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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!

Laura’s London: A Look at the Courtauld Impressionists at The National Gallery – From Manet to Cézanne

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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

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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

More Secret London – Twenty Hidden Places in London for You to Explore

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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

Laura’s London: Exploring Clapham South Subterranean Shelter – Hidden London – From the Blitz to the Windrush

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We all know there are tube train tunnels under London's streets, and we could guess there are some service tunnels for pipes, but it's still always a surprise to head down underground and find enough space for a village to live safely below. And that's what there is at the Clapham South Subterranean Shelter. This deep-level shelter had room for 8,000 people, and it only took … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring Clapham South Subterranean Shelter – Hidden London – From the Blitz to the Windrush

Fit for a Queen: A Traveler’s Guide to Royal London

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London has been a seat of power since the Romans made it their capital in 50 A.D.  After they abandoned the settlement in the 5th Century, it would not become a seat of leadership again until Alfred the Great retook control in 886, rebuilding the fortifications, adding new defenses, and transforming the old Roman city into a new population centre for his kingdom.  It was from … [Read more...] about Fit for a Queen: A Traveler’s Guide to Royal London

Laura’s London: A Look Behind the Scenes of the New Royal Academy of Arts Renovations Opening This Weekend

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The Royal Academy of Arts is hardly new. In fact, it's celebrating it's 250th anniversary this year. But to mark the occasion the RA has undergone an enormous transformation and expansion. And the new Royal Academy is opening on Saturday 19 May 2018. About The Royal Academy The RA was founded in 1768 by a group of 40 artists and architects who became the first Royal … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: A Look Behind the Scenes of the New Royal Academy of Arts Renovations Opening This Weekend

London Fog: London and the Great Smog of 1952 – The True Story

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Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue #6 of the Anglotopia Magazine in 2017. Support great long from writing about UK Travel, Culture, and History by subscribing to the Anglotopia Print Magazine. As Christmas drew near in London in 1952, a strange phenomenon like something out of a Quatermass story became all too real for the city’s residents. Under a … [Read more...] about London Fog: London and the Great Smog of 1952 – The True Story

Laura’s London: New Exhibition Report – Charles II: Art and Power at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

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After over a decade of austere Cromwellian rule, the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 led to a resurgence of the arts in England. The court of Charles II became the centre for the patronage of leading artists and the collecting of great works of art. This served not only as decoration for the royal apartments but also as a means of glorifying the restored monarchy and … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: New Exhibition Report – Charles II: Art and Power at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Laura’s London: Exploring London’s Newest Museum – The Secret Mail Rail and The Postal Museum

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Mail Rail is London's newest subterranean heritage attraction. Open from 4 September 2017; the disused postal railway tunnels have been brought back to life as a visitor ride for the first time in their 100 year history. This miniature railway was the world's first driverless, electric railway and was never intended for passengers. While The Postal Museum opened on 28 … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Exploring London’s Newest Museum – The Secret Mail Rail and The Postal Museum

Riding in Black Taxis: A Personal History of a London Icon – London Long Read

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In most major cities, taxis don’t really get much love or affection - that’s why the phone app Uber is so popular now. But then most cities aren’t like London—a city that loves its iconic black taxis and appreciates the work it takes to learn The Knowledge (the name for the training all London Cabbies go through). I’ve been riding in London taxis for more than 15 years, and … [Read more...] about Riding in Black Taxis: A Personal History of a London Icon – London Long Read

Streets of London: London’s Most Unique Street Names and Their Fascinating Histories

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When a city has been around since Roman times, it tends to develop some very unique names for the city streets.  Each era of London’s history has left its mark on the various streets, avenues, lanes, and ways. Here is a small selection of unique London street and place names and their fascinating histories. Crooked Usage  The name of this street might be traced back to … [Read more...] about Streets of London: London’s Most Unique Street Names and Their Fascinating Histories

Guest Long Read: A First Time Trip to Camden Market

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As I mentioned in my previous article about Portobello Road, going to street markets has been a recent addition to my trips to the United Kingdom. In fact, if you consider that Convent Garden doesn’t count, it was only last year that I started my adventures this way. I was travelling with a group of friends and one of them suggested going to Portobello Road. The experience … [Read more...] about Guest Long Read: A First Time Trip to Camden Market

Guest Long Read: Top 10 Things to do in London with Teens and Tweens

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If you are planning to visit London with older children, you might wonder where to begin. What sort of activities would appeal to teenagers and leave a lasting impression? While that might depend on your particular tastes, here is a somewhat diverse list of memorable activities that my teenagers and those in my extended family would recommend to others. 1) The Harry Potter … [Read more...] about Guest Long Read: Top 10 Things to do in London with Teens and Tweens

Guest Long Read: Notting Hill – Portobello Road Market through the eyes of a foreigner

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I have been to the United Kingdom several times and I always look forward to going back whenever I can. However, only last year did I have the chance of going to Portobello Road Market and it was an amazing experience. The following lines are about that experience and they reflect how a foreigner feels walking through one of liveliest markets in London. I should add that there … [Read more...] about Guest Long Read: Notting Hill – Portobello Road Market through the eyes of a foreigner

Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Iconic BT Tower You Might Not Know

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Standing tall and proud in a city that is now surrounded by even taller skyscrapers, British Telecom Tower was a marvel of its time. Originally known as the Post Office Tower because it was commissioned by the General Post Office, it was built to handle the nation’s communications traffic which is why the midsection is covered with microwave aerials. Begun in 1961 and completed … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Iconic BT Tower You Might Not Know

City of Footie – A Brief Guide to London’s Thirteen Football Clubs

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It’s not unheard of for a larger city to have more than one professional football club (or soccer team, depending on your preference). In London, the city is so large and spread out and football is so popular that the Greater London area has no less than *thirteen* different professional league teams, though there are even more amateur and semi-pro clubs. While some are more … [Read more...] about City of Footie – A Brief Guide to London’s Thirteen Football Clubs

London Taxis: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about London Taxis You Might Not Have Known

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One of the iconic symbols of the city, London black cabs can be seen whizzing about the streets on a daily basis. Like the yellow cab in America, a London taxi carries with it a certain cultural significance. When Stephen Fry toured America, he did so in a black cab (and actually drives one in Britain as his personal car). But what is it that makes the black cab so important? … [Read more...] about London Taxis: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about London Taxis You Might Not Have Known

London on Film: 10 Classic London Films Every Londonphile Should Watch – What’s Your Favorite?

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Naturally, a city as old and grand as London becomes the subject of many films. It plays home to kings and queens, cops and gangsters, and everyday men and women. From views of the skyline to displays of the boroughs’ character, these are ten films that every Londonphile should watch. These films not only tell the story of Londoners but make the city itself a character. This … [Read more...] about London on Film: 10 Classic London Films Every Londonphile Should Watch – What’s Your Favorite?

The London Fiver: Spooky Edition – Five of the Creepiest Places in London You Can Visit

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As Halloween approaches, our thoughts turn to the dark and macabre. Cemeteries become spookier, old houses creak louder, and the fall air is a bit chillier. London, of course, is not without its places to give you a fright. Whether a tourist attraction or a naturally creepy location, London is full of its own spooky places to visit, even when it isn’t Halloween. Do you dare … [Read more...] about The London Fiver: Spooky Edition – Five of the Creepiest Places in London You Can Visit

The London Fiver – Five Real Life London Filming Locations You Can Visit

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With so many iconic locations and studios, it’s no surprise that London is a heavily-used place for filming. It’s ancient monuments and newer buildings can be anything from an alien world to a future dystopia or even actually the UK’s capital. Whatever it may be in a given film, many of these locations can be visited every day. While you may not be able to enter some of these … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Real Life London Filming Locations You Can Visit

Big Ben: 11 Interesting Facts and Figures about Elizabeth Tower – Big Ben’s Home – That You Probably Didn’t Know

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When most people think of Big Ben, they think of the clock tower there at the Houses of Parliament. But the thing is, that’s *not* Big Ben. Big Ben is actually a nickname that refers to the Great Bell within the tower itself. Officially, the tower is referred to as Elizabeth Tower, connected to the Palace of Westminster. So what are some of the interesting facts about a bell, … [Read more...] about Big Ben: 11 Interesting Facts and Figures about Elizabeth Tower – Big Ben’s Home – That You Probably Didn’t Know

Haunted London – 10 London Ghosts and the Places They Purportedly Haunt

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As the sun sets over London, its citizens aren’t the only ones who come out to liven up the streets. Many former Londoners who’ve shuffled off this mortal coil return to the city, haunting the places they knew in life. A city as old as this one certainly has its share of ghosts and they inhabit all areas of the sprawling metropolis, from the lowliest pubs to the palaces of … [Read more...] about Haunted London – 10 London Ghosts and the Places They Purportedly Haunt

Londontopia Exclusive: Laura Porter Explores the New Sherlock Holmes Exhibition at the Museum of London “The man who lived and will never die”

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Sherlock Holmes is a London icon so it is fitting that this exhibition is at the Museum of London. 'The man who lived and will never die' is based on a similar observation made by Orson Welles in 1938. This is the most comprehensive exhibition about the world’s most famous fictional consulting detective in over 60 years. (There was a public display about Sherlock … [Read more...] about Londontopia Exclusive: Laura Porter Explores the New Sherlock Holmes Exhibition at the Museum of London “The man who lived and will never die”

Unique London: Ten Unique London Shops To Pop Into on Your Next Trip

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Stand aside Nabootique, the city of London has even stranger places to spend one’s money. From the questionable to the bizarre, there is a shop in London that caters to even the strangest of tastes (and no, I don’t mean dirty stuff). Have a look below and some of the most unique shops in London. Who knows? You may find something you want to purchase. James Smith & … [Read more...] about Unique London: Ten Unique London Shops To Pop Into on Your Next Trip

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