London coffee shops: ten choices by neighbourhood
Coffee before a museum, a longer brunch, or a cup between City streets.
Read the storyLondon travel stories
Places to explore, routes to make your own, and photographs worth keeping.
Why I missed London while I was happy in Bali
Sometimes a place has everything, and the people elsewhere still tip the scales.
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Three day trips from London: Brighton, Knole or Seven Sisters?
A seaside town, a deer park or an outdoor day on the Sussex coast.
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Photographing London’s river and bridges on foot
Choose one stretch of river and make a small set of photographs that belong together.
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Notting Hill beyond the photo stop
Pastel walls are the opening detail. Leave time for the shops and the street around them.
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London contactless transport: choose a card and keep using it
Prepare your payment before the station gate, then keep it consistent for the whole visit.
Read the storyHeathrow to London: choose the route to your hotel door
The useful arrival time is when you reach the hotel, with your suitcase still manageable.
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St Paul’s Cathedral: plan the interior, the dome or a service
Choose the kind of visit first, then give the building enough time.
Read the storyGreenwich in a day, with time for the hill and the river
A river arrival, a museum you actually want to see, and a broad view over London.
Read the storyA rainy London day with one good museum plan
Rain is easier to work around when the day has one clear centre.
Read the storyTwo days in London, organised by neighbourhood
Keep the map compact and let each day have a different rhythm.
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One day at Kew: glasshouses, paths and a manageable route
Begin with two priorities and leave the longer garden paths for the afternoon.
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