London & Partners

SIGHTSEEING
08448 471 672.
parliament.uk
Ë Westminster. Map D6.
THE JEWEL TOWER
Built around 1365 to house
Edward III’s treasures, this
building is one of only two
left from the medieval Palace
of Westminster after a fire
in 1834. It is home to a
fascinating display on the
history of Parliament. Sat-Sun
10.00-16.00. Admission
£3.20, child £1.90.
Abingdon Street, SW1.
020 7222 2219.
english-heritage.org.uk
Ë Westminster. Map D6.
KEATS HOUSE
This elegant 19th-century
building was home to
romantic poet John Keats.
Its collection includes his
books, poetry, paintings and
household items, plus the
engagement ring he gave
to Fanny Brawne. Until 31
Oct Poet-in-Residence: John
Hegley. Attend special events,
including music and speed
sonnet-writing sessions.
26 Aug, 30 Sep Sunday Tea
With John. Enjoy music and a
20-minute lecture on Keats’s
life. Tues-Sun 13.00-17.00.
Admission £5, child free.
Keats Grove, NW3.
020 7332 3868.
keatshouse.
cityoflondon.gov.uk
Ë Hampstead. Off map.
KENSINGTON PALACE
This royal residence sits in
Kensington Gardens and was
Princess Diana’s last home.
Don’t miss Victoria Revealed,
an exhibition exploring the life
and reign of former palace
resident Queen Victoria,
featuring fascinating personal
objects and artworks in the
rooms where she once lived.
Until 4 Nov Jubilee — A View
From The Crowd. Exploring
Queen Victoria’s 1897
Diamond Jubilee from the
point of view of a spectator.
Daily 10.00-18.00. Admission
£14.50, child free.
Kensington Gardens, W8.
08444 827 777.
hrp.org.uk Ë High
Street Kensington/
Queensway. Map C1.
LONDON BRIDGE
EXPERIENCE
A very scary history lesson
that describes the past of the
1,700-year-old London Bridge
site – expect plenty of live
action shocks. Tickets also
include The London Tombs,
housed in a former plague pit.
Mon-Fri 10.00-17.00; Sat-
Sun 10.00-18.00. Admission
£23, child £17 (p. 58).
2-4 Tooley Street, SE1.
08448 472 287.
thelondonbridge
experience.com
Ë t London Bridge.
Map C8.
LONDON DUNGEON
Spectacular sets, live actors
and state-of-the-art special
effects evoke ghoulish
encounters from Britain’s
past. Not for small kids or
the faint-hearted. Until 2 Sep
10.00-18.00; from 3 Sep
10.00-17.30. Admission £24,
child £18.60; cheaper online
depending on date and time.
Joint tickets with London
Eye, London Aquarium and
Madame Tussauds available.
28-34 Tooley Street, SE1.
020 7403 7221.
thedungeons.com
Ë t London Bridge.
Map C8.
LONDON
PLEASURE GARDENS
Newly-opened riverside
cultural and entertainment
hub, offering a 21st-century
take on London’s historic
Pleasure Gardens. The site
hosts everything from openair
concerts, theatre, dance
and circus performances to
film screenings, live art and
family activities. There’s also
a floating cocktail bar and
an urban nature reserve.
Times vary.
Royal Victoria Dock, E16.
londonpleasuregardens.
com Ë Pontoon Dock.
Map inset.
EDF ENERGY
LONDON EYE
This icon is one of the
world’s largest observation
wheels, and takes centre
stage on the River Thames.
Interactive screens in each
pod give an insight into the
London Bridge Experience
Descend into the vaults of London Bridge for a dark
and gory trip through time that’s full of thrills and chills.
It’s a multi-sensory experience transporting visitors to a
dimly-lit world of foul smells, scary sets and unsettling
sounds. Led by vivacious character actors — bolshy
maids, burly Romans and cockeyed Victorians — time
travellers are taken through 2,000 years of horrible
history, visiting a Roman workshop, a bodysnatcher’s
lab and the rat-catcher’s tavern to name but a few
places. All grim and creepy enough, but then you have
the option to enter a genuine plague pit. Brave souls
venture forth to face the ghouls and zombies that
lurk in an endless maze of near-pitch black tombs.
More timid types can choose to be accompanied by a
‘guardian angel’ to protect them from the worst of the
horrors. In short, the experience is a real scream.
Review by Sasha Wood.
London Bridge Experience, p. 58.
landmarks. Each experience
lasts 30 mins. Daily 10.00-
21.00. Admission from
£18.90, child £9.90. Ride
and river tour packages,
plus joint tickets with the
London Aquarium, London
Dungeon and Madame
Tussauds available.
South Bank, SE1.
08717 813 000.
londoneye.com
Ë t Waterloo. Map C6.
LONDON WETLAND
CENTRE
On this 42-hectare wildlife
reserve, look out for more
than 100 species of rare and
wild birds, as well as a family
of otters who have taken up
residence in a speciallydesigned
holt. There are
various tours and birdspotting
hides, as well as
the Water’s Edge Café. Daily
09.30-17.00. Admission
£10.99, child £6.10.
Queen Elizabeth’s Walk,
SW13. 020 8409 4400.
wwt.org.uk
t Barnes. Off map.
LORD’S CRICKET
GROUND
Tours of the spiritual home
of cricket incorporate
the dressing rooms, the
Marylebone Cricket Club
Museum, home of the
original Ashes urn, and the
award-winning J. P. Morgan
Media Centre. Tours hourly
10.00-14.00 (please check
for match day times; no
tours on major match days).
Architectural tours can also
be arranged. Admission
£15, child £9.
St. John’s Wood Road,
NW8. 020 7616 8595.
lords.org Ë St. John’s
Wood. Map A2.
MADAME TUSSAUDS
The celebrated home of lifesized
waxworks depicting
famous figures from the
world’s of politics, sport and
entertainment. Pose with
your favourite pop artist or
sporting legend and visit
the terrifying Chamber
Of Horrors. See waxworks
of Olympic stars Jessica
IMAGE © LONDON BRIDGE EXPERIENCE
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| visitlondon.com|LONDON PLANNER|London 2012 Issue August/September