Oxford Street announced last week and now Regent Street has announced when they'll be switching on their Christmas lights - November 15th. Here are the details: Home to the largest lights installation in the capital, Regent Street is best known for its awe-inspiring ‘The Spirit of Christmas’ lights. These stunning suspended spirits were inspired by Regent Street’s very … [Read more...] about London Alert: Regent Street Christmas Light Switch-on Date Announced – November 15th
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Wands At The Ready! Giant Harry Potter Wands Unveiled On Walk to St Paul’s Cathedral
We reported on this a couple weeks ago (and it was the most popular thing we've posted in months!) so we figured we would let everyone know that the Giant Harry Potter Wands are now on display on the walk to St Paul's Cathedral from the Millenium Bridge for a very limited time. Put up to coincide with the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic … [Read more...] about Wands At The Ready! Giant Harry Potter Wands Unveiled On Walk to St Paul’s Cathedral
Built London: Brutalist Architecture in London
Cold, geometrical, bland. These are some of the words used to describe the aptly-named “Brutalist” style of architecture. Brutalism had its heyday from the early 1950s through the mid-1970s and is largely associated with government buildings or government-sponsored projects. In the United States, we can see examples of it in the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., Boston … [Read more...] about Built London: Brutalist Architecture in London
Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Marylebone
Marylebone earned its name from a church located there on the bank of a stream (also known as a “borne”), becoming first St. Mary at the Bourne and then through settle iterations before settling on the current name for the district. Part of the City of Westminster, it is naturally a very affluent part of London and certainly has many great places to visit. No matter whether … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Marylebone
London Alert: Oxford Street Christmas Lights Will Be Switched On Tuesday, November 6th
Mark your calendars intrepid London travelers, Oxford Street will be turning on it's Christmas Lights on Tuesday, November 6th. This yearly London tradition is one thing we always look forward to and if you're in London after the 6th, it's a treat to see London's shopping streets illuminated. The lights aren't 'new' this year as the planned illuminations are delayed due to … [Read more...] about London Alert: Oxford Street Christmas Lights Will Be Switched On Tuesday, November 6th
Stanfords, My Favorite Bookstore in London, Is Moving From its Iconic Current Location after More than a Century
This news has gutted me. I try to take the changing face of London in stride. London is an ever-changing city that has never existed in a static state. But this one hurts. Stanfords, the iconic travel bookstore, has been based in their Long Acre Street location since 1901. Famed for their selection of maps, explorers and adventurers throughout history have bought … [Read more...] about Stanfords, My Favorite Bookstore in London, Is Moving From its Iconic Current Location after More than a Century
The London Fiver – Five of the Oldest Schools in London
In the West, organized educational institutions have been around since the Middle Ages when churches set up schools to teach future priests and administrators. Besides that, few educational institutions existed until the first universities and almost nothing for children beyond apprenticeships. Greater London has over 3,000 schools today, and some of them have foundations … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Oldest Schools in London
London Alert: Introducing the London Street Sign Collection at Anglotopia Imports
We’ve been working on this one for a few months and are quite excited to finally be able to offer authentic London Metal Street Signs. We’ve picked 15 of the most popular places in London for you to choose from. Each sign is about 12×16 inches (similar in size to the metal signs we offered earlier this year) and ready to hang. Each sign is being custom made for Anglotopia … [Read more...] about London Alert: Introducing the London Street Sign Collection at Anglotopia Imports
Top Ten London: 10 Fascinating and Beautiful London Housing Estates
Since the Victorian period, the British government and local councils have taken it upon themselves to ensure that housing was provided to the working classes. Part of this was out of concern for the health of lower-income persons who were often packed into slums as well as being a progressive step toward municipal planning. In the wake of destruction caused by the London … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: 10 Fascinating and Beautiful London Housing Estates
Great Londoners – Michael Faraday – The Master of Electricity
Michael Faraday is one of those great scientists whose discoveries really changed the world. Focused on electromagnetism and electrochemistry, Faraday changed what we know about electricity. His discoveries also led to several inventions including electrolysis, the Faraday cage to block electromagnetic fields, and the electric motor. It’s certainly fair to say that Faraday … [Read more...] about Great Londoners – Michael Faraday – The Master of Electricity
London Alert: Giant Harry Potter Wands to Light Up the Path to St Paul’s from October to November
Attention Harry Potter fans who will be in London later this month! In celebration of the upcoming sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, 9 giant wands will light the path from Millenium Bridge to St Paul's Cathedral to promote the film but also raise awareness of JK Rowling's charity work Lumos (which seeks to end the institutionalization of children). From … [Read more...] about London Alert: Giant Harry Potter Wands to Light Up the Path to St Paul’s from October to November
Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Holborn
Striding the boroughs of Camden and the City of Westminster, Holborn is a district close to the center of London. The first documented reference to Holborn was in 959, but the district itself wasn’t created officially until 1855. It has had an interesting history from hosting one of the city’s most famous molly houses for gay men in the 18th Century, a setting for many of … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Holborn
Laura’s London: Four New Permanent Galleries at the National Maritime Museum – Here’s Our First Look!
Following a major £12.6M redevelopment project, The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich has new permanent galleries open from 20 September 2018. 1,000m2 of space in the Museum's East Wing, previously closed to visitors, has been converted to public use adding an additional 40% of gallery space. And just like the rest of the Museum, these galleries are free to visit. The … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Four New Permanent Galleries at the National Maritime Museum – Here’s Our First Look!
The London Fiver: 5 Christmas Markets To Plan To Visit During the Holiday Season
Once we get into November, the Christmas decorations go up all around London, and the Christmas Markets come out onto the city’s streets. Unlike the usual markets selling vintage goods, food, or clothing, obviously, these are geared more towards the festive season. While some take on the normal look of market stalls, others look like little cottages decked out in lights and … [Read more...] about The London Fiver: 5 Christmas Markets To Plan To Visit During the Holiday Season
Great Londoners – Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the greatest contributors to English literature with his work The Canterbury Tales. However, being a writer and poet was only part of what he did during his remarkable life. Chaucer was a Renaissance man before the term was even coined, serving as a bureaucrat, courtier, diplomat, astronomer, and philosopher. Part of what makes him one of the most … [Read more...] about Great Londoners – Geoffrey Chaucer
Laura’s London: A Look at the Courtauld Impressionists at The National Gallery – From Manet to Cézanne
For the first time in London for 70 years, the National Gallery is displaying major Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterworks from the Courtauld Gallery, purchased in the 1920s by Samuel Courtauld (1876–1947). These are shown alongside paintings from the National Gallery's own collection which the businessman and philanthropist financed and helped acquire. Courtauld … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: A Look at the Courtauld Impressionists at The National Gallery – From Manet to Cézanne
London Bookshop Dreams: Adventures in Buying More Books Than My Luggage Can Carry
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Anglotopia Print Magazine is 2017. Support great long-form writing about Britain by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. Subscribe here. Books are my favorite souvenir from my travels in England. I love picking up new books about England for my library back home. Each book is a tangible reminder of the trip and … [Read more...] about London Bookshop Dreams: Adventures in Buying More Books Than My Luggage Can Carry
New Museum Alert: Body Worlds Coming to London as a Permanent Museum
When Ripley's Believe it or Not in Piccadilly Circus closed earlier this year, we all wondered what would replace it since it was such a prominent location. Well, now we have an answer. Body Worlds, the famous exhibition that showcased real preserved bodies in various states, is getting a permanent home in London. Body Worlds is coming to 1 Piccadilly Cirus. … [Read more...] about New Museum Alert: Body Worlds Coming to London as a Permanent Museum
Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Ealing
Once a rural Middlesex village, Ealing was swallowed up along with much of the surrounding area as London grew into the metropolis it is today. Ealing was made its own borough in 1901 and became part of Greater London in 1965. While once a sleepy community, today Ealing is alive as a commercial and event center of West London. As such, there’s much to do within the borough, … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Ealing
LONDON Alert! It’s Back! The London Underground Tube Lightbox is Back With Limited Stock!
Due to popular demand, we've brought back the London Underground Lightbox that we offered back in July. We've worked with the company in the UK and we can offer another 100 units for you all. They should ship in Mid-October. If you intend to order this as a Christmas Gift, now is a good time. However, we're hoping to do one more round of sales before Christmas. The reviews are … [Read more...] about LONDON Alert! It’s Back! The London Underground Tube Lightbox is Back With Limited Stock!
London Alert: More Hidden London Tours Announced – Bookings Open Tomorrow
We've written about these tours many times previously and this is a reminder that public bookings open up for Hidden London Tours tomorrow. Here are the tours on offer this time around: Aldwych: The End of the Line Be transported back to where time stands still. Aldwych station is one of London’s secret places, holding myths and memories of times gone by. Opened to the … [Read more...] about London Alert: More Hidden London Tours Announced – Bookings Open Tomorrow
Our Official London Top 10: Our Personal Favourite Things to See and do in London
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2018 London Annual. Pre-orders are now open for the 2019 London Annual - your guide to London in 2018. Reserve yours here. In the 2017 London Annual, we wrote an article about the tourist traps that visitors to London should avoid. We got a good response from the article, but everyone wondered, what were some of the … [Read more...] about Our Official London Top 10: Our Personal Favourite Things to See and do in London
Crossrail News: The Elizabeth Line Opening Has Officially Been Delayed
Big news in the London Transport realm. Crossrail, aka the Elizabeth Line, London's new east-west underground railway, has had its opening delayed. It was scheduled to start opening in stages in December 2018, but Crossrail (the company building the railway) has confirmed today that they will not meet that target. They have set Autumn 2019 as the tentative open date. From … [Read more...] about Crossrail News: The Elizabeth Line Opening Has Officially Been Delayed
London Alert: Announcing the 2019 London Annual Guide to London in 2019 – Pre-orders Now Open
It’s that time of year again - time to begin our orders for the London Annual - our guide to what to see and do in London in 2019. This is our third year in producing this special publication and it has become very popular. We're taking advance orders for two weeks! This year’s London Annual will be in the same format as last year’s; it will be 128 full-color pages. It's … [Read more...] about London Alert: Announcing the 2019 London Annual Guide to London in 2019 – Pre-orders Now Open
Top Ten – Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham was formed in 1965 out of the districts of Hammersmith, Fulham, and Shepherd’s Bush. All three have had very interesting histories, with Fulham having been around since the 12th Century, Hammersmith hosting one of the early Olympic Games, and Shepherd’s Bush being home to the BBC Television Service for decades. Today, the borough … [Read more...] about Top Ten – Hammersmith and Fulham
Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!
