In Bloomsbury, London is the world’s finest collection of historical artefacts under one roof - even the roof is a world-class masterpiece! This article will highlight the must-see exhibits at the British Museum. If you only have time to visit one museum or gallery, look no further! The British Museum is the world's [...]
Finale Ligure is an Italian comune on the Gulf of Genoa in the Province of Savona in Liguria. We visited in autumn, flying from London to Turin and hired a car for the eighty mile drive south to the coast. Finale Ligure is a popular resort for Italians living in the north, but has very [...]
It’s time to plan your itinerary for the oldest and grandest civic procession in the world, taking place in London on Saturday 9 November 2019. This is the Lord Mayor’s Show in the City of London. Knowing the best place to watch the Lord Mayor’s Show will add to your enjoyment! The show can trace [...]
Hatfield House (around twenty miles north of London) is home to two fascinating buildings. A Jacobean stately home built by Robert Cecil (minister to King James I) and the 'Old Palace' - a tudor brick building built by Cardinal Morton in 1485, subsequently seized by King Henry VIII at the Dissolution in 1536 and later [...]
Hampton Court Palace was the home of England's most famous king from 1529 until his death in 1547. With sixty acres of gardens and 750 acres of parkland, it was King Henry VIII's weekend and summer retreat from London. The palace was occupied by monarch's of the Stuart and Hanoverian Royal Houses up until 1737. [...]
One of London’s finest country homes is only a few miles west of central London. Chiswick House was the centre of highly select gatherings of the Earl of Burlington’s family and friends in the 1730’s. And around fifty years later it served the same purpose for the Duke of Devonshire and his sparkling (very ‘modern’) [...]
Spitalfields is in the east end of London and very close to the City of London. Its been the traditional first stop in Britain for immigrants, going back to the 1600’s, and has had its share of poverty and destitution. Today, however, the area is a melting pot of the creative industries, street art and [...]
Recently returned from a summer-break in France, during which a highlight was the annual medieval fete in Vouvant, Pays de la Loire - the only fortified village of Vendee. Between 1150 and 1216, all of western France was ruled by the English kings; Henry II and Richard I - before being lost during the reign [...]
In the previous post we gave an overview of this historical area. We continue in this post - and take in the next four pubs! Foreign embassy capital Belgrave Square is home to around twenty foreign embassies; among them Norway, Spain, Germany, Austria, Brunei, Portugal, Bahrain, Turkey, Argentina, Mexico and the Ivory Coast. In the [...]
The 'square mile' of the City of London is home to half a million workers during the week. On Sundays however it is relatively quiet; allowing you to discover the deserted streets and secluded spaces. The juxtaposition of old and new architecture creates some interesting photographs. Here are a few from a recent visit.
