The writer Samuel Johnson put it best when he wrote ‘…when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.’ There is so much to see and do in this capital city that it is simply impossible to cram it quite in during a short visit. A thoroughly cosmopolitan incorporated town, you’ll be able to feed your way through the world’s cuisines, or shop from London’s very own up-and-coming designers, without venturing too far.

See
Southbank Centre – This large complex encompasses the Royal Festival Hall, the Hayward Gallery and the Queen Elizabeth Hall.  Expect to see a diverse range of cultural events happening side by side – from blockbuster art exhibitions to spoken word performances by little-known writers. Where else do you except to find punk legend Henry Rollins performing only steps away from the London Sinfonietta?

Shop
Camden Market – Almost as many tourists come to Camden Market to gawky at its colourfully outfitted denizens as to actually shop. The sprawling market is best known for its many stalls selling ‘alternative fashion’ – need an all-latex jumpsuit, a Gothic Lolita headpiece or huge Doc Marten boots?

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Visiting London this winter? Some of the top things to be sufficient in London in winter include Christmas fairs and ice-skating in Hyde Park.

1. Visit the Winter Wonderland in London’s Hyde Park

The annual Winter Wonderland brings festive spirit to London’s Hyde Park from 21st November 2009 to 3rd January 2010. The 2009 Winter Wonderland features each ice skating rink, Santa’s Grotto, a Snow Ball Bungee Dome, an Observation Wheel with views over London, and a German Christmas Market with dozens of stalls that sell arts, crafts and gifts. There are also bars and restaurants, mulled wine and other Christmas treats, and entertainment by bands and choirs. Entrance to the Winter Wonderland is free, but some attractions require pre-booking via the Winter Wonderland website  hydeparkwinterwonderland.com.

2. Catch A Christmas Carol Concert In London

Get into Christmas mood in one of London’s many Christmas Carol concerts.

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If you’re in London and would like to be magically transported back by candlelight through the centuries to a Christmas in 18th century East London, then visit the Dennis Severs House in Shoreditch.

The house is set in a Georgian Terrace close to Spittlefield market and is resembling a stage set instead of an 18th century costume drama, where the family who lived in that place have just left the room. The house was created by an American, Dennis Severs, who lived in the house, in it’s unmodernised state just as you see it, until his death in 1999. He created the house as a sensory experience which would transport visitors away from the modern world into a bygone era. For Christmas, the house is open every evening for you to enjoy  in silence by candlelight, soaking up the atmosphere.

The imaginary family who live in the house are Mr Jervis, a prosperous silk-weaver and his spouse Mrs Jervis. Throughout the house you experience their daily domesticity and their treasured possessions artfully arranged to hint at their lifestyle and character.

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Signs guide the way outside London. All photos by Justin Bergman.

By Justin Bergman in London—

Getting out of London is extraordinarily easy. Sure, unless you’re infectious a train, you do have to wind your interval through the endless suburbs first. But once you cross the busy M-25 ring road, the scenery changes dramatically. Suddenly, you’re in the English countryside of Jane Austen novels.

The best usage to examine the bucolic rolling hills, sheep farms, and stone villages outside London is not behind the fetch a compass of a car, but on foot.

I had my first actual trial with country walking final weekend. My boyfriend and I rented a City Car (London’s version of a Zipcar) and drove about an hour to the west to the Chiltern hills, where I’d read there was good walking. We grabbed a footpath map and walking directions at a shop in the village of Hambleden and off we went. Seven miles seemed like a good enough demand. We’d be back before dinner, no problem.

I should have known it wasn’confidentially going to be that easy from the first set of instructions on our map: “At a right-hand bend, fork left onto the right-hand of two paths (LE38), a gravel drive.

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By Justin Bergman in London—London’s many stages and playhouses have countless plays, musicals and operas on offer all summer long—and unlike in New York, tickets here have power to be had for a song if you know where to look.

As in great part as prices go, think under 10 pounds. In fact, at one theater, tickets go for 10 pence a head (more on this later)! Here’s how to find the best deals:

Scoring half-price seats for the splashy West End shows

Chances are if you’re thinking about taking in a show in London, you’re going to want to get the most for your money, i.e. a big-time musical (Billy Elliot, Sister Act) with magnificent production values and perhaps a B-list celebrity star. There’s nothing wrong with that. Just read the reviews and choose wisely as there are greater amount of than a few stinkers on the West End. (We’re hearing that Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical, for instance, just doesn’t live up to all the sequin and rhinestone hype.)

Tickets for the biggest musicals—especially the most in demand—can run upwards of 60 pounds ($100) apiece.

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