Attend a free radio recording

The BBC has it's good points and bad points, but one of the good things for those of us who live in the nation's capital is the chance to attend free comedy and music events in exchange for the telly tax.

The programme changes with the schedules and it can be a bit hit and miss but at it's best this provides an opportunity for a great free night out and who can argue with that?

Some comedy highlights include Radio 4's The Now Show and The News Quiz, as well as standup comedy showcases from some of Britain's brightest talent.

The recordings move around town but are most frequently held at the fantastic Art-Deco styled Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House, in Portland Place. For more information visit the BBC Tickets section of their website at http://shows.external.bbc.co.uk/help/tickets/radio.

^{^Picture of BBC Broadcasting House from flickr courtesy of Redvers ^}

Take a free guided walk in the Royal Parks

Throughout the year, the Royal Parks run free events and activities. These include regular free guided walks, led by experts, which cover a range of topics broadly based around the nature and history of whichever park you happen to be in.

The Royal Parks are Hyde Park, Bushy Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Richmond Park and St James's Park, and the walks rotate around the different parks so there should be something reasonably close to you.

The walks take place up to twice a week or more. For more information visit the events page on the Royal Parks website at http://www.royalparks.org.uk/

^{^Picture of Hyde Park Tree from flickr courtesy of cortomaltese ^}

Learn the importance of a good old fashioned Caff

Classic Cafes is a website devoted to some of London's more distinctive cafes. We're talking traditional cafes here, but if we're going to use the words 'greasy' and 'spoon' they better be whispered because this is serious stuff.

Sadly, however, they're a dying breed with many, such as the infamous New Piccadilly Cafe, recently closed. Who knows whether the credit crunch will be the making or breaking of these old favourites, but either way there's no excuse for not trying the ones that are still open.

Your author has to admit he has neglected his duties to London's classic cafes so far, and there really is no excuse, so expect to see more of these (with due deference and links to classic cafes' author) featured here as and when we make the journey.

For more information on London's classic Cafes visit the website at http://www.classiccafes.co.uk/.

^{^Picture of New Piccadilly Cafe (rip) from flickr courtesy of malias ^}

Grab a drink at the Tate 7th Floor Bar

For most people, the Tate Modern is London's free-est art gallery, and is sometimes worthy of a visit for a special exhibition but it has a lot more. Shops, Cafes, a Restaurant, a member's room and various other hidden treasures.

For poorer members of society like your author, regular trips to the shop and restaurant are prohibitively expensive, so the remaining draw is a swift half in the bar on the 7th floor. Sure, it's relatively expensive at around £4 for a bottle of beer, but it does have an excellent view to St Paul's Cathedral and the City and from seven floors up, it's a view that you just can't see anywhere else.

To get to the bar (unless you have very strong legs), you're best to take the lift from the ground floor. There are only a few seats but you'll usually get one if you're there for a while. The Tate website keeps it quiet but the bar is next to the restaurant on the 7th Floor and is open similar hours.

See Sir John Soane's collection of tat

It was good being a rich gentleman in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Life consisted mainly of touring the world collecting and killing stuff and everything had a price. One chap who certainly exemplified this attitude was the Architect Sir John Soane.

Famous for his work on the Bank of England and the dining rooms at Number Ten and Number Eleven Downing Street, Soane spent most of his spare time pottering round the world buying stuff which the natives thought was worth a lot less than it actually was.

In his latter years he bought 12 Lincoln's Inn Fields, and the neighbouring house, and used them to experiment on architecturally and as home for his mountains of stuff. By the time he died in 1837 he had so much he arranged for an act of Parliament to allow him to bequeath it to the nation.

You have to hand it to him though, it is interesting. Unlike other museums and collections it's not all packed away in cases and everything is piled in on top of each other. You don't know what will be next, be it a unique Egyptian sarcophagus or a famed collection of Hogarth's works, it will be packed in with barely enough room to breathe.

The museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm and on the first Tuesday of each month until 9 pm. Entry is free and the nearest tube is probably Holborn, though there are loads around. For more information visit the website at http://www.soane.org/.

^{^Picture from flickr courtesy of graham ^}

Buy a bike

Leaving this one so long is a crime. Top of any list of things to do in London should be to buy a bike.

Clearly it's not a "thing to do" in the same respect as a lot of things you might see on this website, but it does open the city up a huge amount, and makes the journeys enjoyable as well.

Travelling above ground, under your own steam, also helps you to learn how our great city fits together, and it's much better for you than being underground or on a bus, and 100% cheaper.

So consider your options today, and get shopping. Those in search of a top end bike could consider Bicycle Magic or Evans, whilst at the bottom end there's always, Gumtree or even Freecycle.

Drink in the Holly Bush at Hampstead

It may not be London's oldest pub, or the one with the best stories, but it is lovely, and that is enough to earn it a place here.


It has been in it's current spot at the top of Hampstead since at least 1807, when it was converted from the stables of a house on Hollybush Hill in Hampstead called 'The Mount', and nowadays it's country pub style is a welcome haven from some of the harder-edged Central London Pubs. Good food, good beer, good atmosphere.

For more information, and a menu visit the pub's website at http://www.hollybushpub.com/. Also, if you want to eat on a weekend it's wise to book.

^{^Picture from http://www.ukpubfinder.com/pub/9261 under Creative Commons^}

See London's tidal defences

It can often feel, in this huge city with its towering spires, underground tunnels and 24 hour, instant amenities, that we have truly conquered nature in all its forms. The truth is, however, that you only have to hop on the DLR out to Pontoon Dock and you can see how much potential nature still has to disrupt us, and how much effort it is to make sure it doesn't.

The Thames Barrier was built in the late seventies and early eighties, and was first put into operation in 1983. It is designed to stop tidal floods from engulfing the city, should the worst happen and it is the second largest structure of its kind in the world.

To add to the viewing experience, on the North side of the river is a 22 acre park, which according to the the London Development Agency's gushing website is home to "lawns, trees and uniquely contoured Yew and Maygreen hedges...an excellent children's play area, 5 a side football/basketball court, great places to picnic and play, the Thames path, magnificent views of the barrier, and a fountain plaza where 32 jets spring from the ground to provide a cooling and entertaining delight for children to splash and play."

The park also has a "Pavillion of Remembrance", which honours victims of the Blitz. There is also a wildflower meadow and a cafe. Perfect for a sunny day.

The park is open daily until approximately dusk and is beside Pontoon Dock DLR station. For more information on the park and barrier take a look at the Wikipedia page, or the page on the London Development Agency Website.

^{^Picture from flickr courtesy of John's Pic's ^}

Discover a century of Underground Art

The art of the poster exhibition, currently running at the London Transport Museum, is a celebration of 100 years of art on the London Underground and runs until 31st March 2009.

Since its inception, the London Underground has provided some of the most recognisible imagery in the capital and this has certainly been helped by a forward-thinking approach in its poster artwork.

The exhibition shows how the Tube's style has moved with the times and picked some of the brightest artists of the times.

The museum is open 10-6, Saturday-Thursday, and until 9pm on Friday. Entrance is £10. For more information visit http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/.

^{^Picture from flickr courtesy of Annie Mole (http://london-underground.blogspot.com/)^}

Contemplate in the Tibetan Peace Garden

In 1999, during one of his frequent visits to London, the Dalai Lama and (bizarrely) Sting's wife Trudi Styler, opened the Tibetan Peace Garden in Lambeth.

Fittingly housed in the grounds of the Imperial War Museum, in the 16 acre Geraldine Harmsworth Park on St George's Road, SE1, the land was donated for use by Southwark Council, and at it's centre is the traditional Tibetan-style Kalachakra Mandala associated with world peace.

Around this are a range of modern sculptures, native himalayan flowers and shrubs, and eight benches representing the eight elements of the noble eightfold path, which is key to Buddhist philosophy: right view, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration.

The garden is open 8am-9.30pm in summer and 8am-4.30pm in Winter. For more information visit the page on the Tibet Foundation Website.

^{^Picture from flickr courtesy of Martin Kliehm ^}

See Sutton House, Hackney's oldest house

Sutton House is a Grade II* listed tudor house on Homerton High Street in Hackney. It is now open to the public and also houses a museum, cafe, art gallery and gift shop.

Built in 1535, and home to counless generations since then, it was acquired by the National Trust in the 1930s and used as a fire warden centre until the 1980s.

Following the departure of the fire wardens, it was taken over by squatters who used it as a community centre and live music venue. When they were finally evicted, the National Trust set about restoring the house in keeping with it's Tudor heritage and it opened as a full-blown National Trust property in 1991.

If you would like to visit, Sutton House is open 12.30-4.30pm Thursday-Sunday, from 1st February to 21st December. It costs £2.80. For more information visit the website.

^{^Picture from flickr courtesy of Bunch & Duke ^}

Go for a spot of brunch down on the farm

Frizzante Cafe at Hackney City Farm is an award winning cafe in an idyllic setting in the heart of East London which follows the Channel 4 rules of catering: (i) use fresh ingredients (ii) keep the menu simple (iii) teach people about where their food comes from with fluffy animals.


And the good news is...it works. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is good (if understanably family-oriented) and everyone seems to be smiling. It's even quite down to earth and not as full of hippy hackney mums as you might think.

What's more, it's excellently placed for a visit to the farm itself, for Broadway Market, for London Fields, for Columbia Road Flower Market on a Sunday, or as a convenient stop-off on a wander from Shoreditch to Victoria Park. It's perfect!

It's open 10-4.30 in winter and 10-5.30 in summer (closed Mondays) and it's just off Hackney Road. For more information visit the Frizzante Cafe website at http://www.frizzanteltd.co.uk/ or the Hackney City Farm website at http://www.hackneycityfarm.co.uk/.

^{^Picture from Flickr courtesy of gregoryjameswalsh^}

Watch a trial at the Old Bailey

Obviously this one has the potential to be a bit hit-and-miss, but it's worth noting that the public galleries at the Old Bailey are open daily from Monday to Friday 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm for members of the public to watch trials in session.


It's one of the most famous courts in the world, and has been London's principal court for hundreds of years. The court's real name is the Central Criminal Court, but everyone knows it as the Old Bailey, and it takes it's nickname from the road on which it stands, which follows the line of the City's ancient fortified wall, or Bailey.

There's been a court here since at least the 17th Century and over that time it has seen the trials of figures as diverse as the Kray Twins, Dr Crippen, Jeremy Thorpe and the Yorkshire Ripper, and who knows, maybe you could see someone equally infamous (though perhaps not).

For more information visit the Court's page on the City of London Website here. The entrance is down an alleyway off Old Bailey and it is worth noting that visitors are not allowed to bring bags, cameras or mobile phones into the court, and there is nowhere to leave these items.

^{^Picture from wikipedia under Wikimedia Commons ^}

Cruise the Thames at speed

Whilst there are a multitude of options for cruises on the Thames, one great option is London Rib Voyages. Voted one of Time Out's top five things to do in London, the London Rib Experience takes small groups of people on their nippy Rigid Inflatable Boats on speedy tours which touch the places the usual pleasure cruisers don't go, and get you closer to the water and the bridges themselves.

Starting from just below the London Eye, the tours take in all the usual riverside highlights and for an extra few quid they'll take you all the way down past Greenwich and the O2 to the Thames Barrier.

Cruises range from around £30 to £50 and you can book online at the website at http://www.londonribvoyages.com/

Take tea at the National Gallery

It can often be a struggle to find somewhere in Central London to have afternoon tea which doesn't cost the earth. At the Ritz, for instance, you will be asked to pay upwards of £40 for the privilege, and most it's major competitors; Harrods, Fortnum and Mason, or the Wolseley, you will still pay around the same.

The more money-conscious punter in search of a good afternoon tea could do a lot worse than head to the National Cafe at the National Gallery, where you'll pay £5.50 for a cream tea or £14.50 for the full works. Run by Peyton and Byrne, the cafe has a wide-ranging menu that, whilst still a little overpriced in this tired londoner's view, is acceptable given the surroundings and tourist-friendly location. That said, avoid lunchtimes and peak hours.

If you're still looking for a more credit-crunch friendly option, the self service Cafe in the Crypt at St Martins in the Fields does an even cheaper full afternoon tea at £5.25. Not quite the same atmosphere when you have to get it yourself though.

For more information on the National Cafe, visit their website at http://www.thenationalcafe.com.

^{^Picture from National Cafe Website^}