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The London Fiver – Five Cool Things to Do in London in August

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As Summer starts to wind down, London still has plenty of fun activities for seasonal visitors.  While we have covered other major events that go on during this month such as the Proms, the opening of Buckingham Palace to the public, and the Notting Hill Carnival, there are many other awesome events going on.  They run the gambit of festivals, sport, musical theater, and just … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Cool Things to Do in London in August

Buckingham Palace Summer Opening Report: Queen Victoria’s Palace at the annual opening of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms

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While the Queen takes a summer break in Scotland, we can tour the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace for the annual ten-week summer opening. This year the rooms are available to us from 20 July to 29 September 2019, and the special exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria. 'Queen Victoria's Palace' tells the story of how the young monarch turned an … [Read more...] about Buckingham Palace Summer Opening Report: Queen Victoria’s Palace at the annual opening of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms

Exhibition Report: The Moon – 50th Anniversary Apollo Exhibition at National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

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To celebrate 50 years since NASA's Apollo 11 mission landed the first humans on the Moon, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich is staging the UK's biggest exhibition dedicated to Earth's nearest celestial neighbour. The Moon is open from 19 July 2019 and charts the cultural and scientific story of our relationship with the moon through over 180 objects, including artefacts … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The Moon – 50th Anniversary Apollo Exhibition at National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London in June

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Summer kicks into full gear when June rolls around and London offers a lot to do as the city moves into warmer months.  Festivals, ceremonies, boot markets, and sports are just the beginning of what the city has to offer during the month of June.  No matter what you’re in the mood to do, it’s guaranteed that there is going to be something that will meet your interests.  In … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London in June

London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

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Marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, this exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, brings together more than 200 of the Renaissance master's greatest drawings in the Royal Collection. As the Royal Collection has more drawings by Leonardo da Vinci than any other Renaissance artist, it forms the largest exhibition of his work in over 65 … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace

Exhibition Report: The New Secret Rivers Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands

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The latest free exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands is Secret Rivers. Open from 24 May to 27 October 2019, it combines art and archaeology with mudlarking, photography, film and much more to uncover the mysteries of London's rivers – both those that flow above ground and those that have been buried beneath our feet. A large wall map shows us the routes of the hidden … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The New Secret Rivers Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands

London Exhibition Report: A Look at the Blockbuster Queen Victoria 200th Anniversary Exhibition at Kensington Palace

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24 May 2019 is the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria's birth at Kensington Palace. To mark the bicentenary of this historic event there is a new visitor route, Victoria: A Royal Childhood, through the suite of rooms she would have known well. And over in the Palace's Pigott Gallery, there is a new temporary exhibition, Victoria: Woman and Crown, that considers the private … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: A Look at the Blockbuster Queen Victoria 200th Anniversary Exhibition at Kensington Palace

The London Fiver – Five Ways to Beat the London Heat This Summer

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Sure, London summers don’t get as hot as they do in the United States, but you’d be surprised how warm it can get.  Temperatures in the 70s might seem pretty cool to us, but it’s a little toasty for the average Londoner.  If you want to experience summer the way the locals do, there are plenty of opportunities to cool off throughout Greater London.  Whether you’re chowing down … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Ways to Beat the London Heat This Summer

The London Fiver – Five Children’s Literature Statues To See in London

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London is a city that is the setting of many a children’s book from One-Hundred and One Dalmatians to Peppa Goes to London.  With hundreds of years of literary history under its belt, the city has many monuments to great works and authors—and these include statues dedicated to children’s literature.  There are at least five statues dedicated to some of the most well-known … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Children’s Literature Statues To See in London

The London Fiver – Five of the Best Sports Bars

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One could certainly argue that every pub in the UK is a sports bar, since it’s naturally where everyone gathers to watch a match.  Certain pubs, of course, are bound to have their favored teams’ colors adorning the walls and cheering supporters on game day.  However, some places go above this to mark themselves as true sports bars, a place seemingly designed only to watch the … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Best Sports Bars

Laura’s London: Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition – The Design Museum – Our Review – Is It Worth Going?

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Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition has opened at The Design Museum in Kensington and is on until 15 September 2019. A global touring exhibition which started its journey in 2004, has at last reached London where so many of Kubrick's movies were filmed. Marking the 20th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s death, the exhibition explores his unique command of the whole creative … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition – The Design Museum – Our Review – Is It Worth Going?

The London Fiver – Five Atmospheric Subterranean London Bars To Visit

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Today, underground is a word that tends to conjure images of secrecy and exclusivity when it comes to places.  When it comes to London, the underground is synonymous with the city’s subterranean train service.  Of course, there is also the original meaning and applied to bars; it can mean any number of drinking establishments that can be found below the London streets.  The … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Atmospheric Subterranean London Bars To Visit

Laura’s London: Van Gogh and Britain – Landmark New Exhibtion at Tate Britain – Full Report

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This major exhibition at Tate Britain focuses on the time Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) spent in Britain between 1873 and 1876 when he was in his early twenties. He explored the (then) largest city in the world a decade before he became an artist. The exhibition is able to look at the artist's relationship with Britain and explores how Van Gogh was inspired by British art, … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Van Gogh and Britain – Landmark New Exhibtion at Tate Britain – Full Report

The Fiver – Five of the Highest Bars in London

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One of the best things to have with a good drink is a view.  Lots of places out there have rooftop bars or observation towers where one can get a cocktail, a pint, or a glass of wine and gaze out over the horizon.  London certainly has its share of high-altitude drinking establishments that rank amongst the highest in the UK and in Europe.  Whatever you’re in the mood for, each … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five of the Highest Bars in London

Laura’s London: Swinging London – A Lifestyle Revolution – New Exhibition Review

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The Fashion and Textile Museum, near London Bridge, has a new exhibition about 'Swinging London' for spring 2019. It looks at a truly innovative era in London's history, exploring the origins of Pop culture and how fashion, music and art were used to demand and effect societal change in the years that followed. London-born designers, Mary Quant and Terence Conran are now in … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Swinging London – A Lifestyle Revolution – New Exhibition Review

Laura’s London: Take a First Look at the Beautiful Restored Painted Hall in Greenwich – Re-opening in March!

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Editor's Note: We have a real treat this week - Laura was given an exclusive tour of the newly restored Painted Hall in Greenwich before its re-opening so we're chuffed to bits that she's written up a huge report about it. Please consider subscribing to the Londontopia Magazine as it allows us to commission great articles like this. As reported here recently, The Painted … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Take a First Look at the Beautiful Restored Painted Hall in Greenwich – Re-opening in March!

New in London: Mariage Frères Elegant Tea Room and Museum is Now Open in Covent Garden – We Send Laura Porter to Check it Out!

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The world's most exclusive purveyor of luxury teas and France's oldest tea house, Mariage Frères, has opened its first UK tea emporium in Covent Garden. In addition to being a new tea house in London, it also contains a small museum dedicated to tea. I've been waiting for this one as it was supposed to open in September 2018 but, due to delays with its heritage building, … [Read more...] about New in London: Mariage Frères Elegant Tea Room and Museum is Now Open in Covent Garden – We Send Laura Porter to Check it Out!

The London Fiver – Five of the Best Small Concert Venues

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It’s good to go out and hear live music.  No matter whether it’s classical, rock, punk, rap, jazz, or whatever makes your ears ring, there’s nothing like catching the vibrations of the sound as it hits you.  While London certainly has some great larger music venues such as the O2 Arena, the Roundhouse, and Royal Albert Hall, sometimes it’s better to find a smaller place.  A … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Best Small Concert Venues

London Dreams: New Weekly Column About London – Our Favorite Place in London, Articles to Read and More!

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Welcome to London Dreams. This is the first in a new weekly column from me at Londontopia. I want to write more personal articles about London. Most of our articles are historical in nature or travel related - we don’t have much opportunity to share how we really feel about London. This column is a new concept and I’m sure it will evolve over the coming weeks and months. … [Read more...] about London Dreams: New Weekly Column About London – Our Favorite Place in London, Articles to Read and More!

The London Fiver: Five Unusual Ways to Celebrate Christmas in London

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There are lots to do in London during Christmas.  You can take in the lights in the city’s numerous shopping districts; you could pay a visit to Father Christmas, attend a church service, shop the Christmas markets, or have fun at Winter Wonderland.  Of course, for these more traditional events, there are some unique and odd things you can do in the city during the holidays.  … [Read more...] about The London Fiver: Five Unusual Ways to Celebrate Christmas in London

The London Fiver – Five of the Oldest Schools in London

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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

Top Ten London: 10 Fascinating and Beautiful London Housing Estates

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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

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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

Laura’s London: Four New Permanent Galleries at the National Maritime Museum – Here’s Our First Look!

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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

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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

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