Historic Sites in Penge

"A world-famous abbey, often used for Royal ceremonies and weddings. Since 1066 and the ascent to the throne of William the Conqueror, Westminster Abbey has been used for every single coronation of an English King and/or Queen. There are many famed figures from history buried within the abbey, including royalty such as Elizabeth I, the author Charles Dickens, and scientists Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin."

"A post shared by Constantine Konovalov (@ckonovalov) on Jun 12, 2017 at 2:01pm PDT. Be wowed by more than a thousand years of history at the world-famous Westminster Abbey. One of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the United Kingdom, the London landmark began its life in 1245 and its history traces back to 10th-century Benedictine monks."

"If walls could talk, Westminster Abbey would have plenty to say!. The site of every coronation since 1066, this Gothic church is the final resting place for 17 monarchs, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Sir Laurence Olivier, and many, many others. It’s also a favourite for royal weddings—in 2011 Prince William married Kate Middleton here."

"The White Tower, popularly known as the Tower of London, is definitely one of the must-see historical landmarks in London. It was constructed almost 1000 years ago in 1097, and this old monument has been used as an execution site, prison, and royal residence. The walls of the Tower of London are rich in history, making it one of the most-visited English landmarks in the city."

"Tour the (in)famous Tower of London, and find out more about its 900-year history. It’s had many uses over the years – as a palace, prison and even a zoo – but today it’s famously the home of the Crown Jewels. Prepare to be dazzled by the Royal Family’s riches – I recommend booking ahead through Get Your Guide so that you can skip the line."

"Home to the world’s most famous clock, Big Ben (officially the Queen Elizabeth Tower, but no one calls it that), the Houses of Parliament is a neo-Gothic wonder built in the mid-19th century. It is made up of two houses – the Commons and the Lords – and if you reserve ahead (or just try your luck on the day) you can go inside to watch British democracy in action."

"» The building of Westminster Palace, called The Parliament, is one of the largest buildings in the world. That’s the palace of 1200 rooms, 5 kilometers of corridors, and 100 stairways. » The most famous among palace’s towers is often referred to as Big Ben."

"The palace of is an iconic building not just in London, but around the world. You can photograph it in various ways, and from several locations. – You can take an iconic photo of the palace of Westminster from the bridge."

"North of Oxford Street, there’s no missing the striking buildings of the Wallace Collection, one of the most interesting free art museums in London. Inside the buildings, you’ll find paintings from the 15th to 19th century, with a particularly impressive collection of 18th century French artworks said to rival the collection at Versailles. This free museum is the only place you’ll ever be able to see these masterpieces – when Sir Richard Wallace’s widow bequeathed the collection, she made it a condition that not a single piece should ever leave the imposing building."

"Set in a beautiful mansion where the wealthy Seymour family once lived, the Wallace Collection is lovely to walk around and the artworks on display are simply divine. The ensemble of lavish rooms, rich paintings, and stately statues are breathtaking, and you really do feel like you have stepped back in time. Also including fantastic pieces of china, furniture, armor, and ivory, the Wallace Collection is wonderfully presented and conveniently located in the center of London."

"The Wallace Collection is a London art gallery made up of the collection of the Marquess family. The art all dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries and was gathered by five generations of the Marquesses along with Sir Richard Wallace, who was an illegitimate Marquess son. Today, the collection contains more than five thousand pieces."

"From fully-qualified doctors to avid viewers of Holby City, this museum will remind you of how surgery used to be a whole lot more gruesome back in the day. Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre is in Southwark, dating back more than 300 years. Nowadays you can tour the theatre, which has been kept exactly as it was when it was used during a time of no anaesthetic (ow), no antiseptic (ew) and certainly no antibiotics (crikey)."

"The V&A's Theatre Collections hold the UK's national collection of material about live performance in the UK since Shakespeare's day, covering drama, dance, musical theatre, circus, music hall, rock and pop, and other forms of live entertainment. Theatre and Performance galleries dedicated to the performing arts, display works of art, costumes, ephemera, video recordings, puppets, posters and photographs."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. Tickets cost £20 GBP (around $26 USD). Make sure to book your tickets and pick a time-slot in advance directly on the museum website."

"Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian Here is your chance to stand over 0° longitude, placing one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one foot in the western hemisphere. You can also visit the planetarium museum. Since this observatory sits on top of a hill, you have a great view over Greenwich and the River Thames from here."

"Greenwich is on the prime meridian at 0° longitude, and the ultimate standard for time around the world has been set here at the Royal…"

"Ham House is located in an idyllic spot on the River Thames in Ham (in South West London). The house was built in 1610 and is owned by the National Trust. The beautiful gardens have recently been restored to their former plan from the 1600s."

"Aiming to make vegan cuisine mainstream, you’ll find an extensive plant-based pizza menu, plus Vegan Express's popular “tofish” (vegan fish and chips) served with mushy peas, at this Tooting restaurant. Add in a range of smoothies, desserts and even a vegan cheeseboard for a full-on vegan feast."

"Climb a wide wooden staircase in a plant-filled room like a green-fingered celebrity to get to this airy, high-ceilinged vegetarian café that sits majestically on top of the Camden Garden Centre. The centre is part of a community enterprise for disadvantaged young people; and so is the café. High-quality suppliers are at the heart of its philosophy, including Oliveology, Seven Seeded bakery, Workshop Coffee and Postcard Teas."

"Named after the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, whose impressive work to the taxonomic rank helped communicate our understanding of who we are, and how we as individuals fit into the world surrounding us, Linnaean is a spot that’s on one hell of a health kick. Fused together through a love for health, beauty and lifestyle, all of your girlie needs are catered for here, from the health-driven cafe, natural beauty treatments, to a little lifestyle boutique for all of your self-pampering needs. Unlike most ‘Instagrammable’ venues, Linnaean manages to deliver on all accounts and ticks all of your interior goals as soon as you step inside."

"It's not often can you have pancakes under the same roof as a spa offering manicures, blow-dries, express glow facials and massages. But that’s exactly that kind of luxury treatment on offer at London’s recently-opened Linnaean. As well as offering some of the finest beauty treatments in the capital (it’s interiors alone are enough to have your Instagram feed sorted for weeks), Linnaean’s restaurant offers a plant-rich menu including a variety of vegan and gluten-free pancakes."

"South London’s answer to Instagrammable restaurants is Linnaean: a health-focused café, apothecary and beauty salon named after Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus. Located in the heart of London’s Embassy Gardens, Linnaean is a beautiful space, with a very Instagram-friendly flower ceiling, hanging lights and pastel pink bar seats, alongside an equally pretty – and delicious – food offering. Afterwards, pop into the salon for a treatment for a long-awaited self-care day."

"Taj opened its first Jiva spa in Europe last year in the heart of London’s Westminster - so it still feels brand-spanking new. The spa takes inspiration from ancient Indian wellness philosophies, offering a menu of body rituals and facials which blend traditional healing techniques and use luxurious Temple Spa products. Unwind in between treatments in the atmospheric vitality pool or break a sweat in the fitness suite."

"London Cakes & Bakes is a patisserie owned by Victoria, a skilled and well-established patisserie chef that offers delicious cakes, cupcakes and pastries that would certainly delight the sweet tooth in you. Using the finest ingredients of fruits, organic butter, free-range eggs and chocolates from the best French and Belgian suppliers, they guarantee delicious and flavourful combination that will tempt any palate. Oozing with all-natural flavours and taste, they guarantee no artificial flavouring used for the cakes that they have."