The lure of London’s eternal charm

The spotlight is always on London. Just as it should be.

View in browser PICTURE YOURSELF IN… London London buses are ubiquitous and easy to use I know London has buses - the red double-deckers are virtually synonymous with the city - but in my dozen trips there I’ve never taken one.  I always prefer to go underground. Escaping beneath the beat of a million footsteps, and joining the flow of millions more, crossing between lines and stations, work and play, day and night – all thanks to the London tube map.  Its iconic design and bright colors are emblazoned on t-shirts, totes and posters in every tourist shop in the city. But I love it because it immediately makes perfect sense and can help orient you even when you’re fresh off the plane, fumbling on your phone for the hotel address.  Its beautiful functionality is, for many visitors, the key to the city. It’s so easy to navigate, I feel instantly like I belong here, confidently hopping between neighborhoods, pretending to know the city like the back of my hand. I’ve traveled in London alone a lot and with my headphones on, destination in mind, and I love the feeling of descending into the anonymity of the tube. Down here, nobody can tell I’m not a Londoner and every corner of the city feels like mine to explore. Yours truly, AnneMarie McCarthy Senior Editor         Explore royal history in London These spots are great for exploring royal history, right up to the present day. Immerse yourself Lonely Planet writer and London local Tharik Hussain shares his highlights for a perfect trip. Head to Chinatown for a meal after a day at Covent Garden Eat your way through East London. This is a foodie’s haven. Come down Brick Lane on a Sunday for the best markets.  Listen to buskers in Covent Garden. A mellow place to spend an evening; pop around the corner for a meal in colorful Chinatown. Wander the Southbank. It’s a vibrant and lively riverside walk. Pop in for some world-class art at the Tate Modern.   Cycle London’s canals. A little bit of rural serenity through the capital. Stop at a canal-side pub like the Narrowboat for a quiet drink.  Go for a wild swim in Hampstead. There’s no other London experience like it. Refuel with a brunch at Burgh House Museum afterwards. Take tea on the Thames. A really elegant way to see London; enjoy the truly British tradition of tea, sandwiches and cake on a gentle cruise. 20 free things to put on your London itinerary London doesn’t have to be expensive – here’s 20 of our favorite free things to do. Don't miss East London's incredible street art Your guide to London Lonely Planet’s Experience London is written by local experts like Tharik and will help you build a unique itinerary whether it’s your first visit or your fifteenth. Get your copy before you go Ask an Insider Tharik Hussain is a London-based Lonely Planet writer. His love of his hometown really shines through – I’ll be saving all his suggestions for my next visit. Fall and winter are picturesque seasons to visit London What are you most looking forward to in London in the next three months?   The leaves changing color, and as those lovely browns and oranges start to drop off the trees, the return of stunning light shows throughout London and delightful open-air ice skating rinks in exquisite locations like Somerset House and Canary Wharf.  What’s your favorite restaurant right now? I’m really loving Graam Bangla on Brick Lane right now for bringing the authentic flavors of the local Sylheti-Bangladeshi community to the table. We’re talking spicy meat and fish curries featuring delicious vegetables known only on the subcontinent.  Read more: London's 13 essential things to do     When you’re in central London, don’t bother with the tube or bus, walk everywhere; so much of London’s charm is found on those forgotten alleys and quirky back streets. What London attraction seems cliché but is absolutely worth the hype? It has to be the Globe Theatre. It looks and feels like it belongs in the 16th century, and the raucous atmosphere the crowds create whilst watching the amazing plays put on all year-round almost convinces you that you’re in the past. I don’t know of any other theater experience like it. I haven’t been to London in a couple of years. What’s the best new thing to see? There’s a public park in the sky now. The Sky Gardens at the top of the “Walkie Talkie” building is free for everyone and feels like an elaborate greenhouse in the sky with exotic flora sprawling over terraces and a huge glass façade offering stupendous views across the capital. "London is always surprising me." -Tharik Hussain What’s your favorite London neighborhood and why? For me it’s the East End of London; bustling markets that still retain a local flavor; global communities offering some of the best foodie spots in the capital; a vibrant art scene and lively nightlife. It’s all here.  What still surprises you about London? As one famous biographer of the city put it, London really is a living, breathing, organism; one that is constantly changing and at a serious pace. I frequently visit neighborhoods I think I know well only to find a hidden little green spot or a great eatery dishing up amazing falafel I had never noticed before. London is always surprising me.  This email was sent to you by: Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 © 2022 Lonely Planet Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy | Destinations | Shop New Releases