London, England

Around Town

North

Start in Hampstead heath, inspiration to Constable and Keats, whose house can be visited, and gaze out over the city from Parliament Hill. Enjoy the neoclassical grandeur of Kenwood House, the scene of numerous music concerts in the summer and home to a wonderful collection of paintings. Head further out of the city centre to the RAF Museum and William Morris Gallery in walthamstow.

South

The Royal Observatory afford breathtaking views across Greenwich and the Thames. Wander down the hill to the National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House, or explore the Cuty Sark. Visit Eltham Palace, a beautiful Art Deco house, or visit the world’s first custom-built gallery, the Dulwich Picture Gallery. The Horniman Museum offers electric exhibits, while the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum tell the story of the world’s greatest tennis tournament.

East

The East End is awash with weekend markets, like house at Brick Lane, Petticoat Lane and Spitalfield, or there’s contemporary art at the Whitechapel Art Gallery. Absorb London’s trading history at the Museum in Docklands near Canary Wharf. Take a nostalgia trip at the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood, or revel in domestic times past at the Geffrye Museum’s period rooms. Alternatively, get back to nature at the Mudchute City Farm.

West

Explore one-time home of kings, Hampton Court Palace, then head to Richmond Park, once a royal hunting ground and still home to deeper. Across the water, great works of art complement Syon House’s lavish interior, while nearby, the Royal Botanic Gardens has one of the worl’s greatest collections of exotic plants, and the London Wetland Centre at Barnes is a haven for animals and plants.