Romantic Restaurants, Getaway Places in Richmond

"You could spend several lifetimes in the British Museum, Britain’s largest museum, without running out of artifacts to ponder. The collection is one of the largest in the world, arranged by location (Ancient Egypt, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Greece and Rome), and the list of big hitters includes the Rosetta Stone and other finds from Ancient Egypt, Asia and the Middle East. Come early on a weekday for a less crowded experience, pick one gallery and stick to it (or go for a guided “Highlights” tour), and plan to hit one of the day’s free 30-minute taster talks."

"As its name suggests, The National Gallery is a government-sponsored museum that ranks, after The Louvre, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the British Museum, as the 4th most visited museum in the world. The National Gallery is particularly known for its encyclopedic art collection, with works from artists including da Vinci, van Gogh, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, El Greco, Rembrandt, Goya, Delacroix, Cézanne, Monet, and Renoir."

"The British Museum, located in the Bloomsbury area is the first public institution national museum in the world. dedicated to human history, art and culture. Its permanent collection presents the evolution of global human culture throughout history."

"A lovely museum to visit, the V&A is located alongside a number of other museums in South Kensington and is home to a huge art and design collection. Set in a beautiful red-brick palace, delightful sculptures and statues are featured, and there are galleries dedicated to different parts of the world as well as varied themes. With Islamic and Asian art on show and exhibits on fashion, furniture, theater and more, this wonderful museum is the perfect place to stop by and spend a pleasant afternoon."

"The V&A celebrates art and design with 3,000 years' worth of amazing artefacts from around the world. A real treasure trove of goodies, you never know what you'll discover next: furniture, paintings, sculpture, metalwork and textiles; the list goes on.Some exhibitions require tickets."

"Known to all as the V&A, this huge museum is devoted to the applied arts of all disciplines, all periods, and all nationalities."

"Everything marvelous man has ever made is here in the Science Museum. Countless mind-bending exhibits, many of which are interactive, are arranged in a minefield of galleries across seven floors, and kids with eyes the size of dinner plates are scattered throughout. Expect delighted squeals and children racing each other to the virtual reality space descent."

"The Science Museum proves that science doesn’t need to be dull. Attracting over 3 million visitors each year, the museum has exhibits for every age group, including galleries for kids under five and the Pattern Pod for kids up to eight."

"Housing masterpieces by painters including van Gogh, Renoir, da Vinci and Michelangelo, the National Gallery is home to one of the world’s most impressive art collections, and sees over six million visitors every year. Avoid the hordes by visiting on weekday mornings or Friday evenings. Whatever time you go, the permanent collections are always free."

"If you only make time to visit a few museums during your London trip, The National Gallery should be at the top of your list. The gallery sits proudly overlooking Trafalgar Square and features an impressive collection with more than 2,300 pieces from the mid 1200s to 1900. It’s certainly one of the best free art museums in London, and a must see."

"Quick Tip: Get here about 20 minutes before the National Gallery opens as it can get quite busy later in the morning. National Gallery(free to the public)"

"The elegant redbrick exterior of the smallest of Britain's royal palaces seems almost humble when compared with the grandeur of, say,…"

"The beautiful Wellcome Kitchen isn't just easy on the eyes, they're easy on the conscience too. Offering a variety of high-quality vegetarian options alongside all their dishes, you definitely won't leave here disappointed."

"St Ethelburga, entirely destroyed by an IRA bomb in 1993, is the smallest of the City churches at 56 feet long and 30 feet wide. The parish covered just three acres, an acre more petite than the area covered by the Bank of England. The church had survived since 1390, having been outside the area destroyed by the Great Fire."

"Ealing institution Santa Maria has moved out of its St. Mary’s Road home, and with it left behind its two outdoor tables. So now Northfield Avenue competitor Da Moreno takes up the mantle, with outdoor tables ready to groan with expertly prepared Neapolitan style pies."

"A post shared by Himanshu Sharma (@the.mockturtle) on Apr 25, 2017 at 11:17am PDT. Created by architect William Butterfield, the All Saints Margaret Street church boasts a stunningly ornate High Gothic Revival design. Take a moment to admire the striking exterior made using a mixture of red and black brick; but it is the inside of this London church that makes it worth a visit."

"Of course, it’s famous for the Canterbury Tales, being the headquarters of the Church of England and it’s largely still intact architecture. It’s not too far from the city of London, roughly an hour and a half if you plan on taking the trains."

"All Saints’ was built in the 1850s as an early example of Victorian Gothic. It has the second-highest church spire in the whole of London"

"Finally, one of the best playgrounds in London is the Children’s Garden that opened at Kew Gardens in 2019. It is a fantastic space based in a natural setting the size of 40 tennis courts, with highlights that include a sandy area with play houses and small slides for little ones, tall “worm-hole” tubes to slide down, an area with trampolines and wooden climbing frames. The kids love the water play area, which features log troughs, water tables and several pumps, plus there’s a splash pool in a shady spot which is perfect for little ones."

"Stretching beyond Greater London’s boundaries to regions like Hertfordshire and Essex, Lee Valley Park contains a multitude of different attractions including heritage sites, nature reserves, lakes, countryside and urban areas. Visitors can enjoy numerous activities such as golf, camping, boating, cycling, horse riding, ice skating and bird watching. From 2005 to 2012, Lee Valley Park was modified to become the Olympic Park for the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics."

"This is an enormous stretch of parkland that follows the River Lee from Ware to the Thames East India Dock Basin. The park lends itself to plenty of sporting activities in the river (white water rafting, fishing, kayaking) and on land (camping, bird watching, cycling, golf, horse riding, ice skating). There are many examples of fine architecture within the park including Myddelton House and the remains of the Augustinian Waltham Abbey."

"The 26 miles (42 km) long linear park extends beyond Greater London’s borders into the neighbouring counties of Hertfordshire and Essex. The area has many lakes,  watercourses and open spaces. They are linked by footpaths and cycle tracks."

"In contrast to the West End's grand aristocratic townhouses, this charming museum is devoted to the life of the city's middle class over…"