Fun things to do in London: A Mini Cooper Tour

Introducing a fun tour zooming around London with smallcarBIGCITY and their fleet of Mini Coopers.

Hop on in and enjoy!

Mini Cooper & Big Ben: Fun in London

Ten More Things To Do in London For Free

1 The Square Mile - Take yourself on a self-guided walk around the City of London. Start outside the Tower of London then mingle among the skyscrapers to catch a view of The Gherkin, the Roman walls just outside the Grange City Hotel and the Victorian Leadenhall Market.

2 Bushy Park - Head southwest to Teddington to visit the geese and swans that prowl around the former stomping ground of King Henry VIII.

3 5th View Bar – Take in a cool view of the city skyline from the bar that, perhaps bizarrely, lives in a bookshop

4 Piccadilly Circus – Watch neon signs flash and look out for Eros, the archer in the fountain, in one of London’s busiest junctions

5 Maida Vale Canals - Hop on a canal boat if you have the cash, otherwise walk along London’s secret canals in this affluent part of London.

6 Abbey Road – Pose on possibly the world’s most famous zebra crossing, just like the Beatles.

7 Portobello Road Market- The official line says “antiques” but the Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill has a much broader collection of trinkets than that.

8 The Courthouse Hotel – While you’re going to need to stump up plenty of cash to actually stay here, it’s free to enter the bar. Why would you want to do that? Well it used to be THE court house and it’s where Mick Jagger, among others, stood here to be counted. Little has changed since then, right down to the holding cell with a toilet.

9 The Barbican – This, er, striking modern building in central London puts on plays, films, concerts and dance performances. Better yet, some of these are free. Check their website for details.

10 The Science Museum - Play along with earthquake simulators, giant red blood cells and outer space in this surprisingly cool museum.

So there you have it. Another 10 Things To Do For Free in London.

Photo London Big Ben

Ah…just a sweet, short reminder of one of my favourite spots in London.

Visiting London, never mind living there, can be extremely expensive. What makes the situation even worse is the fact that the city has so much to offer and the temptations are too hard to resist!

London's Theatres for Less

One of the things London is famous for is its great theatre shows: drama acts with many excellent improvisations, comedy performances with brilliant black humour and the loveable musicals.

So, what is the best advice for someone who loves London and wants to experience it to the max?  These tips and tricks to get into London’s top theatres for less…

1. “tkts”-

 This wonderful organisation was established in 1980 and since then it has become the most famous “half price” ticket booth in London. tkts is managed by the Society of London Theatre and their main aim is to give every person, rich or poor, the option to go to the theatre. Visit their booth either in the Clocktower building in the centre of Leicester Square or in the Brent Cross shopping center.  To find more locations and information visit their site.

2. “DiscountTheatre.com”-

This is a brilliant way to get a cheaper theatre ticket without even leaving the house! The site offers a secure payment system and a guarantee that you will have the same seat you requested on the reservation form. Visiting their site will not only assure you a ticket to the best show in town, it will also give you the option to explore some hotter deals such as: “buy a theatre ticket and get a free night in a Central London hotel!”

3. Standby-

You will be surprised by the number of theatres that offer standby purchase options- even the biggest shows get cancellations from time to time! Unfortunately for some of you, this opportunity is only available for 60+ retired citizens, students who study full time or members of the theatre union. In order to get a standby ticket, you will need to arrive about an hour before the show starts. If there are any tickets left, you can buy them for up to 70% off the original price!

4. Go with all your friends!

This is by far our favourite solution! If you book tickets for a group of 10 or more people, you can ask for a discount. The more people, the cheaper the price gets! Before buying tickets, call the theatre you wish to go to, tell them your situation, be polite and see if they can make an offer!

5. Move After Lights Out

This is a tricky one indeed, but worth trying. The further you are from the stage, the cheaper the ticket. Wait until the lights are out and the play has started, and then sneak quickly to the front to take up any empty seats. Good luck!

EasyToBook.com specialises in discount rates on hotels all over the world, from simple motels all the way up to celebrated 5-star venues. For more information about hotels in London, visit their site!

London, the city that’s rich in history and full of film-inspired tours.

Here’s our pick of five of the best “screenspiration” tours in London.

Harry Potter Walks 

Harry Potter - by Retro Writer

Price: free

Location: Starts from Temple Underground Station

Nearest Tube Station: Temple

Harry Potter is one of the most famous literary figures of the past decade, and this walking tour and treasure hunt is great for kids who want to explore some of the places they’ve seen in the films. Best of all – it’s free!

Starting outside Temple station, the tour visits Australia House, which was used for filming the inside of Gringotts Bank, Leadenhall Market where Diagon Alley scenes were shot, Whitehall, which was the entrance to the Ministry of Magic, and of course Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station.

There are also a number of clues, quizzes, activities and points of interest along the way to keep children entertained throughout the tour.

James Bond Boat Trip

James Bond - by Dreamglow Pumpkincat

Price:

Adults £29 / Children £16*

Duration: Approx. 1 hour

Location: Embankment Pier

Nearest Tube Station: Embankment

This particular Bond tour starts in a speedboat and recreates the thrill of those opening scenes from Pierce Brosnan’s The World Is Not Enough when 007 charges along the River Thames and ends up falling from a hot-air balloon onto the top of the O2 Arena, also known as the Millennium Dome.

From the boat, you’ll see many familiar London landmarks between Canary Wharf and Tower Bridge before the captain turns around, opens up the throttle and returns to the dock at high-speed, all to the backdrop of the famous Bond theme tune!

Along the way you will learn more about the world of MI5, Bond and a little about his creator, Ian Fleming. You’ll also pass MI6 headquarters along the way.

Charles Dickens Walks

Dickens - Pickwick Papers

Price:

free

Location: Starts from Chancery Lane Underground Station

Nearest Tube Station: Chancery Lane

Charles Dickens is one of the UK’s most famous literary figures and several of his works have been brought to the screen, such as Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol.

Walk past the Old Curiosity Shop, which inspired a novel of the same name and London’s Inns of Court, which featured in Great Expectations.

After a stroll around what’s left of Dickensian London, pay a visit to the Charles Dickens Museum at Doughty Street, 10 minutes from Chancery Lane Tube Station. Entry costs £6 for adults and £3 for children.

Sherlock Holmes Museum 

Sherlock Holmes - by M Fleming

Price:

Adults £6 / Children (under 16) £4

Location: 211b Baker Street

Nearest Tube Station: Baker Street

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective and his assistant, Dr. Watson, used to live at 221b Baker Street, where today a museum celebrates the fictional sleuth and his companion. Tours of the museum bring Holmes’ Victorian dwellings to life through exhibitions that give an insight into the detective and his brilliant mind.

You can visit the detective’s study and pose in his armchair for pictures and then read a multitude of handwritten notes from his published adventures and Holmes’ private papers. The third floor contains wax models, which replicate a number of scenes from the stories.

True fans of Sherlock Holmes may also wish to visit some of the locations used in the recent film adaptation, such as St Paul’s Cathedral and the Brompton Cemetery, which is just off Finborough road, West Brompton.

Sweeney Todd at the London Dungeon 

Todd - by Photomish Dan

Price:

Adults £22.50 / Children £16.50 – considerable savings are available by booking in advance online.

Location: Tooley Street, London

Nearest Tube Station: London Bridge

The demon barber of Fleet Street was recently portrayed by Johnny Depp in a film directed by Tim Burton. One of the most notorious of London’s legends, Sweeney Todd remains a popular character for ghost walks, particularly around Halloween.

Visit Fleet Street, the former home of Todd’s barber shop, and then walk on to Bell Yard, where his accomplice Mrs Lovett used to turn his work into meat pies.

The Dungeon in London Bridge has an exhibit dedicated to Todd and his gruesome legacy. Mrs Lovett greets you at her infamous pie shop before you enter the barber’s shop itself and take a seat in one of the chairs. A combination of animatronics and binaural special effects make you feel as though Todd is right behind you, giving you a close shave – and the experience can seem frighteningly real!

*All prices are correct at the time of writing

This guest post was written by the team at travelsupermarket.com. They’re a travel comparison site and have nothing to gain by promoting any of the tours above (and nor does Cheap Weekend Breaks for that matter.) However, if you’re in London on one of these film tours and looking for a hotel, they obviously think you can find a good deal by browsing their collection of London hotels. Read the exciting disclosure policy here.

London's Covent Garden Craft

I love London’s Covent Garden market. I love the music, the rhythm, the street art (as long as it doesn’t grab me in a handshake and then refuse to let me go) and I love the craft on sale at the market stalls.

This photo, of some of the art for sale, is part of Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday.

The Best Bars & Restaurants in Greenwich, London

According to Greenwich local, Clare Mehta.

Greenwich Tulip Staircase by Ahisgett

Inside, 19 Greenwich South Street.

A unassuming small restaurant in a corner of west Greenwich with fantastic modern European food and great value set menus. The chef, Guy Awford, has also just taken over The Guildford Arms, a formerly French-owned pub and brasserie on the corner of Guildford Grove.

The Guildford Arms, 55 Guildford Grove

The Guildford Arms remains a lovely pub with a pretty sunken garden that includes a fountain. The downstairs area is for gastropub grub, whilst upstairs caters for fine dining. The Guildford also has a pub quiz on Tuesday evenings.
 

Kum Luang, 328 Creek Road

Very central location in Greenwich, serves good Thai food in a lively environment with lots of carved wooden screens, staff in traditional dress and flowers adorning the meals.
 

The Trafalgar Tavern, 6 Park Row.

Regency building bursting with character and overlooking the Thames. Famous for its whitebait suppers (still served) & watched over by a statue of Nelson just outside the front door. Cosy red velvet armchairs & cast iron fireplaces downstairs, with large windows that open up in summer. There’s even a ballroom upstairs which can be hired for weddings and private parties.

A great website is The Greenwich Phantom  which blogs about all aspects of Greenwich.

Who cares? You’re only going to be there for the weekend – and you don’t need to worry about any of that. Instead, take a look at some of the great things that you can do in London for free:

TEN THINGS TO DO IN LONDON FOR FREE

1 - Catch free music at the Notting Hill Arts Club – every Saturday between 4 and 8pm.

2 - Get on your own soapbox in Hyde Park’s Speaker’s Corner.

Harrods by Sonewfangled

3 - Browse quail eggs, cava and custom-made cakes in the sumptuous food halls in Harrods.

4- Feed the pigeons in Trafalgar Square beneath Nelson’s Column (OK so you have to pay for the food but I’m thinking a bit of stale bread squeezes into the free category.)

5 - Walk along South Bank – take photos and gaze at silhouettes of the London Eye, Big Ben & The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre…

6 – Run with the deer in Richmond Park to the hilltop that gives a view across the smoggy city to the dome of St Paul’s (incidentally where Henry VIII watched for the sign that Anne Boleyn had been beheaded.)

 7 – Cast eyes on a giant dinosaur skeleton in the Natural History Museum.

8 - Watch colourful street performers in Covent Garden.

9 - Walk to the top of Primrose Hill – survey London at your feet.

10 - Watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

*Not technically true (the part about the Swiss defence budget, that is. The Ten Things to Do in London for Free are all true.)

The history of Mexico and the Aztecs is a fascinating one – involving stories of gold, sacrificial slaughter and great empires. The last leader of the Aztecs (or Mexicas) has become one of the most famous: Montezuma.

A powerful man, on a par with the gods, he somehow surrendered without a fight to the small band of Spanish conquistadores.

Until 24th January 2010, the British Museum will be hosting an exhibition on this remarkable man and his remarkable story.

I haven’t had the chance to check it out yet, but would love to, to see if it links in with my experiences of travelling around Mexico.

Expect to see skulls, black mirrors and stone eagles…and to puzzle over how this strange path of history came to pass.

London Tourists - by Rev Stan

London has some great tourist attractions. Millions of people travel from all over the world to see them, so don’t let the fact that it’s only a train journey away make these world famous sights somehow fall under the radar.

Don’t let London go to waste. Read this list and become a tourist in London yourself (oversized camera and “fanny-pack” are optional extras).

Top London Tourist Attractions

1 – Big Ben & Westminster

Big Ben

You need a letter from your MP declaring your dedication to mechanical clocks in order to get all the way inside Big Ben. But it’s free to watch Prime Minister’s question time and it’s free to have a tour of the inside of the Houses of Parliament for UK residents. This does take a bit of planning.

Of course, it’s free and easy to walk around these great buildings whenever you like. Watch for the comings and goings of today’s politicians, the press and protestors.

2 – The Tower of London

Tower of London - by Laszlo

The original execution site of Anne Boleyn and many others remains intact within these stony walls. So, too, do the crown jewels and Henry VIII’s armour. Tickets to the Tower are not cheap, but there is a discount for booking online.

3 – Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace - by ajagendorf25

These days, getting inside is possible, but the tickets aren’t cheap. Commoners can also follow the traditional method of peering through the spiked gates for free.

4 -Westminster Abbey

History at Westminster Abbey - Cornell University Library

The coronation site for William the Conqueror in 1066 – and that’s just beginning. Entry is free for religious services, otherwise you need to pay.

5 – Greenwich Mean Time

Visit the Royal Observatory and stand on the Prime Meridian Line that divides the world into east and west.

6 – St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul's by Mostaque

It’s free to see the outside of this world-famous grey dome, and to step inside. To view the galleries and explore the cathedral fully, however, you need to buy tickets.

7 - Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge - by Tigr

Often confused with London Bridge, Tower Bridge is the imposing one with, er towers, walkways and a road that lifts up to allow tall boats to pass underneath. You can find a list of Bridge Lift Times here.

8 - Covent Garden

Covent Garden by ktylerconk

Home to the Royal Opera House, this bustling market and interesting district is also renowned for its much cheaper street performers. Covent Garden is at its most atmopheric in the early evening.

8 - Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus - by Doug88888

Get a sense of London’s frenetic energy in this bustling junction. Stand beneath vast neon signs and gaze at the Statue of Anteros – the nude archer that graces the cover of the Evening Standard. All for free, of course.

Any other suggestions for world famous London tourist attractions? Pop them in the comments below…

The Greenwich Meridian Line - Dividing East from West

 Greenwich maintains a dual identity: a leafy, timeless picture of the world – and a fantastic view of London’s cosmopolitan mayhem.

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich

The Greenwich Observatory

The Royal Observatory houses enough neat tricks and ancient apparatus to fill half a day, from the camera obscura to the sliding roof that reveals a telescope.

The most famous attraction, however, is the Prime Meridian Line, the glimmering strips of metal that divide the world into east and west. To stand on the zero degrees longitude line, you need to buy a ticket, although you can see the line from outside for free.

Of course, it’s not only space but time that Greenwich marks as zero, even if the term Greenwich Mean Time has fallen out of favour.

Greenwich Park - London's Oldest Royal Park

Greenwich Park

Broad, green and lush, on the lower foothills of Greenwich Park you can almost forget that you’re in London. The walk to the Observatory at the top is slightly steep, but if you reach the Wolfe Statue, the reward is a beautiful view of the Millennium Dome, St Paul’s and the Thames.

Greenwich Market 

Found at the bottom of the hill (directions here), this historic market offers fresh food from all the coordinates of the globe, as well as stalls bursting with homemade crafts and funky gifts.