Historic Sites in Tufnell Park

"From the Houses of Parliament, walk around Parliament Square, head south on Abingdon Street for literally no more than 3 minutes, and find yourself face-to-face with Westminster Abbey. Over 1,000 years old (founded 960), Westminster Abbey is, besides being beautifully preserved, famous as the traditional site of the British monarchy’s coronations and funerals."

"» The main purpose of Westminster Abbey is coronation and burial vault of ruling monarchs. The building features a special cross shape. » Westminster Abbey is a huge necropolis, where the most famous people of England were buried."

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"Now home to the British Crown Jewels, the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. It served as a prison from 1100 to the mid twentieth century. This has led to the phrase “sent to the Tower”, meaning imprisoned."

"Enjoy one of the best tea experiences ever which includes not only the usual sweets and savories, but also a guided tour of some of the most famous landmarks in the city including Parliament, Notting Hill, and Trafalgar Square. Don’t worry about safety on a moving vehicle!. Hot beverages are served in secure travel mugs that are the most adorable cups you’ve ever seen, and everything is anchored to the tables. This is such a fun thing to add to your 4 day London itinerary and the best way to enjoy afternoon tea in England!"

"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 Palace of Westminster, as the complex is called, was first established on this site by Edward the Confessor in the 11th century."

"Not so much a gallery as an art-filled time portal, this considerable collection of 18th and 19th century fine art and design at Hertford House is the work of Sir Richard Wallace and his ancestors. Paintings in the collection include works by Rembrandt, Fragonard, Rubens, Canaletto, Velazquez and the wonderful Laughing Cavalier by Franz Hals. Hertford House, Manchester Square, Mayfair, W1U 3BN, wallacecollection.org"

"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."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Admission is free but you must book your visit in advance here. NEAREST METRO STATION: Bond Street"

"Completed in 1729 by the 3rd earl of Burlington (also known for Burlington House—home of the Royal Academy—and Burlington Arcade…"

"One of the most famous palaces in England, Hampton Court is known for its lush gardens and unusual architecture (half-Tudor, half-Baroque). Get lost in the Hampton Court maze, see the largest grapevine in the world, and take a behind-the-scenes look at a palace kitchen that was once used to serve hundreds of guests. Historical reenactments take place during the day and are a delight for travellers interested in British royalty. Hampton Court is within walking distance of the nearby train station and the River Thames for easy access back to London."

"Built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1515 but coaxed from him by Henry VIII just before Wolsey (as chancellor) fell from favour, Hampton Court Palace is England's largest and grandest Tudor structure. It was already one of Europe's most sophisticated palaces when, in the 17th century, Christopher Wren designed an extension. The result is a beautiful blend of Tudor and 'restrained baroque' architecture. You could easily spend a day exploring the palace and its 24 hectares of riverside gardens, including a 300-year-old maze."

"While not exactly in Central London, Hampton Court Palace does fall within the boundaries of London. It’s still a minor transport effort to get here, but totally worth it. Hampton Court Palace isn’t an inhabited Royal Palace, but it has plenty of Royal history, most notably as it was one of the principal residences of Henry VIII, he of the many wives."

"A pretty walk across Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens will bring you to the gorgeous Kensington Palace, most famous as the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria, for whom the whole Victorian era was named. One of the longest reigning British monarchs, she oversaw the huge expansion of the British Empire, as well as great leaps in science, technology, and industry. Currently, Kensington Palace is the official residence of a number of members of the Royal Family, including the Princes William and Harry."

"Kensington Palace is a royal residence located in Kensington Gardens in London. The palace has housed members of the royal family since the 1600s. As of 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Eugiene and her spouse, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent call the palace their home."

"Kensington Palace (fee*) is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens. It began as a fairly humble 17th century two-storey Jacobean mansion and was expanded by the royal family into the giant royal residence it is today."

"The new Globe was designed to resemble the original as closely as possible, which means having the arena open to the fickle London skies, leaving the 700 ‘groundlings’ (standing spectators) to weather London’s spectacular downpours. Visits to the Globe include tours of the theatre (half-hourly) as well as access to the exhibition space, which has fascinating exhibits on Shakespeare, life in Bankside and theatre in the 17th century."

"Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Continue your walk along the River Thames to the Globe Theater. The original Globe Theatre was built in 1599 and hosted plays written by Shakespeare. A modern version of the Globe Theatre was built in 1997 on the site of the original theatre."

"We are all in London, but some of us are looking at the stars – particularly those of us who frequent the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. In and around Sir Christopher Wren’s original building, you can get up close and personal with the rest of the gallery through interactive exhibits, talks and courses all about astronomy. Take in a tour of the universe at a Planetarium show, and hop through space and time as you stand on the Greenwich Meridian Line, upon which all time zones revolve."

"The Royal Observatory, Greenwich is an observatory in London that has played a major historical part in astronomy over the last several centuries. The prime meridian passes through the observatory, which established Greenwich Mean Time. The observatory got its start in 1675 as the Old Royal Observatory when King Charles II commissioned its construction; at the same time, he created the position of Astronomer Royal to serve as an advisor to the king."

"The observatory is now maintained as a museum and visitors can learn about the history and discoveries at the observatory, stand on the famous Meridian line, visit Flamsteed House, see a camera obscura, and see the great equatorial telescope. Admission includes an audioguide to make the most of your self-guided visit."

"Independently owned Hammerton Brewery run regular events from tastings and tours to brewery-based yoga sessions. Using the finest quality ingredients and modern brewing techniques, they are renowned for their unique sips."

"Although – or perhaps because – it stopped being cutting-edge several thousand cheap leather jackets ago, Camden Market attracts millions of visitors each year and is one of London's most popular attractions. What started out as a collection of attractive craft stalls beside Camden Lock on the Regent's Canal now extends most of the way from Camden Town tube station to Chalk Farm tube station."

"Camden Market is not a single market, but consists of several different markets within walking distance of each other. Market stalls sell just about everything including food, clothing, crafts, art, souvenirs, and more."

"Portobello Road is the jewel in Notting Hill – the world’s largest antiques market has retained its sense of charm and friendliness, even as the surrounding area has scaled the ladder of exclusivity. The market, which wends its way along the sinuous Portobello Road is actually five interconnecting markets – with separate sections for fresh produce, clothing, second hand goods, household stuff, a flea market and antiques. The antiques section, always sizable, really comes into its own on Saturdays – cementing Portobello’s position as one of the go-to Saturday markets in London."

"If I haven’t yet convinced you that London is really, really into its gin – I present to you: The Distillery. This simply-named venue is basically a gin lover’s playground, offering up four enticing levels of gin-related debauchery and its own distillery producing Portobello Road gin. Amongst the fun there are multiple tasting spaces, including the oh-so-fancy Boardroom for group tastings."

"There are lots of colourful streets around Notting Hill which make for wonderful pictures. Your best bet is to get off at Notting Hill Gate station and then walk towards (and along) Portobello Road. Another aesthetic place in London is on the other side of the city around Hillgate Place and Campden Hill Road."

"Source: Photo by user William Harold Amos used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Opened in 2010 in south-east London, Maltby Street Market is a small market and the creators have carefully curated a select list of vendors. At this market, you’ll find seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables, delicious coffee, and plenty of street food, including food from Venezuela, Japan and several vendors offering modern takes on British classics."

"You won't just find your usual street food offering here (although there is plenty of that too). At Maltby, you can also expect some more gourmet twists on traditional dishes, alongside craft beers and fresh local produce - all in a very laidback setting under picturesque railway arches. When to visit: It's open on weekends, Saturdays from 10am-5pm and Sundays from 11am-4pm."

"Like a slutty brownie on crack, these award-winning brownies in any flavour will have you seeing how many you can legally pack up and ship home. With other flavours like raspberry, rose and pistachio, and “bonfire brownie,” there are plenty of ways to taste their divine chocolate."

"Where: Notting Hill, Fulham, West Hampstead, Camberwell, Selfridges Food Hall. In normal times, you can even learn how to make your own hand rolls with Feng Sushi’s classes - but for delivery, you’re in the hands of their chefs who turn out well-priced sushi. They offer regularly changing specials - like nori tacos or a seaweed tiger roll - alongside more recognisable options."