From royal parks to vintage markets, street food to designer fashion, London has it all. Follow this insider guide to experience the city like a local.
WHAT TO DO
For an overview of the capital’s attractions, take the glasswalled elevator to the top of The Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe. To avoid the steep admission price, go straight up to Gong bar on the 52nd floor.
A converted power station beside the Thames, Tate Modern’s monumental architecture is as big a draw as its blockbuster exhibitions.
Explore the secret skywalks and gardens of the Barbican, a brutalist landmark with an edgy programme of contemporary art, theatre, and music.
EAT & DRINK
Feast your senses at Maltby Street’s Saturday food market. Kick start the day with Monmouth coffee and custard doughnuts from St John, followed by locally brewed honey beer from Hiver and biodynamic wines from Gergovie.
Browse the colourful bouquets and design shops at Columbia Road flower market, then refuel with a Sunday roast at The Royal Oak, an old-fashioned pub with a hipster twist. For a special occasion, head to any of Corbin & King’s debonair establishments – breakfast on omelette Arnold Bennett at The Wolseley, take afternoon tea at The Delaunay, or knock back old fashioneds at The Beaumont hotel, whose crowing glory is artist Anthony Gormley’s sculptural suite. Take a hot date to Dandelyan, the green marble bar in the riverside Mondrian hotel, followed by a movie in the screening room, the city’s sexiest cinema.
