Travel Diaries

Each week in this segment I’ll be writing an A to Z of things to do and see in London. Ranging from some of the capitals most interesting museum to music venues and markets!

Jewel Tower, Westminster, London -

Where is it:

The Jewel tower sits close to the Houses of Parliment, so it’s something you could see whilst visiting some other attractions. Closest tube station is Westminster. Victoria and Charing Cross stations are also very close by.

What can you do there:

The Jewel tower is one of the two remaining pieces of  building that used to be the Palace of Westminster. When it was built it was used to house King Edward III’s treasured jewellery. The tower was also used to hold important documents for the nearby House of Lords. The building now has a small exhibition inside it that tells of the past and present uses for this small but important buliding. As I said above, this attraction is probably best done whilst seeing other things nearby, these could include The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the Thames and Westminster Abbey.

How much does it cost and opening times:

The tower opens on different times each day. To check for your day click the link in the website section.

Adult£3.20
Child£1.90
Concession£2.90

Disabled Access:

There is no information on the website that mentions access for disabled people. However there is a phone number that could be called: 0870 333 1181

Website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/jewel-tower/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/jewel-tower/visitor-information

Kew Gardens, Richmond, South west London -

Where is it:

The closest tube station is Kew Gardens (District Line), you can also take a train from Waterloo to Kew Bridge.

What can you do there:

Kew Gardens is just what it says on the package. It a garden, but don’t be fooled. This garden houses huge greenhouses with humid climates, perfect for the tropical plants. There’s also a Treetop Walkway that sits 18 metres up in the air. Kids will love walking through the trees!

The gardens are huge so there are numerous places to walk around including the Japanese Landscape, Climbers and Creepers play area for children and Sackler crossing.

How much does it cost and opening times:

The gardens open at 9:30

Adults: £13.90

Concessions: £11.90

Children: Free

Disabled Access: There is almost full access to the whole park however, one of the two tree walkways has no access as they are having trouble with the lift.

Website: http://www.kew.org/

 

London Dungeons, London Bridge, London -

Where is it:

The London Dungeons are nestled practically within the same building as London Bridge tube and train station making it the closest!

(You can often see the live actors taking smoke breaks or grabbing some lunch in the station so keep your eyes peeled)

What can you do there:

The London Dungeons (owned by Merlin entertainment) is an attraction that aims to teach you about the gruesome history of London whilst scaring the life out of you! They used live actors and there are some rides within the building so for those who are a bit squeamish then this one is probably not for you!

How much does it cost and opening times:

Date	Opening Times
Jan 2 – Feb 10	10.30-17.00
Feb 11 - Feb 19	09.30-18.30
Feb 20 – March 30	10.00-17.00
March 31 – April 15	09.30-19.00
April 16 – June 1	10.00-17.30
June 2 – June 10	09.30-18.30
June 11 – June 29	10.00-17.30
June 30 - July 20	09.30-18.00
July 21 – Sept 2	10.00-18.00
Sept 3 – Oct 26	10.00-17.30
Oct 27 – Nov 4	09.30-19.00
Nov 5 – Dec 29	10.00-17.00

Ticket Prices:

Adult: £24

Child: £18.60

Disabled Access: The dungeons are accessible to disabled visitors however there are some restrictions for certain rides. Also each tour is only able to take two wheelchair users, there are tours every seven minutes.

Website: http://www.the-dungeons.co.uk

Technorati Tags: Attractions, Jewel Tower, Kew Gardens, London, London Dungeons

Each week in this segment I’ll be writing an A to Z of things to do and see in London. Ranging from some of the capitals most interesting museum to music venues and markets!

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Southbank, London -

Where is it:

The globe theatre is seated on the south bank of the Thames. It is easily reached by foot from one of the many tube and train stations that surround it. From my point of view I’d say the best walk would be from London Bridge tube or train station, it’s about a 15min walk but you get to walk down the riverside. Other tube stations you can get to the globe from are Southwark (Jubilee line), Mansion House (District and Circle line) and St. Pauls (Central line). It’s probably best to travel by public transport as there is fairly limited parking in the area.

What can you do there:

The globe theatre was reconstructed near it’s original sight (the original building was burnt down by a fire in 1613). However the new building is made to resemble exactly what the original building looked like. The globe theatre is used to perform both open air and indoor productions of  Shakespeare’s work. The building is also used as an educational tools for schools across the UK and also for university students studying the performance arts. I think it’s well worth a trip to the Globe as it gives you a real sense of what life would have been like at the time, aside from that the building itself is beautiful!

How much does it cost and opening times: 

Theatre season begins on the 7th of June 2012 - You can buy tickets on-line from the 13th February.

These are the prices for the exhibition and globe theatre tour. During performances there is a different tour that they will take you on and the tickets for that are a little less expensive.

The exhibition prices are going up after the 31st of March:

 

Prices until 31st March 2012	Prices from 1st April 2012
Adult: £12.50	Adult: £13.50
Senior(60+): £11.00	Senior(60+): £12.00
Student (with valid ID): £11.00	Student (with valid ID): £11.00
Children (5-15): £8.00	Children (5-15): £8.00
Children (under 5): Free	Children (under 5): Free
Family (up to 2 adults & 3 children): £35.00	Family (up to 2 adults & 3 children): £35.00

Opening times: Monday to Saturday – 10am until 5pm, Sunday – 10am until 4pm

 

Disabled Access: There is access to all areas in the building by lifts. They also have  a contact number for any questions: 020 7902 1409

Website: http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/

Harrods, Knightsbridge, London -

Where is it: Harrods store is in central London, close to Knightsbridge tube station (on the Piccadilly line)

What can you do there: I guess this one is a little odd, after all it’s a shop. However, I feel that because its so huge and it’s about 17mins by public transport from Oxford Street it deserved a look in. Harrods is a store that sells almost everything. I’m not suggesting you roll on down there with your latest weekly shopping list because you’ll leave with no money left in your bank account! But when I go I spend maybe 2 or 3 hours having a walk around all the levels. My favourite places include the food hall on the bottom floor (all the sweets look so yummy) and the toy department where they show off the latest and greatest toys!

For those who don’t like to browse then this one is probably not for you.

How much does it cost and opening times:

Well as it’s a shop you don’t need to pay to get in, so no worries there.

Monday to Saturday 10am – 8pm, Sunday 11.30am – 6pm

Disabled Access: There is step-free access to the shop and it also has lifts to allow access.

Website: http://www.harrods.com/

Imperial War Museum, Lambeth, London -

Where is it: The closest tube stations are Lambeth North (Bakerloo Line), Waterloo (Bakerloo, Northern, Jubilee Line), Southwark (Jubilee Line) and Elephant & Castle (Bakerloo, Northern Line)

What can you do there:

The Imperial War museum holds collections of items from conflicts that the UK and the Commonwealth countries have been in. I think this trip is a  great one for children, the subject matter within the museum isn’t particularly light but its great as a teaching tool plus they exhibit some tanks and planes that are sure too keep little ones interested!

How much does it cost and opening times:

The museum is free to visit, you may need to pay for any special exhibitions that you visit.

Monday to Sunday – 10am to 6pm

Disabled Access: The IWM is wheelchair friendly, they also accept guide dogs and other assistance dogs.

Website: http://www.iwm.org.uk/

 

Technorati Tags: Globe Theatre, Harrods, IWM, London

Each week in this segment I’ll be writing an A to Z of things to do and see in London. Ranging from some of the capitals most interesting museum to music venues and markets!

Charles Dickens House, Borough of Camden, London  -

Where is it:

Dickens home from 1837 to 1839 is situated in Central London, He called it his “House in Town” and he wrote some of his most famous works here including Oliver Twist. The underground stations closest to Dickens House are Russell Square (on the Piccadilly line) or Chancery Lane and Holborn (on the Central Line).

What can you do there:

Dickens house has been turned into a museum. It is renovated to the Victorian style that the house would have had during dickens time there and it holds a number of dickens personal possessions including furniture, painting and rare manuscripts. If you are a fan of Charles Dickens work then this is a must see!

How much does it cost and opening times: 

Adults: £7
Concession: £5
Children: £3 (Under 10′s go free)

Monday to Sundays: 10am to 5pm

Visit this attraction from before April 9th 2012 as they are closing for refurbishments.

Disabled Access: Currently waiting on information on disabled access, bare with me!

Website: http://www.dickensmuseum.com/

Earls Court, Kensington and Chelsea, London -

Where is it:

Earls court is located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The closest underground station is Earls Court (on the Piccadilly and District lines), use the back exit from the station as it leads out to the venue. (I’m pretty sure there is sign posting leading you to the back exit)

What can you do there:

Earls court is a venue that is used for Exhibitions, Music Concerts, Shows and it will be used during the Olympics for Volleyball.

Here are some of the events that Earls court is holding this year:

• Doctor Who Experience, 20th - 22nd February. (For those Doctor Who enthusiasts!)
• The Times Destinations Show , 2nd – 5th February.
• The Great British Tattoo show, 20th – 22nd April.
• Ideal Home Show, 16th March – 1st April.

For a more comprehensive list of what’s on in the future have a look here

How much does it cost and opening times:

Costs and Opening times will depend entirely on the event that you are attending. Cost’s for food within Earls Court can get quite expensive so it might be a good idea to bring food with you.

Disabled Access: There is free parking for Blue Badge holders at Earls Court which is on a first come first serve basis. Assistant dogs are allowed within the venue.

Website: http://www.eco.co.uk/

Freud Museum, Hampstead, London -

Where is it:

The Freud Museum is in Hampstead, North London. Closest tube line would be Finchley Road (Jubilee and Metropolitan lines).

What can you do there:

The Freud museum was the home to Freud and his family when they escaped from Austria in the war, it remained within the family until 1982 when Freud’s daughter Anna passed away. The Museum is filled with famous furniture and rare collections of antiques. Freud’s study has been preserved and is just as it was like during his time there. This would be a great visit for those who want to learn more about Freud and his works in the Psychology field.

How much does it cost and opening times:

The museum is open Wednesday until Sunday: 12:00 to 17:00

Adults: £6
Concessions (Students with valid ID cards, children aged 12-16, unemployed persons, disabled persons): £3
Senior Citizens: £4.50
Children under 12 go free.

Disabled Access: There is step free access to the ground floor rooms in the house. There are no lifts within the house so unfortunately access to the top floor may be limited.

Website: http://www.freud.org.uk/

Technorati Tags: Charles Dickens House, Earls Courts, Freud Museum