A day out in Greenwich: things to do in London

By Vanessa Teo

Greenwich is one of London’s most loved boroughs and is a honeypot for locals and visitors alike. Head south east down the River Thames and you’ll arrive at the home of some of London’s most iconic museums and monuments, with a great scientific, astronomic and maritime history to be discovered. As Londoners, we love Greenwich, so much so that we’ve teamed up with our fourth attraction in the area: the Royal Observatory and from November 2014, London Pass holders can visit for free and learn all about its scientific influence. To help you make the most out of the area, we’ve come up with an itinerary of things to do in a day in Greenwich. From morning until night, you can find plenty of museums, markets and monuments to explore; we’ll tell you how: Morning: Make the Royal Observatory your first port of call as you get off the DLR at Cutty Sark. The Royal Observatory embodies Britain’s first foray into astronomy and is home to the Greenwich Mean Time and Prime Meridian line. As one of the most important historic and scientific sites in the world, it offers visitors the chance to learn about the ground-breaking discoveries of the 18th century through interactive displays and galleries through exploring the original Flamsteed House. To give you a bit of context, the Prime Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time line unified times around the world and set a universal ‘standard’ to measure with – something we take so much for granted now! Before then every country kept to their own local time and it wasn’t until the 1850s and 1860s when railway networks and communications became international that there was a real need for a ‘time standard’. At the Royal Observatory visitors can have one foot over each side of the line and be in both eastern and western hemispheres at once – one of the most popular features of the Observatory and definitely a photo-worthy opportunity! Coffee break: Next, walk down the hill towards the National Maritime Museum – our next stop. But just around the corner is the Biscuit Ceramic Café which does great coffees and cakes, if you need a sugar hit! Once you’re ready to go again, and had your fill of planetary observations and astronomical delights, move on from stars to ships, at the Royal Observatory’s sister museum; the National Maritime Museum. Here you can learn about the tales of explorers and brave sailors through an extensive collection of seafaring artefacts and displays. As the largest maritime museum in the world, it’s a fascinating place to learn about Britain’s maritime history and with a wide variety of exhibitions and events on throughout the year it’s well worth a visit. Lunch: Bustling with young students, locals and visitors alike, Greenwich is a great place to stop for a cup of coffee and window shopping – but it’s even better for its famous food market, Greenwich Market. Established in 1737 it offers a smorgasbord of food stalls six days a week (Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00-17:30) which will have you salivating all the way home. Sample marmalades and jams, to authentic dim sum and dumplings; or how about Dutch poffertjes or a vegan muffin? It’s not all just food though, there are also a huge array of artists and designers who run their own stalls selling art and craft, as well as antiques and vintage pieces (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10:00-17:30). Don’t forget to bring petty cash as not all stalls have card readers. Afternoon: After lunch, get the mind going again and find something really different in the area. Experience the unique Fan Museum, the world’s only museum dedicated to fans and every aspect of their production. Greenwich’s Fan Museum contains over 4,000 antique and unique fans dating as far back as the 11th century. The museum will take you through exhibitions about their social importance and cultural significance over time, from Chinese Geishas to French aristocrats. A must-visit when you’re in this World Heritage Site – and you’ll probably never visit anything like it again! Before you call it a day, squeeze in one last visit and head to the historic building and prestigious art gallery, Ranger's House to tour the extensive Wernher Collection. With over 700 works to be admired from the Dutch Old Masters to the Renaissance, the collection will take you through some of the most important movements in art history; not to mention give you a glance through Sir Julius Wernher's personal tastes. Take a step back and admire this old Georgian, red-brick building as a monument in itself, as well as - arguably - Greenwich's finest gallery. Evening: Wind up your busy day in Greenwich in one of the most iconic pubs in London. The Gipsy Moth, overlooking the Cutty Sark claims one of the most hard-to-beat views of any riverside pub. The Gipsy Moth is a great all-weather pub with a cosy interior and extensive beer garden for those warmer, sunny days. A great place to unwind with one of their speciality beers and ciders (even potato vodka...) it’s the icing on the cake for a day out in Greenwich. London Pass customers get free entry to The Royal Observatory – saving £7.70 on admission costs London Pass customers get a free souvenir at the National Maritime Museum, as entry is free to the public London Pass customers also get free entry to the Fan Museum and The Wernher Collection at Ranger’s House Greenwich is connected to the DLR and regional train lines running into both Cutty Sark and Greenwich stations from central London. If you opt for the London Pass with Travel package, journeys to and from these stations will be covered so you can visit with ease!

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Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour
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Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tour: FAQs

So, what is Shakespeare’s Globe? Shakespeare’s Globe is a reconstruction of the 1599 Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse where many of William Shakespeare’s plays had their debuts. And now you can find out all about it on the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour. Is it the original? No, that was demolished in 1644. This reconstruction stands just 230m from the original site. It is designed to be as faithful to the original as possible and is based on lots of academic research into the features, size, materials and shape of the original. Is it simply an attraction, then? No. Shakespeare’s Globe, like the original, is a working theatre. It is open-air, with an authentic thrust stage that leans out into the audience. The building provides cover for three tiers of seating, but most audience members stand, entirely unprotected from the elements. As such, the theatre puts on performances during the summer only.  There’s a self-guided exhibition area too, which you’re free to take a look at afterwards, or beforehand whilst you wait for your allocated tour time slot. Do the tours run year-round? They are indeed. So whenever you’re looking to come to London, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to see the building from the inside and dip your toe into a little London and Shakespeare history. Tours finish at midday during the performance season, which runs from April to October. But no tour is called off due to inclement weather. Because of the open-air nature of the yard, bring appropriate clothing if you think it’s going to rain. What does the tour include? Visitors are taken into the theatre to see the thrust stage and the covered seating of the ‘Wooden O’. You’ll discover how plays were performed in Shakespeare’s time, and how the modern theatre tries to carry on the theatrical legacy of the Elizabethan stage. It’s particularly enlightening to consider the practical problems and considerations that affected the way Shakespeare developed his most famous works. You’ll be guided through the history of the original building and its modern reconstruction, getting introduced to fascinating real-life characters who made the theatre what it was then, and what it is now. Can I stand on the stage? Unfortunately not. It’s for safety reasons though, so fair enough. If you come as part of an educational group, you might be able to during one of the workshops. But for ordinary entry, nope. You do get incredibly close to it though. Just one tiny step and a giant leap from stardom.  Do I get to go backstage then? There isn’t really much to see backstage at Shakespeare’s Globe. So, no. Does it last as long as the Bard's longest play, Hamlet? Blessedly, no. The tour lasts around 40 minutes. Can I book in advance? You can book advance tickets online. If you’re turning up on the day, get there early or else tickets may sell out. The quietest tour is the first one of the day, which runs at 9.30am. I’m bringing my whole crew with me. Can we just turn up? First up, congratulations on having so many friends.  But no, you can’t just turn up if you’re bringing a large number of people. You’ll need to book in advance. What are the opening times? Tours run every 30 minutes from 9.30am until 5pm year-round, apart from April to October when performances are on. During this time, tours end at midday. It’s also during the performance period (when the weather’s nicer, really) that tours get busier. It’s best to turn up as early as you can during the summer months so that tickets don’t sell out on you. Are tours in any languages other than English? No, all tours are conducted in the language of Shakespeare. Although the dialogue is usually not so flowery or hard to follow. However, there are free information sheets available on the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tour. They come in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Korean, Portuguese, Romanian, Greek and Hungarian. Is the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tour fully accessible? Yes, it is. Ask at the ticket office for more details if visiting with someone with hearing or sight difficulties. How do I get to Shakespeare’s Globe? Shakespeare’s Globe is positioned on the Southbank, right by the River Thames. It’s in an enviable position, right in the heart of London, just as the original 1599 Globe Theatre was. This means that it is easy to get to from a number of London locations. Take an easy stroll along the Thames from a nearby attraction. It’s a lovely way to arrive at this centre of theatrical history. You’ll also find it easily accessible by a number of cycle routes. The closest tube stations are Blackfriars and Mansion House, which are both a 10-minute walk away. MBNA Thames Clipper services drop you off at Bankside Pier, which is right by the theatre. There’s some limited parking for blue badge holders on New Globe Walk. If you’re on the train, Blackfriars Station is 10 minutes walk away, while London Bridge is 15. And for all your bussers out there, you can get the 45, 63 or 100 to Blackfriars, the 15 and 17 to Cannon Street; and the 11, 15, 17, 23, 26 and 76 to Mansion House. How much does it cost to go on the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour? Entry to the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tour costs from £17 for standard tickets. Children get in for £10, and Seniors (60 years and over) for £15.50. Bring your ID if you’re a student, and you can get in for £13.50. Family tickets are £46. But as you know, entry is included with your London Pass.  Experience everything London has to offer with The London Pass® Planning your London trip? With The London Pass®, you can explore big-name landmarks, local hotspots and epic tours, all on one pass, all for one price. Not only that, but you'll enjoy savings of up to 50%, compared to buying individual attraction tickets. ✈️ Buy The London Pass® ✈️
Matthew Pearson
Blog

Find your way in London: How to use what3words

If you’re new to London, or even if you’re a local who’s needs a more efficient way of pinpointing a location when out at Notting Hill Carnival this weekend, what3words could be a convenient way of navigating the city. The app was created to meet a very real need: what happens when an address is wrong? Or when you don’t know the post code? Or when you’re in involuntary stealth mode in a bustling throng of people. Sigh. London is busy ­and not always well signposted. Which is where this app comes in handy. what3words has labelled every 10-foot-square patch on the planet with 57 trillion squares. This has made it easier to pinpoint locations with incredible precision without the need for confusing co-ordinates. And because it’s easier to remember than a string of numbers, it makes voice searches effortless. Precision combined with easy searching has proved invaluable in some emergency situations too, so this app could prove to be a literal life-saver wherever you are in the world. Convinced? Well, if you're now wondering just how to use what3words, you're ironically enough, in the right place. How to use what3words Download the app here. You can share a three-word address in any one of the app’s 26 languages. Make sure you choose the language you want to share your pins in from the from screen. It then uses geolocation tools to present a grid map of where you are right now. Tap a square to get your 3-word address or tap the bar to search for somewhere you know. Now you can either navigate to that spot from where you are using any one of your compatible apps. Or hit ‘navigate now’ and use your map app to share your location. Hopefully you'll never find yourself in an emergency situation, but if you do, just What3words top London attractions The Shard: unit.blend.offer Tower of London: heads.guides.hunter St.Paul’s Cathedral: type.heat.sketch The National Gallery: feed.quiet copper Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre: loves.dreams.oasis Buckingham Palace: fence.gross.bats Westminster Abbey: hats.skills.scary Hampton Court Palace: hours.dimes.length London Zoo: trips.sleepy.forgot If you've downloaded the app and want to take it for a spin, then why not also visit some of these top spots in London.
Suz Pathmanathan
Tourist on Westminster Bridge by Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
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How to get Cheap London Attraction Ticket Deals

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that London is not a cheap place to visit. Indeed, it’s regularly cited alongside the likes of Hong Kong, New York, Singapore and Sydney as one of the most expensive cities in the world. That’s largely due to its well-deserved reputation as one of the planet's top bucket-list destinations, with household-name attractions like Westminster Abbey, The Shard, Oxford Street, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Tower of London around almost every corner. And, as surely as night follows day, high demand means high prices. But London isn't just for lottery winners, celebrities and Russian oligarchs. No! This vast playground of historical attractions, world-class museums, stellar theatrical performances, and destination dining is for everyone to enjoy. And it is possible for savvy travelers to visit on a shoestring, as detailed in our self-explanatory blog ‘How to Visit London on a Budget’ right here. Read on below as we take a deeper dive into how to get cheap ticket deals at London attractions, including all the most highly sought-after landmarks and theaters. The London Pass Serious sightseers who plan to hit up a lot of major attractions and tours should consider The London Pass – basically a catch-all way of ticking off the big (and little) hitters in town while saving cash in the process. It’s the only pass of its kind that gives you access to Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge (plus some 80 or so additional attractions and tours across London), and it’s conveniently stored on your phone or mobile device for speedy scan-through access at each address. And here’s how it works. You choose a duration for your London Pass package – (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 consecutive days) – download the Go City app to your phone and you’re good to go. Your pass activates as soon as you scan in at your first attraction and is valid for consecutive days (not 24-hour periods), so you should make sure to start early on your first day of sightseeing. The London Pass can save you up to 50% on gate prices if you make full use of it and visit several attractions each day, but its value weakens when you only visit one or two places each day. Fear not though: the pass’s savings guarantee means that, if you visit at least three attractions each day for the duration of your pass, and don’t save money, you can apply for a refund of the difference. Some of the 80+ attractions you can visit with your London Pass include: The Tower of London – William the Conqueror’s notorious 1,000-year-old fortress on the Thames. The View from The Shard – dizzying panoramic views from atop the UK’s tallest building. London Zoo – a family favorite with over 750 species of weird, wonderful and downright cute critters. Hampton Court Palace – the grand former home of gouty serial monogamist Henry VIII. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – lovingly reconstructed replica of the bard’s 17th-century London playhouse. Kew Gardens – kaleidoscopes of colorful wildflowers, tropical foliage, treetop walkways and more at London’s best botanical garden. Get The London Pass here. More Cheap London Attraction Ticket Deals There are several other straightforward methods of making savings on tickets to London attractions. Traveling to London by train? National Rail runs a promo that gives you 2-for-1 prices on major London attractions when you buy train tickets. There’s a decent list of attractions included in the promo, such as Madame Tussauds, London Dungeon, the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Tower of London. You’ll need to register on National Rail’s Days Out website, from where you can then download and print vouchers for your chosen attraction. Present these with your train ticket (bearing the National Rail logo) at each attraction to claim your discount. You’ll get these when you take pretty much any train into London (with the exception of the Tube and some airport trains), or you can get them by buying a London Travelcard at any London railway station (as opposed to Tube station) such as Victoria, Liverpool Street, Paddington, Charing Cross and Waterloo. Remember to check your chosen dates are available before pitching up at the attraction – some of the biggies have blackouts on the 2-for-1 offers during peak periods. Other potentially money-saving options include the likes of the Merlin Pass, which includes access to Merlin attractions like the London Eye, London Dungeon, SEA LIFE London and Madame Tussauds, but has a lot of date restrictions during school holidays on the cheaper basic passes. Then there are cash-saving voucher sites like Groupon and Wowcher, which are great for finding bargain London attraction tickets, especially outside of peak season. Cheap London Theater Tickets The West End’s reputation for astronomical ticket prices is almost as famous as its world-class plays and musicals. We’re talking the likes of Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Matilda and The Mousetrap (only the world’s longest-running play, fact fans). Incredibly, it is in fact possible to bag cheap last-minute tickets to all of these and more, as long as you’re a) savvy and b) willing to queue for several hours at the box office on a wing and a prayer. Here’s the lowdown: very few shows are ever completely sold out and many West End venues offer day seats. Tickets for these are cheap and are generally released between 9AM and 11AM for same-day performances, so you’ll need to be flexible and yes, for the more popular shows, you’ll definitely have to queue and may still end up disappointed. Some shows also run lotteries via their website or app. This is much the same as the day-seat option, but means you can avoid schlepping to the venue and do it all from the comfort of your armchair. Winners are chosen at random. You can also get last-minute bargains from the tkts booth on Leicester Square, again for shows that same evening. If you can afford to be really flexible about your plans, it’s also well worth taking a gamble on ultra-last-minute cheapies direct from the theaters. And by ultra-last-minute we mean, like, an hour before the performance begins. The Royal Court does 10p tickets. Yes, that’s just ten new pence. These are standing only but hey, that’s a small price to pay, right? Similarly, the hip Donmar theatre in Covent Garden has been known to release £10 tickets for same-day performances, and you can bag tickets to the pit at Shakespeare’s Globe for £5-£10 at most performances. An absolute bard-gain. Save on things to do in London Save on admission to London attractions with the London Pass. Check out @londonpass on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak

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