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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

Ten Small Craft Breweries to Visit in London

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Craft beer is the wave of the future.  So many new breweries have sprung up in the last few years it feels as if they’re reproducing at the same speed as rabbits.  The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) estimates there are 125 craft breweries in the city spread out amongst the boroughs and neighborhoods.  With so many throughout Greater London, it can be hard to determine which ones … [Read more...] about Ten Small Craft Breweries to Visit in London

Ten Unique Tea Rooms for Your Afternoon Tea in London

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Tea has been an important part of British culture since the 17th Century, and you’d be hard pressed to find a society on this side of the globe that loves it more.  While coffee houses preceded tea rooms in London, the culture quickly flipped when Thomas Twining opened the city’s first tea room in 1707.  Now you can find them in every borough and neighborhood.  While many offer … [Read more...] about Ten Unique Tea Rooms for Your Afternoon Tea in London

Springtime in London: Top Things to Do in London This Spring

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Spring appears to have sprung early in London this year. With the winter weather finally starting to thaw, spring is upon us, and that means an array of seasonal events in London.  The city is awash with festivals, sporting events, and ceremonies from March through May and there is enough variety to find something anyone will enjoy.  We have identified our top ten favorite … [Read more...] about Springtime in London: Top Things to Do in London This Spring

Top 10 London: Ten Places in London for the Perfect Selfie

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Simultaneously the most hated thing tourists do but also the most popular thing they actually do. Ever since cell phones got cameras, a self-shot (or “selfie”) photo is the norm for most of us.  Whether you want to capture a memory or blow up Instagram while you’re in London, the city certainly has plenty of excellent spots for a selfie.  Of course, there are places not to take … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Ten Places in London for the Perfect Selfie

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!

Top Ten London: Top 10 Most Romantic Places in London

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Love is in the air when February rolls around, and London is a great place to experience it.  Most people might think that Paris would be the best place to spend Valentine’s Day, but the UK capital has a charm to rival its competition across the Channel.  If you’re in London on February 14th, you might want to consider one of the ten places below to spend the holiday with … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Most Romantic Places in London

Check Out This Amazing Animated Visualization of London’s Tube Lines

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I can't stop watching this animated visualization of London's Tube Lines. It first made the rounds on Reddit and then it went viral on Twitter. It was made by Twitter user Baggma and I've linked to the original Tweet below. My favorite bit is the Elizabeth line coming in at the bottom, then creeping back away (it's recently been announced its delayed, probably for several … [Read more...] about Check Out This Amazing Animated Visualization of London’s Tube Lines

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!

Harry Potter News: Gringotts Bank Coming to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in April

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The Harry Potter Studio Tour is continually changing and updating to make sure they have a steady stream of repeat visitors. Today, they've announced that they'll be opening up Gringotts Bank to visitors. From the press release: For the first time ever at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, visitors are invited to enter the set of Gringotts … [Read more...] about Harry Potter News: Gringotts Bank Coming to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in April

London Alert: London’s Classic Routemaster Bus Heritage Routes To Stop Running on Weekdays

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The Routemaster is an icon of London (see our article on its history here). Our image of London is so suffused with it, that even though the bus was long ago taken out of regular service, it still serves that purpose. Several buses are kept in good order and operated on Heritage Routes through central London for tourists to still enjoy. Seeing a Routemaster on the roads, with … [Read more...] about London Alert: London’s Classic Routemaster Bus Heritage Routes To Stop Running on Weekdays

London Alert: The Painted Hall in Greenwich to Re-Open in March After Multi-year Restoration

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Great news! After being closed for almost two years and undergoing at £3 million restoration, The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich will be re-opening to visitors! This place is sometimes referred to as the UK's 'Sistine Chapel' and it's an incredible sight to see in person. If you've been the Greenwich the last few years, you may have been … [Read more...] about London Alert: The Painted Hall in Greenwich to Re-Open in March After Multi-year Restoration

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

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The London Borough of Bromley is the largest in greater London, covering fifty-nine square miles.  Like many of London’s boroughs, it was formed in 1965 by the London Government Act of 1963 and was created out of the Metropolitan Boroughs of Bromley and Beckenham as well as the Urban Districts of Penge, Orpington, and Chislehurst.  Being the biggest of London’s boroughs, there … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Bromley

London History: The Medieval London Murder Map Released by University of Cambridge

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This is fascinating. The Violence Research Centre out of the University of Cambridge has taken the data of recorded murders in the Tudor era and plotted them on a map, which provides a macabre and fascinating look at crime in London in the middle ages. About the map: First digital map of the murders recorded by the city's Coroner in early 1300s shows Cheapside and Cornhill … [Read more...] about London History: The Medieval London Murder Map Released by University of Cambridge

Alexandra Palace’s East Wing Opens To the Public After £27 Million Restoration – See Images of the New Interiors!

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It's so lovely to see London's iconic buildings get a new lease of life after restoration. The latest building in London to get the treatment is Alexandra Palace. While not really a 'palace' in the palace sense, Alexandra Palace has been a destination for entertainment since it was built in the Victorian Era. It's most famous as the place where the BBC started broadcasting … [Read more...] about Alexandra Palace’s East Wing Opens To the Public After £27 Million Restoration – See Images of the New Interiors!

London Alert: The Annual Black Friday-Cyber Monday Sale is ON! Huge Discounts! Details Inside!

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Hey Everyone! Just a quick post to let everyone know that our annual Black Friday to Cyber Monday Sale is now ON in the Anglotopia Store. We have huge discounts on maps, magazines, books, subscriptions and more! The sale ends on Monday and if we run out of stock on anything, that's it! We have tons of great fits for the Anglophile in your life. Don't miss out. We would urge you … [Read more...] about London Alert: The Annual Black Friday-Cyber Monday Sale is ON! Huge Discounts! Details Inside!

London Maps: Check Out This Beautiful New Map of London History and Culture

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This came through the inbox the other day and I knew we had to share it. This beautiful new map from artist Cally Lathey and it took her 11 months to create. Wow! About the map: From Winehouse to Willesden, Elizabeth Taylor to Elephant and Castle, Bowie to Brockley... This map has it all. Did you know that Mozart wrote his first symphony in London in 1764? That Alfred … [Read more...] about London Maps: Check Out This Beautiful New Map of London History and Culture

Ian McKellan To Go On Tour For His 80th Birthday – Tolkien, Shakespeare, others

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  Big news for fans of British star Ian McKellan, to celebrate his 80th birthday next year, he's going to go on a national tour around Britain, celebrating his greatest hits and raising funds for theatre. Here are the details: Ian McKellen is to celebrate his 8oth birthday next year by raising funds for theatres, with a new solo show which will play on 80 … [Read more...] about Ian McKellan To Go On Tour For His 80th Birthday – Tolkien, Shakespeare, others

Top Ten London: 10 Best Places to Spot Christmas Decorations in London

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“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

London Alert: Tower of London Lights 10,000 Torches in its Moat in Remembrance of World War I – See it by Sunday!

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A very moving scene has been created in London at the Tower of London and you only have until the 11th to see it. 10,000 gas lanterns have been lit in the Tower's moat in commemoration of the end of World War I. If you're in London right now, you have until Sunday to see this. Go! I wish I was there to see it in person. From Historic Royal Palaces: As the nation … [Read more...] about London Alert: Tower of London Lights 10,000 Torches in its Moat in Remembrance of World War I – See it by Sunday!

London Alert! The LED Tube Light Is BACK! We’re Getting Just 100 More!

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All right, the LED Tube Light is the most popular product we've ever offered. We didn't think we were going to be able to get more but got the great news this week that we have secured another 100 units! They will be arriving here at our office in early December. I can promise they will ship before Christmas (via Priority Mail as well, which only takes 2-3 days). So, the … [Read more...] about London Alert! The LED Tube Light Is BACK! We’re Getting Just 100 More!

Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about the Dorchester Hotel

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One of the pinnacles of prestige in London, the Dorchester Hotel is a five-star accommodation that is as known for luxury as the number of famous names who have stayed there since it opened in 1931.  Its guests have included everyone from poet Cecil Day-Lewis (father of actor Daniel Day-Lewis) to Queen Elizabeth II.  Designed in an art deco style, the hotel has maintained that … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about the Dorchester Hotel

Iconic Battersea Power Station to Get Great Glass Elevator in Its Chimney Offering 360 Degree Views of London from 2021

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No, Willy Wonka isn't building a chocolate factory in London. Battersea Power Station, made famous by the iconic Pink Floyd's album cover and then became more famous as a white elephant changing hands several times, is to get a new tourist attraction. They're going to put a glass elevator in one of the smokestacks and offer travelers a chance to get 360-degree unobstructed … [Read more...] about Iconic Battersea Power Station to Get Great Glass Elevator in Its Chimney Offering 360 Degree Views of London from 2021

Carnaby Street Unveils Bohemian Rhapsody Christmas Lights

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We're very excited about the upcoming film about Queen called Bohemian Rhapsody and in celebration, Carnaby Street has decked out the street with Christmas Lights inspired by the song. They were switched on a few days ago (with surviving Queen members and film star Rami Malek present to do the honors). And they look amazing! The lights will grace Carnaby Street until early … [Read more...] about Carnaby Street Unveils Bohemian Rhapsody Christmas Lights

A Brief History of London’s Parks

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London’s parks are some of the best in the world.  From Hyde Park to Hampstead Heath, they are beautiful places that create pockets of greenery throughout the city, offering Londoners a chance to connect with nature, be active, speak out, and have fun.  However, these parks didn’t always exist, and their creation has a story all its own.  In fact, there are several stories as … [Read more...] about A Brief History of London’s Parks

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