The Borough of Tower Hamlets inherited its name from the unit located there that was once obligated to defend the Tower of London. It was born in 1965 with the creation of the Greater London Council and the merger of Stepney, Poplar, and Bethnal Green. As a result, Tower Hamlets is a very large borough that covers many important London neighborhoods from Whitechapel to Canary … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Tower Hamlets
Guides
Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Kings Cross
Once known as Battlebridge, the London neighborhood known today as Kings Cross got its name from being a crossing point where the Romans fought the Celtic leader Boudica. The name changed due to the construction of a monument to King George IV that stood in the crossroads of what is now known as Euston Road, Gray’s Inn Road, and Pentonville Road from 1830 to 1845. Now mostly … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Kings Cross
Top Ten London – Top 10 Things to See and Do in Bexley
The London Borough of Bexley is one of the easternmost governmental organizations that is still part of Greater London. It was an ancient parish that was part of the County of Kent and became its own borough when the Greater London Council was formed in 1965. Home to munitions factories during World War II, it experienced a population boom after peace was achieved and today … [Read more...] about Top Ten London – Top 10 Things to See and Do in Bexley
Top Ten London: 10 Best Places to Spot Christmas Decorations in London
“Those Christmas lights, light up the street” and how they light up the streets of London. From Oxford Street to Harrod’s, you can count on London to do it up big for the holiday. Many big shopping districts and landmarks throughout Great London have incredibly impressive displays of decorations that shine and sparkle all season long and despite it being early November, many … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: 10 Best Places to Spot Christmas Decorations in London
Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Battersea
Battersea was once an undeveloped marshland and farms with a village centered around St. Mary’s Church until the Industrial Revolution came along and built factories by the River Thames and the River Wandle. The latter gave birth to a village known as Wandsworth that was eventually absorbed into Greater London. Today mostly composed of neighborhoods, it is home to a number of … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Battersea
Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Mayfair
Mayfair isn’t just home to the Werewolves of London, and even if it were, they would be some pretty posh lupines considering it’s one of the most affluent districts in the city. Part of the City of Westminster, it’s believed that the Romans settled here for a time before founding Londonium. The city’s annual May Fair was held here for a time until the upper classes found it … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Mayfair
Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Maida Vale
An upscale neighborhood that’s part of the City of Westminster, Maida Vale is a largely residential neighborhood, but it’s not all townhomes and flats. There’s actually quite a lot of history in Maida Vale such as the name itself being derived from John Stuart, Count of Maida, who earned his title in the Napoleonic Wars with a victory in the Battle of Maida, Italy. You may … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Maida Vale
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Tipsy Touring: Your Guide to London Brewery and Gin Distillery Tours
Besides tea, a couple of drinks that are endemic to Britain's identity are ale and gin. Ale is a combination of yeast, hops, and barley that is warm fermented and there are many different types of beer you can make from it depending on the amount and types of ingredients. Gin, on the other hand, is a spirit developed from juniper berries. Both beverages not only have a … [Read more...] about Tipsy Touring: Your Guide to London Brewery and Gin Distillery Tours
Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Chelsea
One-half of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Chelsea is a fairly posh area of London (see: massive understatement) that’s been an important part of London since the first Synod of Chelsea in 787 AD. It later became the property of the Crown when King Henry VIII acquired it in 1536. From that point on, its association with the monarch made it a fashionable area to … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Chelsea
Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Pimlico
Pimlico, like many areas of London, was mostly farmland for centuries until the city’s expansion in the 1800s made it a desirable place to live. The district’s closeness to the Houses of Parliament led to it becoming a center of political activity beginning in the 20th Century, but it has largely remained a residential district with few major tourist attractions. However, … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Pimlico
Useful Map Alert: The Wonderful World of Off-Peak – Free Maps of Attractions Along Each Tube Line
Transport for London has launched a new marketing program to encourage people to travel the Tube network during its off-peak hours. This is so that people can experience the Tube when it's less crowded, but also keep tourists off the Tube during the rush hour crunch. As part of this, they've worked with Time Out magazine to create a series of maps to showcase the most … [Read more...] about Useful Map Alert: The Wonderful World of Off-Peak – Free Maps of Attractions Along Each Tube Line
London’s Autumn Season: Ten Things to Do in London This Coming Autumn
Autumn is a wonderful time of the year just about anywhere in the world, and no more so than in London. You can believe that no matter what day it is, there’s going to be something to see and do. From street festivals to culinary celebrations, pageantry to tradition, and sport to costuming, there is much London has to offer from September through November. We have outlined … [Read more...] about London’s Autumn Season: Ten Things to Do in London This Coming Autumn
More Secret London – Twenty Hidden Places in London for You to Explore
There are plenty of places in London you may not know exist unless someone points them out. You might have to go behind a door or down an alley to find them. You may walk past them all the time without seeing what’s right in front of you. Even so, you may know about them, but not know exactly what they keep hidden from the public. Fortunately, we here at Londontopia will … [Read more...] about More Secret London – Twenty Hidden Places in London for You to Explore
The Best of Free London: The Best Free Museums in London
One of the greatest things about London is that most of the museums are free. Government funding and charitable donations ensure that many of London’s best musuems are obligated to keep entry to the general public free (but they can charge extra for special exhibitions). This makes many of the museums more accessible to those who many not be able to afford a trip to the museum. … [Read more...] about The Best of Free London: The Best Free Museums in London
Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Richmond Upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames is one of the greenest places in all of London, with great tracks of parkland existing alongside homes, businesses, and historic landmarks. This creates a wonderful mix of urban culture and natural splendor that makes it a top destination in the city. Of course, this also gives tourists a wonderful array of places to visit. From one … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Richmond Upon Thames
Top Ten London Top 10 Things to See and Do on the South Bank
When the City of London put heavy restrictions on such entertainments as the theater and bear baiting during the Medieval Period, everything that was now illegal or frowned upon decided to move across the Thames River to South Bank. Now home to both legal and reputable forms of entertainment, South Bank offers visitors a lot to see and do from theater to rides to life itself. … [Read more...] about Top Ten London Top 10 Things to See and Do on the South Bank
The London Fiver – Five London Bars Based on Television and Film To Visit
There are literally hundreds of pubs and bars all over London, and while many have a great British charm to them, sometimes you might be looking for something different. If you’re anything like me, you love movies and TV shows. You also love an immersive experience from your favorites in both mediums. As it so happens, there are several bars in London that can provide you … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five London Bars Based on Television and Film To Visit
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!
