02_165621 ftoc.qxp 1/23/08 8:47 PM Page vii Contents at a Glance Introduction.......................................................1 Part I: Introducing London ..................................7 Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of London ..................................9 Chapter 2: Digging Deeper into London ......................................17 Chapter 3: Deciding When to Go ..................................................29 Part II: Planning Your Trip to London.................39 Chapter 4: Managing Your Money ................................................41 Chapter 5: Getting to London ........................................................52 Chapter 6: Catering to Special Needs or Interests ......................60 Chapter 7: Taking Care of the Remaining Details ........................69 Part III: Settling into London.............................81 Chapter 8: Arriving and Getting Oriented ....................................83 Chapter 9: Checking In at London’s Best Hotels and B&Bs ....103 Chapter 10: Dining and Snacking in London ..............................142 Part IV: Exploring London................................183 Chapter 11: Discovering London’s Top Attractions..................185 Chapter 12: Shopping the Local Stores ......................................237 Chapter 13: Following an Itinerary: Four Great Options ..........257 Chapter 14: Going Beyond London: Six Great Day Trips..........263 Part V: Living It Up after Dark: London Nightlife ........................................295 Chapter 15: Applauding the Performing Arts ............................297 Chapter 16: London’s Best Pubs, Clubs, and Bars ....................307 Part VI: The Part of Tens.................................315 Chapter 17: Striking a Pose: Ten (Or So) Famous London Statues ........................................................317 Chapter 18: Making Amens: Ten Noteworthy COPYRIGHTEDLondon Churches....................................................................321 MATERIAL Chapter 19: Ale’s Well That Ends Well: Ten Historic London Pubs ....................................................325 Chapter 20: Ten Important Royals — Past and Present ..........328 Appendix: Quick Concierge..............................337 Index.............................................................345 02_165621 ftoc.qxp 1/23/08 8:47 PM Page viii 02_165621 ftoc.qxp 1/23/08 8:47 PM Page ix Maps at a Glance London’s Neighborhoods ........................................................................90 London Accommodations Overview ....................................................112 Hotels in Westminster and Victoria ......................................................115 Hotels in the West End............................................................................116 Hotels from Knightsbridge to Earl’s Court ..........................................118 Hotels from Marylebone to Notting Hill ..............................................120 Restaurants in and around the City ......................................................148 Restaurants in Westminster and Victoria ............................................149 Restaurants in the West End ..................................................................150 Restaurants from Knightsbridge to Earl’s Court ................................152 Restaurants from Marylebone to Notting Hill......................................154 London’s Top Sights................................................................................186 The British Museum................................................................................189 St. Paul’s Cathedral..................................................................................202 The Tower of London..............................................................................204 Westminster Abbey ................................................................................207 More London Sights ................................................................................210 Hampstead................................................................................................227 Shopping in Knightsbridge and Chelsea ..............................................247 Shopping in the West End ......................................................................250 Day Trips from London ..........................................................................264 Bath ..........................................................................................................267 Brighton ....................................................................................................271 Canterbury ..............................................................................................274 Stratford-upon-Avon................................................................................277 Salisbury ..................................................................................................282 York ..........................................................................................................286 York Minster ............................................................................................288 London Pubs, Clubs, and Bars ..............................................................308 02_165621 ftoc.qxp 1/23/08 8:47 PM Page x 02_165621 ftoc.qxp 1/23/08 8:47 PM Page xi Table of Contents Introduction ......................................................1 About This Book......................................................................1 Conventions Used in This Book ............................................2 Foolish Assumptions ..............................................................3 How This Book Is Organized..................................................4 Part I: Introducing London ..........................................4 Part II: Planning Your Trip to London ........................4 Part III: Settling into London........................................4 Part IV: Exploring London............................................4 Part V: Living It Up after Dark: London Nightlife ......5 Part VI: The Part of Tens..............................................5 Quick Concierge............................................................5 Icons Used in This Book.........................................................5 Where to Go from Here...........................................................6 Part I: Introducing London .................................7 Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of London ...................9 The Best Places to Soak Up London’s History ....................9 The Best Museums................................................................11 The Best of British Cuisine ..................................................12 The Best Places to Shop in London....................................13 The Best of London’s Performing Arts...............................14 The Best Urban Charms .......................................................15 Chapter 2: Digging Deeper into London .......................17 The Main Events: A Brief History of London .....................17 Prehistory and the arrival of the Romans ...............17 Northern invaders ......................................................18 William the Conqueror...............................................18 Magna Carta.................................................................18 Hundred Years’ War....................................................18 Tudor and Elizabethan England................................18 Civil War.......................................................................19 Fire, plague, and rebuilding.......................................19 New lines of succession .............................................19 The Victorian Empire .................................................19 England in the world wars.........................................20 The welfare state.........................................................20 Queen Elizabeth II.......................................................20 London at the millennium..........................................21 02_165621 ftoc.qxp 1/23/08 8:47 PM Page xii xii London For Dummies, 5th Edition Mayor Ken....................................................................22 New Labour .................................................................22 Terrorist bombings.....................................................22 Building Blocks: An Overview of English Architecture ....22 Dining English Style, from Traditional to Modern ............24 Visiting the Local Pub...........................................................25 Background Check: Finding London on Page and Screen ................................................................26 Chapter 3: Deciding When to Go ...................................29 Revealing the Secrets of the Seasons .................................29 Abloom in the spring..................................................30 Summer fun in the sun ...............................................31 Chock-full of culture in the fall..................................32 Wonderful in winter....................................................32 Perusing a Calendar of Events.............................................33 January.........................................................................33 February.......................................................................33 March ...........................................................................33 April..............................................................................34