Celebrate a royal tradition

By Vanessa Teo

See the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

You can’t visit London without a glimpse of the iconic Buckingham Palace, home of the British monarchy and one of the largest – and certainly most opulent – palaces in the world. The ‘Changing of the Guard’ is one of the oldest traditions to take place at the palace and a unique event that really, you ought not to miss. The ceremony occurs when a new guard changes places with the one on duty – however, it’s not as simple as checking off your time sheet, it is a perfectly practiced and choreographed routine and part of the Palace’s history and tradition. To fill you in with a bit of history, the Guard which mounts at Buckingham Palace is called The Queen’s Guard and is divided into two Detachments: the Buckingham Palace Detachment (who are in charge of looking after Buckingham Palace) and the St James’s Palace Detachment (who are in charge of St James’s Palace). Just like it says on the tin. Household Troops have guarded the Sovereign and the Royal Palaces since 1660, however, bet you didn’t know that the sovereign lived mainly at the Palace of Whitehall until 1689, where they were guarded by their own Household Cavalry. It was only when Queen Victoria moved into Buckingham Palace in 1837 from St James’s Palace that the Queen's Guard remained at St James's, with a detachment guarding Buckingham Palace, the same as it does today. Who knew... A sentry, or soldier, in front of the palace will be on duty for a two-hour period and every 10 minutes they will come to attention and march 15 paces across the post. Each sentry will do this four to five times before halting. Take our word for it - it's better in person, you have to be there to appreciate it! The ‘Changing of the Guard’ takes place in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace daily from April until June and is held at 11:30am. Foot Guards will usually be wearing their full-dress uniform of red tunics and bearskins and be accompanied by a Guards Band, which plays a range of traditional military marches, as well as songs from films and musicals and even famous pop songs. If you’ve already seen it and fancy something else, Buckingham Palace isn’t the only place to see the Changing of the Guard. Windsor Castle – the official weekend residence of the Queen – also hosts its own ceremony outside the Horse Guards Arch, daily at 11am. Kill two birds with one stone and visit the castle when you’re there, too! To find out more about the schedule and tradition, click here.

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London Pass reaches 50k Facebook Likes

The London Pass has reached a significant milestone – 50k Facebook likes! Growing from strength to strength, the leading sightseeing city card is revolutionizing the way tourists visit London. To celebrate we're giving our fans the opportunity to win a Trooping of the Colour espresso cup set by entering into our Share a Snap competition. All you need to do to get your hands on this great British prize is submit a picture of yourselves with the London Pass or at a London landmark in the comment box of our competition post. It's that easy! How to enter: 1. Go to our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Londonpass 2. Click Like 3. Submit a photo of you with your London Pass or at a London landmark -- Don't forget to sign up to the latest news and information about The London Pass and what's on in London. Enter your email address in the subscribe box on the blog and keep up to date. -- Terms & Conditions: Share a Snap T&C's

Where do American tourists like to go in London?

Ever wondered what kind of tourist you might be? Or wondered whether your history habits or arty antics influence not only the way you live life, but also the way you sightsee abroad? Well, we’ve compiled some research that looks into the sightseeing habits of those who have visited London, specifically in 2013, and turns out it might have something to do with where you’re from. Let’s start with our London Pass users from across the pond, the Americans. Their continued love affair with our British monarchy is evident through the dominant visitor numbers we see at royal attractions. The American pass holders take top spot at London’s most regal of residences, such as Windsor Castle and Kensington Palace. As two of the most important residences of the royal family, it’s not surprising they’re a popular bet, as last year saw a significant proportion of visits to Queen Victoria’s childhood home by our US customers. The Tower of London is also well worth a visit if you’re a fan of the royals like the Americans; with a rich history linked to those who ruled the United Kingdom from 1066 – it’s seen its fair share of royal dramas and scandals, including executions and imprisonments, not to mention the theft of the crown jewels. Another popular sight for our American visitors is Westminster Abbey where they can experience the stunning Gothic church that has hosted some of the most memorable ceremonies of monarchic history. As the nation’s coronation church since William the Conqueror, it has crowned the heads of a long line of kings and queens to date. You might also remember the more recent wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who were married there in 2011. “It’s often said that American tourists are fascinated by the British Royals, and the sightseeing patterns of our customers confirm this,” said Amanda Truman, Director Product Marketing for the London Pass. American London Pass holders are also the leading nationality to go the extra mile and visit those attractions outside of London’s city centre; including Windsor Castle, but also Hampton Court Palace, the famous home of King Henry VIII where he built his legendary Tudor kitchen to feed 600 people twice a day! As well as their penchant for all things royal-family-related, our American customers have a soft-spot for wartime heritage, especially that of WWII. Those heralding from the United States were the highest percentage of visitors to London’s top wartime landmarks and museums, including Churchill War Rooms, the RAF Museum and the Imperial War Museum, where you can learn about what it was like to live through the Blitz, discover to the nail-biting war efforts of the Prime Minister and take your kids to the Horrible Histories® exhibition. It seems these guys are dedicated sightseers with an insatiable appetite for everything royal-related and to do with wartime history. What better place to come than London?

What To Do in London in January

Shake off the January blues with our guide to what to do in London in January. It’s the start of a brand new decade, so London’s putting its best foot forward. We’ve come up with our picks of the best events, exhibitions and pop-ups to hit up this month, including... - A completely talk-free festival - Intimate gigs from the Queen of Pop - Design festivals, drag shows and missions to Mars - Pop-ups great and small - And much, much more What to Do in London in January: Events and Shows London International Mime Festival Start the year with a...silence. The London Mime Festival is back for its 44th year, with 18 shows across a number of London venues, including the Barbican, Shoreditch Town Hall and the Southbank Centre. From stunning puppetry to circus-style theatre, the line up is daring and varied. Expect your Dad’s impression of being trapped in a glass box to be blown out of the water. 8th January - 2nd February 2020. Multiple venues. For more details and to book, head HERE. [caption id="attachment_6070" align="alignnone" width="1000"] mimelondon.com[/caption] Fellini at BFI Southbank A two month retrospective of all the great director’s works begins at the BFI Soutbank in January. Marking 100 years since Fellini’s birth, the season includes many special events and screenings of a new 4K restoration of La Dolce Vita. Check out the event trailer below. Until the end of February. BFI Southbank, SE1 8XT. For more details and to book, head HERE. London Short Film Festival If you thought The Irishman and the latest Star Wars were too long, this is the film festival for you. Even if you didn’t, perhaps it’s time to gave pithiness a chance. This is the 17th outing of the London Short Film Festival, and they’re screening a plethora of international and homegrown short form works across some of London’s best-loved cinematic venues, including Dalston’s Rio, BFI Southbank and the ICA. 10th - 19th January 2020. Multiple venues across London. For more details and to book, head HERE. Secret Cinema Presents: Stranger Things The town of Hawkins needs you. Get down to Starcourt Mall as quick as you can and help uncover the mysteries that lie beneath the charming, buzzy 1980s exterior. Quite possibly the best immersive experience London has to offer, Secret Cinema haven’t missed a beat with this one. Can you keep a secret? It’s great. Until March 1st. Secret London location. From £49. For more details and to book, head HERE. [caption id="attachment_6068" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Matthew Pearson for The London Pass[/caption] VAULT Festival 2020 An underground arts festival that actually takes place (at least partially) underground. At last. Vault Festival 2020 offers eight weeks of theatre, comedy, immersive experiences, lates and cabaret, around and under Waterloo. It gets pretty wild down there in The Vaults. Expect daring shows from some of the most boundary and genre-thwarting UK and international performers. From 28th January - 22nd March 2020. Main centre is The Vaults, SE1 7NN, although events are held at venues across SE1. For more details and to book, head HERE. Burns Night The yearly celebration of Scotland’s national poet sees pop-up events go on long into the night across many London venues. Take your pick from whiskey tastings, Burns Night parties, supper clubs and more. Fancy a change from tradition? EartH Hackney’s raved up take on a ceilidh could be for you. 25th January. All across London. [caption id="attachment_6071" align="alignnone" width="1000"] ceilidhclub.com[/caption] Chinese New Year Shake off your Burns Night whiskey hangover with a Chinese New Year celebration...the very next day. This is the biggest gathering of Chinese dragons and lions in Europe, in an event that takes over much of the West End. Starting on Charing Cross Road at 10am, the parade ends in Trafalgar Square, where the main festivities take place. Bring in The Year of the Rat with some Chinese street food and fabulous stage performances. 26th January 2020. Across the West End. For more details, head HERE. [caption id="attachment_6065" align="alignnone" width="1000"] london.gov.uk[/caption] Madonna, London Palladium The Queen of Pop brings her critically-acclaimed Madame X Tour to the UK. In-keeping with the style of venue she’s been playing on her international tour so far, she’s hitting up the London Palladium. Like her career highlights so far, this new tour balances the intimate and the exuberant, the personal and the spectacular. 27th January - 16th February 2020. The London Palladium, W1F 7TF. From £245. For more details and to book, head HERE. The Little Orchestra, Prologue: Beethoven’s Childhood An orchestral performance that takes all the fuss and ceremony out of the occasion. Little Orchestra shows allow you to feel at home with the orchestra in front of you, with no stage and no curtain, no distance between you and the players. January sees the first in a series of concerts inspired by the different stages in Beethoven’s life. This first show covers Beethoven’s early years growing up in Bonn, with music from his key early influences, Bach and Mozart, and his own original pieces. A highlight of the evening is the bespoke food and drink offerings, with wines from the Rhineland area and dishes rooted in Rhenish tradition. 24th and 25th January. Battersea Arts Centre, SW11 5TN. From £25. For more details and to book, head HERE. What to do in London in January: Exhibitions and Fairs London Art Fair For collectors and enthusiasts, beginners and the simply curious. London Art Fair brings together 100 galleries from across the country, showcasing their works, ranging from early 20th century pieces to contemporary creations. 22nd - 26th January 2020. Business Design Centre, N1 0QH. From £17. For more details and to book, head HERE. [caption id="attachment_6072" align="alignnone" width="1000"] londonartfair.co.uk[/caption] Ru Paul’s Drag Con UK It’s a good time to be a British Ru Paul fan. After we were finally treated to a UK version of the incredibly popular Ru Paul’s Drag Race, the First Lady of Drag is bringing her Drag Con to these shores for the first time. With a DJ set from Ru, performances from the UK Queens and appearances from some Drag Race royalty, you’ll be gagging. January 18th and 19th. From £40. Olympia London, W14 8UX. For more details and to book, head HERE. Lightopia Marvel at a winter light trail set in the wondrous surrounds of Chiswick House and Gardens. Lightopia features interactive light displays, 3D projections and acrobatic performances. It’s a shortcut to a brighter January. Until 1st March. From £18. Chiswick House and Gardens, W4 2RP. For more details and to book, head HERE. Moving to Mars, Design Museum A Multi-sensory adventure that takes you to up to the Red Planet and back again, without leaving West London. It’ll only take a couple hours too, rather than the three dull years I’m going to be spending up there with that guy from NSYNC and Richard Branson. See the evolution in space clothing. Marvel at designs for homes and everyday items that make colonising Mars a real, real, real...possibility. And meet the ExoMars rover which will be heading to the planet in 2020. Until 23rd February 2020. Design Museum, W8 6AG. From £14.50 For more details and to book, head HERE. [caption id="attachment_6073" align="alignnone" width="1000"] designmuseum.org[/caption] WOW: City Lights and Woodland Shade This January, gain new perspectives on The Land of the Rising Sun, with a digital art installation at Japan House London. WOW is a multidisciplinary new media visual design studio from Tokyo and Sendai in Japan. The pieces put together here take visitors through the Tokyo night and up into north-eastern Japan, exploring how new technology helps make the traditional handmade wooden crafts associated with the region. Until 22nd March 2020. Free entry. Japan House London, W8 5SA. For more details and to book, head HERE. What to Do in London in January: Pop Up Bars and Restaurants Cabaret Fledermaus Enjoy a night out at a famous Vienna nightclub as part of the Into the Night: Cabarets and Clubs in Modern Art exhibition at the Barbican. It’s a recreation of the much mythologised Cabaret Fledermaus, an establishment designed to quell the boredom of contemporary life, replacing it with ‘ease, art and culture’. The recreation was put together using just one black and white photograph of the original...looking at the detail of the colourful tiling and the dazzling atmosphere created in the space, you’d have thought they had a whole set of images, recordings, videos and testimonies to work from. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights until 19th January 2020. Entry is included with a ticket to the main exhibition. The Barbican, EC2Y 8DS. For more info and to book, head HERE. [caption id="attachment_6074" align="alignnone" width="1000"] barbican.org.uk[/caption] Emerald City, Queen of Hoxton Head up to the Queen of Hoxton’s rooftop, transformed into a Wizard of Oz wonderland. Explore the fantastically decorated rooftop and sip on themed (and very green) drinks. You’re not in Kansas anymore, that’s for sure. Throughout January. Queen of Hoxton, EC2A 3JX. For more details, head HERE. Brindisa Calcotada, Brindisa Each year, this popular tapas mini chain celebrates the traditional Catalan festival Calcotada. It isn’t in honour of a saint or a local hero or anything like that. Instead, the festival is dedicated to the calcot, a Catalan onion. These green onions are served charred, in great number, alongside a romesco sauce, grilled meats, seasonal veg and masses of wine. The wine you pour into your mouth from a great height, the onions you eat with your hands. It gets pretty messy...bibs are supplied. Brindisa are putting on a feast for £35 a pop, with traditional and vegan options available. One of the most unique things to do in London in January. Weekends from 18th January. 3 course menu for £35. Tapas Brindisa Shoreditch, EC2A 3AT and Tapas Brindisa Battersea, SW11 8EZ. For more details and to book, head HERE. [caption id="attachment_6076" align="alignnone" width="1000"] brindisakitchens.com[/caption] Sūpa Ya Ramen An underground ramen bar run by ex-NOPI and Patty & Bun chef Luke Findlay. After a super successful kickstarter campaign, he's moving his supper club into more permanent digs. There are only a few covers and you can only book by DMing them on Instagram...on a Monday. So it’s underground and very, very exclusive. Sounds pretty Sūpa, Ya? Held on Saturday nights in a secret N16 location. To book, DM Sūpa Ya on Instagram. Emile Enjoy a meal at Emile, a modern European pop-up restaurant. Set up by Damian Clisby, formerly of Petersham Nurseries and Nick Gibson from The Drapers Arms, it promises seasonal cooking, nodding across European cuisines, with the menu changing daily. A pop-up that’s sticking around for a little while yet, Emile looks set to be in its Curtain Road, Hackney setting until at least the middle of the year. Emile promises a meal with a difference. Curtain Road, Hackney, EC2A 3NY. For more information and to book, head HERE. [caption id="attachment_6077" align="alignnone" width="1000"] emilerestaurant.co.uk[/caption] So, there you have it. Your January just got a little brighter, a little tastier, a little warmer, a little more martian. If you’ve got more ideas as to what to do in London in January, let us know in the comments below. For more things to do in London, check out The London Pass. Find out more about what's on offer below.

Matthew Pearson

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