Guides

Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums

Sep 29, 2020 By John Rabon 4 Comments

When people go to London, they tend to hit the major sites from Buckingham Palace to the Tower Bridge. This extends to the city’s museums as well, with most people opting for The National Gallery, The British Museum, the V&A, and so on. But what of London’s smaller museums? Don’t they deserve love too? Sure they do, and while they may not have the biggest draws, they … [Read more...] about Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums

Top 10 London: Ten London Colleges and Universities

Sep 22, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

A university degree is certainly a sought-after prize in any country. While Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, and other institutions of higher learning in the UK certainly get their fair share of attention, London has quite a lot to offer as well. Some of these schools are hundreds of years old, and others rank amongst the top schools in their respective fields. Below we have … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Ten London Colleges and Universities

The London Fiver – Five Great Places to Go Running in London

Aug 4, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Getting some exercise while you’re away from home can be difficult, but London has plenty of places to go for a run. Whether you want to hit a trail or take in the scenery, the city offers miles of track that will not only give you a good workout but help you to see more of London’s most beautiful places. No matter if you want to go for a short run or take a more scenic … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Great Places to Go Running in London

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston

Jul 29, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Part of the London Borough of Hackney, Haggerston is part of the East End. The area has had a long history with London going back to before the Norman Invasion. The Domesday book recorded the name as Hergotestane, suggesting it had been settled by the Vikings. Once home to notorious criminals the Kray Twins, the rea is quite cosmopolitan today, featuring lovely parks, … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey

Jul 8, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

The Borough of Haringey is caught in the middle between Inner London and Outer London and often stated to belong to one or the other. Over its history, it’s been home to the Celts, the Romans, the Saxons, and more. As with London’s other boroughs, it was formed in 1965 with the formation of Greater London. Today it’s home to some of London’s most famous buildings, beautiful … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge

Jun 30, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Redbridge is one of the most northeastern boroughs in Greater London, and like many of the outer boroughs, for years it was mostly farmland and manor estates before the city’s growth from the 17th Century-onwards turned it into a suburb. While a mostly quiet part of the city, Redbridge is quite well known for its parks and sporting facilities, offering its residents pretty of … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon

Jun 24, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

One of the outermost boroughs of London, Hillingdon was formed in 1965 out of Middlesex County boroughs such as Hayes and Harlington, Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, and Yiewsley and West Drayton. In many ways, Hillingdon serves as a gateway to London thanks to being the borough of Heathrow Airport. Even with the planes overhead, it’s a pretty peaceful area full of large … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Jun 5, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

A residential area of London since the early 19th Century, Canonbury can be a bit hard to define. It’s never had its own council or other administrative unit, but just about always folded into Islington. With that in mind, you might think it would be hard to find something to do in this neighborhood, but there’s always something to see in any part of London. As a residential … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

A Guide to London’s Historical Ethnic Neighborhoods

May 28, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

London is a socially rich and diverse place, with 44% of the city’s population representing various ethnicities and over 300 languages spoken. Many areas of the city are inhabited by immigrants and their descendants from all over the world. These neighborhoods have a history and culture that gives their residents a sense of community while also making London a truly … [Read more...] about A Guide to London’s Historical Ethnic Neighborhoods

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Bermondsey

May 27, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Part of the Borough of Southwark, Bermondsey is an area of London that for centuries did not have a large population or many homes, save for land owned by the Church or the Crown. This began to change following the Great Fire of London when many of London’s well-to-do citizens moved here. The population increased further beginning after this though the area became more … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Bermondsey

Ten Things to See at the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood

May 25, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Despite the name, the V&A Museum of Childhood is a place for all ages. Located in Bethnal Green, the Museum of Childhood is a museum both for children and about adolescence. Founded in 1872 as the Bethnal Green Museum, its collection is the largest amount of childhood objects in the United Kingdom, featuring over 26,000 pieces of art, literature, clothing, toys, and more, … [Read more...] about Ten Things to See at the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things Things to See and Do in Kingston upon Thames

May 14, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Moving to another of Greater London’s outermost boroughs, Kingston Upon Thames was once the home of Saxon kings, from which its name derives. Saxon kings were consecrated in Kingston through to Æthelred the Unready after which proceedings moved to Westminster Abbey for Harold Godwinson and King William I. It was granted a town charter in 1200, and as with much of Greater … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things Things to See and Do in Kingston upon Thames

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Havering

May 6, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

One of the furthest boroughs of Greater London, Havering has one of the lowest population densities in London, partly due to the number of parks, nature reserves, and open spaces in the area. Havering is an old name for the area that comes from a former royal manor and liberty that existed here until 1892. The borough was created as part of the London Government Act in 1965 … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Havering

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Newham

Apr 30, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Born from the former Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham, Newham got its start in 1965 as one of the new Greater London boroughs created by the London Government Act of 1963. In more recent history, Newham is famous for being the primary site of the 2012 London Olympics, more specifically, the Olympic Park and London Stadium. These prime spots are only part of what … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Newham

Ten Things to See at the Museum of London

Apr 28, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

London’s only museum dedicated solely to itself, the Museum of London was born in 1965 out of the Museum of London Act. When it opened in 1976, it featured the combined collections of the City of London at London Guildhall and the London Museum at Kensington Palace. Its exhibits are dedicated to the city’s history and are separated into various eras from prehistoric London … [Read more...] about Ten Things to See at the Museum of London

LONDON TOP FIVE: Our Favorite London Pubs

Apr 2, 2020 By jonathan 1 Comment

Over the years we’ve had the pleasure of visiting many pubs all across London. Some have been terrible. Some have been wonderful. Here’s a list of five of favorites that we go back to again and again. The Mayflower - Rotherhithe The Mayflower tries to claim the title of the oldest pub on the Thames (the history is murky). This pub was founded in 1550 as The Shippe and is … [Read more...] about LONDON TOP FIVE: Our Favorite London Pubs

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Balham

Mar 12, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Balham is a neighborhood in South West London that is old enough to appear in the Domesday Book, where it was listed as Belgeham. It was meadows and farmland for centuries until the expansion of the city engulfed it and turned it into another suburb. Without much history of note, today, Balham offers a lot for people visiting. Those who are into greenspace will want to visit … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Balham

London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission

Mar 5, 2020 By Laura Porter 1 Comment

While London has many fantastic free museums and galleries there are some that have an admission charge. This list is by no means exhaustive but these are the ‘pay for’ London museums we would like to highlight. We’ve tried to focus on the best museums and have avoided listing common tourist traps. When you have to pay to get into a museum, especially in London where most … [Read more...] about London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission

Ten Interesting Things to See at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

Feb 25, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Greenwich has been an important place to seafaring and exploration for centuries since the Romans first landed their boats here to King Charles II establishing the Greenwich Observatory for “finding the longitude of places”. Recognizing this long history, the National Maritime Museum was officially established in 1934 in the Royal Greenwich Park, with the building itself … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Things to See at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

The London Fiver – Opening in 2020 – Five New Bars and Restaurants to Visit

Feb 19, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

So it’s a new year and you might be wondering, “where should we go tonight?” After ticking through a list of bars and restaurants you’ve been to a hundred times already, you could be at a loss. Fear not, for we at Londontopia have looked into this and found some new nightlife spots for you to consider whether you’re a longtime London resident or just visiting. Each of the … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Opening in 2020 – Five New Bars and Restaurants to Visit

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Hounslow

Feb 13, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The London Borough of Hounslow was one of many crafted by the London Government Act 1963 and was a combination of three other government bodies: Brentford and Chiswick, Heston and Isleworth, and the Feltham Urban District. Formerly home to a number of farms and large estates, several of the latter still exist in the borough as house museums and grand parks. Of course, these … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Hounslow

Top Ten Things to See and Do at Westminster Abbey

Feb 11, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

Known formally as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, Westminster Abbey has been at the center of Christian life in London since the 7th Century when the first church was founded on the site. The Abbey got its start when Saint Dustan and King Edgar founded a Benedictine community there around the 960s or 970s. Edward the Confessor then began construction of … [Read more...] about Top Ten Things to See and Do at Westminster Abbey

LONDON TOP FIVE: Trendy Chain Restaurants To Try On Your Next Trip to London

Jan 23, 2020 By jonathan Leave a Comment

American style chains proliferated in London in the ’90s and ’00s, but as tourists have developed a more refined palate for good dining while traveling, the restaurant market in London has provided a series of innovative new trendy chain restaurants that focus on specific cuisine and do it well. Here are our favorites. Flat Iron - Flat Iron is a restaurant concept that focuses … [Read more...] about LONDON TOP FIVE: Trendy Chain Restaurants To Try On Your Next Trip to London

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Lewisham

Jan 17, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The London Borough of Lewisham had its origins as far back as the 6th Century when the Jute Leof settled in the area, making it “Leofshema”. The name then evolved into Levesham and then the Lord Manor of Lewisham by the Saxon period. As with much of inner London, it went from pastoral estate to suburban metropolis as London expanded and the Borough of Lewisham was officially … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Lewisham

LONDON TOP FIVE: Our Personal Favorite Bookstores in London – What’s Your Favorite?

Jan 16, 2020 By jonathan 2 Comments

I love books. I love London. London has the best bookshops in the world. Here’s my roundup of my top five favorites. We’ve made a note of which ones will be happy to send your book finds back home, so you don’t have to worry about cramming everything back into your suitcase! Hatchards -The word I would use to describe Hatchards is Stately. It’s the oldest bookstore in Britain … [Read more...] about LONDON TOP FIVE: Our Personal Favorite Bookstores in London – What’s Your Favorite?