring he gave to his sweetheart, Fanny Brawne. The Keats and Milton: Paradise Lost exhibition provides an opportunity to see the poet’s response to one of the greatest epic poems ever written, by reading the notes he scribbled across Milton’s verse. 15 Apr: Family Day: Wondrous Words. An afternoon poetry workshop hosted by storyteller Emily Hannah. Please check for regular literature events and free family activity days.

Wed-Sun 11am-5pm. Adult £6.50; child free. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/ keats-house. Keats Grove, NW3 2RR. T: 0207332 3868. Off map. Station: Hampstead.

7403 6333. E10. Station: London Bridge.

Where London Half Page

ORDER, ORDER Book your tour today

Kensington Palace This royal residence sits in Kensington Gardens, was Princess Diana’s last home and is currently where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reside (p. 55).

Don’t miss Diana: Her Fashion Story, an exhibition dedicated to the style of the ‘people’s princess’.

Daily 10am-4pm. Adult £17; child £8. www.hrp. org.uk/kensington-palace. Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX. T: 0844-482 7777. Off map. Station: High Street Kensington/Queensway.

Kenwood On the edge of Hampstead Heath, Kenwood house and its landscaped gardens is a hidden gem. Admire Robert Adams’ interiors and a magnificent art collection made up of Rembrandt, Vermeer and Gainsborough. Regular family events. Daily 10am-5pm. Free admission. www.english-heritage.org.uk/kenwood.

Hampstead Lane, NW3 7JR. T: 020-8348 1286.

Off map. Station: Hampstead.

KidZania London Parents take a back seat here as children take charge. Three times the size of Trafalgar Square, KidZania has everything a child could want including TV and animation studios, a chocolate factory and aviation academy – there’s even a tattoo parlour! The early-years area means that younger siblings will have fun, too. You’ll leave wondering why there wasn’t a KidZania when you were growing up... Which is why it hosts occasional adult nights! Daily from either 9.30am or 10am (from 11am on 1 Apr); call for closing times. Hired for private events 17-19, 23-26 & 30 Apr. Advance: adult from £16; child from £20. On the day: adult

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SIGHTSEEING Coca-Cola London Eye

ZSL London Zoo

Madame Tussauds

This London icon is one of the world’s largest observation wheels – don’t forget to share your London Eye memories using #eyelovelondon.

On a clear day, you can see up to 40km away in all directions – as far as Windsor Castle. The 32 capsules, which travel at 26cm per second, are representative of the 32 London boroughs.

Joint tickets available with the SEA LIFE London Aquarium, London Dungeon, Shrek’s Adventure! and Madame Tussauds. Please check for times, prices and special offers. www.londoneye.com.

County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, SE1 7PB. T: 0871-781 3000.

F8. Station: Waterloo.

Immerse yourself in the animal kingdom at the world’s oldest scientific zoo, which has more than 750 species of wildlife. Highlights include a penguin beach, Asiatic lions in the Land of the Lions enclosure and endangered Sumatran tigers. Daily, bookable events include Spiders Live, Morning with the Gibbons and Giraffe High Tea, while the ‘Junior Keeper for a Day’ package allows visitors to meet and feed a variety of animals. 7-8 Apr: PJ Masks at ZSL London Zoo. Little ones can meet characters from the children’s show. Daily 10am-5.30pm. Adult £27.04; child £20. www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo. Regent’s Park, NW1 4RY. T: 020-7722 3333. C6. Station: Camden Town.

Celebrated home of life-sized wax figures depicting famous people from the worlds of entertainment, politics, sport and history, from the Queen to Adele. Don’t miss the permanent Star Wars exhibition, featuring 11 sets from the film; a 5.5m-high animatronic head in Kong: Skull Island and ‘Tom Hearty’, a new model of Tom Hardy with a heartbeat. Other recent additions include Mo Farah and Michael Fassbender. Joint tickets available with SEA LIFE London Aquarium, London Dungeon, Shrek’s Adventure! and Coca-Cola London Eye. Please check for times.

Adult £35; child £30. www.madametussauds. com/london. Marylebone Rd, NW1 5LR. T: 0871894 3000. C6. Station: Baker Street.

The Monument This beautiful stone column standing in the heart of the City was built in 1677 to commemorate the 1666 Great Fire of London. Climb the 311 steps to its observation gallery. Daily 9.30am-5.30pm.

Adult £5; child £2.50. Joint tickets with the Tower Bridge Exhibition available. www.themonument. org.uk. Monument St, EC3R 6BD. T: 020-7626 2717.

E10. Station: Monument.

The O2 Huge venue for entertainment and exhibitions.

To 9 Sep: Dawn of Super Heroes. Take a look inside the world of DC Comics creations such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Mr Freeze, with displays of costumes, props, sets and more (p. 36). From 9.30am. Tickets £9-£18.

Nissan Innovation Station. Take a virtual test drive in an electric Nissan LEAF and experience Nissan’s Motorsports Training Lab, which allows you to test your stamina and reactions against other NISMO athletes. There’s also colouring activities, quizzes, a GT-R Virtual Reality experience and Gran Turismo 6 racing pods, where you can race head-to-head against family and friends. Free.

Daily noon-8pm. www.theo2.co.uk. Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX. T: 020-8463 2000. Off map.

Station: North Greenwich.

Old Royal Naval College This Baroque masterpiece, part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, is the home of British naval training, with costumed characters and tours. Don’t miss the magnificent ceiling in the Painted Hall. During a temporary conservation project, you can see the ceiling up close on a 50-minute tour from an elevated observation deck: adult £10; child £5. Check for guided tours.

There’s a museum about the history of Greenwich at the Visitor Centre. 19 Apr: Drawing Celestial Bodies with Art Macabre. Sketch live models and details from the ceiling while listening to a dreamy soundtrack.

26 Apr: Beauty or the Beast? New Architecture in Old Buildings. Director of conservation Will Palin chairs a discussion that explores new architecture in historic buildings. Daily 10am-5pm. Admission free. www.ornc.org. King William Walk, SE10 9NN. T: 0208269 4799. Off map. Station: Cutty Sark/Greenwich.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Formerly the site of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, this park includes an aquatics centre and the ArcelorMittal Orbit observation tower. To 7 May: George Irvin’s Ultimate Funfair. Ride the rollercoaster or jump in a dodgem at Stratford Waterfront. Check for sporting events. Park open 24 hours daily. Admission free. www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, E20 2ST. T: 0800-072 2110.

Off map. Station: Stratford.

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SIGHTSEEING Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

St James’s Palace

St Martin-in-the-Fields

Better known as Kew Gardens, this botanical research centre and World Heritage Site contains plants from across the globe, with Victorian tropical greenhouses and a Chinese pagoda.

The Xstrata Treetop Walkway offers great views.

To 15 Apr: A Big Day Out with Peter Rabbit. This family-friendly installation includes a trail, games and educational activities, all inspired

by Beatrix Potter’s most famous creation. Daily from 10am, please check for closing times. Adult £17; child £5; charges for special exhibitions. www. kew.org. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB. T: 020-8332 5655. Off map.

Station: Kew Gardens.

One of London’s oldest palaces, it was constructed in the 14th century. Palace and house closed to the public. www.royal.gov.uk. Marlborough Rd, SW1A 1BS. E7. Station: St James’s Park.

Landmark Palladian church with tours, a brassrubbing centre and live classical music (some free).

Holy Communion given daily and classical music performed weekly by candlelight. 2 Apr: Handel’s Messiah by Candlelight. Join this evening concert performed by the Belmont Ensemble of London, one of the city’s busiest chamber orchestras.

Tickets £9-£29. 30 Apr: Allegri Miserere by Candlelight.

The choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields performs this 17th-century composition. Tickets £15. Mon-Fri 8.30am-6pm; Sat-Sun 9am-6pm. Admission free; brass rubbing from £4.50. www.stmartin-in-thefields.org. Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ. T: 0207766 1100. E8. Station: Charing Cross.

St Katharine Docks This central London marina dates back to the 11th century and is tucked away by the Tower of London. The vibrant waterside destination is lined with regular markets, shops, galleries such as Artopia and restaurants including CAU, Tom’s Kitchen, Bravas Tapas and Emilia’s Crafted Pasta. www.skdocks.co.uk. 50 St Katharine’s Way, E1W 1LA. T: 020-7264 5287. Off map. Station: Tower Hill.

The Royal Institution of Great Britain Grade I-listed Georgian building housing a museum about the institution’s 15 Nobel Prize-winning scientists. Visit its free Faraday Museum and you can see scientists at work, too.

10 Apr: Our Renewable Future. Bruce Hood and guests discuss the challenges facing our species.

30 Apr: The Order of Time. Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, discovers the meaning of time. Check the website for its programme of talks. Mon-Fri 8am-6pm. Admission free; charges for talks. www.rigb.org. 21 Albemarle St, W1S 4BS. T: 020-7409 2992. E6. Station: Green Park.

The Royal Mews Built by John Nash in 1825, this beautiful part of Buckingham Palace houses the Queen’s vehicles and horses, including the Diamond Jubilee State Coach. Witness daily life and learn about the mews’ history. Mon-Sun 10am-5pm. Adult £11; child £6.40. www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/ royalmews. Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1W 1QH. T: 0303-123 7302. F6. Station: Victoria.

The Royal Observatory The home of Greenwich Mean Time and London’s only planetarium, which has regular astronomy workshops and Observatory tours. Learn about time and watch planetarium shows throughout the day. The Sky Tonight. Daily planetarium show that explores the Moon, constellations, planets and deep space objects: adult £8; child £5.50.

Meridian Line and Observatory daily 10am-5pm.

Adult £10; child £6.50. www.rmg.co.uk. Blackheath Ave, SE10 8XJ. T: 020-8858 4422. Off map. Station: Greenwich/Maze Hill/Cutty Sark.

SEA LIFE London One of Europe’s largest aquariums with 500 species of global marine life and walk-through tank tunnels, including a beautiful glass walkway above a school of sharks. You can also snorkel with sharks (£130 including admission). Check for times and prices. Joint tickets available with Coca-Cola London Eye, London Dungeon, Shrek’s Adventure! and Madame Tussauds. www.sealife. co.uk/london. County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, SE1 7PB. T: 0333-321 2001. F8. Station: Westminster/Waterloo.

Shrek’s Adventure!

Ride the magical 4D ‘DreamWorks Tours’ bus to step into live actor fairytale-themed shows, where you can meet some of the characters from the much-loved DreamWorks films. Joint tickets with the Coca-Cola London Eye, London Dungeon, Madame Tussauds and SEA LIFE London Aquarium available. Please check for times. Adult £27.50; child £22. www.shreks adventure.com. Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, SE1 7PB. T: 0871-221 2837.

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SIGHTSEEING St Paul’s Cathedral

18 Stafford Terrace

Tower Bridge Exhibition

Sir Christopher Wren’s 300-year-old cathedral has stunning mosaics. Climb up the dome to the Whispering Gallery and a further 271 steps to the Golden Gallery for a classic London panorama.

Then head down to the crypt, with its monuments to Wren and Lord Nelson. The present cathedral was built between 1675 and 1710, although other church buildings have stood on the same spot, including one built by the Normans. Admission price also includes a multimedia guide and tours.

Mon-Sat 8.30am-4.30pm. Adult £18; child £8. www.stpauls.co.uk. St Paul’s Churchyard, EC4M 8AD. T: 020-7246 8350. D9/10. Station: St Paul’s.

This house gives an insight into the personal lives of Punch cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne, his wife Marion, their two children and their live-in servants, who lived here from 1875. A highlight is the costumed actor-led tour every Saturday, on which you’ll meet Mrs Sambourne or her parlour maid Mrs Reffell for a dramatic account based on old diaries. Wed, Sat-Sun pre-booked tours 11am, or drop-in 2pm-5.30pm; late tour from 7pm on third Wed of every month. Adult from £7; child from £5. www.rbkc.gov.uk. 18 Stafford Terrace, W8 7BH. T: 020-7602 3316. Off map. Station: High Street Kensington.

This breathtaking bridge, designed in 1884, is one of London’s most famous landmarks (not to be confused with its less grand, but much older neighbour, London Bridge). You can also tour the engine rooms with a knowledgeable guide and do yoga on the glass walkways, 42m above the River Thames. Joint tickets with The Monument available.

Daily 10am-5.30pm. Adult £9.80; child £4.20.

Please check for bridge lift times. www.tower bridge.org.uk. Tower Bridge Rd, SE1 2UP. T: 0207403 3761. E11. Station: Tower Hill.

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Tower of London This historic landmark includes the Bloody Tower, Traitors’ Gate and the Jewel House, home of the Crown Jewels. Enjoy free guided tours by ‘Beefeaters’ (Yeoman Warders). Book ahead online to attend the nightly Ceremony of the Keys, which dates back to 1340 (tickets are free). 1 Apr: Twilight Tour. Yeoman Warders lead exclusive tours of the Tower, taking in some of the gruesome sights and spooky stories which make it world famous.

Tue-Sat 9am-4.30pm; Sun-Mon 10am-4.30pm.

Adult £29.50; child £14. www.hrp.org.uk/ tower-of-london. Tower Hill, EC3N 4AB. T: 0844482 7799. E11. Station: Tower Hill.

Up at The O2 Prepare for an unforgettable, 90-minute experience which will take you on an uplifting expedition across the roof of The O2. From the viewing platform at the top you can enjoy spectacular 360-degree views of the River Thames, Emirates Air Line, Canary Wharf and beyond. Please check for times and wheelchair access. From £30. www.theo2.co.uk. The O2, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX. T: 020-8463 2680.

Off map. Station: North Greenwich.

The View from The Shard North Greenwich

Ascend the tallest building in Western Europe in a high-speed lift. At 309m up, on a clear day you can see as far as Windsor – and if you can’t see four major landmarks you can visit again for free. If you pre-book you can also do yoga on Saturdays at 8.30am (£45), while there is a silent disco every Saturday at 10pm (£37.50). Mon-Sun 10am-10pm. Advance adult £20.95, child £14.95; on the day adult £30.95, child £24.95. www.theview fromtheshard.com. 32 London Bridge St, SE1 9SG. T: 0844-499 7111. E10. Station: London Bridge.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Explore behind the scenes of the legendary Harry Potter films in The Making of Harry Potter tour. Visitors can witness iconic sets including the Great Hall, Hagrid’s Hut and Diagon Alley. To 23 Sep: The Goblet of Fire. See the goblet as it returns to the Great Hall for the first time since filming ended, alongside costumes and props from the fourth film (p. 26). Please check for times. Adult £41; child £33. Booking essential. www.wbstudiotour.co.uk. Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, Hertfordshire, WD25 7LS. T: 0845084 0900. Off map. Station: Euston to Watford Junction, then shuttle bus.

Wellington Arch Climb to the viewing galleries of this magnificent arch for panoramic views over the Royal Parks and Houses of Parliament, plus exhibitions.

Joint tickets available with Apsley House. Daily 10am-6pm. Adult £5; child £3. www.englishheritage.org.uk/visit/places/wellington-arch.

Apsley Way, Hyde Park Corner, W1J 7JZ. T: 0207930 2726. F6. Station: Hyde Park Corner.

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SIGHTSEEING Westminster Abbey

Thames River Services

Consecrated in 1065, this abbey is the crowning and burial site of most English monarchs. It also houses Poets’ Corner, the burial place of Charles Dickens and other famous writers. Mon-Fri 9.30am4.30pm; Sat 9am-2pm. Adult £22; child £9. Wed late opening 4.30pm-7pm, with half-price entry. www.westminster-abbey.org. 20 Dean’s Yard, SW1P 3PA. T: 020-7222 5152. F7. Station: Westminster/St James’s Park.

This hop-on, hop-off service features live audio commentary. Departs from Westminster Pier to Greenwich 10.20am-3.30pm; from Greenwich to Westminster via St Katharine’s 11.20am-4.30pm.

Check for prices (35 per cent online discount Mon-Fri). www.thamesriverservices.london.

Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2JH. T: 020-7930 4097. F8. Station: Westminster.

WWT London Wetland Centre

Try Thames Rush, a 50-minute adrenaline-fuelled experience – the most extreme ride on the river – and you’ll enjoy sightseeing, speed and awesome aquabatics all in one. Departs from Westminster

This 104-acre wildlife reserve has a Water’s Edge Café overlooking lakes, ponds and gardens which are home to more than 100 species of rare and wild birds. Visitors can watch the otters and birds being fed every day, while there are also daily ‘Spotlight’ talks on various subjects.

To 15 Apr: Dusty’s Giant Duck Hunt. Children will love helping Dusty find all of the giants Easter ducks hiding around the centre. Daily 9.30am-5.30pm. Early Bird Saturday openings 7 Apr-26 May: hides open at 8.30am for prime bird watching. Adult £12.72; child £7.72. www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london. Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, SW13 9WT. T: 020-8409 4400.

Off map. Station: Barnes.

Thamesjet

Pier. From 10.30am, but depends on the tide so please check for times. Minimum height requirement 1.35m/4ft 5in. Adult from £39; child from £29. www.thamesjet.com. T: 020-7740 0400.

TOURS & GUIDED WALKS BEE Midtown Guided Walks More than 100 themed 45-minute free tours around Bloomsbury and Holborn. The 10am and 1pm walks start at orange information kiosk outside Holborn Tube station; 11am, 2pm and 5.30pm walks start at red sculpture in the courtyard of Central St Giles. www.bee-midtown.org. 88-94 Kingsway, WC2B 6AA. T: 020-7078 7077. D7/8. Station: Holborn.

RIVER TRIPS Circular Cruise Westminster Circular Cruise Westminster operates a hop-on hop-off sightseeing service from Westminster Pier.

Boats depart every 40 minutes for Embankment, Festival, Bankside and St Katharine’s Piers (for the Tower of London), returning non-stop to Westminster Pier. Daily 11am-5pm. Adult single £10, return £14; child single £5, return £7. www.circularcruise.london. Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2JH. T: 020-7936 2033. F8. Station: Westminster.

City Cruises Daily guided sightseeing tours on the River Thames between Westminster, Waterloo, Tower and Greenwich piers. River Red Rover is an allday hop-on, hop-off sightseeing service. Thames Circular Cruise is a 50-minute sightseeing service from Tower Pier or Bankside Pier to Westminster and back. London Showboat cabaret cruise departs from Westminster Pier and includes a four-course meal with live music Fri-Sat. Other cruises also available. Please check the website for times and prices. www.citycruises.com.

T: 020-7740 0400.

London Eye River Cruise Live commentary on a 40-minute sightseeing river cruise. Daily 10.45am-4.45pm. Adult £13.15; child £6.50. Discounted joint tickets with the London Eye available. www.londoneye.com/river-cruise.

London Eye Pier, South Bank, SE1 7PB. T: 0871-781 3000. E8. Station: Waterloo.

MBNA Thames Clippers The fastest and most frequent fleet on the river, with departures from major London piers every 20 minutes. The boats set off from 22 piers across the capital. Discounts with Oyster cards and contactless payment. Download its free in:flow app, which uses GPS tracking to find out your location, and provides real-time audio explanation of the sights. River Roamer hop-on and hop-off advance adult £16.30, child £8.15; on the day adult £19, child £9.50; under-fives travel free. www.mbnathamesclippers.com. T: 020-7001 2200. www.wheretraveler.com 31

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SIGHTSEEING Big Bus Tours Daily sightseeing trips aboard a fleet of opentop double-decker buses. Tickets are valid for 24 hours. A one-day orientation tour includes three walking tours. Adult £35; child £18. www.bigbustours.com. Departure points vary.

T: 020-7808 6753. Station: Victoria.

Big Bus Walking Tours Enjoy a 90-minute historic and royal guided walk from Trafalgar Square, along Carlton Gardens, the Mall and through St James’s Park to Horse Guards Parade, taking in areas which can’t be reached by bus. Departs from bus stop 15 at Trafalgar Square.

Free with Big Bus London Tour tickets. Daily 11am.

www.bigbustours.com. Depart from Big Bus stop 15, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN. T: 020-7808 6753.

Station: Charing Cross.

Capital Taxi Tours A Blue Badge or City of London-qualified guide drives you around in a taxi for up to five people.

Choose from London tours by day or night, trips outside the city and themed tours including a Doctor Who one – on which you’ll see a Tardis and locations from the films and TV series.

There’s even a tour designed for fans of TV’s Downton Abbey. Prices vary and are per taxi. www.capitaltaxitours.co.uk. Departure points vary. T: 020-8590 3621.

City of London Guides Walks A variety of themed walks not offered by other companies, focusing on everything from Fleet Street to Smithfield Market and several City gardens, all within London’s historic Square Mile.

Prices range from free to £12.50. www.cityoflondon guides.com. Departure points vary.

Evan Evans The oldest and largest sightseeing company in London has been accompanying visitors on city tours and out-of-town excursions since 1930. Visit everywhere from Warwick Castle and Stratfordupon-Avon to Stonehenge and Bath, as well as all the London sights. Please check for times and prices. www.evanevanstours.com. Departure points vary. T: 020-7950 1777.

Golden Tours From day excursions to overnight city breaks, the London expert offers quality tour experiences from London to popular locations such as Bath, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Leeds Castle.

The company has an unrivalled range of tours and services. Please check for times and prices. www.goldentours.com. Departure points vary.

T: 020-7630 2039.

Golden Tours Open-Top Bus Tours See the sights aboard an open-top bus. Live guided (Essential Tour) or multilingual audio commentary (all routes) tours let you hop-on and hop-off. One-day, 24-hour and 48-hour tickets.

Please check for prices. www.goldentours.com.

Departure points vary. T: 020-7630 2039.

Jack the Ripper Tour Blue Badge Guide Richard Jones of London Walking Tours devised these popular two-hour walks in 1982, offering an intriguing look at the infamous Jack the Ripper. Numbers are limited in order to give participants a better experience.

Booking essential. Daily 7pm from outside Exit 4 of Aldgate East Station. £10. www.jack-the-rippertour.com. T: 020-8530 8443. Off map.

London Chocolate Tours Sample truffles and ganaches in Mayfair’s finest chocolatiers on this tour by a former cocoa trader. Along the way you’ll learn how chocolate is produced. Booking essential. Sun 12.30pm; tours last two hours 30 minutes. £15 for Where London readers (usually £39). Departs from Green Park Tube station exit closest to The Ritz London hotel. www.tourguides.org.uk. T: 020-8526 7755. E6.

Station: Green Park.

The London Helicopter Tour Discover the capital from the unique perspective of a helicopter, with its uninterrupted views.

Departing from London’s only heliport, glide above the Thames, taking in iconic landmarks including the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral and The Shard. Choose from the 12-minute Buzz, 18-minute Sights or 30-minute Max tour – or spook yourself with an 18-minute ‘open door’ ride (£400 per person). Prices start from £150 per seat for a shared tour. www.thelondonhelicopter.com. The POD Building, Bridges Court, SW11 2RE. T: 0207887 2626. Off map. Station: Clapham Junction.

London Horror Tours Be spooked by ghost stories and tales of Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd and the Krays on tours run by Dr Jack, an actor, entertainer and guide.

Please visit the Facebook page for more information. All tours £3 until the end of April.

Departure points vary. T: 07722-247660.

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SIGHTSEEING London Literary Pub Crawl

Royal Albert Hall Tours

See where the giants of the London literary world ate, drank and worked. This unique tour is artist-led and arranged by the not-for-profit charity The Maverick Theatre Company. Starting in Fitzrovia and ending in Soho, it includes pubs and bars associated with the British Film industry and contemporary writers. Thur & Sat only, please check website for times. Tickets £24, booking advised. www.londonliterarypubcrawl.com.

12 Fouberts Place, off Carnaby St, W1F 7PA. T: 020-8090 5082. D7. Station: Oxford Circus.

Take a one-hour Grand Tour of this Victorian concert hall, which opened in 1871. You will visit the stunning auditorium and gallery, the Queen’s private box and suites, and learn about some of the hall’s legendary performances over the decades.

To 10 Jun: Suffragettes at the Hall: Immersive Drama Tour. Hear the undiscovered stories of the suffrage campaign, as part of the Women and the Hall season celebrating 100 years of the Representation of the People Act 1918. ‘Meet’ Helen Ogston, the young suffragette who smuggled a dog whip into a meeting and find out what she did with it. Tours most days throughout the year, check for times.

London Magical Tours Award-winning provider of private and scheduled group tours to London and its surroundings.

Discover the UK with your own tour team for no parking worries: a professional guide and extra chauffeur, travelling in a private vehicle.

Multilingual guides are available in all languages. www.londonmagicaltours.com. Departure points vary. T: 0870-489 0156.

Adult £4; child £7. www.royalalberthall.com.

Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP. T: 020-7959 0558.

F4. Station: South Kensington.

Royal Opera House One of the world’s leading opera venues and home to the Royal Ballet company. Backstage Tour takes you behind the scenes for an insight into the venue’s history, where you may also see a Royal Ballet production in rehearsal. Thurrock Tour letsyou see painters and carpenters at work.

Please check for times. Adult £12; child £8.50. www.roh.org.uk/visit/tours. Bow St, WC2E 9DD. T: 020-7304 4000. D8. Station: Covent Garden.

London Tailored Tours Private tours for small groups, run by Londoners.

Themed tours include Borough Market, Harry Potter, Brick Lane and ‘A Royal Morning in London’.

Enjoy close-up experiences such as marching with the guards, private food tasting from stall holders or having the services of a personal shopper.

Check for times and prices. www.londontailored tours.com. T: 020-3289 0542.

London Walks London’s oldest walking tour company offers more than 300 walks. Each take around two hours, departure points vary and there’s no need to book. As well as Jack the Ripper, Harry Potter and ghost walks, London Walks offers routes around London’s ‘villages’, including Kensington and Hampstead. Adult £10; child free when accompanied by an adult. www.walks.com.

Departure points vary. T: 020-7624 3978.

Neverland Children’s Tours Neverland Children’s Tours offers fully supervised activities and adventures for children aged eight and over, with the aim of making sightseeing fun.

Each guided activity is balanced by opportunities to get creative, chill out, play and make friends. www.neverlandchildrenstours.co.uk. International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, EC1A 2BN. T: 0203239 5059. D9. Chancery Lane.

Original London Sightseeing Walk Ninety-minute walks depart daily from the Original London Visitor Centre, near Trafalgar Square on Cockspur Street. Choose from Changing the Guard at 10am, Rock ‘n’ Roll at 1pm, or Jack the Ripper at 4pm (from The Original Tour bus stop at Tower Hill). £9 per walk, or free with an Original London Sightseeing Tour ticket. An Explore Walks Pass, which grants access to all three walks over a 48-hour period, costs £18. www.theoriginaltour.com.

17-19 Cockspur St, SW1Y 5BL. T: 020-8877 1722. E7.

Station: Charing Cross.

The Original Tour With more than 65 years’ experience, these live and multilingual open-top guided bus tours take you to the city’s best attractions, allowing you to hop-on and hop-off at more than 80 stops. Its original 24-hour tour includes three free walking tours and a Thames River cruise pass. 24-hour adult £32, child £15; 48-hour adult £42, child £20. www.theoriginaltour.com. 17-19 Cockspur St, Trafalgar Square, SW1Y 5BL. T: 020-8877 1722.

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SIGHTSEEING See London by Night Tour Ride around the West End and City in the evening for a different view of the capital. Regular departures from outside The Ritz London hotel.

Tours last for 90 minutes. Daily 7.30pm, 8pm, 8.30pm, 9.15pm, 9.45pm and 10.15pm. Adult £21; child £12. www.seelondonbynight.com.

150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR. T: 020-7183 4744. E6.

Station: Green Park.

Shakespeare’s Globe Tours This reconstruction of Shakespeare’s original Elizabethan Globe Theatre has one of the city’s only thatched roofs, while the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is a candlelit performance space. Tours daily every

30 minutes, 9am-4.30pm. Exhibition and Globe theatre tour adult £17; child £10. www.shakes pearesglobe.com. 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, SE1 9DT. T: 020-7902 1400. E10. Station: Blackfriars.

Wembley Stadium Tours Go behind the scenes at this famous football stadium and concert venue. The 75-minute tour takes you inside the dressing rooms and through the players’ tunnel. Have your photo taken with a replica of the FA Cup. From 10am; please check for dates. Adult £20; child £12. www.wembley stadium.com/wembley-tours. Wembley Stadium, HA9 0WS. T: 0800-169 9933. Off map. Station: Wembley Park.

Westways Carriage Horses Get collected from your hotel and experience the sights from the comfort of a horse-drawn carriage.

Sights include a trip through one of the Royal Parks, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, returing to Harrods where you will be greeted by one of its doormen. Tours last for two and a half hours in either a four or six-seater carriage with an adjustable hood depending on the weather. £475 per carriage. www.westways carriagehorses.co.uk. T: 020-8572 3155.

Yonda On a Yonda tour, you’ll feel like a real Londoner as you drive a car around the capital’s top sights – and little-known cobbled streets. The car is fitted with technology that guides you along well-researched routes, giving turn-by-turn directions and a fun, informative commentary along the way based on your location. It can even cope with road closures, while the Congestion Charge is included in the price. Tours 90 minutes. £60 per tour in a two-seat convertible car; £95 per tour in a four-seat car, with a clear panoramic roof. www.goyonda.com. Q-Park, Park Lane, W1K 7AN. T: 020-3621 5662. E6. Station: Marble Arch.

OUT OF TOWN Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology Britain’s first public museum dates back to 1683, when the politician Elias Ashmole left his collection of antiquities and natural curiosities to the University of Oxford. See archaeological artefacts, pre-Raphaelite paintings, Egyptian mummies and Oliver Cromwell’s death mask.

To 2 Apr: Michelangelo. A rare chance to view a set of the artist’s drawings, which have just returned from NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. To 22 Jul: America’s Cool Modernism.

Early 20th-century American art, including work

by Georgia O’Keeffe, Arthur Dove and Charles Demuth. To 9 Sep: The Tale of Prince Vessantara.

Exploring the final birth story of the Buddha, a popular tale depicted in an array of Burmese and Sri Lankan artworks. Tue-Sun & bank hols 10am-5pm; last Fri of each month 10am-8pm.

Free admission, charges for special exhibitions. www.ashmolean.org. Beaumont St, Oxford, OX1 2PH. T: 01865-278000. Off map. Station: Paddington to Oxford.

Blenheim Palace

Experience the excitement inside one of the world's most famous venues as it prepares for its next performance

End your tour with afternoon tea- the quintessential British treat!

See three centuries of treasures in magnificent state rooms at this Baroque palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. The palace is set in 2,100 acres of magnificent ‘Capability’ Brown parkland and formal gardens. 19-22 Apr: CADA Antiques Fair. World-class art and antiques at the seventh annual Cotswolds Art & Antiques Dealers’ Association Fair. Palace daily 10.30am5.30pm; park daily 9am-6.30pm or dusk; formal gardens daily 10am-6pm. Adult £26; child £14.50. www.blenheimpalace.com. Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1PP. T: 01993-810530. Off map.

Station: Paddington to Oxford, then bus S3.

Chartwell This was the home of Sir Winston Churchill, and where he brought up his young family. Explore the rooms decorated in 1930s style, with a library, study, living room and dining room. In the museum, you can see the gifts that Churchill received. His bedroom is accessible by private tour only. Enjoy the seasonal colour of the gardens, and views of the lake. Mon-Fri 11.30am-5pm; 34 W H E R E LO N D O N I A P R I L 2 018

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SIGHTSEEING Sat-Sun 11am-5pm. Adult £14.40; child £7.20. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell. Mapleton Rd, Westerham, Kent, TN16 1PS. T: 01732-8683811.

Off map. Station: Victoria to Oxted, then bus.

Hampton Court Palace Once the favourite royal residence of King Henry VIII, this Tudor palace and 300-year-old maze is set in 60 acres of parkland on the river. Visit the Tudor kitchens, which would have prepared feasts for the king and all his courtiers, and see Henry’s grand state apartments including the Great Hall.

To 15 Apr: Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt.

Enjoy family activities and let your child’s imagination run wild in the Magic Garden. Daily 10am-4.30pm. Adult £25; child £12.50. www.hrp. org.uk/hampton-court-palace. Hampton Court, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU. T: 0844-482 7777.

Off map. Station: Waterloo to Hampton Court.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Stonehenge

The Queen’s official residence in Scotland stands at the end of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, against the spectacular backdrop of Arthur’s Seat. Tour highlights include the state apartments with ornate plasterwork ceilings and a huge collection of Brussels tapestries, plus the majestic Throne Room. The Great Gallery is the largest room in the palace, and is where Scottish residents receive their awards. Look out for Mary Queen of Scots’ bed chamber. Daily 9.30am-6pm. Adult £14; child £8.10. www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/palaceof-holyroodhouse. Canongate, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH8 8DX. T: 0303-123 7306. Off map.

Station: Edinburgh Waverley.

The world’s most famous stone circle and a World Heritage Site, Stonehenge is more than 5,000 years old. With obscure Neolithic origins, it is perfectly aligned with the rising sun at the solstice. English Heritage members get exclusive early-morning tours. The visitor centre has an exhibition, shop and café. 18 Apr: Bulford – What’s That Got to Do with Stonehenge? A lecture by Phil Harding on new evidence of the Neolithic life at Bulford. Thur 9.30am-5pm; Fri-Wed 9.30am-7pm.

Adult £17.50; child £9.90. www.english-heritage. org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge. Amesbury, Wiltshire, SP4 7DE. T: 0870-333 1181. Off map.

Station: Waterloo to Salisbury, then bus or taxi.

Hever Castle and Gardens Dating back to the 13th century, this beautiful castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII. The Tudor castle has beautiful interiors, from the Astor family, its 20th-century owners, and gardens with statuary and a lake for boat rides. 18-27 Apr: Tulip Celebrations. Marvel at the 20,000 tulips, in myriad colours and different varieties, planted in the castle grounds; along the architecturally stunning Pompeiian Wall, in the traditional Tudor Garden and the Italian Garden. Daily 10.30am-6pm; castle opens noon. Adult £17.25; child £9.75. www.hever castle.co.uk. Hever, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 7NG. T: 01732-865224. Off map. Station: London Bridge/ Victoria to Edenbridge or Oxted.

Leeds Castle This fairytale 900-year-old castle was a Norman stronghold, a Jacobean country house and a Georgian mansion, among many other things.

It has a moat, gardens and parkland, where you can lose yourself in the spiralling yew maze, and see 100 species of birds in the aviary. Look out for falconry displays in the Birds of Prey Centre, which is behind the maze, with tiny American kestrels, hawks and a Russian steppe eagle.

To 15 Apr: Easter Quest. Seek out clues hidden around the castle grounds on a fun quest for children of all ages. Grounds and garden daily 10am-6pm; castle 10.30am-5.30pm. Adult £24.90; child £16.90. www.leeds-castle.com.

Maidstone, Kent, ME17 1PL. T: 01622-765400.

Off map. Station: Victoria to Bearsted.

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The Original Tour Windsor & Eton Explore the beautiful town of Windsor and nearby Eton College, using 11 bus stops incorporating the castle grounds and following the river. Hop-on and hop-off to discover this famous market town and its centuries-old royal history – Eton College is where Princes William and Harry were educated.

Departures every 30 mins. Combined package with The Original Tour London (24 hours London, 24 hours Windsor) adult £45; child £22. www.the originaltour.com. T: 020-8877 1722.

Osterley Park and House Explore this beautiful country home decorated as it would have been in the 1780s, then stroll its formal gardens or stop for a snack in the stable tearoom. Regular after-dark tours, park runs, yoga and gardening clubs. Garden daily 10am-5pm; house daily 11am-5pm. Adult £11.40; child £5.70. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/osterleypark-and-house. Jersey Rd, Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 4RB. T: 020-8232 5050. Off map. Station: Osterley/Isleworth.

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SIGHTSEEING

Waddesdon Manor Renaissance-style chateau built in the late-19th century.

Magnificent house and wine cellars, plus gardens and aviary. Wed-Sun; please check for times. Adult £10; child £5. www.waddesdon manor.org. Near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0JH. T: 01296-653226. Off map. Station: Marylebone to Aylesbury.

Warwick Castle Built by William the Conqueror in 1068, this castle is now a

Celebrate superheroes in The O2’s exhibition (p. 28)

family-friendly experience with landscaped gardens designed by ‘Capability’ Brown. Don’t miss the Horrible Histories maze and displays of medieval weaponry, as well as regular falconry displays. The dungeon, with actors, is a highlight. Please check for times.

Castle adult £19; child £17; castle & dungeon adult £23; child £20. www.warwick-castle.com.

Warwick, Warwickshire, CV34 6AH. T: 0871-265 2000. Off map.

Station: Warwick.

Watts Gallery Artists’ Village A unique Arts and Crafts gem in the Surrey Hills, with stunning Victorian paintings and sculptures.

Watts Gallery was first opened in 1904, built specially to exhibit the works of Victorian artist GF Watts – there are more than 100 of his works on permanent display. Visit The Tea Shop, then head to the nearby Grade I-listed Watts Chapel, a tiny terracotta building.

Tue-Sun & bank hols 11am-5pm. Adult £11.50 (Tue £5.75); child free. www.wattsgallery.org.uk/about-us/ artists-village. Down Lane, Compton, Surrey, GU3 1DQ. T: 01483-810235. Off map.

Station: Waterloo to Guildford, then bus or taxi.

Windsor Castle This is the Queen’s weekend home and home to 38 monarchs before her, as well as being the world’s oldest inhabited castle. Don’t miss the state apartments furnished with art from the Royal Collection including by Rembrandt, Rubens and Canaletto. Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is one of the world’s largest doll’s houses, made in the 1920s and filled with thousands of tiny objects by leading artists. The splendid Gothic St George’s Chapel has tombs of 10 sovereigns, and has three daily services. Changing the Guard alternate days 11am except Sun. Daily 9.30am-5.15pm; closed 20 Apr. Adult £21.20; child £12.30. www.royalcollection. org.uk/visit/windsorcastle. Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1NJ. T: 0303-123 7304. Off map. Station: Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Central or Windsor & Eton Riverside.

Woburn Abbey and Gardens Please note the abbey ropens on 9 Apr. Set in a 3,000-acre deer park, this historic abbey has been home to the earls and dukes of Bedford for nearly 400 years and is currently occupied by the 15th duke and his family. Tour the abbey to find out more about its family history, art and antiques, then stroll around its Repton-inspired gardens. Gardens, deer park, tea room and shop daily 10am-4pm; abbey daily 11am-5pm. Gardens and deer park adult £7.50; child £4.75. Abbey, gardens and deer park adult £17; child £8.50. www.woburnabbey.co.uk. Woburn, Bedfordshire, MK17 9WA. T: 01525-290333. Off map Station: St Pancras to Flitwick.

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Syon Park This stunning Palladian mansion set in parkland is home to the Duke of Northumberland, and has been owned by the family for more than 400 years. Don’t miss the incredible interiors, Grade I-listed landscape gardens and Great Conservatory.

Gardens daily 10.30am-5pm; house Wed, Thur & Sun 11am-5pm. Adult £13; child £6. www.syonpark.co.uk.

Syon Park, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 8JF. T: 020-8560 0882. Off map. Station: Waterloo to Syon Lane.

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MUSEUMS & GALLERIES | THE GUIDE

Fashioning a better world Dresses made from recycled plastic and grapes are just some of the eco-friendly items at the V&A, says Neil Simpson What on earth would a Calvin Klein frock made from recycled plastic bottles look like? Why would anyone use the head of a bird to make an earring? Can you really make clothes from the roots of plants?

You’ll find all of these extraordinary questions are answered at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s exhibition, Fashioned from Nature (from 21 Apr). Striking at the heart of fashion, the V&A’s new exhibition exposes wasteful tendencies while highlighting brave and brilliant solutions.

Covering four centuries of fashion, this ambitious show demonstrates how clothes have charted the development of human civilisation. During the 19th century, for example, it became popular to craft jewellery from honeycreepers. Native to Hawaii, these particularly beautiful songbirds were hunted and processed for their heads, each one removed to become the main element of an earring. Clearly more acceptable in the past, the destruction of nature in the name of fashion is increasingly protested against.

Protest and rage made Dame Vivienne Westwood’s name in fashion, so it’s not

surprising that the British designer’s work is on display. Westwood has been challenging the establishment for decades, whether as a punk figurehead or by joining fracking protests, so the V&A’s decision to display one of her protest outfits underscores the political side of the exhibition.

Every problem needs a solution, and Fashioned

by Nature has plenty of those on display. Designer Katharine Hamnett probably gave the clearest answer in 1989: her autumn/winter collection that year was called Clean Up or Die, from which the museum is displaying items.

Previously known for working with fur and pioneering the environmentally destructive stonewash process, Hamnett created the collection to signal her new, greener path. It used organic cotton and sustainable fabrics and shares the same ethos as the likes of Stella McCartney, whose designs are also on display here.

The exhibition tells the story of just how far sustainable fabrics have come. Take the ‘grape gown’ – the garment’s leather-like material is Vegea, a material made from the parts of grapes which are not used by the wine industry.

The fashion world has always had a (very) happy relationship with wine, but not like this! Elsewhere, H&M shows a dress made from plastic rubbish found on beaches, and Diana Scherer displays a dress made of a fabric made from plant roots.

The V&A also highlights clothes inspired by the natural world’s elegance.

You’ll discover a waistcoat from the 1780s adorned with cheeky macaques, while leopard print appears on garments by Jean Paul Gaultier.

Last year, Vivienne Westwood said: ‘Whoever goes to art galleries and reads is a freedom fighter for a better world.’ So take part in that fight at the V&A – after all, you can’t argue with a Dame.

For full listing, turn to p. 42

RUFF © MICHELLE LOWE-HOLDER/PHOTO © POLLY PENROSE; WAISTCOAT, EARRINGS AND CAPE © VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON; EMMA WATSON IN CALVIN KLEIN DRESS © MATT BARON/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK; GREENPEACE DETOX CATWALK IN BANDUNG © GREENPEACE/HATI KECIL VISUALS

Clockwise from far left: Crimson ruff by Michelle Lowe-Holder; macaque waistcoat; Calvin Klein bottle dress; honeycreeper earrings; cockerel feather cape Below: Greenpeace Detox Catwalk in Bandung

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T: Telephone number. Station: including Underground (’Tube‘) stations, railway and Docklands Light Railway. Please check for full listings, online discounts and time of last entry. References at the end of listings (A1; B5 etc.) refer to coordinates on the map on p. 72-73

MUSEUMS Arsenal Stadium Tours & Museum Football fans can enjoy a self-guided audio tour for a sneak peek inside the players’ changing rooms and tunnel and the Physio Room, or a Legends Tour led by ex-Arsenal players. Both include a visit to the museum for an overview of the club’s 125-year history. Check for times and tours. Museum only: adult £10; child £7. www.arsenal.com/tours. Emirates Stadium, Hornsey Rd, N5 1BU. T: 0207619 5000. Off map. Station: Arsenal.

Churchill War Rooms

Florence Nightingale Museum

Explore the fortified secret bunker and the Cabinet War Rooms beneath Westminster, where prime minister Sir Winston Churchill worked during World War II to plot the Allied victory. Daily 9.30am-6pm. Adult £21; child £10.50. www.iwm. org.uk. Clive Steps, King Charles St, SW1A 2AQ. T: 020-7930 6961. F7. Station: Westminster.

Located in St Thomas’ Hospital, learn about the work of the 19th-century British nurse as well as Jamaican-born nurse Mary Seacole. Free tours every Tue at 3.30pm (except school hols). Daily 10am-5pm. Adult £7.50; child £3.80. www.florencenightingale.co.uk. 2 Lambeth Palace Rd, SE1 7EW. T: 020-7188 4400. F8. Station: Waterloo/Westminster.

Clink Prison Museum

In this former prison dating back to 1144, hands-on exhibits reveal London’s penal past and torture instruments. It’s said to be haunted Chelsea FC is the Bank of England Museum by the ghosts of former inmates. only London football Explore the story of the bank from Check for times. Adult £7.50; child team to have won its foundation in 1694, to its status £5.50. www.clink.co.uk. 1 Clink St, the Champions today as the UK’s central bank.

SE1 9DG. T: 020-7403 0900. E10.

League Exhibiting its books, silver, paintings, Station: London Bridge. coins and photographs, plus modern gold The Design Museum bars and fun activities for kids. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Relocated to Kensington, this is one of the world’s closed bank hols. Admission free. www.bank leading museums of contemporary architecture. ofengland.co.uk/museum. Threadneedle St, To 15 Apr: Ferrari: Under the Skin.

EC2R 8AH. T: 020-7601 5545. D10. Station: Bank.

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of Ferrari. Daily Benjamin Franklin House 10am-6pm. First Fri every month 10am-8pm.

This charming 18th-century townhouse is the Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. last remaining home of the American diplomat. www.designmuseum.org. 224-238 Kensington Architectural tours Mon; historical shows Wed-Sun High St, W8 6AG. T: 020-3862 5900. Off map. (please check for times). Mon tours: adult £6; child Station: High Street Kensington. free. Shows: adult £8; child free. www.benjamin The Fan Museum franklinhouse.org. 36 Craven St, WC2N 5NF. Unusual museum dedicated to the art of the fan.

T: 020-7925 1405. E8. Station: Charing Cross.

Afternoon tea is served in the orangery. Tue-Sat The British Museum 11am-5pm; Sun noon-5pm. Adult £4; child £3.

Huge number of permanent displays and treasures www.thefanmuseum.org.uk. 12 Crooms Hill, SE10 8ER. T: 020-8305 1441. Off map. Station: Cutty Sark. plus talks, evening events and performances.

To 8 Apr: Living with Gods: Peoples, Fashion and Textile Museum Places and Worlds Beyond. Ideas on what makes Highlighting contemporary fashion, textiles and belief and faith a vital part of human behaviour. jewellery from 1947 to the present day. To 6 May: From 26 Apr: Rodin and the Art of Ancient T-Shirt: Cult, Culture, Subversion. Exploring the role Greece. Works by the French master sculptor. of the T-shirt in 20th-century fashion. Check for Sat-Thur 10am-5.30pm; Fri 10am-8.30pm. times. Adult £9.90; child free. www.ftmlondon.org.

Admission free; charges for some exhibitions.

83 Bermondsey St, SE1 3XF. T: 020-7407 8664. F11. www.britishmuseum.org. Great Russell St, WC1B Station: London Bridge.

3DG. T: 020-7323 8299. D7/8. Station: Tottenham Court Road/Russell Square.

The Cartoon Museum British cartoons, caricature and comic art. Tue-Sun 10.30am-5.30pm. Adult £7; child free. www.cartoon museum.org. 35 Little Russell St, WC1A 2HH. T: 0207580 8155. D8. Station: Holborn.

Charles Dickens Museum Former home of Victorian novelist Dickens, where he wrote classics including Oliver Twist. Decorated in Victorian style, it displays his personal items.

To 29 Apr: Expectations of the Past.

Works by artist and illustrator Louise Wier, inspired

by Great Expectations. Tue-Sun & bank hols 10am5pm; open until 8pm once a month, check for dates. Adult £9; child £4. www.dickensmuseum.com.

48 Doughty St, WC1N 2LX. T: 020-7405 2127. C8.

Station: Russell Square.

Chelsea FC Stadium Museum & Tours THE KISS © ADAM RZEPKA

IN CALVIN KLEIN DRESS © MATT BARON/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK; GREENPEACE DETOX CATWALK IN BANDUNG © GREENPEACE/HATI KECIL VISUALS

FOR MORE LISTINGS, VISIT WHERETRAVELER.COM

Interactive tour of Chelsea FC. Tours daily, every 30 minutes 10am-3pm; please check for closures and monthly ex-players tours with past stars of the game (from £70). Museum open daily 9.30am-5pm. Adult £22 (museum only £11); child £15 (£9). www.chelseafc.com/tours. Stamford Bridge, SW6 1HS. T: 0871-984 1955. Off map.

Station: Fulham Broadway.

The Foundling Museum Britain’s original home for abandoned children.

Check for times and prices. www.foundling museum.org.uk. 40 Brunswick Square, WC1N 1AZ. T: 020-7841 3600. C8. Station: Russell Square.

The Garden Museum Located in an historic church, this museum has a replica 17th-century knot garden and exhibitions related to garden design. There’s a shop and café.

From 18 Apr: Cedric Morris: Artist Plantsman.

Displaying the late botanist’s expressionist paintings of flowers. Check for times. Adult £10; child £2.50. www.gardenmuseum.org.uk.

Lambeth Palace Rd, SE1 7LB. T: 020-7401 8865.

F5. Station: Lambeth North/Westminster.

The Guards Museum The history, stories and regimental heritage of the five regiments of the Foot Guards: Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards, which today watch over the Royal Palaces. Daily 10am-4pm; closed 23 Apr. Adult £8; child free. www.theguardsmuseum.com. Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, SW1E 6HQ. T: 020-7414 3271. D5. Station: St. James’s Park/Westminster.

Horniman Museum & Gardens Collection based upon the adventurous Victorian tea trader, Frederick John Horniman, including an aquarium, musical instruments and gardens. Daily 10am-5.30pm. Admission free; charges for aquarium and special exhibitions. www.horniman.ac.uk. 100 London Rd, SE23 3PQ. T: 020-8699 1872.

Off map. Station: Forest Hill.

The return of Rodin France and Britain have joined forces for a fascinating new exhibition at The British Museum,, which presents the work of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Rodin and the Art of Ancient Greece (from 26 Apr) is a chance to view some of the 19th-century artist’s much-loved works – including The Kiss (pictured) and The Thinker – next to ancient sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens. This exhibition is special because Rodin was fond of Bloomsbury’s most famous museum: the artist visited for the first time in 1881, before admitting in 1902 that, ‘In my spare time, I simply haunt The British Museum.’ Rodin studied the museum’s collection of sculptures from the Parthenon, which makes this an exciting way to see how he was inspired by these ancient pieces.

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MUSEUMS & GALLERIES Museum of London The world’s largest urban history museum has thousands of exhibits in nine galleries, including Roman and Medieval London, transporting you through the capital’s history to the present day.

To 15 Apr: London Visions. Visions of London’s future. Check for family events. Daily 10am-6pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions and walking tours. www.museum oflondon.org.uk. 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN. T: 020-7001 9844. D10. Station: Barbican.

Museum of London Docklands The history of the River Thames, from its time as a Roman thoroughfare to the regeneration of the Docklands area. To 31 Aug: Explore the Mudlarks Gallery. Interactive play space. Daily 10am-6pm.

Admission free, charges for special exhibitions. www.museumoflondon.org.uk. T: 020-7001 9844.

Off map. Station: Canary Wharf/West India Quay.

National Maritime Museum

Do you dream of being an explorer? Then you should head to the British Library, where you can drift away on waves of adventure with James Cook: The Voyages (from 27 Apr; p. 22). This legendary Yorkshireman spent the 18th century exploring and mapping the Pacific, New Zealand and Australia, on board HMS Endeavour. The ship first set sail from England 250 years ago in 1768, making this anniversary a good time to discover Cook’s story through the documents that he used. You can also see and read the explorer’s personal journal and look at detailed maps of the areas that the crew voyaged across. HMS Endeavour also had several artists on board, whose depictions of culture (including the first drawing of a kangaroo by a European) will also be on show.

House of Illustration

Leighton House Museum

The UK’s only public gallery dedicated solely to illustration, founded by Sir Quentin Blake.

To 29 Apr: Quentin Blake: Arrows of Love. Sketches revealing Blake’s personal reflections on the theme of love. Adult £7.50; child £4. Tue-Sun 10am-6pm. www.houseofillustration. org.uk. 2 Granary Square, N1C 4BH. T: 020-3696 2020. Off map. Station: King’s Cross St Pancras.

At the restored former home of Frederic, Lord Leighton, see paintings, drawings and sculptures, plus the Arab Hall adorned with hundreds of tiles from the Middle East. Check for times. Adult £9; child £7. www.rbkc.gov.uk. 12 Holland Park Rd, W14 8LZ. T: 020-7602 3316. Off map. Station: Kensington Olympia.

Household Cavalry Museum Go behind the scenes to see the ceremonial duties and roles of the Household Cavalry Regiments. Troopers with their horses work in the original 18th-century stables. Changing the Queen’s Life Guard on Horse Guards Mon-Sat 11am, Sun 10am. Museum daily 10am-6pm. Adult £8; child £6. www.householdcavalrymuseum.co.uk.

Horse Guards, Whitehall, SW1A 2AX. T: 020-7930 3070. E7/8. Station: Westminster/Embankment.

Imperial War Museum Huge displays relating to global conflicts from World War I to the present day, particularly those involving Britain. Don’t miss the Holocaust Exhibition, and the art collection in the First World War Galleries. To 28 May: Age of Terror: Art since 9/11. A look at artists’ responses to war and conflict since 11 September 2001. Daily 10am6pm. Admission free; charges for some special exhibitions. www.iwm.org.uk. Lambeth Rd, SE1 6HZ. T: 020-7416 5000. E5. Station: Lambeth North/Waterloo.

Jack the Ripper Museum Museum dedicated to the history of the East End in the 1880s, focusing on the serial killer. Daily 9.30am-6.30pm. Adult £12; child £6. www.jackthe rippermuseum.com. 12 Cable St, E1 8JG. T: 0207488 9811. Off map. Station: Aldgate East.

London Film Museum Bond in Motion is the largest official exhibition of James Bond vehicles that feature in the renowned film series. Sun-Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 10am-7pm. Adult £14.50; child £9.50. www.londonfilmmuseum.com.

45 Wellington St, WC2E 7BN. T: 020-7836 4913. E8.

Station: Covent Garden.

London Mithraeum On the site of Bloomberg’s latest European headquarters, this new cultural hub showcases an ancient Roman temple which was built here nearly 2,000 years ago, to honour the god Mithras. The remains are bought to life through an immersive experience. Check for times. Admission free. www.londonmithraeum.com. 12 Walbrook, EC4N 8AA. T: 020-7330 7500. D10. Station: Bank.

London Transport Museum Located in the Grade II-listed Flower Market, this museum displays the story of London’s transport system. Highlights include iconic red buses, the world’s first Underground steam train and a padded cell – a train carriage dating back to the 1890s. The new Digging Deeper and Crossrail exhibitions explore London’s new Underground route. Daily 10am-6pm. Adult £17.50; child free. www.ltmuseum.co.uk. Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E 7BB. T: 020-7379 6344. E8. Station: Covent Garden.

Natural History Museum Astounding collections at this family-friendly museum, with exhibits ranging from the Images of Nature gallery, to dinosaur skeletons and fossils. To 13 May: Venom: Killer and Cure. Enter the realm of venomous creatures. To 28 May: Wildlife Photographer of the Year. The 100 best images from the annual competition. Daily 10am-5.50pm.

Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.nhm.ac.uk. Cromwell Rd, SW7 5BD. T: 0207942 5000. F4. Station: South Kensington.

Queen’s House This 17th-century house has 22 lavish rooms displaying a fine art collection spanning 400 years, including works by Gainsborough and Hogarth.

Daily 10am-5pm. Admission free. www.rmg.co.uk/ queens-house. Romney Rd, SE10 9NF. T: 020-8858 4422. Off map. Station: Cutty Sark.

Royal Air Force Museum National aviation museum focusing on the Royal Air Force, with more than 100 aircraft on show, including the chance to climb inside some. Daily 10am-6pm. Admission free, charges for special experiences. www.rafmuseum.org.uk. Grahame Park Way, NW9 5LL. T: 020-8205 2266. Off map.

Station: Colindale.

Science Museum A huge, family-friendly museum dedicated to science, technology and medical achievements, including a Red Arrows 3D simulator and the IMAX theatre, which shows 3D science films. Permanent galleries include Making the Modern World, with Stephenson’s Rocket and the Apollo 10 command module, and The Clockmakers’ Museum with more than 1,000 timepieces. To 30 Jun: Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care. Commemorating the human impact of World War I. Daily 10am-6pm; Lates adult-only programme last Wed of every month, 6.45pm-10pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk.

Exhibition Rd, SW7 2DD. T: 0333-241 4000.

F4. Station: South Kensington.

TAHITIAN SCENE BY TUPAIA © BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD

Adventure time

The world’s largest maritime museum, with 10 galleries including the Nelson, Navy, Nation gallery exploring the life of the naval hero.

To 30 Sep: Great British Seaside. Photographs exploring 60 years of Britain’s quirky beach culture.

Check for family events. Daily 10am-5pm. Admission free; charges for events and exhibitions. www.rmg. co.uk. Romney Rd, SE10 9NF. T: 020-8858 4422.

Off map. Station: Greenwich/Cutty Sark.

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Open up to Wimbledon Want to feel the weight of the Championships trophies? Interested in watching an interactive ghost of John McEnroe? Keen to cast your eyes over Roger Federer’s title-winning whites?

Then step inside the multi-dimensional journey that is Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. With complimentary audio guides in 10 languages, learn about the history of the sport, see the Championship trophies, and the amazing new Virtual Reality experience. You may also take the behind the scenes tour of the grounds and explore the home of tennis, including Centre Court, for a truly inspirational visit.

Supported by

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New Virtual Reality experience Open Daily: 10:00am until 5:00pm Nearest Underground: Southfields The Museum Building, The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE

T: 020 8946 6131 wimbledon.com/museum

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MUSEUMS & GALLERIES Sir John Soane’s Museum

The Wallace Collection

The Courtauld Gallery

This 19th-century townhouse and library was owned by architect Sir John Soane, which he left to the nation in 1837 and has been untouched since.

To 15 Apr: Egypt Uncovered: Belzoni and the Tomb of Pharaoh Seti I. Discover the story behind the museum’s most treasured possession.

Wed-Sun & bank hols, 10am-5pm. Admission free. www.soane.org. 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 3BP. T: 020-7405 2107. D8. Station: Holborn.

The former Wallace family home displays their collection of Rococo art, sculpture, furniture and armour. Free tours. Daily 10am-5pm. Admission free. www.wallacecollection.org. Hertford House, Manchester Square, W1U 3BN. T: 020-7563 9500.

D6. Station: Bond Street.

An important European art collection, plus temporary exhibitions, housed in Somerset House.

To 15 Apr: Antoine Caron: Drawing for Catherine de’ Medici. A celebrated collection of drawings executed by Caron in the 14th century, for the Queen of France. Daily 10am-6pm. Adult £7; child free. www.courtauld.ac.uk. Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 0RN. T: 020-7848 2526.

E8. Station: Embankment.

Somerset House This neo-classical building beside the River Thames houses galleries, cafés and restaurants.

From 20 Apr: Sony World Photography Awards.

Contemporary photography returns to Somerset House (p. 7). Galleries Wed-Fri 11am-8pm; Sat-Tue 10am-6pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.somersethouse.org.uk. Strand, WC2R 1LA. T: 020-7845 4600. E8. Temple.

Twinings Museum The flagship store of Twinings the tea maker since 1706 has a mini exhibition reflecting the company’s 300-year-old history. Mon-Fri 9.30am-7pm; Sat 10.30am-5.30pm; Sun 11am-5pm.

Admission free. www.twinings.co.uk. 216 Strand, WC2R 1AP. T: 020-7353 3511. D9. Station: Temple.

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum’s outstanding collection of fine and applied arts spans 3,000 years and includes fashion, paintings, photographs, designs and ceramics from around the world.

To 8 Apr: Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic. Telling the story of AA Milne’s honey-loving creation through sketches, letters, photographs, cartoons, ceramics and fashion.

To 17 Jun: Ocean Liners: Speed and Style. Paying tribute to the golden age of the cruise liner, including period fashion and art, as well as a decorative wooden panel rescued from the Titanic.

From 21 Apr: Fashioned from Nature. Display of new fabrics, contemporary fashion and natural history specimens, designed to provoke discussion on the sustainability of the fashion industry (p. 38).

Daily 10am-5.45pm; Fri 10am-10pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.vam. ac.uk. Cromwell Rd, SW7 2RL. T: 020-7942 2000.

F4/5. Station: South Kensington.

Wellcome Collection Wellcome Trust’s public venue housing hundreds of fascinating artefacts relating to health and the body.

To 27 Aug: Somewhere in Between. An exhibition uniting art and science.

Check for times. Admission free. www.wellcomecollection.org.

183 Euston Rd, NW1 2BE. T: 0207611 2222. C7. Station: Euston.

Guildhall Art Gallery Paintings collected by the City of London since the 17th century, including pre-Raphaelite works.

It also houses the Roman Amphitheatre (free entry with gallery ticket). Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun noon-4pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.cityoflondon. gov.uk. Guildhall Yard, off Gresham St, EC2V 5AE. T: 020-7332 3700. D10. Station: St Paul’s/Bank.

Queen’s House is said to be haunted, after Canadian tourists took a photo of a ghost on the Tulip Stairs

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum & Tours At the venue of the famous championships, the museum’s displays range from old trophies and rackets to tennis kits from recent champions.

Tours of the grounds include Centre Court. Daily 10am-5pm. Museum: adult £13; child £8. Museum & tour: adult £25; child £15. One free child with every full-price adult ticket. www.wimbledon.com/ museum. All England Lawn Tennis Club, Church Rd, SW19 5AE. T: 020-8946 6131. Off map. Station: Southfields then bus 493 or a 12-minute walk.

GALLERIES

Hayward Gallery This gallery is the home of visual arts at the Southbank Centre, with contemporary exhibitions.

To 22 Apr: Andreas Gursky.

Retrospective of the German photographer. Check for times. Free admission; charges for some exhibitions. Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX. T: 020-3879 9555. E8. Station: Waterloo.

The National Gallery

Barbican Art Gallery Multi-arts venue with two exhibition spaces: the Art Gallery and The Curve. To 20 May: Yto Barrada: Agadir. The Moroccan artist displays photography, film, sculpture and more (The Curve). Check for times and prices. www.barbican.org.uk. Barbican Centre, Silk St, EC2Y 8DS. T: 020-7638 4141. D10.

Station: Barbican.

Ben Uri Gallery London Jewish Museum of Art, with regular talks.

To 29 Apr: Out of Austria. Works by Austrian artists in exile in Britain from 1933 to 1945.

Check for times. Admission free. www.benuri.org.uk.

108a Boundary Rd, off Abbey Rd, NW8 0RH. T: 0207604 3991. Off map. Station: Kilburn High Road.

One of the world’s greatest galleries, with works

by Western European masters from the 13th to 19th centuries. Regular guided tours, talks and workshops. To 7 May: Drawn in Colour: Degas from the Burrell. Stunning paintings, pastels and drawings by the leading French Impressionist. To 21 May: Murillo: The Self-Portraits. A chance to see the only known self-portraits by the Spanish master.

From 9 Apr: Monet & Architecture. The UK’s first solo exhibition of Monet’s work for almost 20 years, taking a less-explored look at the painter’s meditations on buildings. Sat-Thur 10am-6pm; Fri 10am-9pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.nationalgallery.org.uk. Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN. T: 020-7747 2885. E7. Station: Charing Cross.

Believe it or not, there hasn’t been a London exhibition that’s concentrated entirely on Claude Monet for more than 20 years. The National Gallery is set to remedy the situation in a big way with Monet & Architecture (from 9 Apr). With more than 75 paintings on display, the exhibition spans his career, from the canvases of Paris created in his younger years to the architecture of Venice, which was the subject of a 1912 Monet exhibition in France. The show is presented in three parts: ‘The Village and the Picturesque’, ‘The City and the Modern’ and ‘The Monument and the Mysterious’, designed to demonstrate how Monet used architecture to depict the world’s march towards modernity. Works of locations around Europe are grouped together, reflecting the painter’s explorations of Paris, Rouen, Argenteuil, London and the Netherlands.

A quarter of the paintings that are on show here have been sourced from private collections, making this a rare opportunity to discover the work of a genius.

CLAUDE MONET’S HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, SUNSET © KUNSTHAUS ZÜRICH

Paint the town

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National Portrait Gallery One of the nation’s most prominent galleries, more than 150 years old, with works depicting famous British people in paintings, drawings and photographs. To 20 May: Victorian Giants: The Birth of Art Photography. Discover the pioneering work of a group of 17th-century artists, who were among the first to approach photography with a creative eye. Sat-Wed 10am-6pm; Thur-Fri 10am-9pm (regular Friday evening events).

Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.npg.org.uk. St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE. T: 020-7312 2463. E7. Station: Leicester Square.

The Photographers’ Gallery

.

London’s largest gallery devoted to photography.

To 3 Jun: Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2018. See works by the shortlisted artists.

Check for times. Admission free before noon, then £4; child free. www.thephotographersgallery.org.uk.

16-18 Ramillies St, W1F 7LW. T: 020-7087 9300. D7.

Station: Oxford Circus.

The Queen’s Gallery Smart gallery adjoining Buckingham Palace.

To 13 May: Charles II: Art & Power. Exploring the court

of the Restoration monarchy. Daily 10am-5.30pm.

Adult £11; child £5.50. www.royalcollection.org.uk/ visit/the-queens-gallery-buckingham-palace.

Buckingham Palace, SW1A 1AA. T: 0303-123 7301.

F7. Station: Green Park/Hyde Park Corner.

Royal Academy of Arts See Royal Academy Collection works in all media.

To 15 Apr: Charles I: King and Collector. Discover the art collection of Charles I. Sat-Thur 10am-6pm; Fri 10am-10pm; check for special events. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.royalacademy.org.uk. 6 Burlington Gardens, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD. T: 020-7300 8000.

E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus/Green Park.

Saatchi Gallery Contemporary art in a huge renovated Georgian building. All exhibitions are temporary, and usually free. Daily 10am-6pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.saatchigallery.co.uk. Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, SW3 4RY. T: 020-7811 3070. G5. Station: Sloane Square.

Southbank Centre This huge arts centre is home to the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Hayward Gallery.

To 29 Apr: ABBA: Super Troupers. An exhibition on the Swedish band. Check for the full programme, times and prices. www.southbank centre.co.uk. Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX. T: 020-7928 3232. E8. Station: Waterloo.

Tate Britain The nation’s leading collection of British art.

To 7 May: Impressionists in London – French Artists in Exile. How the artists who fled the Franco-Prussian war coped with life in London. To 27 Aug: All Too Human: Bacon, Freud and a Century of Life Painting.

British painters who represent the human condition. Daily 10am-6pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.tate.org.uk. Millbank, SW1P 4RG. T: 020-7887 8888. G8. Station: Pimlico.

Tate Modern World-class, international modern art in the transformed Bankside Power Station. To 9 Sep: Picasso 1932 – Love, Fame, Tragedy. A look at one of the most productive years of Picasso’s life. SunThur 10am-6pm; Fri-Sat 10am-10pm. Admission free; charges for special exhibitions. www.tate. org.uk. Bankside, SE1 9TG. T: 020-7887 8888.

E9. Station: Southwark. www.wheretraveler.com 43

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ENTERTAINMENT | THE GUIDE Left: Underbelly Festival This image: Circus Abyssinia

Festival fever When the big purple cow comes to the South Bank, it can only mean one thing: that the Underbelly Festival is back in town with a programme of circus, cabaret and comedy acts (from 6 Apr).

The festival, now in its 10th summer, is staged by the same organisers as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Pride in London and West End Live in Trafalgar Square.

Marina Dixon, head of programming for the festival, says: ‘Underbelly’s 10th year on the South Bank will feature the return of our favourite acts, alongside new talent.

When programming the Underbelly Festival, we scour the globe for the most exciting international acts.’

Ethiopia’s Konjowoch Troupe will kick off the festival with their family-friendly show, Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams (from 6 Apr), after making a name for themselves at prestigious events including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and last year’s Royal Variety Performance. Since the world premiere in Edinburgh, they have toured Singapore and Australia to much acclaim.

Based on the true story of the company’s co-founders, brothers Bibi and Bichu Tesfamariam, the hour-long show follows two young Ethiopian siblings who dream of joining the circus.

Lively African songs with evocative tunes and traditional instruments accompany the cast as they dance, flip and fly in vibrant African costumes and clothes inspired by Ethiopia’s green, yellow and red flag.

Meanwhile, you can expect a different flavour and a more mature tone from the 30-year-old Australian circus troupe, Circa – who have previously performed Beyond and Close Up on the South Bank. The group will also headline the Underbelly Festival with the premiere of Peepshow (from 27 Jun), a comically playful one-hour show.

So, what can you expect? Teetering towers of balancing bodies; slow, controlled movements in mysterious shadows; aerial acts; extreme bending; cabaret; back flips and hula-hooping.

Ed Bartlam, who co-directs Underbelly with Charlie Wood, says: ‘Circus Abyssinia were the talk of 2017’s Fringe and were rightly rewarded

with a spot at the Royal Variety Performance, so it’s a joy to give them their first London run. Circa, meanwhile, are legends in the circus world and it’s a huge privilege to have them with us once more, with what could be one of their most breathtaking shows ever.’

A third headliner is still to be announced alongside a line-up of more than 100 other comedy, cabaret, circus and family acts.

All the shows take place in two venues: The Belly theatre, which has a capacity for 410 people, and The Paradiso Spiegeltent, a Belgian-style circular tent lined with mirrors inside, which fits 630.

Both theatres will be surrounded by street-food vendors selling everything from burgers and hot dogs to pizzas and waffles, so you can make a night of it. There will also be six individually decorated bars, including one with dodgem-style seating that proved popular in previous years. These make up one of London’s biggest outdoor drinking areas. And, in case you’re worried about April showers, there is also indoor seating. www.underbelly.co.uk

UNDERBELLY FESTIVAL © DAVID JENSEN; CIRCUS ABYSSINIA COURTESY OF UNDERBELLY FESTIVAL

Comedy, drama, cabaret, family shows and circus acts – you can enjoy them all at the Underbelly Festival, which is celebrating its 10th birthday this year. Sarah Riches heads to the South Bank to find out what’s on

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‘HILARIOUS, MOVING, GLORIOUS’ THE DA I LY TEL EGR A P H

THE MUSICAL MatildaTheMusical.com

CAMBRIDGE THEATRE, London, WC2H 9HU

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FOR MORE LISTINGS, VISIT WHERETRAVELER.COM

T: Telephone number. Station: including Underground (’Tube‘), railway and Docklands Light Railway. References in listings (A1; B5 etc.) refer to coordinates on p. 72-73. Check for complete listings. TKTS booth has discounted tickets (Leicester Square Gardens, WC2H 0AP)

Aladdin This Broadway and West End hit has a stellar cast led by director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw. With lyrics by Sir Tim Rice, plus a real magic carpet. Just how do they do that? Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Thur & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets £17.50-£149.50. www.aladdinthemusical.co.uk. Prince Edward Theatre, Old Compton St, W1D 4HS. T: 0844482 5151. D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

Bat Out of Hell: The Musical From 2 Apr: This Meat Loaf jukebox musical returns to London. Set in the dark post-apocalyptic world of Obsidian, it features motorbikes and flames on stage. Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm.

Tickets £20-£175. www.batoutofhellmusical.com.

Dominion Theatre, 268-269 Tottenham Court Rd, W1T 7AQ. T: 0845-200 7982. D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

The Book of Mormon This controversial satire, from the writers of TV’s South Park, follows the exploits of two hapless missionaries from the Church of Latter Day Saints.

Winner of four Olivier Awards. Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm (no 2.30pm show 18 Apr). Tickets £25-£202.25. www.bookofmormonlondon.com.

Prince of Wales Theatre, Coventry St, W1D 6AS. T: 0844-482 5110. E7. Station: Leicester Square/ Piccadilly Circus.

Chess From 26 Apr: This major musical returns to the West End for the first time in 30 years (p. 48).

Written by ABBA songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and Sir Tim Rice (Evita), it’s a tale of love and political intrigue, set during the Cold War. Check for times and prices. www.eno.org. Coliseum, 33 St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4ES. T: 020-7845 9300.

E8. Station: Charing Cross.

For the hell of it Bat Out of Hell: The Musical is flying back into London to the Dominion Theatre after an international tour (from 2 Apr). Inspired by singer Meat Loaf’s 1977 album of the same name, it features Jim Steinman’s music and lyrics, so expect the title track and hits including I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, plus new songs. The musical, which is a loose retelling of Peter Pan and Wendy, is set on the post-apocalyptic island of Obsidian – a futuristic version of Manhattan after a cataclysmic event casts it adrift. It follows an army of forever-young rebels as they struggle for power against the tyrannical ruler Falco.

Chicago the Musical

Kathleen Turner: Finding My Voice

Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding Jr stars as Billy the lawyer in this jazz-filled musical.

Mon-Sat 8pm; Wed & Sat 3pm. Tickets £20£154.90. www.phoenixtheatrelondon.co.uk.

Phoenix Theatre, 110 Charing Cross Rd, WC2H 0JP. T: 0843-316 1082. E7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

From 17 Apr: A one-woman show by the Hollywood actress. Check for times. Tickets from £18. www.theotherpalace.co.uk. The Other Palace, 12 Palace St, SW1E 5JA. T: 0844-264 2140.

F7. Station: St James’s Park/Victoria.

Kinky Boots

Fun musical about a shoe factory which reinvigorates its business This musical follows the story of after its new owner decides to Effie White and her tumultuous Hamilton the musical produce knee-high boots for journey in a young female has been awarded drag queens. With music by singing trio from Chicago. a Grammy Award, Cyndi Lauper. Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Pulitzer Prize and Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Wed Wed & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets 11 Tony Awards & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets £15-£175. £19.50-£125. www.kinkybootsthe www.savoytheatre.org. Savoy Theatre, musical.co.uk. Adelphi Theatre, Strand, WC2R 0ET. T: 0844-871 7687. E8.

409-412 Strand, WC2R 0NS. T: 0844Station: Covent Garden.

579 0094. E8. Station: Charing Cross.

Dreamgirls

Everybody’s Talking about Jamie

Les Misérables

This feel-good musical is set on a council estate in Sheffield, northern England, and tells the story of 16-year-old Jamie and how he overcomes bullies and prejudice. Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets £20-£85. www.everybodystalkingaboutjamie.co.uk.

Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 7ES. T: 0330-333 4809. D8. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

The world’s longest-running musical, adapted from Victor Hugo’s classic novel, is set in post-revolutionary France. Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets £47.25-£177.25. www.lesmis.com. Queen’s Theatre, 51 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 6BA. T: 0844-482 5160. D8. Station: Leicester Square/Piccadilly Circus.

42nd Street

Disney’s The Lion King

Directed by Mark Bramble, this romantic comedy follows an authoritarian director as he stages a musical extravaganza during the Great Depression.

Clare Halse (Gypsy) stars as Peggy, a small-town girl with big dreams who’s stuck in a chorus line on Broadway’s newest show. But when the leading lady Dorothy Brock (Sheena Easton) gets injured, Peggy has a shot at stardom. Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets £15-£125. www.42nd streetmusical.co.uk. Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine St, WC2B 5JF. T: 0844-858 8877. D8.

Station: Covent Garden.

This wonderful adaptation of the popular Disney film has ingenious costumes and inventive puppetry. Tue-Sat 7.30pm; Wed, Sat & Sun 2.30pm (and 2.30pm 5 Apr).

Tickets £7-£200.25. www.thelionking.co.uk.

Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington St, WC2E 7RQ. T: 0844-871 3000. E8. Station: Covent Garden.

Mamma Mia! A tribute to the popular music of ABBA, with a feel-good story set on a Greek island. Mon-Sat 7.45pm; Thur & Sat 3pm. Tickets £27.25-£102.25. www.mamma-mia.com. Novello, Aldwych, WC2B 4LD. T: 0844-482 5115. E8. Station: Covent Garden/Temple.

Matilda the Musical Fantastic show based on Roald Dahl’s children’s book about a girl with magic powers. Tue 7pm; Wed-Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm; Sun 3pm.

Tickets £25-£122.50. www.matildathemusical.com.

Cambridge Theatre, 32-34 Earlham St, WC2 9HU. T: 0844-412 4652. D8. Station: Covent Garden.

Motown the Musical Brilliant feel-good musical based on the story of legendary Motown Records, which launched the careers of Diana Ross and the Supremes, Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations. By the end of the night you’ll be Dancing in the Street. Please check for times and prices. www.shaftesburytheatre.com.

Shaftesbury Theatre, 210 Shaftesbury Ave, WC2H 8DP. T: 020-7379 5399. D8. Station: Tottenham Court Road/Holborn.

The Phantom of the Opera Long-running Gothic drama in which a mysterious masked man haunts the Paris Opera House.

Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Thur & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets £25-£204.75. www.thephantomoftheopera.com.

Her Majesty’s Theatre, 57 Haymarket, SW1Y 4QL. T: 0844-412 2707. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

BAT OUT OF HELL: THE MUSICAL © SPECULAR

MUSICALS & PERFORMANCES

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ENTERTAINMENT

PLAYS

Checkmate!

Amadeus

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Pinocchio To 10 Apr: Featuring songs such as

I’ve Got No Strings, Give a Little Whistle and When You Wish Upon a Star and a score from the Walt Disney film, this is a new production from the director of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the writer of Matilda the Musical. Suitable for over-eights. Please check for times and prices. www.nationaltheatre. org.uk. National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 9PX. T: 020-7452 3000. E8. Station: Waterloo.

School of Rock: The Musical Andrew Lloyd Webber’s latest musical, based on the film of the same name, was a hit on Broadway and is a smash here, too. Mon & WedSat 7.30pm; Thur & Sat 2.30pm; Sun 3pm. Tickets £15-£149.50. www.schoolofrockthemusical.com.

New London Theatre, 166 Drury Lane, WC2B 5PF. T: 020-7452 3000. D8. Station: Covent Garden.

Strictly Ballroom the Musical Olivier Award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie directs Will Young in this Baz Luhrmann musical.

It follows Scott, a competitive ballroom dancer who insists on bending the rules to create his own moves.

Tickets £15-£149.50. www.piccadillytheatre.org.

Piccadilly Theatre, 16 Denman St, W1D 7DY. T: 0844871 7630. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Teddy Jive musical set in 1950s London, with a live band on stage and 1950s hits. Check for times. Tickets £10-£35. www.thevaults.london. The Vaults, Leake St, SE1 7NN. T: 020-7401 9603 F8. Station: Waterloo.

Tess of the d’Urbervilles 5-14 Apr: This new musical adaptation of Thomas

Hardy’s classic tale is about a free-spirited country girl who is caught between her manipulative cousin and the handsome Angel Clare. Comic adaptation combining songs with storytelling and physical comedy. Check for times and prices. www.the otherpalace.co.uk. The Other Palace, 12 Palace St, SW1E 5JA. T: 0844-264 2140. F7. Station: Victoria.

Thriller Live Non-stop songs and dance celebrate Michael Jackson’s career. Please check for times and prices. www.thrillerlive.com. Lyric Theatre, 29 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 7ES. T: 0844-482 9674.

E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

A new musical based on the life of Anna Mae Bullock, a farmgirl from Tennessee who went on to become the legendary singer. Mon-Sat, check for times. Tickets £10-£79.50. www.tinathemusical.com.

Aldwych Theatre, 9 Aldwych, WC2B 4DF. T: 0845200 7981. D8. Station: Covent Garden/Holborn.

Trainspotting Live

To 24 Apr: Peter Shaffer’s iconic play about a young Mozart features live orchestral accompaniment by Southbank Sinfonia. Check for times and prices. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.

National Theatre, SE1 9PX. T: 020-7452 3000. E8.

Station: Waterloo.

The Birthday Party To 14 Apr: In Harold Pinter’s drama, Stanley is the only lodger at a seaside boarding house, when the arrival of strangers disrupts a birthday party. Starring Zoë Wanamaker. Check for times. Tickets £15-£145. www.nationaltheatre. org.uk. Harold Pinter Theatre, Panton St, SW1Y 4DN. T: 0844-871 7622. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

The Comedy about a Bank Robbery A hilarious play about six incompetent crooks desperate to get hold of a diamond, from the team behind The Play That Goes Wrong. Tue, ThurSat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm; Sun 3pm & 7pm.

Tickets £11.25-£73.75. www.thecomedyabout abankrobbery.com. The Criterion Theatre, 218-223 Piccadilly, W1V 9LB. T: 0844-815 6131.

E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience Seventies-style dining and interactive comedy combine in this theatrical experience based on the TV comedy. Check for times. Tickets £67.50-£79.50. www.faultytowers-uk.com. Radisson Blu Edwardian, 9-13 Bloomsbury St, WC1B 3QD. T: 0845-154 4145.

D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

This punchy production recaptures the controversy of the novel and film of the same name and repackages it into an immersive production. Set in 1980s Edinburgh, it follows a group of heroin addicts. Please check for times. Tickets £20-£40. www.thevaults.london. The Vaults, Leake St, SE1 7NN. T: 020-7401 9603. F8. Station: Waterloo.

The Ferryman

Why is the Sky so Blue?

Frozen

From 26 Apr: Exploring love, connections

and the impact of pornography on children.

Check for times. Tickets £12-£20. www.southwark playhouse.co.uk. Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, SE1 6BD. T: 020-7407 0234.

Off map. Station: Elephant and Castle.

Wicked The brilliant backstory of the witches of Oz. Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm (and 2.30pm 12 Apr). Tickets £24.75-£175. www.wicked themusical.co.uk. Apollo Victoria Theatre, 17 Wilton Rd, SW1V 1LG. T: 0844-871 3001. F7. Station: Victoria.

The Wizard of Oz 3 Apr: Watch this classic film as an orchestra plays. 7.30pm. Tickets £33.95-£78.50. www.reallyuseful theatres.co.uk. London Palladium, Argyll St, W1F 7TF. T: 0844-412 2704.

D7. Station: Oxford Circus.

Young Frankenstein

Jez Butterworth’s powerful play, directed by Sam Mendes, is set in Northern Ireland in 1981.

Check for times. Tickets £15-£94.50. www.delfont mackintosh.co.uk. Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 6AR. T: 0844-482 5130. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus/Leicester Square.

A psychological thriller about a mother whose child goes missing, starring Suranne Jones. MonSat 7.30pm; Thur & Sat 3pm. £15-£85. www.trh. co.uk. Royal Haymarket, Haymarket, SW1Y 4HT. T: 020-7930 8800. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

The Great Wave To 14 Apr: A premiere about a daughter swept out to sea during a tsunami, written by Francis Turnly, a Japanese/Northern Irish Channel 4 playwright. Set in Japan and North Korea, the thriller sees teenage sisters Hanako and Reiko caught up in a storm on a Japanese beach. Reiko survives while Hanako is lost to the sea‚ or is she? Please check for times.

Tickets £25-£40. www.nationaltheatre. org.uk. National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 9PX. T: 020-7452 3000. E8.

Station: Waterloo.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has won nine Laurence Olivier Awards

The legendary filmmaker and comedian Mel Brooks brings this classic monster musical comedy to life on stage in an all-singing, all-dancing musical collaboration with Tony Award-winning Broadway director Susan Stroman. Check for times and prices. www.garricktheatre.org. Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Rd, WC2H 0HH. T: 0844-482 9673. E7/8.

Station: Leicester Square.

Hamlet

From 25 Apr: Learning of his father’s death, Prince Hamlet comes home to find his uncle married to his mother and installed on the Danish throne. At night, the ghost of the old king demands that Hamlet avenge his ‘foul and most unnatural murder’. Please check for times. Tickets £5-£22. www.shakespearesglobe.com. Shakespeare’s Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9DT. T: 020-7401 9919. E10. Station: Blackfriars.

CHESS © PIERS FOLEY

What happens when you team up half of ABBA with an Oscar-winning lyricist? They create a successful musical, that’s what. Chess, written by the Swedish band’s Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, and songwriter Sir Tim Rice (near left with Andersson), is coming to the London Coliseum (from 26 Apr; p. 46). The show was last performed in 1986 and starred Elaine Paige; now it’s the turn of Alexandra Burke and Michael Ball.

Set during the Cold War, it follows Russian and American chess masters as they battle for the world title, and the woman they both love – while their governments try to manipulate the championship for political ends.

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ENTERTAINMENT

In this adaptation of JK Rowling’s new story, father-of-three Harry now works for the Ministry of Magic while his son deals with his legacy. Check for returns and times. www.harrypottertheplay.com.

Palace Theatre, 113 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 5AY. T: 0300-333 4813. E8. Station: Charing Cross.

The Inheritance A generation after the worst of the AIDS crisis, what is it like to be a young gay man in New York?

How many words are there now for the different kinds of pain and the different kinds of love?

Stephen Daldry directs this hilarious and profound heartbreaker – a major world premiere in two parts by New York playwright Matthew Lopez.

Please check for times. Tickets £10-£38. www.youngvic.org. Young Vic, 66 The Cut, SE1 8LZ. T: 020-7452 3000. F9. Station: Waterloo.

Long Day’s Journey into Night To 8 Apr: The Tyrones’ summer

home, August 1912. Haunted by the past but unable to face the truth of the present, the Tyrones and their two sons test the bonds of a family caught in a cycle of love and resentment, in Eugene O’Neill’s classic drama. Starring Jeremy Irons. Check for times and prices. www.delfont mackintosh.co.uk. Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Rd, WC2H 0DA. T: 0844-482 5120. E7.

Station: Leicester Square.

The Moderate Soprano Overview From 5 Apr: Play about an intense love affair

and the unrelenting search for artistic excellence in the face of scrutiny, sacrifice and the impending World War II. Please check for times. Tickets £15-£85. www.dukeofyorkstheatre.co.uk. Duke of York’s Theatre, 104 St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4BG. T: 0844-871 7627. E8. Station: Leicester Square.

Mood Music From 21 Apr: Ben Chaplin stars in this play set in a top London recording studio. A young songwriter, her producer, their lawyers and psychotherapists go to battle over who owns a hit song. Please check for times and prices. www.oldvictheatre.com. The Old Vic, The Cut, SE1 8NB. T: 0844-871 7628. F9. Station: Waterloo.

The Mousetrap A murderer strikes at a party in Agatha Christie’s long-running whodunnit. Please check for times and prices. www.the-mousetrap.co.uk. St Martin’s Theatre, West St, WC2H 9NZ. T: 0844-499 1515.

D7. Station: Leicester Square.

The Play That Goes Wrong Slapstick comedy about a drama society staging a murder mystery. Check for times. Tickets £22-£67.50. www.theplaythatgoeswrong.com.

Duchess Theatre, 3-5 Catherine St, WC2B 5LA. T: 0844-482 9672. D8. Station: Covent Garden.

Quiz This comical play is a fictional story based on real events regarding Charles Ingram, the ‘coughing major’, accused of cheating in 2001 during an episode of TV’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire?.

Mon-Sat 7.30pm; Wed & Sat 2.30pm. Tickets £15-£95. www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk. Noël Coward Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4AU. T: 0844-482 5140. E8. Station: Leicester Square.

Summer and Smoke To 7 Apr: A Tennessee Williams

play. In the heat of summer – under the wings of an angel – Alma meets John. Trapped between desire and fear in a life of obligation, her world turns upside down in the search for salvation.

Check for times and prices. www.almeida.co.uk.

Almeida Theatre, Almeida St, N1 1TA. T: 020-7359 4404. Off map. Station: Highbury & Islington.

The Way of the World

Face the music Olivier Award-nominee Ben Chaplin takes on the lead role in Joe Penhall’s new play, Mood Music, at The Old Vic (from 21 Apr) – the iconic theatre is celebrating its 200th birthday this May. Chaplin stars as producer Bernard in this world premiere of a wry drama that explores the dark side of the music industry. The play is set in a recording studio in London and follows a young songwriter, her producer, their lawyers and psychotherapists who are battling over the ownership of a hit song.

Jemma Redgrave also stars.

Lady Wishfort’s sprawling, dysfunctional family are riven by desire – there’s everything to lose and £6,000 to gain. Check for times. Tickets £10-£40. www.donmarwarehouse.com. Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham St, WC2H 9LX. T: 0844-871 7624. D8. Station: Covent Garden.

Witness for the Prosecution Agatha Christie’s gripping courtroom drama is staged in a former courtroom. Directed by Lucy Bailey, the audience act as the jury for Leonard Vole, who is accused of murdering a widow to inherit her wealth. Tickets from £10-£75.

Tue-Sat 7.30pm; Thur & Sat 2.30pm; Sun 3pm. www.witnesscountyhall.com. County Hall, Belvedere Rd, South Bank, SE1 7PB. T: 0844-815 7141. F8.

Station: Waterloo/Westminster.

The Woman in Black A spooky story adapted from Susan Hill’s novel, about a lawyer who visits a remote house to settle affairs after a woman’s death. Tue-Sat 8pm; Tue & Thur 3pm; Sat 4pm. Tickets £21.50-£60. www.thewomaninblack.com. Fortune Theatre, Russell St, WC2B 5HH. T: 0844-871 7626. D8.

Station: Covent Garden.

FESTIVALS & EVENTS La Linea 20-30 Apr: The London Latin Music Festival

celebrates performers from Spain, Cuba, Chile and more through live shows, premieres and one-off performances. Former Buena Vista Social Club frontman Eliades Ochoa will also perform. Check for times and prices. Various venues. www.comono.co.uk.

London Burlesque Festival From 27 Apr: Now in its 12th year, this variety festival brings together fire eaters, belly dancers, comical strippers and raunchy aerialists. Check for times and prices. www.londonburlesquefest.com.

Shaw Theatre, 100-110 Euston Rd, NW1 2AJ. T: 0844248 5075. C7. Station: King’s Cross.

CONCERTS: CLASSICAL Cadogan Hall 28 Apr: Midnight in Mayfair. Keith Nichols takes you back to the days of London’s exclusive clubs and hotels and the music that the BBC broadcast across the nation. 7.30pm. Tickets £18-£36. www.cadogan hall.com. 5 Sloane Terrace, SW1X 9DQ. T: 0207730 4500. G6. Station: Sloane Square.

Royal Albert Hall London’s premier music hall and home to the Proms.

3 Apr: Classic FM Live. A ‘Best of British’ night with cellist Leonard Elschenbroich and tenor Trystan Griffiths. Check for times and prices. www.royal alberthall.com. Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP. T: 0207589 8212. G4. Station: South Kensington.

St James’s Piccadilly This 1676 church has free recitals every Mon, Wed & Fri at 1.10pm and concerts from 7.30pm. www.sjp.org.uk. 197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL. T: 0207381 0441. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

St Martin-in-the-Fields Church Lunchtime and evening concerts and recitals. www.smitf.org. Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ. T: 020-7766 1100. E8. Station: Charing Cross.

CONCERTS: POP, JAZZ & WORLD The Jazz Café This live music and club specialises in jazz and funk. 2 Apr: Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir. 7pm.

Tickets £12-£17. www.thejazzcafelondon.com.

5 Parkway, NW1 7PG. T: 0844-847 2514. Off map.

Station: Camden Town.

The O2 Enormous venue for live music. 6-10 Apr: Sam Smith (p. 7). 11-12 Apr: Harry Styles. 21 Apr: Nashville in Concert. 28 Apr: The Vamps. Please check for times and prices. www.theo2.co.uk.

The O2, Peninsula Square, SE10 0AX. T: 0844856 0202. Off map. Station: North Greenwich.

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club World-famous jazz venue. 6-7 Apr: Omar Hakim & Rachel Z OZ Experience. Check for times and prices. www.ronniescotts.co.uk. 47 Frith St, W1D 4HT. T: 0207439 0747. D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

Royal Albert Hall 22 Apr: Film Music Gala. Hollywood blockbuster

soundtracks including Back to the Future, Star Trek, La La Land and Chariots of Fire. Please check for times and prices. www.royalalberthall.com.

Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP. T: 020-7589 8212.

F4. Station: South Kensington.

THE OLD VIC COURTESY OF THE OLD VIC

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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DANCE Barbican 18-21 Apr: Kenneth MacMillan: Steps Back in Time.

Legendary ballerina Viviana Durante directs some of MacMillan’s earliest works. Check for times.

Tickets £18. www.barbican.org.uk. Silk St, EC2Y 8DS. T: 020-7638 8891. C10. Station: Barbican.

IN THE HEART OF LEICESTER SQUARE

Royal Festival Hall 24 Apr: Malavika Sarukkai’s Thari – The Loom.

An innovative dance production inspired by the sari, the unstitched garment from India.

This dance is choreographed by the celebrated artist Malavika Sarukkai and performed by a group ensemble. Please check for times and prices. www.southbankcentre.co.uk. Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX. T: 020-3879 9555. E8. Station: Waterloo.

Royal Opera House To 16 May: Manon. Kenneth MacMillan’s modern ballet is revived as part of continuing celebrations of his impact on British ballet, to mark the 25th anniversary of his death. Please check for times and prices. www.roh.org.uk. Bow St, WC2E 9DD. T: 020-7304 4000. D8. Station: Covent Garden.

Sadler’s Wells 12-21 Apr: Voices of America. Works by Jerome

Robbins, William Forsythe and Aszure Barton.

Check for times and prices. www.sadlerswells.com.

Sadler’s Wells Theatre, Rosebery Ave, EC1R 4TN. T: 020-7863 8000. Off map. Station: Angel.

OPERA London Coliseum To 13 Apr: La Traviata. Tragic love story played out against the hypocrisy of upper-class society. Please check for times and prices. www.eno.org. 33 St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4ES. T: 020-7845 9300. E8. Station: Charing Cross.

Royal Opera House To 10 Apr: Macbeth. Antonio Pappano conducts Verdi’s opera based on Shakespeare’s tragedy, with a cast including Anna Netrebko and Anna Pirozzi. www.roh. org.uk. Bow St, WC2E 9DD. T: 020-7304 4000.

D8. Station: Covent Garden.

CHILDREN & FAMILIES The Canterville Ghost 19-22 Apr: London Children’s Ballet returns to the West End with a ballet based on Oscar Wilde’s witty novella. Please check for times.

Tickets from £14. www.peacocktheatre.com.

The Peacock, Portugal St, WC2A 2HT. T: 0207863 8222. Off map. Station: Angel.

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Kika’s Birthday From 25 Apr: This interactive story features puppetry and is suitable for three- to eight-yearolds. Please check for times. Tickets £11.50-£13.50. www.littleangeltheatre.com. Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, N1 2DN. T: 020-7226 1787.

Off map. Station: Angel.

Sensacional From 25 Apr: Young children can take part in this light and sound show as they try to catch digital ladybirds. Suitable for 18 months to three years. Check for times and prices. www.unicorntheatre.com. Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley St, SE1 2HZ. T: 020-7645 0560.

Off map. Station: London Bridge.

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SHOPPING | THE GUIDE

It’s playtime!

Top to bottom: JoJo Maman Bébé; Hamleys; LEGO map and LEGO figure

If it’s kids’ clothing you are after, London has plenty to offer. Make like the Duchess of Cambridge and head to Trotters or JoJo Maman Bébé. Located on the King’s Road, Trotters stocks London-inspired items, from jumpers emblazoned with the Queen’s guards to red bus toys. The shop also has an aquarium and shoe-fitting and hairdressing services, which are offered by staff who are skilled at keeping children calm and happy (34 King’s Rd, SW3 4UD, and branches).

Inspired by French style, JoJo Maman Bébé was established more than 20 years ago and sells chic clothes for young ones. The idea was conceived after founder Laura had a near-fatal collision and endured an extended stay in hospital – while she was there, she found that she didn’t particularly like the childrenswear in catalogues, so she designed Breton-influenced clothing herself. Items include brightly coloured raincoats, nautical rompers and animal-inspired knitwear (101 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UW, and branches).

Few stores have queues around the block, but when the LEGO Store in Leicester Square (p. 55) opened, barriers were put up to control the flow of shoppers. As you enter, you are greeted by a 6.53m-high Big Ben, which is made from 200,000 LEGO bricks. The model, which took 2,280 hours to complete, features a working clock that is illuminated at night – just like the real thing. As you explore the two floors, the LEGO creations get more and more impressive: from Lester, the shop’s mascot, in a Union Jack waistcoat, to a lifesize Tube carriage that you can sit in. Everything is, indeed, awesome.

As you walk along Regent Street, it’s easy to spot Hamleys (p. 53). Crowds of children are often seen outside the store, being entertained by performers such as Rag Doll and Toy Soldier.

Established in 1760, the shop has been in its present location since 1881. One of London’s most iconic stores, it is home to classic games, gadgets and soft toys. Look out for demonstrations and interactive elements, from a piano mat you can step on – think Tom Hanks in Big – to miniature helicopters you can fly.

JOJO MAMAN BÉBÉ COURTESY OF JOJO MAMAN BÉBÉ; HAMLEYS © CHLOE CAMPBELL; LEGO IMAGES COURTESY OF LEGO

If you thought shopping was just for adults, then think again.

Kids will love taking the lead in London’s children’s stores, says Kohinoor Sahota

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FOR MORE LISTINGS, VISIT WHERETRAVELER.COM

T: Telephone number. Station: including Underground (’Tube‘) stations, railway and Docklands Light Railway. Please check for full listings and time of last entry. References at the end of listings (A1; B5 etc.) refer to coordinates on the map on p. 72-73

MAJOR SHOPPING AREAS Bond Street Home to designer boutiques, antiques, art and jewellery, plus auction houses Sotheby’s and Bonhams. D6/E6/E7. Station: Bond Street.

Carnaby Once the domain for 1960s mods and rockers, these days the Carnaby area appeals to the fashionable set, with sports-inspired stores and edgy designers. D7/E7. Station: Oxford Circus.

Covent Garden This former fruit and vegetable market is now a popular centre for arts, crafts and special interest shops and stalls. D8. Station: Covent Garden.

Hatton Garden This hidden historic corner of London is home to the jewellery trade and the centre of the diamond industry. C9/D9. Station: Farringdon.

Jermyn Street & St James’s Some of the oldest specialist menswear shops in London are found in this area, including hatters and shirtmakers. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

King’s Road Once famous for upmarket fashion, it still attracts a hip crowd. Duke of York Square bustles with antiques and furniture shops. G4. Station: Sloane Square.

Oxford Street Europe’s busiest shopping street has major department stores including Selfridges and John Lewis, plus popular high-street chains. D6/D7.

Station: Oxford Circus/Bond Street/Marble Arch.

Regent Street Originally designed by John Nash, this prestigious area includes Liberty and the first British Ferrari shop.

D6/D7/E7. Station: Oxford Circus/Piccadilly Circus.

Savile Row One of London’s most famous areas for tailoring is in upmarket Mayfair. Find bespoke tailors including Anderson & Sheppard. E7. Station: Green Park.

MAJOR STORES Fenwick Designer names and regular events. Mon-Wed; Fri & Sat 10am-7pm; Thur 10am-8pm; Sun noon-6pm. www.fenwick.co.uk. 63 New Bond St, W1S 1RQ. T: 020-7629 9161. E6. Station: Bond Street.

Fortnum & Mason This British institution is famed for its food hall.

Mon-Sat 10am-9pm; Sun noon-6pm. www.fortnum andmason.com. 181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER. T: 0845300 1707. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Hamleys

IMAGE © MIGUEL LOPE

Huge toy shop (p. 52). Mon-Fri 9am-10pm; Sat 9.30am-9pm; Sun noon-6pm. www.hamleys.com. 188-196 Regent St, W1B 5BT. T: 0871-704 1977. D7. Station: Oxford Circus.

Harrods Edwardian food and meat halls, men’s, women’s and children’s fashion, cosmetics, a spa, bars and restaurants. Mon-Fri 10am-9pm; Sun 11.30am-6pm. www.harrods.com. 87-135 Brompton Rd, SW1X 7XL. T: 020-7730 1234. F5. Station: Knightsbridge.

Changing clothes The global event, Fashion Revolution (23-29 Apr), takes place in countries as far flung as Zimbabwe and Paraguay. Raising awareness, the festival promotes ethical fashion – such as fairer working conditions and the protection of animals. London venues including the Houses of Parliament and Somerset House are holding events, from catwalk shows to talks from industry insiders. www.fashionrevolution.org

Liberty Famous for its prints, which are on scarves and notebooks. Designer fashion for men and women scores highly here, too. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun noon-6pm. www.liberty.co.uk. Great Marlborough St, W1B 5AH. T: 020-7734 1234.

D6. Station: Oxford Circus.

House of Fraser Fashion, beauty, homeware and electrical goods.

Mon-Fri 9.30am-10pm; Sun noon-6.30pm. www.houseoffraser.com. 318 Oxford St, W1C 1HF. T: 0844-800 3752. D6. Station: Oxford Circus.

John Lewis Covetable fashion labels, homeware and electrical goods at this trusted department store.

Mon-Wed; Fri 9.30am-8pm; Thur 9.30am-9pm; Sun noon-6pm. www.johnlewis.com. 300 Oxford St, W1A 1EX (and branches). T: 020-7629 7711.

D6. Station: Oxford Circus.

LUXURY ARCADES Burlington Arcade Running from Burlington Gardens to Piccadilly, this Regency arcade has specialist shops. Each morning it opens with a gate ceremony. Mon-Fri 10am-7pm; Sat 9am-6.30pm; Sun 11am-5pm. www.burlingtonarcade.co.uk. Burlington Arcade, 51 Piccadilly, W1J 0QJ. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Leadenhall Market A spectacular Victorian covered market in the City that dates back to the 14th century. Mon-Fri 11am5pm. www.leadenhallmarket.co.uk. Gracechurch St, EC3V 1LR. D11. Station: Monument.

MALLS & FACTORY OUTLETS Bicester Village

Reliable source for lingerie and food, as well as many fashion collections (multiple locations around London). Open Mon-Sat 9am-9pm; Sun noon-6pm. www.marksandspencer.com. 458 Oxford St, W1C 1AP. T: 020-7935 7954. D6. Station: Marble Arch.

Discount designer clothes at this relaxed haven in Oxfordshire. Mon-Wed & Fri 9am-9pm; Thur & Sat 9am-10pm; Sun 10am-7pm. www.bicestervillage.com.

Bicester Village, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 6WD. T: 01869-323 200. Off map. Station: Bicester Village, from London Marylebone. There is also a bus pick-up service from major hotels.

Selfridges

Westfield London

The finest products in beauty and fashion, plus numerous restaurants and bars. Mon-Sat 9.30am10pm; Sun 11.30am-6pm. www.selfridges.com.

400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB. T: 0800-123 400. D6.

Station: Bond Street.

This huge mall has more than 300 shops, from highstreet names to high-end fashion labels, and Kid Zania, an indoor city run by children. www.west field.com/london. Ariel Way, W12 7GF. T: 020-3371 2300. Map inset. Station: Shepherd’s Bush.

Marks & Spencer

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UGG Australia RE of the forest, the range includes Prada Hollister R E Rolex ET Coach ET Penhaligon’s GAP Leviev Uniqlo a cologne, body wash, body cream Omega Saint Laurent WIGMORE STR Wolford Hunter Daks E E Tcandles. The and, most famously, Gucci La Perla Barbour products come in oak and hazelnut Whittard of Chelsea Marina Rinaldi The Highlands Dolce & Gabbana PICCADILLY Vertu with basil and neroli, and oak and Kiehl’s Alexander McQueen CIRCUS GREEN PARK Barbour Cartier Tod’s (100yards) redcurrant with blackberry and bay.

Dover St International Y L L I De Beers D A Mappin & Webb C Market PIC H E W1B N R I E T T4EZ. Fortnum A PLACE 101 Regent St, Tumi & Mason Osprey London T: 0370-192 5021.

Hawes Cath Kidston Bates Hatters & Curtis www.jomalone.co.uk Alfred EET Links of RLondon Dunhill J E R M Y N S T Emmett Jones Bootmaker Paxton & Whitfield T.M.Lewin Church’s Hackett Longmire Thomas Pink A cross between an art gallery and a BOND STREET

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Dover Street Market fashion mall, Dover Street Market stocks clothing, accessories and shoes from designer brands. Browse concessions from Paul Smith, Céline, Dior and Gucci, which feel like walk-in wardrobes.

18-22 Haymarket, SW1Y 4DG. T: 020-7518 0680. www.doverstreetmarket.com

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SHOPPING Westfield Stratford City Massive mall with 270 shops as well as a cinema and casino. www.westfield.com/stratfordcity.

2 Stratford Place, E20 1EJ. T: 020-8221 7300.

Map inset. Station: Stratford.

JEWELLERY & WATCHES David Morris This esteemed British jewellery brand offers beautiful couture jewellery, hand-crafted to the highest standards using only the finest stones. www.davidmorris.com. 180 New Bond St, W1S 4RL. T: 020-7499 2200. E7. Station: Green Park.

Links of London Jewellery and watches with high-quality designs. www.linksoflondon.com. 491 Oxford St, W1A 2LR. T: 020-7491 2371. D5. Station: Bond Street.

Pandora Find jewellery and gifts, including Pandora’s much-loved charm bracelets that you can build. www.pandora.net. 257-259 Oxford St, W1C 2DD. T: 020-7407 2007. D6. Station: Oxford Circus.

KIDS’ STORES LEGO Store LEGO merchandise, including a huge replica of Big Ben made from bricks (p. 52). 3 Swiss Court, W1D 6AP. T: 020-7839 3480. www.lego.com/ en-gb/stores. E7. Station: Leicester Square.

SPECIALIST STORES

Prestat

Royal souvenirs. Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm. www.royal collectionshop.co.uk. 7 Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1W 0PP. T: 020-7839 1377. E6. Station: Victoria.

One of London’s oldest chocolate shops, selling chocolate, truffles and more. Please check for times. www.prestat.co.uk. 14 Princes Arcade, SW1Y 6DS. T: 020-8961 8555. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus/Green Park.

Cath Kidston

Twinings

Buckingham Palace Shop

Home to stylish accessories with London prints, plus childrenswear. www.cathkidston.com.

178-180 Piccadilly, W1J 9ER. T: 020-7499 9895.

E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

John Bell & Croyden This wellbeing emporium is the pharmacy to the Queen. www.johnbellcroyden.co.uk. Please check for opening times. 50-54 Wigmore St, W1U 2AU. T: 020-7935 5555. D6. Station: Bond Street.

London Glassblowing Pick up a souvenir and try glassblowing with a session at the UK’s foremost studio and gallery for contemporary glass art. www.london glassblowing. co.uk. 62-66 Bermondsey St, SE1 3UD. T: 020-7403 2800. F11.

Station: London Bridge.

M&M’s World Sweet treats, including London-inspired chocolate souvenirs. Mon-Sat 10am-midnight; Sun noon-6pm. www.mmsworld.com. 1 Swiss Court, W1D 6AP. T: 020-7025 7171. E7. Station: Leicester Square.

Pick up a royal souvenir at the Kensington Palace gift shop (p. 27)

Trading since 1706, you will find a variety of teas and infusions here, plus a small museum. MonFri 9.30am-8pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 11am-6pm. www.twinings.co.uk. 216 Strand, WC2R 1AP. T: 020-7353 3511. D9. Station: Temple.

We Built This City Quirky souvenir shop where classic items are given a twist. The shop’s curated collection of Londoninspired prints, gifts and souvenirs helps support 250 London-based artists, designers and makers.

Mon-Wed 10am-7pm; Thur-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun noon-6pm. www.webuilt-thiscity.co.uk. 56-57 Carnaby St, W1F 9QF. E7. Station: Oxford Circus.

The Whisky Exchange This specialist retailer of fine whiskies and spirits also has a wide range of premium Champagnes and beers. www.thewhisky exchange.com.

2 Bedford St, WC2E 9HH. T: 020-7403 8688. E8.

Station: Charing Cross/Covent Garden/Embankment.

IMAGE © KENSINGTON PALACE SHOP; CARNABY STREET © ISTOCK; FEMALE SHOPPER COURTESY OF WESTFIELD

SHOPPING ESSENTIALS SIZING GUIDE UK

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TAX-FREE SHOPPING Value Added Tax (VAT) is a 20% sales tax added on all goods except food, books and children’s clothing. Overseas visitors from outside the EU can shop tax-free in the UK, recouping some of the cost of the item. Don’t forget to ask in-store for more information about tax-free shopping.

MEN’S CLOTHES (CHEST) S M L

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Normal opening times for most shops are Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 11am-5pm unless stated otherwise.

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DINING | THE GUIDE

Clockwise from this image: Kettner’s restaurant; crudités and set buttermilk with rhubarb at Kettner’s Below: artwork by Sara J Beazley

A London legend It’s been a long time coming, but the wait is finally over as Kettner’s throws open its doors again and reopens as Kettner’s Townhouse. Soho House & Co, the team behind the eponymous private members’ club in Soho and 18 houses, 38 restaurants, cinemas, spas and hotels worldwide, are behind the two-year renovation. The iconic Georgian building is now home to a new restaurant and Champagne bar, and 33 bedrooms.

Established in 1867 by Napoleon III’s chef August Kettner, Kettner’s was one of the UK’s first French restaurants. Popular with Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill, Agatha Christie and Margaret Thatcher, it stayed open during both World Wars and survived the Blitz.

In honour of its illustrious past, the new dining room also serves French cuisine, using locally sourced ingredients. Inspired by traditional French bistros, the interior of the Grade II-listed restaurant has original floral plasterwork, heritage mirrors and rosewood and mahogany furniture.

The menu features classic dishes such as steak tartare with artichoke, Toulouse sausage

with white kale and fish with samphire. Even better, the set-menu Sunday lunch is a steal at £30 – nibble on savoury bites such as Gruyère gougères and light-as-a-feather French onion tart while you choose.

Cured sea bream with clementine and purple basil is a refreshing starter, while the tender beef Wellington with pomme purée and Vichy carrots is a memorable main.

The pièce de résistance, however, is a decadent dessert of pink grapefruit sorbet, swimming in Ruinart Champagne.

So what inspired the menu?

Head chef Jackson Berg says: ‘We looked into Kettner’s history in depth, from the stories of who ate here over the years and the events that took place, to the menus, right back to the 1900s. We then created something that is modern but also references Kettner’s over the years.’

The adjacent Champagne bar has original mosaic floor tiles and

1920s touches such as French glass lights and a walnut bar with a marble top. Vintage photos decorate the walls while curtains transform it into a late-night lounge.

Alternatively, you can sip cocktails into the night as a pianist plays in The Piano Bar. Kettner’s art collection is inspired by the building’s reputation as a rendezvous for illicit affairs – King Edward VII dated his mistress here – so note the works in the Champagne bar. During the restoration process, 30 line drawings of Victorian figures were discovered behind the bar walls; artist Sara J Beazley photographed them and turned the images into silkscreen prints. She says: ‘Each piece is unique and hand-printed on embossed paper, so it looks like fabric.’

So, for a timeless classic, look no further than Kettner’s.

29 Romilly St, W1D 5HP. T: 020-7734 5650. www.kettnerstownhouse.com

DISHES © JAMIE LAU AT WWW.STUDIOLAU.COM; ARTWORK © SARA J BEAZLEY. ALL COURTESY OF KETTNER’S

A restaurant with a 151-year-old history makes headlines as it reopens following a renovation, says Sarah Riches

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THREE OF THE VERY BEST INDIAN RESTAUR ANTS This award winning sophisticated Indian Grill offers intense flavours with an innovative twist, in a theatrical open kitchen setting.

Michelin star.

Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street Knightsbridge, London SW1X 8JT T: 020 7823 1166 E: info@amaya.biz Private dining room seats 14

The rich setting, interesting art and romantic candle lighting are secondary details in London’s haven of great Indian contemporary food.

Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week; weekend brunch with live music.

73 St James’s Street, London SW1A 1PH T: 020 7629 6688 E: info@chutneymary.com Two private dining rooms seat 30 and 16

Classical dishes, lovingly prepared and beautifully served in sumptuous surroundings overlooking Regent Street. The oldest Indian restaurant in the world has a Michelin star.

Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Mezzanine Floor, Victory House, 1st floor 99 Regent Street, London W1B 4RS T: 020 7734 1401 E: info@veeraswamy.com Private dining room seats 24

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DINING T: Telephone number. Station: including Underground (‘Tube‘), railway and Docklands Light Railway. B (breakfast), L (lunch), D (dinner). Prices per person for three courses: £: up to £25; ££: £25-£40; £££: £40-80; ££££: £80 +. References (A1; B5 etc.) refer to the map on p. 72-73

Fera at Claridge’s Creative British dishes made from local ingredients, served in an Art Deco restaurant. ££££. Daily L & D. www.claridges.co.uk. Claridge’s hotel, Brook St, W1K 4HR. T: 020-7107 8888.

E6. Station: Bond Street.

Great Court Restaurant Enjoy lunch or afternoon tea above the huge museum’s iconic Reading Room. ££. Daily L; Fri D. www.britishmuseum.org. British Museum, Great Russell St, WC1B 3DG. T: 020-7323 8990.

D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road/Holborn.

Rex Whistler Restaurant Dine on seafood bisque, a Sunday roast or roast partridge, underneath a century-old mural. ££.

Daily L. www.tate.org.uk. Tate Britain, Millbank, SW1P 4RG. T: 020-7887 8825. G8. Station: Pimlico.

Searcys St Pancras This ornate dining room in the Eurostar terminal serves brasserie-style dishes. ££-£££. Daily B, L & D. www.searcys.co.uk. Upper Concourse, St Pancras station, Euston Rd, N1C 4QL. T: 020-7870 9900. C8. Station: King’s Cross St Pancras.

For its first year, Lutyens Grill, the steak restaurant on the ground floor of The Ned, was for club and hotel guests only – but now it has opened its doors to the public.

Once a manager’s office, back when the five-star hotel was a bank, the restaurant has dark wood panelling, leather chairs, a parquet floor and lighting inspired by the original architect’s designs. Head chef Jason Loy, previously at the Dean Street Townhouse, has devised a menu featuring more than 10 steaks including Wagyu beef and cuts to share.

You can also choose grilled Hereford T-bone, Tomahawk, Dover sole and lobster, roasts and beef Wellington – carved on a trolley at your table.

27 Poultry, EC2R 8AJ. T: 020-3828 2000. www.thened.com. D10. Station: Bank

AMERICAS (NORTH & SOUTH) Gaucho Succulent Argentine steaks, plus a wine bar, masterclasses and entertainment. ££££. Daily L & D. www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk. 25 Swallow St, W1B 4QR (and branches). T: 020-7734 4040. E7.

Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Goodman Premium steakhouse serving quality US and British beef, dry-aged and hand-cut in house, plus dishes including whole-roasted poussin. £££.

Mon-Sat L & D. www.goodmanrestaurants.com.

26 Maddox St, W1S 1QH. T: 020-7499 3776. E6.

Station: Oxford Circus.

Hard Rock Cafe London’s original burger joint, which is more than 40 years old, has rock memorabilia, funky décor and a fun atmosphere. Enjoy jumbo wings, nachos and hickory-smoked ribs. ££. Daily L & D. www.hardrock.com. 150 Old Park Lane, W1K 1LB. T: 020-7514 1700. E8. Station: Hyde Park Corner.

JW Steakhouse Steakhouse offering dry-aged prime beef with a variety of sides and toppings. £££. Daily B, L & D. www.jwsteakhouse.co.uk. Grosvenor House Hotel, 86 Park Lane, W1K 7TL. T: 020-7399 8460. E6.

Station: Hyde Park Corner.

Oblix Sophisticated New York-style rotisserie/grill on the 32nd floor of The Shard. £££. Daily L & D. www.oblixrestaurant.com. 31 St Thomas St, SE1 9RY. T: 020-7268 6700. E10. Station: London Bridge.

Planet Hollywood Hollywood-inspired dining experience with movie memorabilia and international menu. ££. Daily L & D (bar to 1am). www.planethollywood london.com. 57-60 Haymarket, SW1Y 4QX. T: 020-7287 1000. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Rainforest Cafe Busy diner in a mock rainforest setting with animatronic animals, and a menu with ribs, wraps and pasta. ££-£££. Daily L & D. www.the rainforestcafe.co.uk. 20 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 7EU. T: 020-7434 3111. E3. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

BRITISH (MODERN) Aqua Shard Contemporary cuisine matches the fantastic views from The Shard’s 32nd floor. £££. Daily B, L & D. www.aquashard.co.uk. 31 St Thomas St, SE1 9RY. T: 020-3011 1256. E10. Station: London Bridge.

Caxton Grill Superb steaks cooked on the Josper grill, plus seafood dishes, in a stylish venue. ££££. Daily L & D. www.caxtongrill.co.uk. 2 Caxton St, SW1H 0QW. T: 020-7227 7777. F7. Station: St James’s Park.

BRITISH (TRADITIONAL) Butlers Restaurant This elegant restaurant is famed for its roasts served from a carving trolley. £££. Daily B, L & D. www.chesterfieldmayfair.com. 35 Charles St, W1J 5EB. T: 020-7491 2622. E6. Station: Green Park.

Café in the Crypt Vaulted café under the Palladian church serving homely dishes. The Café in the Courtyard is now open for summer. £. Mon-Sat B, L & D; Sun 11am-6pm. www.smitf.org. St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ. T: 020-7766 1158.

D7. Station: Charing Cross.

Cheneston’s Intimate fine-dining restaurant. £££. Daily B, L & D. www.milestonehotel.com. The Milestone Hotel, 1 Kensington Court, W8 5DL. T: 020-7917 1000.

Off map. Station: High Street Kensington.

The English Grill Restaurant serving daily roasts. ££££. Daily B, L & D. www.rubenshotel.com. The Rubens at the Palace hotel, 39 Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1W 0PS. T: 020-7834 6600. F6. Station: Victoria.

The Ritz Restaurant British dishes in a pretty dining room. Men must wear a jacket and tie. ££££. Daily B, L & D. www.the ritzlondon.com. The Ritz hotel, 150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR. T: 020-7300 2370. E6/7. Station: Green Park.

Sophie’s Steakhouse & Bar Modern restaurant with roast beef, steaks and terrine boards. ££. Daily L & D. www.sophies steakhouse.co.uk. 42-44 Great Windmill St, W1D 7NB (and branch). T: 020-7352 0088. E7.

Station: Piccadilly Circus.

CHINESE Bright Courtyard Club Excellent Cantonese and Shanghai dishes, including dim sum. £££. Daily L & D. www.bright courtyard.co.uk. 43-45 Baker St, W1U 8EW. T: 020-7486 6998. D6. Station: Baker Street.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE NED

A cut above

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WHERE PARTNERSHIP: IN ASSOCIATION WITH AFTERNOONTEA.CO.UK

Time for tea

MEWS OF MAYFAIR COURTESY OF MEWS OF MAYFAIR; CORINTHIA COURTESY OF CORINTHIA HOTEL LONDON; SHERATON COURTESY OF SHERATON GRAND LONDON PARK LANE; ST JAMES’S COURTESY OF ST JAMES’S HOTEL & CLUB; THE AMPERSAND HOTEL © AMY MURRELL; MOMO © ISTOCK

London is famous for its afternoon tea – here’s our round-up of this month’s best. For more information, visit afternoontea.co.uk

MEWS OF MAYFAIR

CORINTHIA HOTEL LONDON

You’ll find Mews of Mayfair tucked away in an historic courtyard in the heart of Mayfair.

Marco Pierre White designer James Williamson and home designer Lucy Ford developed the interiors, which feature chandeliers and large leather sofas, while the outdoor seating in a cobbled courtyard is ideal on a sunny day.

Pay homage to the age-old, quintessentially British tradition of afternoon tea and indulge in finger sandwiches, fruit and plain scones.

Finish off with tea from the Rare Tea Company.

10 Lancashire Court, W1S 1EY. T: 020-7518 9388. www.gofortea.com/mews

The Crystal Moon Lounge in Corinthia Hotel London, near Trafalgar Square, is a glamorous affair, as it’s flooded with natural light and illuminated by an enormous Baccarat crystal chandelier. Following sandwiches made with seasonal ingredients and artisanal bread, you can sample warm scones and cakes with a glass or two of Laurent-Perrier Champagne, or try a bespoke collection of teas from Camellia’s Tea House. A trained tea sommelier is on hand to answer all your questions.

10 Whitehall Place, SW1A 2BD. T: 0207321 3150. www.gofortea.com/corinthia

SHERATON GRAND LONDON PARK LANE

ST JAMES’S HOTEL & CLUB

THE AMPERSAND HOTEL

MOMO

Make like Queen Victoria at an 1840s-themed tea at the Michelin-starred Seven Park Place in St James’s Hotel & Club. Executive head chef William Drabble has included recipes

by Queen Victoria’s cook, who was also St James’s Hotel & Club’s head chef. The menu comes in an antique book. After sandwiches and Cheshire cheese scones, try lemon drizzle cake, custard tart and Victoria sponge, served on Victorian-style crockery. Sip Champagne or loose tea from Sri Lanka and India.

7-8 Park Place, SW1A 1LS. T: 020-7316 1600. www.gofortea.com/stjameshotel

If you’re visiting the Science Museum in South Kensington, make a day of it and try a sciencethemed tea at The Ampersand Hotel nearby.

It’s served on a three-tier stand, but that’s where tradition ends. After crab and crayfish bites and toasted scones, eat treats served in test tubes and Petri dishes that arrive in clouds of dry ice. Try a Milky Way macaron or use a brush to unearth a chocolate dinosaur fossil from Oreo crumb ‘soil’. There’s unlimited refills of everything, too, except bubbly.

10 Harrington Rd, SW7 3ER. T: 020-7589 5895. www.gofortea.com/ampersand

Try a Moroccan-style afternoon tea at Momo, which you’ll find in a hidden courtyard off Regent Street. On a sunny day you can dine outside, but it’s more atmospheric inside, with patterned floor tiles, colourful cushions and lanterns. As well as date scones served with prickly pear jam, sample savoury Moroccan pastries along with rosewater cheesecake, a chocolate and argan oil sweet, and a chocolate mousse flavoured with harissa – a spicy paste made with chillis, red peppers and coriander.

25 Heddon St, W1B 4BH. T: 020-7434 4040. www.gofortea.com/momo

The Lock & Co tea here is a love letter to British artistry. As well as finger sandwiches and scones, nibble on Victoria sponge and pastries resembling a fedora, a bowler hat and miniature summer bonnets – complete with bows. Opt for free-flowing bubbly or stick with tea; try a single estate variety such as silver tip white tea from Indonesia’s Chakra Estate. You’ll be seated in The Palm Court, which is reminiscent of the roaring Twenties.

Piccadilly, W1J 7BX. T: 020-7499 6321. www.gofortea.com/sheraton

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DINING

Chai Wu

Great food in Trafalgar Square – whatever the weather • Open daily for al fresco dining behind St Martin-in-the-Fields

This contemporary restaurant in Harrods serves delicious dishes such as shredded Wagyu beef and Chilean sea bass. ££££. Daily L; Mon-Sat D (until 8pm). www.chaiwu.co.uk.

87-135 Brompton Rd, SW1X 7XL. T: 020-3819 8888. F5. Station: Knightsbridge.

CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN Fancy Crab Crab connoisseurs are in the right place, and once you’ve sampled the menu you’ll be dreaming of claws. Try crab bisque, crab fettucine and a crab burger with a side of crab (just kidding about the last bit). £££. Daily L & D. www.fancycrab.co.uk.

92 Wigmore St, W1U 3RD. T: 020-3096 9484. D6.

Station: Bond Street.

• Take away and table service • Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea • Evening meals including platters to share and full wine list www.smitf.org

Read our reviews on

RESTAURANT AND BAR Harvesting Red King Crab since 1993

Try the king of the crab world from £12 only.

Always wild, never farmed.

THE WORLD’S MOST ELEGANT SHELLFISH

92 Wigmore St, London W1U 3RD Tel: 0203 096 9484 fancycrab.co.uk

If you want to spot a celebrity, then head to the Polynesian restaurant Pufferfish in Mahiki. It’s from the team behind Mayfair’s original Mahiki nightclub and Albert’s, a private club in South Kensington, which have been visited by A-listers and royals. The pan-Asian menu includes salads, sushi, tempura and hot dishes such as grilled spicy octopus and salmon in a lemon glaze with mango miso. The theme extends to the drinks and décor, so expect Tahitian totem poles and cocktails in coconuts.

2a Kensington High St, W8 4PT. T: 020-7368 1180. www.mahiki kensington.com. Off map. Station: High Street Kensington

PUFFERFISH © ROB GREIG

Polynesian paradise

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1 Lombard Street Hearty cooking in this brasserie (a former bank) with a huge glass dome. £££. Mon-Fri B, L & D. www.1lombardstreet.com. 1 Lombard St, EC3V 9AA. T: 020-7929 6611. D10. Station: Bank.

Savini at Criterion Fine-dining Italian in a neo-Byzantine dining room inside an opulent Grade II-listed building. ££££. Daily B, L & D. www.saviniatcriterion.co.uk.

224 Piccadilly, W1J 9HP. T: 020-7930 1459. E7.

Station: Piccadilly Circus.

ENJOY THE THALI AT

REAL INDIAN FOOD

The Terrace All-day dining from Britain and around the globe in this elegant, light-filled restaurant and bar. £££. Daily B, L & D. www.amba-hotel.com.

Amba Charing Cross hotel, Strand, WC2N 5HX. T: 0800-330 8397. E8. Station: Charing Cross.

Ting The restaurant in The Shard’s Shangri-La hotel serves European dishes with an Asian twist. ££££.

Daily B, L & D. www.shangri-la.com/london. 31 St Thomas St, SE1 9QU. T: 020-7234 8108. F10. Station: London Bridge.

FRENCH Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester Innovative food from this Michelin-starred chef. ££££. Tue-Fri L & D; Sat D. Booking essential. www.alainducasse-dorchester.com. The Dorchester, Park Lane, W1K 1QA. T: 020-7629 8866. E6.

Station: Hyde Park Corner.

BAYSWATER, 75 BISHOPS BRIDGE RD COVENT GARDEN, 48 FLORAL ST SELFRIDGES 4TH FL, 400 OXFORD ST EARLS COURT, 147 EARLS COURT ROAD

CAMDEN, 25 PARKWAY ISLINGTON, 80 UPPER ST SOHO, 9 MARSHALL ST

M ASA LA ZO N E .COM

Brasserie Joël This smart hotel brasserie serves French classics.

Every Monday, you can bring your own bottle of wine, with no corkage fee. £££. Mon-Fri & Sun L & D; daily D. www.brasseriejoel.co.uk. Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, SE1 7UT. T: 020-7620 7272.

F8. Station: Westminster.

Céleste Michelin-starred cuisine in a smart dining room. £££-££££. Daily B, L & D. www.lanesborough.com.

The Lanesborough hotel, Hyde Park Corner, SW1X 7TA. T: 020-7259 5599. F6. Station: Hyde Park Corner.

INDIAN Amaya This Michelin-starred venue serves dishes that are full of exotic twists, cooked in its open-grill kitchen. £££. Daily L & D. www.amaya.biz. Halkin Arcade, Motcomb St, SW1X 8JT. T: 020-7823 1166.

F6. Station: Knightsbridge.

Benares Modern Michelin-starred Indian cuisine from Atul Kochhar, known for his inventive dishes. £££.

Mon-Sat L & D; Sun D. www.benaresrestaurant.com.

12a Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square, W1J 6BS. T: 020-7629 8886. E6. Station: Green Park.

THE ENGLISH GRILL English Tradition, Dining and Design at its Finest

The English Gri

Chutney Mary Take a gourmet tour of seven Indian regions in this elegant restaurant. Try the marinated tandoor lobster. £££. Mon-Fri L & D; Sat L & D. www.chutney mary.com. 73 St James’s St, SW1 1PH. T: 020-7629 6688. E7. Station: Green Park.

Gaylord This restaurant has been serving North Indian

recipes such as sheekh kebabs, Mughal dishes and thali platters since 1966. Save space for kulfi. ££. Daily L & D. www.gaylordlondon.com.

The Rubens at The Palace

39 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0PS Telephone: +44 (0)20 7834 6600 | rubenshotel.com

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DINING 79-81 Mortimer St, W1W 7SJ. T: 020-7580 3615.

D7. Station: Oxford Circus.

INTERNATIONAL

JAPANESE & KOREAN

Bbar

Benihana

In this chain of recently refurbished restaurants, enjoy authentic Indian street food, plus the flavour-packed grand thali. ££. Daily L & D. www.masalazone.com. 9 Marshall St, W1F 7ER (and branches). T: 020-7287 9966. D6. Station: Oxford Circus.

At this relaxed South African-inspired-restaurant and bar you can try 28 day-aged beef and grilled rib-eye, beef biltong and bobotie spring rolls with chutney. The décor has African touches too, such as giraffe-print sofas. ££. Daily L & D. www.bbar london.com. 43 Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1W 0PP. T: 020-7958 7000. F6. Station: Victoria.

Chefs create griddle-cooked dishes on a hot plate in front of you, while entertaining you with tricks such as catching eggs in their chef’s hats. Fun for all ages. £££. Daily L & D. www.benihana.co.uk.

37 Sackville St, W1S 3EH (and branches). T: 0207494 2525. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Mint Leaf

The Cavendish

Contemporary dishes are served in this stylish restaurant; try the grilled prawns with fenugreek. £££. Mon-Fri L; daily D. www.mintleaflondon.com.

Suffolk Place, Haymarket, SW1Y 4HX. T: 020-7930 9020. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Timeless brasserie serving hearty mains such as lemon veal scallopini. Try the rib-eye steak and triple-fried chips. ££-£££. Daily L & D. www.35new cavendish.co.uk. 35 New Cavendish St, W1G 9TR. T: 020-7487 3030. C5. Station: Baker Street.

This refined Japanese restaurant has tasting menus, plus excellent Kobe beef available in different cuts. Other dishes include sashimi, sushi and sukiyaki (hot pot). £££. Daily L & D. www.engawa.uk. 2 Ham Yard, W1D 7DT. T: 020-7287 5724. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Tamarind

ITALIAN

RIVERSIDE

Cicchetti

Bateaux London

Masala Zone

In this smart Mayfair dining room, you can enjoy Michelin-starred Mughal and North West Frontier cuisine such as lobster masala. It also caters for groups of up to 30 people seated. £££. Daily L & D. www.tamarindrestaurant.com. 20 Queen St, W1J 5PR. T: 020-7629 3561. E6. Station: Green Park.

Veeraswamy The UK’s oldest Indian restaurant is Michelinstarred and has an opulent interior. Try the six-hour cooked lamb shank, a selection of street-food dishes, and desserts such as almond and pineapple halwa tart. ££-£££. Daily L & D. www.veeraswamy.com. Mezzanine Floor, Victory House, 99 Regent St, W1B 4RS. T: 020-7734 1401.

E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Lively, all-day dining with regional specialities to share at this sophisticated restaurant, from antipasti and cured meats to seafood. Splashes of yellow leather and lemons bring the Italian sunshine to the streets of London. ££. Daily B, L & D. www.sancarlocicchetti.co.uk. 30 Wellington St, WC2E 7BD (and Piccadilly branch). T: 020-7494 9435. E8. Station: Covent Garden.

Verdi – Italian Kitchen Dine on stone-baked pizzas or afternoon tea at the famous music venue – check for free Friday music. ££. Tue-Sun L & D. www.verdiitalian.com. Door 12, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP. T: 0207070 4401. F4. Station: South Kensington.

Engawa

Enjoy a cruise while dining on British cuisine.

Booking essential. £££. Daily L & D; Sun jazz with three-course L. www.bateauxlondon.com.

Embankment Pier, WC2N 6NU. T: 020-7695 1800.

E8. Station: Embankment.

The London Showboat Drift down the River Thames while enjoying dinner and a cabaret show. Booking essential. ££££. Departs daily from Westminster Pier 7.45pm. www.citycruises.com. SW1A 2JR. T: 020-7740 0400.

F8. Station: Westminster.

RS Hispaniola Delightful moored restaurant boat on the Thames serving British dishes. Opt for the deck menu for a light bite. £££. Daily L & D. www.hispaniola.co.uk.

Victoria Embankment/Hungerford Bridge, WC2N 5DJ. T: 020-7839 3011. E8. Station: Embankment.

SOUTH EAST ASIAN Chi Kitchen Pan-Asian cuisine in the department store Debenhams; see the chefs at work in an open-plan dining space. ££. Daily B, L & D. www.chikitchen. co.uk. 334-348 Oxford St, W1C 1JG. T: 020-3841 6888. D6. Station: Oxford Circus.

Mango Tree This elegant fine-dining restaurant offers authentic Thai dishes, such as tom ka. You can also try the grilled Wagyu beef in spicy sauce. ££-£££. Daily L & D. www.mangotree.org.uk. 46 Grosvenor Place, SW1X 7EQ. T: 020-7823 1888. F6. Station: Victoria.

SPANISH El Pirata

Once you see the menu, you might wonder whether Parsons is a seafood restaurant with wine or a wine bar that happens to serve seafood. That’s because the new spot brings together head chef Goemon Ishikawa – formerly of Fera at Claridge’s – and executive chef Cathal O’Malley, previously the head chef at 10 Cases, which is known for its wine list. Like Parsons’ interior – a clinical, compact space that’s lined with white tiles – the menu is short and simple. Try sea trout tartare with bloody Mary jelly; squid and cauliflower aioli; lobster mash and brown crab pissaladière. Just save space for the catch of the day.

39 Endell St, WC2H 9BA. T: 020-3422 0221. www.parsonslondon.co.uk.

D8. Station: Covent Garden

VEGETARIAN Woodlands Well-flavoured cuisine from throughout India, from street food to dosas and thalis. ££-£££. Daily L & D. www.woodlandsrestaurant.co.uk. 77 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2PS (and branches). T: 020-7486 3862.

D6. Station: Bond Street.

PARSONS © PARSONS

Fishing for compliments

Choose from a large range of authentic hot and cold tapas in this Mayfair bar-restaurant, including cured meats and fresh seafood. There are good set menus. ££-£££. Mon-Fri L & D; Sat D. www.elpirata. co.uk. 5-6 Down St, W1J 7AG. T: 020-7491 3810. E6.

Station: Hyde Park Corner.

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W H E R E

L O N D O N

P R O M O T I O N

BEST OF LONDON DINING Mango Tree

Mango Tree is launching a mouth-watering new spring seasonal menu to welcome the first wave of warm weather. Mango Tree’s dishes use a selection of this spring’s seasonal ingredients imported directly from Thailand. The special dishes include Yum Pak Boong Grob Lab Gai, crispy morning glory served with spicy and sour minced chicken salad, and Tod Mun Pla Kai Kem, spicy fish cake with red chilli paste filled with salted egg. Get 30% off on your food bill when you order a minimum of one dish from the spring seasonal menu. Quote ‘MTspring18’ when you make a reservation. This offer cannot be in conjection with any other offers and is valid from 1 Apr-31 May for bookings of 1-8 people.

El Pirata

46 Grosvernor Place, SW1X 7EQ. T: 020-7823 1888. www.mangotree.org.uk. Station: Victoria/Hyde Park Corner.

Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Rd, SW1X 7XL. T: 020-7730 1234. www.mangotree.org.uk. Station: Knightsbridge

For more than 20 years, El Pirata has hit the spot as London’s top restaurant for traditional Spanish tapas. Located in the heart of Mayfair, it’s the perfect place for a true taste of the Mediterranean in a chic yet friendly setting. It’s informal, inexpensive and, above all, authentic – the restaurant uses the finest Spanish produce, including jamón Ibérico, to create its classic dishes. Celebrity fans include Brian May and Johnny Depp, and food critics are unanimous in their praise, describing it as a ‘Spanish gem’ (Zagat) with ‘surprisingly good prices’ (Harden’s), and ‘a favourite with Mayfair’s Spanish community and converts to the new Iberian cause’ (Square Meal ).

Mon-Fri noon-11.30pm; Sat 6pm-11.30pm; closed Sun.

5-6 Down St, W1J 7AQ. T: 020-7491 3810/020-7409 1315. www.elpirata.co.uk. Station: Hyde Park Corner/Green Park

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NIGHTLIFE | THE GUIDE

Clockwise from top left: The Principal London; Champagne all round; interior of the hotel

A bar with fizz

Creative cocktails

One of London’s most spectacular hotels reopened this month and is now home to a grand cocktail bar.

The Frederick Hotels Company opened Hotel Russell in 1898 on the eastern side of Russell Square near The British Museum, and the Grade II-listed red-brick building has now been transformed into the 334-room Principal London.

Many of the hotel’s original features have been maintained, including the four life-size British Queens guarding its entrance and a lucky dragon on the staircase – a nod to the hotel’s original architect, Charles Fitzroy Doll, who also designed the dining room aboard RMS Titanic.

Meanwhile, Tara Bernerd & Partners, the designers behind The Hari London, and Russell Sage Studio, the team behind The Zetter Townhouse, Dishoom and Quaglino’s, have introduced contemporary touches to the interior, so look out for artwork and accessories inspired by Bloomsbury’s literary and artistic heritage.

Visitors can enjoy afternoon tea in the Palm Court, dinner in the informal restaurant

Neptune and drinks at Burr & Co – which is a café by day and a wine bar by night.

But night owls need to know about Fitz’s, which takes its name from Fitzroy Doll. With its jewel-coloured velvet armchairs, shellshaped sofas, leather bar stools and wooden panelling, the cocktail bar rivals the one in the home of Jay Gatsby, the millionaire party host in F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.

Its layout features two bars in one.

Dim lighting and on-trend Ravenea palms you can hide behind provide intimate corners that are suitable for a date, while DJs and performers give the space a party atmosphere.

The head bartender Sean Fennelly is the former general manager of the three-storey Milk & Honey bar in Soho, and former senior bartender at HIX Restaurants, so expect creative cocktails with a wow factor. The menu is still being finalised, but if Milk & Honey’s offerings are anything to go by, expect Champagne cocktails and gin mixes.

1-8 Russell Square, WC1B 5BE. T: 020-7520 1800. www.phcompany.com

HESTER’S HIDEOUT For a special night, visit Hester’s Hideout (above), a new cocktail and cabaret basement bar with low ceilings and neon-lit brick walls underneath Exmouth Market. Visit from Thursday to Saturday for jazz bands and DJs, snake dancers, games, magicians, burlesque performers and contortionists. Vintage recipes include bubbling, smoking cocktails.

106b Farringdon Rd, EC1R 3EA

LOOKING GLASS COCKTAIL CLUB A parallel universe lies on the far side of a gilt-framed mirror in the Looking Glass Cocktail Club in Shoreditch. Step inside the giant glass into a dimly-lit secret room with Louis XVI-inspired furniture. DJs, musicians and performance artists will entertain you.

49 Hackney Rd, E2 7NX

PRINCIPAL LONDON IMAGES © RICHARD BRYANT/ARCAIDIMAGES.COM; CHAMPAGNE © ISTOCK; HESTER’S HIDEOUT © FLORIN TUDOR GAESCU

A new cocktail bar has got London fizzing with excitement, says Sarah Riches

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FOR MORE LISTINGS, VISIT WHERETRAVELER.COM

Most bars open 11am-11pm, most nightclubs open 10pm-3am. The UK’s legal drinking age is 18. ID may be required. T: Telephone number. Station: including Underground (’Tube‘) stations, Railway and Docklands Light Railway. References (A1 etc.) refer to coordinates on map (p. 72-73)

TRADITIONAL PUBS The Blackfriar This Grade II-listed Art Nouveau pub, which opened 100 years ago, offers traditional cask ales. www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk. 174 Queen Victoria St, EC4V 4EG. T: 020-7236 5474. E9. Station: Blackfriars.

Cittie of Yorke The dark nooks and crannies, rafted roof and chimney-less fire in this Grade II-listed building take you back to 1430. Enjoy a pint in this traditional pub for a real taste of historic London.

22 High Holborn, WC1V 6BN. T: 020-7242 7670.

D9. Station: Chancery Lane.

The Dog and Duck A real-ale pub with regularly changing cask beers as well as pub food and bar snacks. www.nicholsons pubs.co.uk. 18 Bateman St, W1D 3AJ. T: 020-7494 0697. D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

The Flask This 17th-century pub boasts Byron and Shelley as past patrons and is allegedly haunted. www.the flaskhighgate.com. 77 Highgate West Hill, N6 6BU. T: 020-8348 7346. Off map. Station: Highgate.

The French House Creative types love this quirky, cosy pub in the heart of Soho – there is no music. www.french housesoho.com. 49 Dean St, W1D 5BG. T: 0207437 2477. D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

The George Inn This historic pub was established during the medieval period and still retains its original coaching houses. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ george-inn. 75-77 Borough High St, SE1 1NH. T: 020-7407 2056. E10. Station: London Bridge.

The Glasshouse Stores This is a comforting old Sam Smith’s pub, with wood-panelled walls and etched glass. There are plenty of nooks and crannies in which to hide away, making it a romantic spot. The beers and food are good. 55 Brewer St, W1F 9UJ. T: 020-7287 5278.

E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

The Guinea The site of an inn since 1423, this friendly venue has great Young’s ales and bar food, including steak pies. www.theguinea.co.uk. 30 Bruton Place, W1J 6NL. T: 020-7409 1728. E6. Station: Bond Street/Oxford Street.

The Magpie & Stump Opposite the Old Bailey, the pub dates back to the 1500s, and once doubled up as a public viewing spot for hangings at Newgate Prison. www.magpieandstump.com. 18 Old Bailey, EC4M 7EP. T: 020-7248 5085. B8. Station: St Paul’s.

The Punchbowl This popular Mayfair pub-restaurant offers a variety of ales in its unique, classy surroundings. www.punchbowllondon.com. 41 Farm St, W1J 5RP. T: 020-7493 6841. E6. Station: Green Park.

The Spaniards Inn Follow in the footsteps of past regulars, including Dick Turpin and Charles Dickens, at this pub – one of the oldest in London. Its Sunday roast and pies are popular – booking is advisable. www.thespaniardshampstead.co.uk. Spaniard’s Rd, NW3 7JJ. T: 020-8731 8406. Off map.

Station: Hampstead.

Waxy O’Connor’s Long-standing Irish bar, with four bars over six levels. It has regular live music, and also screens Ireland’s major sporting events. www.waxy oconnors.co.uk. 14-16 Rupert St, W1D 6DD. T: 020-7287 0255. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Waxy’s Little Sister A smaller, slightly quieter sister venue of the huge Waxy’s, which has traditional Irish beers and whiskies, and also great bar food. www.waxy oconnors.co.uk. 20 Wardour St, W1D 6QG. T: 020-7287 0255. E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese This Grade II-listed pub was built soon after the Great Fire of 1666, and has vaults which are even older than that. Enjoy a pint of English ale and dine on a range of simple pub food. 145 Fleet St, EC4A 2BU. T: 020-7353 6170. D9. Station: Blackfriars.

BARS & CLUBS 68 and Boston Sophisticated venue with separate cocktail and wine bars. Expect wines from unusual destinations, including Uruguay, with all bottles at just £20. www.68andboston.com. 5 Greek St, W1D 4DD. T: 020-7287 3713. D7. Station: Leicester Square.

The Back Room Located next to Hard Rock Cafe, the bar boasts vintage and iconic music items, including a door from the Apple Studios signed by The Beatles.

Enjoy cocktails, pizzas, burgers and a great vibe. www.hardrock.com. 148b Old Park Lane, W1K 1QZ. T: 020-7514 1700. E6. Station: Green Park.

Booking Office Bar The ground floor of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel has a 29m-long bar surrounded by cavernous arched ceilings and stone walls dating back to 1873. There’s also a good menu of bar snacks. www.bookingofficebar.com. Euston Rd, NW1 2AR. T: 020-7841 3566. C7. Station: King’s Cross.

Burlock Rum is definitely the spirit of choice here, in a relaxed bar that specialises in many types of cocktails using the Caribbean spirit and unusual ingredients. www.burlocklondon.co.uk.

31 Duke St, W1U 1LG. T: 020-7935 3303. D6.

Station: Bond Street.

BYOC At ‘Bring Your Own Cocktail’, pay £30, bring a spirit of your choice and the mixologist will create cocktails for you. Booking is recommended. www.byoc.co.uk. 9-11 Basement, Camden High St, NW1 7JE (and branches). T: 020-3441 2424.

Off map. Station: Mornington Crescent.

Cartizze Bar Cocktail destination in Mayfair majoring in timeless luxury, known for its Bellinis, with Art Deco surroundings and delicious bar food including oysters. www.cartizzebar.com.

4 Lancashire Court, W1S 1EY. T: 020-7518 9388.

E6. Station: Bond Street.

COCKTAIL COURTESY OF BBAR

This time for Africa If you want to understand Prince Harry’s love of Africa, visit Bbar in The Rubens at the Palace hotel, close to Buckingham Palace. Inspired by a safari lodge, the restaurant-bar features giraffe-print sofas and wildlife photography. It also supports Sentebale, the prince’s charity which helps children with HIV in southern Africa.

The venue is ideal for post-theatre drinks and hosts live music from Thursday to Saturday. Sip South African wine, Windhoek beer from Namibia, agave cocktails under 130 calories, or for something special, a vapour cocktail, which arrives in a mist of coconut and essential oils.

Peckish? Then try Windhoek-battered hake goujons, a boerewors (sausage) Scotch egg, Bobotie (spiced mince) spring rolls with chutney or South African beef biltong.

43 Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1W 0PP. T: 020-7958 7000. www.bbarlondon.com. F6. Station: Victoria

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NIGHTLIFE City Social

Looking Glass Cocktail Club

The Vault

The bar next to Jason Atherton’s restaurant has an Art Deco interior, a Prohibitioninspired cocktail list and amazing views. www.city sociallondon.com. Tower 42, 25 Old Broad St, EC2N 1HQ. T: 020-7877 7703. D11. Station: Liverpool Street.

Enter a giant glass into a dimly-lit room decorated with Louis XVI-inspired furniture. This speakeasy has regular DJs, live music and performances (p. 64). 49 Hackney Rd, E2 7NX. T: 020-7613 3936. www.lookingglasslondon.co.uk. Off map.

Station: Hoxton.

The specialist whisky bar Milroy’s has tables made of barrels, and The Vault, behind the bookcases, is a speakeasy with cosy arches. 3 Greek St, W1D 4NX. www.thevaultsoho.co.uk. D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

C.O.L.D Bar (The City of London Distillery)

Mews Cocktail Bar

Tony Conigliaro is known for his groundbreaking drinks in this cocktail lounge, with eccentric decor complete with leather armchairs, velvet cushions and a cosy fireplace. www.thezettertownhouse.com.

49-50 St John’s Square, EC1V 4JJ. T: 020-7324 4545.

Off map. Station: Farringdon.

This retro-styled basement cocktail bar is a working gin distillery, and offers tastings, classes and tours. It’s tucked away down an alleyway in an atmospheric, old part of the city. www.cityof londondistillery.com. 22-24 Bride Lane, EC4Y 8DT. T: 020-7936 3636. D9. Station: Blackfriars.

Drakes Tabanco

Deep leather sofas and an 18th-century chandelier set the tone for exquisite wines, fresh fruit cocktails and light dishes in a classy neighbourhood. www.mewsofmayfair.com.

10 Lancashire Court, W1S 1EY. T: 020-7518 9388. E6. Station: Bond Street.

A Spanish-style tapas bar that serves rare sherries, aged in ancient oak barrels. There are also craft beers, natural wines and a selection of Andalucian tapas dishes. www.drakestabanco.com. 3 Windmill St, W1T 2HY. T: 020-7637 9388. D7. Station: Goodge Street.

Dukes Bar

Old Bengal Bar

Outstanding bar located in the hotel of the same name, and renowned for its superior martinis.

Oozing old-world charm, with leather armchairs in a cosy interior, the martinis are made at your table, from a century-old trolley. www.dukeshotel.com.

Dukes London, 35 St James’s Place, SW1A 1NY. T: 020-7491 4840. E7. Station: Green Park.

This place is converted from a former warehouse located in a quiet back street, with original brick walls and leather sofas. Enjoy classic cocktails. www.oldbengalbar.com. 16a New St, EC2M 4TR. T: 020-3503 0780. D11. Station: Liverpool Street.

In an old Chinatown townhouse, this stylish bar is tucked away but worth the search for its inventive cocktails. Email booking is recommended. www.experimentalcocktailclublondon.com.

13a Gerrard St, W1D 5PS. T: 020-7434 3559. E7.

Station: Leicester Square.

The Casino at the Empire

Opium Cocktail Bar Tucked away in Chinatown, this is a warren of dimly lit rooms styled like a Twenties Shanghai bar. Sip a lychee martini and choose from a dim sum menu. www.opiumchinatown.com. Booking is recommended. 15 Gerrard St, W1D 6JE. T: 0207734 7276. E7. Station: Leicester Square.

Oriole

This gay-friendly venue attracts a trendy crowd to its stylish cocktail bar and the nightclub underneath. www.freedombarsoho.com.

60-66 Wardour St, W1F 0TA. T: 020-7734 0071.

D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

Gong

Primo Bar

Located in The Shard, Gong is one of the highest Champagne bars in London and is the ideal place for sunset cocktails. www.theshard.com. 31 St Thomas St, SE1 9QU. T: 020-7234 8000. F10. Station: London Bridge.

Enjoy cocktails in this laid-back bar, which stages free live music every night. Its handy location makes it a great meeting spot. www.primobar. co.uk. Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, SE1 7UT. T: 020-7620 7282. F8. Station: Waterloo.

Good Godfreys

Reverend JW Simpson

Old style glamour and classic cocktails are served with a hint of history at this suave establishment.

Try signature cocktails including the Astor Hip Flask, named after the New York Waldorf Astoria’s owner. www.waldorfhilton.co.uk. The Waldorf Hilton, Aldwych, WC2B 4DD. T: 020-7836 2400.

E8. Station: Covent Garden.

This cocktail bar is a real slice of ‘shabby chic’ – and is the genuine ex-abode of the good Reverend.

Scruffy sofas and a laid-back vibe are its hallmark.

You can also sign up for a cocktail masterclass. www.revjwsimpson.com. 32 Goodge St, W1T 2QJ. T: 020-3174 1155. E7. Station: Goodge Street.

Gordon’s Wine Bar London’s oldest wine bar has been uncorking bottles since 1890 in its candlelit stone-arched basement. Try to go early to grab a table as it can get very busy. www.gordons winebar.com. 47 Villiers St, WC2N 6NE. T: 0207930 1408. E8. Station: Embankment.

Jack Solomon’s Club This new basement speakeasy bar in Soho is accessed by a hidden entrance, and boasts old-school glamour, with special cocktails and a large dance floor. Email for the guest list. 41 Great Windmill St, W1D 7LU. www.jacksolomons.com.

E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

This spectacular venue houses a restaurant and several bars, plus a dedicated poker room and the latest table and electronic games. www.thecasinolsq.com.

5-6 Leicester Square, WC2H 7NA. T: 0203733 1315. E7. Station: Leicester Square.

Five of London’s Underground stations are named after pubs, including Angel and Swiss Cottage

Number 17 out of the World’s 50 Best Bars in 2017, this spacious cocktail bar is below Smithfield Market. It stages live jazz and blues most nights, all in beautiful, explorer decor surroundings. www.oriolebar.com. Smithfield Markets, East Poultry Ave, EC1A 9LH. T: 020-3457 8099. D9.

Station: Farringdon.

Freedom

CASINOS

The Nightjar Enjoy Prohibition-era cocktails at this stylish basement bar in Shoreditch, with live music most nights. The elaborate cocktails are amazing. www.barnightjar.com.

129 City Rd, EC1V 1JB. T: 020-7253 4101. C10. Station: Old Street.

Experimental Cocktail Club

The Zetter Townhouse

Scarfes Bar This elegant bar is named after the satirical cartoonist Gerald Scarfe, who created the caricatures of iconic British figures that are painted on the walls. Enjoy cocktails inspired by famous characters Scarfe has drawn, with Indian-style bar snacks. www.scarfesbar.com.

Rosewood London hotel, 252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN. T: 020-3747 8611. D8. Station: Holborn.

St Pancras Champagne Bar Europe’s longest Champagne bar, in the upstairs forecourt of the train station, has a big selection of bubbly. www.searcyschampagnebars.co.uk. St Pancras International, Euston Rd, N1C 4QL. T: 0207870 9900. C8. Station: King’s Cross St Pancras.

Hippodrome Casino Huge venue with gaming on three floors. There’s also a restaurant, plus a basement venue for live music. www.hippodromecasino.com. Cranbourn St, Leicester Square, WC2H 7JH. T: 020-7769 8888.

E7. Station: Leicester Square.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT 606 Club This relaxed members’ jazz cellar and restaurant serves great food. Blues, R ’n’ B and soul are played by British independent artists. www.606 club.co.uk. 90 Lots Rd, SW10 0QD. T: 020-7352 5953. Off map. Station: Fulham Broadway.

Bunga Bunga Part restaurant, part bar, with live entertainment, this Covent Garden venue has all the makings of a theatrical night out. Enjoy Italian cuisine as you watch the live cabaret acts. www.bungabungalondon.com. 167 Drury Lane, WC2B 5PG. T: 0207590 3602. D8. Station: Holborn.

The Comedy Store One of the UK’s best stand-up and improvised comedy spots. www.thecomedystore.co.uk.

1a Oxendon St, SW1Y 4EE. T: 0844-871 7699.

E7. Station: Piccadilly Circus.

London Cabaret Club British-themed cabaret. ‘Best of British Pop’ fuses acrobatics and dance with hits from the 1960s to the present day. Dinner and VIP tickets available.

A DJ takes over until 3am. www.thelondoncabaret club.com. Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, WC1B 4DA. T: 020-7242 0002. D8. Station: Holborn.

Ronnie Scott’s The iconic jazz venue has hosted top musicians for more than 50 years including Miles Davis. www. ronniescotts.co.uk. 47 Frith St, W1D 4HT. T: 020-7439 0747. D7. Station: Tottenham Court Road.

Stringfellow’s Over the years, a vast number of celebrities have enjoyed a memorable evening of entertainment supplied by more than 80 ‘Angels’ dancing at their tables at Peter Stringfellow’s famous gentlemen’s club and restaurant. Free entry when dining. www.stringfellows.co.uk.

16-19 Upper St Martin’s Lane, WC2H 9EF. T: 0207240 5534. E8. Station: Leicester Square.

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SPAS & SALONS | THE GUIDE

Clockwise from top left: Truefitt & Hill’s products; Truefitt & Hill interior; barber in Murdock

Learn from the best ‘At Truefitt’s, the excellent hairdressers, they are learning French to beguile their time,’ wrote Charles Dickens in The Uncommercial Traveller. When you step through the doors of Truefitt & Hill, it feels like you are stepping back in time. Established in 1805, it is the oldest barbershop in the world, as confirmed by the Guinness World Records. With more than two centuries of heritage, it is also a Royal Warrant Holder, which means it has served the royal family, from making wigs for King George II to giving wet shaves to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Located in St James’s – an area for men who are after finer things, from tailored suits to exclusive gentlemen’s clubs – the institution has welcomed politicians, actors and writers.

When you sit in a leather seat, ready for your appointment, it is hard not to think about the legendary people who have sat here before you, including Lord Byron, Sir Winston Churchill and Laurence Olivier.

If you want to indulge, choose from the ‘Experiences’ section on the menu. There is the Truefitt & Hill Grooming Experience with a haircut, shampoo, wet shave and manicure

(£115/60 min) and a Traditional Hot Towel Wet Shave with hot towels, shaving with a cut-throat razor and a post-shave moisturise (£45/30 min).

If you have dreamt of mastering the art of shaving, then book yourself the Traditional Cut Throat Shaving Class (60 min/£90) – this includes a half-hour shave, followed by a class on how to use an open cut-throat razor.

As the salon has its own products, which have been crafted in England since 1805, you can recreate the spa experience at home.

Director Joanna Broughton says: ‘With more than 200 years of experience and refinement, we have been able to adjust the formulations to ensure the best quality possible for types of skin.’

While travel items have to compromise on size, they do not scrimp on style here: take your pick from the sophisticated selection of colognes, aftershave balms, shaving creams and disposable razors, so you can take home with you the experience of the world’s oldest barbers (71 St James’s St, SW1A 1PH).

More than 125 years old, Pall Mall Barbers is one of London’s leading independent

barbers. Specialising in wet shaves, its popular treatments include the Luxury Wet Shave and the Express Shave.

If you want to learn from the skilled barbers, however, book yourself in for the Shaving Lesson (60 min/£80) – the barber will discuss the best options for you, give you advice on how to optimise the condition of your skin and your grooming routine, and draw up a personal plan that includes pre- and postshave techniques (27 Whitcomb St, WC2H 7EP, and branches).

Giving a classic St James’s barbershop a contemporary twist, Murdock is great for the modern gentleman. Sip on whisky or beer as you enjoy a haircut, beard trim or go for the How to Shave Tutorial (90 min/£75).

You can have a wet shave, then receive a tutorial on the art of the traditional wet shave from your expert Murdock barber.

The personal consultation ends with a recommendation of products for you to take home (83 Brewer St, W1F 9ZN, and branches).

These London barbers are certainly a cut above the rest.

TRUEFITT & HILL IMAGES © ADDIE CHINN; MURDOCK © TOBY LEWIS THOMAS

If you want to master the art of shaving, then visit one of the capital’s salons, from the world’s oldest barbershop that was loved by Sir Winston Churchill, to a mecca for the modern gentleman, says Kohinoor Sahota

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FOR MORE LISTINGS, VISIT WHERETRAVELER.COM T: Telephone number. Station: including Underground (’Tube‘), railway and Docklands Light Railway. Most spas are open seven days a week, but check for opening hours. References at the end of listings (A1 etc.) refer to coordinates on map p. 72-73

Rocco Forte at Brown’s Hotel

SPAS Aveda Institute This three-storey salon offers cuts, colour, blow dries and botanical treatments using Aveda’s plant-based products. The Express Beauty Bar has a range of treatments lasting 15 and 30 minutes. www.avedainstitute.co.uk. 174 High Holborn, WC1V 7AA. T: 020-7759 7355. D8. Station: Holborn.

Blue Harbour Health Club & Spa This exclusive members-only spa offers day passes for £25. Swim in the 17m pool, use the fitness equipment or visit the Figaro Hair Salon.

There are treatment rooms for disabled visitors. www.blueharbourspa.co.uk. Chelsea Harbour Drive, SW10 0XG. T: 020-7300 5011. Off map.

Station: Imperial Wharf.

Body Relaxation High-quality deep-tissue massage directly in your hotel room, apartment or at the Sloane Street studio. Open until late. T: 07941-505982.

Elemis Day Spa This spa specialises in facials that tackle ageing, pigmentation and blemishes. There is a private suite, so you can share the experience with your guest while sipping Champagne. The Speed Spa offers treatments in 30 minutes. www.elemis.com/ dayspa. 2 Lancashire Court, W1S 1EX. T: 0207499 4995. E6. Station: Bond Street.

Jurlique Founded by Dr Jürgen Klein, a biochemist, and his wife Ulrike, a botanist, this spa uses their natural skincare range. Treatments include an anti-stress facial, which eases tension in your face, neck and shoulders. www.jurlique.co.uk.

489 Oxford St, W1C 2AU. T: 0800-040 7685.

D8. Station: Bond Street.

An oasis of calm in the West End that boasts a 24-hour gym and luxury treatments including a age-defying gold facial and carat-diamond rituals for the face and body. There are also treatments for two. www.brownshotel.com. Albemarle St, W1S 4BP. T: 020-7518 4009. E7. Station: Green Park.

The Spa at Dolphin Square Moroccan-inspired luxury. Signature massages include the Moroccan Majorelle and Arabian Ceremony. Treatments can be combined with a hammam. www.dolphinsquare.co.uk/spa.

Chichester St, SW1V 3LX. T: 020-7798 6767.

Off map. Station: Pimlico.

Spa Illuminata

This is one of the few places in London that offers paraffin wax baths. Special services include weaves, extensions, wig creation and cutting.

There’s a hammam, too. www.urbanretreat.co.uk.

Fifth floor, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Rd, SW1X 7XL. T: 020-7893 8333. F5. Station: Knightsbridge.

Ushvani

Mandarin Oriental

A traditional barbershop in Mayfair, which offers wet shaves, manicures and haircuts for an elegant result. www.trumpers.com. 9 Curzon St, W1J 5HQ. T: 020-7499 1850. E6. Station: Green Park.

es Clefs d’Or Concierges

This spa offers a range of treatments including massages, manicures and waxing. Brands used are Natura Bissé and Oskia. The health club is excellent, while the pool is chlorine-free and has underwater music. www.onealdwych.com.

One Aldwych, WC2B 4BZ. T: 020-7300 0600.

D8. Station: Covent Garden.

Please call to book an appointment at your hotel, home or our studio on:

07879 697478

Late appointments available

Plush spa with a philosophy that is based on ancient Asian culture and takes a holistic approach to pampering. Treatments include a Malay massage and Balinese massage, which incorporate herbs and spices. www.ushvani.com.

1 Cadogan Gardens, SW3 2RJ. T: 020-7730 2888.

G5. Station: Sloane Square.

Gentlemen’s Tonic

One Aldwych

Total relaxation, revitalising massage.

Urban Retreat at Harrods

This spa has an Asian touch: the gorgeous decor includes a bamboo forest, Mondrian paintings and Japanese shoji screens. Try the warm bamboo massage, where bamboo stalks are used on your body. www.mandaraspa.com. Park Plaza, 200 Westminster Bridge Rd, SE1 7UT. T: 020-7620 7300. F8. Station: Waterloo.

A luxury spa inspired by Chinese massage methods. Facilities include a 17m pool and a gym. You can book a session with trainer Ruben Tabares – sessions can be held in Hyde Park if you wish. www.mandarinoriental.com.

66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA. T: 020-7235 2000.

F5. Station: Knightsbridge.

by qualified female masseuse.

This spa’s menu includes facials, massages and options for men. Anti-ageing treatments include anti-wrinkle injections and skin peels. www.spa illuminata.com. 63 South Audley St, W1K 2QS. T: 020-7499 7777. E6. Station: Marble Arch.

SALONSlike obody knows London Mandara Spa

AVENA MASSAGE

This is a stylish men-only grooming establishment with a barbershop, body and hair treatments and a full range of products. www.gentlemenstonic.com.

31a Bruton Place, W1J 6NN. T: 020-7297 4343. E6.

Station: Bond Street.

Geo F Trumper

®

...for shops, restaurants, theatre bookings and sightseeing activities in the area

They would be happy to assist you so that you can enjoy the very best that London has to offer in the time that you have to spend with us

where

Hershesons Blow Dry Bar At this trendy hairdresser to the stars, you can ask for your favourite fashion-forward look from a menu and a stylist will create it in 30 minutes. www.hershesons.com. Selfridges, 400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB. T: 020-7493 1600. E6. Station: Bond Street.

Jo Hansford

ytoeverything www.lesclefsdorgb.org The Refinery

@lesclefsdorgb lesclefsdorgb

This men-only spa has treatments ranging from a traditional shave to a sports massage.

If you want to master a wet shave, you can book a Principles of Shaving lesson. Also available at Harrods. www.the-refinery.com. 60 Brook St, W1K 5DU. T: 020-7409 2001. E6. Station: Bond Street.

This hair-colour salon, which is home to top stylists, is renowned for its colour correction work.

The salon also has an in-house chef. www.jo hansford.com. 48 South Audley St, W1K 2QB. T: 020-7495 7774. E6. Station: Marble Arch.

@lesclefsdorgb

Windle & Moodie lesclefsdorgb

An award-winning hair salon, which specialises in upfront catwalk looks. The 20-minute Speed Styling service includes updos. www.windleand moodie.com. 41-45 Shorts Gardens, WC2H 9AP. T: 020-7497 2393. D8. Station: Covent Garden. www.wheretraveler.com 69

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ESSENTIALS | THE GUIDE TICKET INFORMATION AT YOUR SERVICE Concierges in the capital use Where London for information – these concierges share their top tips

Ben Malpass

Ben Szent-Kirallyi

Jack McCarthy

is head concierge at The Hari hotel in Belgravia

is concierge at The Connaught hotel

is deputy head concierge at The Cavendish London

What are the most popular requests you get?

Restaurant bookings, tickets for events, limousine hire and general London advice.

What is the most popular request you get?

I get asked a lot for Hamilton and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child tickets.

What makes your hotel special?

The Bar & Garden Terrace’s retractable roof and cigar humidor, and our afternoon tea doughnut balls.

What’s been the strangest request you’ve had?

Sourcing and shipping a particular type of antique wrought-iron fence to the United States.

How should someone see London in a day?

Start in Greenwich, then take a ferry on the Thames to the Tower of London.

Walk along the South Bank and finish at Big Ben.

What makes your hotel so special?

Our staircase, which was replicated by Ralph Lauren for his New York flagship store.

Any family-friendly ideas?

Warner Bros. Studio Tour, with its Harry Potter set, is hard to beat.

Share romantic ideas.

Take a narrowboat ride in Little Venice, which is a beautiful part of the capital.

This image: View of London from Greenwich Park Right: Hamilton

How can someone see London in a day?

You can’t go wrong with the Coca-Cola London Eye, Westminster Abbey, the Churchill War Rooms and the Museum of London.

Any family-friendly ideas?

Brockwell Park Miniature Railway in Dulwich is fun.

How can someone see London in a day?

An open-top bus tour is an ideal way to get an overview of London.

The tours are interactive with live guides on board who provide local knowledge and history.

Share a romantic idea.

Dine on the terrace at Coppa Club, which has impressive views of the River Thames and Tower Bridge.

Any hidden gems?

Mr Fogg’s Residence, which has a discreet entrance on Bruton Lane in Mayfair. It’s based on the fictional British adventurer, Phileas J Fogg.

You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to cocktails.

Share a quintessential English experience.

Afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason department store.

The tea is served in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, which has a history dating back to 1707.

An Oyster card is a pre-paid travel smart card.

It’s a cheap way to pay for single journeys by bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail train services in London.

You can buy a Visitor Oyster card before you leave home for a £5 fee and pre-load it with credit at www.visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk. The system has nine zones. Zone 1 is in central London.

Visitors can buy Oyster cards and Day Travelcards from stations, Visitor Centres and any Oyster Ticket Shop. UK visitors can also pay for their travel with a UK-issued contactless payment card. See www.tfl.gov.uk/visitinglondon.

An Oyster card also gives you a 25 per cent discount on London’s cable car, the Emirates Air Line, and a 10 per cent discount on single journeys on most MBNA Thames Clippers river buses.

For more info, visit www.visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk.

GETTING AROUND For 24-hour travel information, visit the Transport for London (TfL) website. www.tfl.gov.uk/ visitinglondon or call T: 0343-222 1234.

London Underground (The Tube) www.tfl.gov.uk. See London Underground map (opposite). Services run Mon-Sat 5am-12.30am and Sun 7.30am-11.30pm on most routes. The Night Tube service runs on Fri-Sat on the Victoria, Jubilee, Central, Northern (via Embankment) and Piccadilly lines. Fares vary; a Zone 1 adult fare costs £4.90 (£2.40 with an Oyster card).

London Buses London buses run 5am-12.30am. Night buses (midnight-4.30am) operate on main routes (several services are 24-hour). You can’t pay for a bus fare with cash, so use a Visitor Oyster card, Oyster card, Travelcard or a UK-issued contactless payment card. Visit www.tfl.gov.uk/ buses. A single fare is £1.50 with an Oyster card or a UK-issued contactless payment card.

London Overground www.tfl.gov.uk. Trains run Mon-Sat 5am-midnight; Sun 7am-11.30pm on most routes.

Please check for 24-hour service at weekends.

Docklands Light Railway Trains run approximately every three-anda-half minutes to 10 minutes. Mon-Sat 5.30am12.30am; Sun 7am-11pm. T: 020-7363 9700.

Trains Paddington serves the West Country, Wales and the South Midlands.

Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street serve East Anglia and Essex.

Euston King’s Cross St Pancras Marylebone and St Pancras King’s Cross International (connects to St Pancras) serve north and central Britain, Charing Cross and southeast England.

London Bridge Waterloo Victoria serve southern England. and For times and tickets, visit www.nationalrail. co.uk or call T: 0845-748 4950.

St Pancras International.

Eurostar uses Visit www.eurostar.com for more information, times and ticket prices. Call T: 0344-822 4777 (from outside the UK, T: 01233-617 575).

BEN MALPASS COURTESY OF THE HARI; BEN SZENT-KIRALLYI COURTESY OF THE CONNAUGHT; JACK MCCARTHY COURTESY OF THE CAVENDISH LONDON; GREENWICH PARK © VISIT GREENWICH; HAMILTON © JOAN MARCUS

Oyster cards & Travelcards

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ESSENTIALS

Willesden Green

Stonebridge Park Harlesden

Brondesbury Park

Willesden Junction

Kilburn Park Maida Vale Warwick Avenue Royal Oak Westbourne Park

Paddington

Ladbroke Grove Latimer Road

North Acton

Shepherd’s Bush

White City

Shepherd’s Bush Market

Stamford Brook

Ravenscourt Park

West Kensington

High Street Kensington

Green Park

Gloucester Road

Earl’s Court

Goodge Street

Victoria

Hoxton

Charing Cross

Liverpool Street

Bank

Aldgate East

Stepney Green

Whitechapel

Aldgate

Cannon Street Monument

Tower Gateway Rotherhithe

Bermondsey

Canada Water

West Brompton

Parsons Green

Surrey Quays

River Thames

Step-free access from street to platform

Bakerloo

Vauxhall

East Putney

Canning Town

District

Hammersmith & City

Custom House for ExCeL

Blackwall East India

Emirates Royal Docks

Heron Quays

North Greenwich

Elephant & Castle

Jubilee

Metropolitan

Prince Regent Royal Albert

West Silvertown Emirates Greenwich Peninsula

Pontoon Dock

New Cross Gate

Northern

Victoria

Cyprus Gallions Reach Beckton

King George V 17/E/3249/P

Greenwich New Cross

Brockley

Piccadilly

Beckton Park

London City Airport

Mudchute

Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich Queens Road Peckham

Circle

Royal Victoria

Island Gardens

Borough

Southfields

Central

Star Lane

Langdon Park

Canary Wharf

Lambeth North

Putney Bridge Step-free access from street to train

East Ham Upton Park

Crossharbour

Southwark

Imperial Wharf

Upney Barking

West Ham

Bow BromleyRoad by-Bow Devons Road

South Quay Waterloo Pimlico

Fulham Broadway

Elm Park Dagenham East Dagenham Heathway

Stratford

West India Quay

Wapping

River Thames

London Bridge

Woodgrange Park

Forest Gate Maryland

Abbey Road

Westferry Poplar

Limehouse

Tower Hill

Fenchurch Street

Embankment

Pudding Mill Lane

All Saints Shadwell

Blackfriars Temple

Westminster

Bow Church

St. Paul’s

Hornchurch

Plaistow

Moorgate Chancery Lane

Ilford Manor Park

Becontree

Bethnal Green Bethnal Mile Green End

Shoreditch High Street

Barbican

Upminster Bridge

Seven Kings

Wanstead Park

Stratford High Street

Cambridge Heath

Old Street

Covent Garden

St. James’s Park

Homerton London Fields

Haggerston

Farringdon

Leicester Mansion Square House

Piccadilly Circus

Sloane Square

South Kensington

Holborn

Tottenham Court Road

Knightsbridge

Barons Court

Hammersmith

Regent’s Park

Marble Arch

Dalston Junction

Angel Euston Square Russell Square

Queensway

Caledonian Road & Barnsbury

King’s Cross St. Pancras

Bayswater Oxford Circus

Stoke Newington Leytonstone High Road St. James Rectory Street Road Dalston Stratford Leyton Kingsland Clapton International Hackney Canonbury Hackney Downs Hackney Central Wick

Highbury & Islington

Euston

Warren Street

Edgware Road

Hyde Park Corner

Kensington (Olympia)

Goldhawk Road

Mornington Crescent

Great Baker Portland Street Street

Notting Lancaster Bond Gate Street Hill Gate

Holland Park

Wood Lane

Camden Road

Chalk Farm Camden Town

Finchley Road Swiss Cottage St. John’s Wood

Edgware Road Marylebone

Kentish Holloway Road Town Caledonian Road

Kentish Town West Belsize Park

West Hampstead

Kensal Rise Brondesbury Kensal Green South Queen’s Park Kilburn High Road Hampstead

East Acton

Finchley Road & Frognal

Kilburn

Deptford Bridge Elverson Road

Waterloo & City

DLR

Services or access at these stations are subject to variation.

Please search ‘TfL stations’ for full details.

Kensington (Olympia) open weekends and on some public holidays

Emirates Air Line cable car

Overground

TfL Rail

*Service and network charges may apply. See tfl.gov.uk/terms for details.

Transport for London

Reg. user No. 17/E/3249/P

Version D 7.2017

Accessible London

Emirates Air Line cable car

Get information for deaf and disabled travellers, including step-free journeys on the Tube, bus and river services at www.visitlondon.com/ access and www.openbritain.net.

London’s only cable car runs across the River Thames between Greenwich Peninsula (The O2) and the Royal Docks (ExCeL London). You can board from either the North Greenwich or Royal Victoria sides of the river (return flights are available). You can buy a combined ticket with MBNA Thames Clippers and London Transport Museum. www.tfl.gov.uk/emiratesairline.

Taxis You can hail a black cab (taxi) in the street. Fares increase after 8pm. You cannot hail private-hire or minicabs, which you must book. We strongly advise against you using any vehicle that approaches you in the street, except for licensed black cabs. www.tfl.gov.uk.

Car hire Make sure your driving licence is valid for the UK and see ‘Congestion Charge’ below. 4x4 Vehicle Hire: T: 01245-410535. www.4x4vehiclehire.co.uk.

Hertz: T: 0870-844 8844. www.hertz.co.uk. Kendall Cars Ltd: T: 020-8542 0403. www.kendallcars.com.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car: T: 0800-800 227. www.enterprise.co.uk.

Congestion Charge UNDERGROUND SIGN © ISTOCK; MAP COURTESY OF TFL

Improvement works may affect your journey, please check before you travel

There is a congestion charge to drive into central London, Mon-Fri 7am-6pm. Payable in advance or on the day of travel (£11.50), or the day after (£14).

UK: T: 034-3222 2222. International: T: +44 20-7649 9122. www.cclondon.com.

River services www.tfl.gov.uk/river MBNA Thames Clippers: www.mbnathames clippers.com. MBNA Thames Clippers River Bus serves 22 piers, with departures every 20 minutes.

Adult prices start from £4.40. River Roamer ticket (unlimited hop on/hop off all day from 9am). Adult £19; child (5-15) £9.50; Family (two adults, up to three children) just £38. Children under five travel free.

Discounts available on MBNA Thames Clippers with a TfL Travelcard, Oyster, or via the app or online.

Correct at time of going to print

On foot It’s often quicker to get around London by walking. Look out for blue and yellow Legible London street maps. www.tfl.gov.uk/ legiblelondon.

Santander Cycles There are 11,500 bikes for hire from 750 docking stations throughout central London. £2 to hire the first 30 minutes. There’s no need to book, but you need a debit or credit card to hire a bike.

Visit www.tfl.gov.uk/santandercycles or call T: 0343-222 6666.

24-hour Tube lines

Coaches

Run Fridays & Saturdays on the following lines. More are due to open soon.

London’s main coach services use Victoria Coach Station, a central hub which offers travel to destinations around the UK and some parts of Europe, such as France and The Netherlands.

SW1W 9TP. T: 0843-222 1234. www.tfl.gov.uk/ coaches Victoria. Map D4.

DELIVERY Mail Boxes Etc. Worldwide parcel delivery, courier and postal services. There are 1,600 stores worldwide and more than 150 stores in the UK and Ireland.

Mail Boxes are also trained certified packers.

T: 01608-649230. www.mbe.co.uk/london.

• Jubilee Line: Across the entire line.

• Victoria Line: Across the entire line.

• Northern Line: Between Morden and Camden Town and between Camden Town and High Barnet/Edgware. Night Tube will not stop at Charing Cross.

• Piccadilly Line: Between Cockfosters and Heathrow Terminal 5.

• Central Line: Between White City and Leytonstone; between Ealing Broadway and White City; and between Leytonstone and Loughton/Hainault. www.wheretraveler.com 71

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15/03/2018 15:36

WHERE NOW | ALEXANDER O’NEAL

ALEXANDER O’NEAL SINGER O’Neal is a soul and R’n’B singer from Mississippi, who has previously worked with Prince. He is famous for the hit songs Criticize and Fake.

Catch him on The Resurrected Tour, which comes to the London Palladium on 25 April What are your favourite buildings?

What restaurants do you like?

Why should people see your show?

My favourite building is Big Ben, as I have an association with it. I shot one of my album covers at Big Ben!

I like Small and Beautiful in Kilburn. The food is great, it’s so fresh. I used to live in West Hampstead, which isn’t far from the restaurant.

What are your favourite attractions?

Tell us about playing at the Palladium.

I like Madame Tussauds – I enjoy all of the famous people in there.

I’m really looking forward to it. It’s been a while since I’ve played at a big theatre and I’ve never played at the Palladium before. The reason I am so excited is because one of the greatest albums I ever heard in my life was Marvin Gaye Live at the London Palladium. I feel like I’m running in Marvin Gaye’s footsteps.

If you’re an R’n’B enthusiast, and you love good R’n’B music, you might want to come and see me – even in this day and time we don’t compromise the music for anything. Everything is live; we give our heart and soul. We have 90 minutes of hardcore Alexander O’Neal and not a bunch of props and costume changes.

Where do you like going shopping?

John Lewis is great and I like Wembley, too.

I have so many favourite items that I’ve bought in London – shoes in particular. I’m a shoe nut!

Is there a place in London that holds a special memory for you?

That would have to be Wembley Arena. I had six sell-out dates there. It was a great experience for me and hopefully I’ll return there one day.

How do you like to travel?

On my bicycle – I always cycle around London.

I bought my own bike in America and had it shipped over here. I do it for the exercise.

What would be your favourite way to spend the evening?

I think my perfect evening would be to take my wife out to dinner. I’d love to go to a place like Ronnie Scott’s or The Jazz Cafe and see different kinds of jazz artists. I’m into lots of kinds of music, but I love jazz. I’ve been working a lot recently, but I would love to go The Jazz Cafe again. I saw Gil Scott-Heron there – he was an amazing artist.

Where would you spend the night?

Probably at The May Fair hotel. It’s the only hotel that hasn’t kicked me out in a long time!

I used to stay there years ago, so when I go there it brings back a lot of good memories.

What can people expect from the tour?

There’s going to be all of the classic Alexander O’Neal songs. We’re also going to introduce songs from my new album, which is coming out this year, called Resurrected. I’m excited as this album is different to anything that I’ve done before – I’ve come out of my comfort zone. It’s not a typical R’n’B album like people are used to getting from me. It’s R’n’B, blues, folk – all kinds of stuff. It’s going hand-in-hand with my autobiography, in which I talk about my life, from being raised in Mississippi to my career and music – all those kinds of things.

Why does London stand out for you?

What makes London so unique is that it’s so cosmopolitan. The whole vibe sees every kind of person under the sun – there’s so many different cultures. I often think it’s more like a little country in itself – that’s the way I feel about it.

I feel like I am an honorary Brit as I’ve had a lot of love and a lot of success here over the years.

25 Apr. London Palladium, 8 Argyll St, W1F 7TE. www.london-palladium. co.uk. T: 020-7087 7755

Clockwise from top left: Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club; Alexander O’Neal; Big Ben; Prince Harry at Madame Tussauds; Marvin Gaye’s Live at the London Palladium album; cycling in London

RONNIE SCOTT’S COURTESY OF RONNIE SCOTT’S; ALEXANDER O’NEAL COURTESY OF ALEXANDER O’NEAL; BIG BEN, MARVIN GAYE ALBUM AND CYCLING © ISTOCK; MADAME TUSSAUDS IMAGE COURTESY OF MADAME TUSSAUDS

My Perfect Day

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K PA R EY BL EM W

THE WEMBLEY

STADIUM

TOUR

GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE UK’S LARGEST SPORTING AND MUSIC VENUE

wembleystadium.com/tours +44 (0)800 169 9933

Special group rates available TOURS DEPART DAILY: 10:00 – 15:00

PRINTED TRANSLATION GUIDES AVAILABLE IN 10 LANGUAGES

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08/03/2018 15:40

THE

GOBLET

OF

FIRE

30TH MARCH - 23RD SEPTEMBER

TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE AT WBSTUDIOTOUR.CO.UK TM & © 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR.

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