London England

 

When you think of ‘cottage holidays’ London England properly does not come to mind, but if you are travelling into the U.K you may pass through London, you may also wish to visit while you are in a nearby county, so I have decided to cover it in ECL’s cottage holiday guide.

Photo: The Queens Cottages in the Tower Of London...

The Cottage Tour Of England

Accommodation.

London is one of the most exciting cities in the world and worth visiting if only for a short time. It is impossible to see all of London in one trip so my advice here is to find the things you want to see and do and then book your accommodation near to the attractions you wish to visit. You can also stay in one of the many B&B’s and Inns that are all over London. Deals may be hard to come by especially in season which is April through September.

London Cottages.

Finding a holiday cottage to stay in London may be difficult to say the least, but if you want to stay in a neighbouring county and commute to London on the train you can have the best of both worlds.

Counties that surround London England:

Home Counties: Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

South-East: Surrey and Kent.

Eastern England: Essex.

Areas of London.

London is divided into areas, North, South, East, West and Central London.

City Of Villages.

London is known as a city of villages, compared to the rest of England’s villages this may be a stretch of the imagination when you walk through it now, but that is how the city grew, it has a fascinating history and if you want to discover more about the city’s past I highly recommend you read the brilliant “London: The Biography” by Peter Ackryod before you visit this wonderful city.

Photo: Liberty Department store in London...

North London England.

London’s leafy area is great for walking. It is a beloved area for both locals and tourists, enjoy boutique shopping, fine dining and tranquil greens and parks. Charles Dickens loved Highgate and Hampstead has been described as a 'country village' it is also the resting place of the artist Constable.

Areas: Hampstead, Highbury, Higate, Muswell Hill and Stoke Newton.

Featured Attractions: Hampstead Heath, Alexandria Palace and Park.

Featured Villages: Highgate Village, Hampstead Village and Stoke Newton.

East London England.

A modern area containing London City airport and also the city’s historic docks. A great place for beautiful walks by the Thames and get out and about in Epping Forest. The 2012 London Olympics will be held here. Spitalfields market is the oldest in London and is a great place to eat and shop.

See Llamas, horses and farm animals at Mudchute Farm on Popular and the Isle of Dogs. Enjoy a pint in the Black Lion Pub in Plaistow; linked to highwayman Dick Turpin.

See Queen Elizabeth’s Tudor Hunting Lodge in Chingford and weatherboard cottages in Havering-atte-Bower. Chigwell village was once described by Charles Dickens as the ‘greatest place in the world’.

Areas: Canary Wharf, Hackney, Rainham, Stratford and Wanstead.

Featured Attractions: Spitalfields market, Epping Forest, Mudchute Farm, Black Lion Pub.

Featured Villages: Havering-atte-Bower and Chingford Village and Chigwell Village.

South London England.

South London is full of green areas and parks, historical and heritage sites including the National Maritime museum and Greenwich. Visit Eltham Palace the childhood home of Henry VIII.

Wimbledon is the place for tennis it also has great shopping and dining. Richmond has its wonderful deer park. Kew has the fabulous gardens, Queen Charlottes cottage and the cottage gardens. Barnes village is home to the wetland centre.

Areas: Battersea and Clapham, Dulwich, Richmond, Wimbledon and Greenwich.

Featured Attractions: Horniman Museum and Garden, Kew Gardens, Richmond Park and Wimbledon.

Featured Villages: Wimbledon, Kew, Richmond and Barnes Village.

West London England.

Famous for Heathrow airport and the RAF Spitfire in Uxbridge. The west also has Wembley stadium and Twickenham the home of rugby.

Kensington and Notting Hill are great for shopping. If you want to relax and get away from it all visit Syon Park the family home of the Duke of Northumberland set in 40 acres across the Thames from Kew Gardens.

Areas: Kensington, Notting Hill and Queens Park.

Featured Attractions: Fulham Palace and Syon Park.

Featured Villages: Shepperton Village and Kensington.

Central London England.

This area has something for everyone. Museums, Westminster Abbey, the London eye, the National gallery and Tate Britain. If you love great food visit historic Borough market and Smithfield and Farringdon meat market. Shop until your drop in Liberty and all the best department stores and Oxford street.

Visit the museum of garden history next door to Lambeth palace. See a show in Covent gardens and the Strand, enjoy the nightlife in Soho or just enjoy the ambience of Mayfair. See your favourite celebrities in wax at Madame Tussauds in Marylebone or discover chilled out village-chic in Primrose Hill.

From Mayfair to Wapping this is the heart of the city steeped in history. If you have never been to London before this area is a great place to stay and begin your discovery of one of the Worlds most fascinating city’s.

Areas: Knightsbridge, Camden and Chelsea.

Featured Attractions: British museum, National History museum, Victoria and Albert museum, The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Regents Park and St James Park.

Featured Villages: Shepherd’s Market, Chelsea, Regents Park and Camden town.

Things To Do In London England.

There is so much to do in London you will properly be overwhelmed trying to see it all. My advice is to narrow it down to a few things each day in nearby locations. As you are here at English Cottage Lifestyle I have created a guide for the cottage lover.

Obviously rural cottages are hard to come by in the city but there are some wonderful old buildings and things of interest that you may not be aware of or missed in past visits. This guide will help you discover ‘Old London‘.

Museums: A world of knowledge waiting to be discovered. Hand picked for the cottage lover.

Attractions: From Palaces to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. So many attractions so little time.

Shopping: Shop till you drop and admire the buildings too.

Markets: Wonderful food stalls and arts and crafts.

Restaurants: The best of British. Local and seasonal fare.

Pubs: After a days sightseeing you may need a tipple.

Afternoon Tea: Anyone for tea? How civilized. The best places for the English ritual.

Tower Of London: Not just the crown jewels but the Queen’s cottages too. A must see.


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