World Walker

Visit a host of free London attractions this spring – from blooming parks and lively city farms, to quirky galleries and vast museums – with our penny-saving guide to the UK’s bustling capital.

London farms

For a dose of rural charm in the big city, visit one of London’s free city farms. Spend a sunny south London afternoon at Vauxhall City Farm; its 0.6 hectares (1.5 acres) are home to over 80 animals – from ferrets to alpacas – as well as textile artisans who make natural dyes from the plants in the community garden. Over in east London, Hackney City Farm is a lively affair, with pigs, donkeys, cows, goats and sheep living alongside smaller animals, such as squeaky guinea pigs and fluffy chinchillas. After saying hello to Hackney Farm’s assortment of residents, take a turn around the pretty garden area, which features herb beds, an orchard and a bog garden.

London galleries

A mind-boggling array of contemporary art can be enjoyed free of charge at London’s Tate Modern. The innovative gallery, situated on the South Bank, features a kaleidoscope of artwork – from sublime Picassos to quirky installations by today’s cutting-edge artists. After exploring the creative and colourful exhibitions, clear your head with a stroll over nearby Millennium Bridge. Art fiends can also find small independent London galleries good for a free browze; Olyvia Fine Art in Westminster is showing a collection of Andy Warhol pieces until 6 June, including works that have never been shown in public.

London markets

London’s historic markets are the city’s most buzzing free attractions, and the call of the market trader echoes through many a cobbled nook and ancient cranny. For foodie heaven, head to London Bridge’s Borough Market and indulge your senses in the sights and smells of cuisine from around the globe; many traders offer visitors little tasters of their goods for free. Free street theatre and live music is guaranteed at Covent Garden Market, with a variety of acts – from fire jugglers to classical musicians – performing their craft both inside the market buildings, and outside in the bustling square.

London museums

London boasts some of the world’s most comprehensive museums, jam-packed with intruiging objects to entertain you and your brood for days. One of the most popular is the striking Natural History Museum, whose soaring and ornate sandy facade is a dominating feature of upmarket South Kensington. From dinosaur bones and stuffed animals to exotic plantlife, the museum offers plenty of natural wonder for all ages. Another renowned free museum is the British Museum, which houses a vast catalogue of artefacts from human history, spanning centuries and continents.

London parks

London’s Royal Parks are bursting with blooms and fresh greenery this time of year. A firm World Travel Guide favourite is well-tended Regents Park in north London, which features the beautifully manicured Queen Mary’s Gardens, striking stone fountains, and the quiet refuge of secluded St John’s Lodge Gardens. On a clear day, stroll up through Regents Park to Primrose Hill for glorious views across the city. Those who find themselves south of the river, will find pretty Greenwich Park offers great vistas of the Thames, a charming rose garden, and even glimpses some prancing wildlife in the Wilderness Deer Park – home to Red and Fallow deer.

London traditions

Witness age-old London traditions come to life, with the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and the ceremony of the keys at the Tower of London. Every morning (alternate days between August and March), the changing of the Buckingham Palace guard sees the New Guard take over duty from the Old Guard, accompanied by a live band. Every evening at 2153, visitors to the Tower of London can watch the Chief Warder, in full Tudor dress, ceremonially lock the tower gates and exchange formal dialogue with a sentry, in a tradition that has been going on for nearly 700 years.

I’m off to York for a two night short break soon, courtesy of Visit York. I was last in York five years ago, when York University was being considered as a place of study by one of our sons. I thought I’d enjoy spending some time getting to know this beautiful city better when visiting him, however he decided to study in Glasgow.

York Minster by visitingeu

I’ll be staying at the Grange Hotel one of the hotels taking part in the See You in York promotion, running until 31 March 2010, where you can stay for three nights for the price of two, or stay for four nights for the price of three. The promotion also offers a three day York Pass, allowing entry to over fifty attractions, for the price of a two day pass.

Looking up the River Ouse in York by Neil T

As I like to feature readers’ tips in this online travel Europe guide, if you have any recommendations on what to do and see in York, please leave a comment on this post.

Twitter Tips

@Célia Pedroso I had a great time there. Don’t miss the Holy Trinity Church, the Yorkshire Museum Gardens and the restaurant-bar Biltmore.

If you are looking for some tranquillity in London, head to the Kensington Palace and Gardens. Here you can catch your thoughts under towering trees and sprawling greenery, and also pack your time with a number of interesting activities. Here are a few reasons why I recommend the Kensington Palace and Gardens as one of the best places to visit in Europe:

The Palace – You can’t miss it. Behind an elaborate ornate gold and black gate, the Kensington palace has housed royalty since the 17^th century. It is most well known as the birth place of Queen Victoria (she lived here till she inherited the crown) and as a home to Princess Diana. Today the palace doubles up as royal residence, state offices and also showcases several royal exhibits (all of which are open to the public).

[Note: You need to purchase tickets to view the palace and exhibits inside.]

Exhibits – The palace opens up some of its royal opulence to the public. Take a peek at the state apartments – here you’ll find royal portraits, priceless artworks, furnishings and antiques. You’ll also get a look of how royalty lives. In addition there are several exhibits including the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection (royal outfits from the 18^th century to the present) and the Diana Fashion and Style Exhibition open to the public.

The Gardens – The Kensington Gardens are an urban escape. Once a part of Hyde Park, it was bought by William III in the 17^th century and landscaped to match the opulence of a royal residence. Here you can walk around the sunken garden, take one of the garden walks, share a picnic, read a book under a tree, take part in an ongoing football game, cycle, sunbathe or lounge by the round pond. The gardens also includes the Diana Princess of Wales’ Memorial Playground (a recent addition), a great place for young kids to find their own adventures.

[Note: The walks need to be booked in advance.]

The Orangery – All the walking around is bound to build up an appetite, and at such a time, head to the Orangery. Built for Queen Anne way back in the early 1700s, the Orangery, once a winter greenhouse and a venue for court events, serves a great high tea today. Sit under the high ceiling and elaborate arches and columns and fill up on English tea, scones, strawberries and cream, and sandwiches, and then order some more.

[The Orangery is a popular stop for many tourists and tends to get crowded pretty fast. It also shuts early in the evening, so if you're planning a visit be sure to allocate enough time.]

Millionaire’s Row – Kensington is one of London’s most impressive (and affluent) addresses. And a part of this area is the famous Millionaire’s Row, home to some of the world’s wealthiest. Stroll along the street, look at the homes and find an idea or two for your own home improvement series.

Have you visited Kensington Palace and Gardens in London, what did you most enjoy there?

I visited the Kelvingrove Art Gallery Museum in Januarry 2010. It was my first visit after the recent three year restoration of the building. The main entrance leads you straight into the grand Centre Hall. I loved the art deco style ceiling lamps and the decorated ceiling.

The Centre Hall at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

There was an organ recital during my visit on a Sunday afternoon.

The organ in the Centre Hall at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

In an adjacent hall there was a plane suspended from the ceiling. (more…)

Did you know that you can see the inside of a Concorde airplane in Scotland? Yup – there’s one waiting for you at the Museum of Flight in East Fortune, about halfway between Edinburgh and North Berwick in East Lothian. You can get there via a bus from outside the North Berwick train station, but to be honest if you can get a car, that’s a far easier/quicker option.

East Fortune is actually an old airfield, and the hangers have been converted into displays, exhibitions, and in many cases old airplanes that you can go in and poke around, sometimes even sitting in the cockpit! Lots of fun for the wee ones, and one hangar in particular is only child-friendly displays and exhibits to learn about how airplanes fly.

To visit the Concorde, you’ll need to go and collect a timed pass; it’s of course included with your fee to the grounds, but because of the narrow space only a few people are allowed on at the time. You can see why travellers were thankful this plane was fast, because it was very small and cramped; flight attendants called it the toothpick and you can imagine why.

An interesting feature is the galleys, which are so small one wonders how British Airways & Air France managed to serve up their decadent menus. A skill to work in here, I’d think.

The cockpit is quite small and filled with switches, dials, gadgets, levels, menus, lights, and other miscellany. Outside the cockpit, though, are all of these panels which house all the electronics. Pretty crazy.

Be sure to listen to the extra portions of your free audio guide as you tour around the outside of the plane. It is unbelievable to stand below the back of the engines and imagine what they would have been like if they were powered up.

Impressive stuff. Learn more about it on the Museum of Flight website. East Fortune is a great thing to combine with a visit to North Berwick and the Prestonpans Murals, especially if you have a car to get around quickly.

I love markets, and I take any and every opportunity to visit one. Some time back I visited London’s Portobello Market, and as expected, I fell in love with it. Here are a few reasons why:

Location – The Market is situated in London’s upmarket Notting Hill district (yes, the same as the movie). Along the winding roads, a row of neat pastel establishments (homes, stores and business stops) greet you on arrival. This street wears a distinctive ‘European look’ as opposed to the big city rush London generally displays.

Antiques – The Saturday antique market (which began around 1960) is the highlight of this market. You can spend an entire Saturday, and then one more, browsing and crushing over the articles on display. Mind you some of the antiques on offer can be a tad pricey, and others can be a tad fake; pay attention, look around and don’t rush into a purchase.

The Orwell Home – George Orwell, one of my favourite writers, lived in one of the pastel homes here in 1927. Ok so he spend very little time here, and produced no significant work while living here, but it is a part of his history, and so I guess it works. The house, though, looks a bit too cheerful to be Orwellian.

Alice’s Shop – You can’t really miss Alice’s Shop. And once you see it, you can’t miss taking a picture of it. It has, over the years, becoming a local landmark.

Quirky Stalls and Displays – The quirky English attitude is on display at the Portobello Market. Ignore your aching feet and explore every inch or you’ll miss out on true gems like the Royal Family, the political elite  (see photo), vintage knick-knacks (stuff you’d never use but will want to buy), old dusty books, impressive graffiti, and a lot of character. In addition you could also catch a movie or join a belly dancing class!

Great Food – Eventually, everything comes down to the food on offer, and in this department Portobello Market doesn’t disappoint. From little cafes and muffin shops to roadside stalls serving fresh goodies (try the hot crispy crepes), you’ll find everything here. Depending on your budget opt for the food of your choice, either way you won’t come away disappointed.

What do you think about markets? Do have a favourite?