London Central
Practise your English reading skills and learn all about London through our exciting series of articles. Did you know London has 6 farms? Which restaurant can you visit to dine on Locusts and crocodiles? Where are the best night clubs and the most historic pubs? All these articles have been written by Jonathan Oakley, London expert, writer and teacher.
Deep below the streets of London exist 40 or so 'ghost' tube stations - abandoned for various reasons over the years. Perhaps the most famous is Down Street, whose bricked up platform can just about be seen from Piccadilly line trains running from Hyde Park Corner to Green Park. The station building, decked out in red tiles, is still visible at street level.
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London's food halls are the envy of the world. Here are some of the best. »
Fashion: Noun: 1. a popular trend, especially in dress. 2. the production and marketing of new styles of clothing and cosmetics. This is how the Oxford Dictionary defines fashion. But when you say London and fashion in the same breath the connation that comes to mind is usually expensive boutiques thronged with frantic shoppers clutching designer bags. However, London does have some cheap alternatives worth checking out.
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You may think London is too busy to be wild. If I mention farms and secret gardens you'll probably start thinking of countryside destinations outside the capital. The good news is that the car keys can stay at home! All of this is right on your door step.
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Want to try something different this weekend? Then why not go Brazilian? An estimated 80,000-100,000 party-loving Brazilians are currently living in London. Let's start with the real deal: an authentic Brazilian place to eat:
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So what's a Seriously Bad Elf doing in the Priory of the Dominicans you might ask? Londoners like to sink a beer of two after work. But, as first time visitors to the capital often discover, British beer is very distinct to other European lager.
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In London, 156 years ago, Queen Victoria was fretting about sparrows flying around the airy heights of the great exhibition in the Crystal Palace creating a mess. She consulted the Iron Duke of Wellington (who had defeated Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo) who replied simply: sparrow hawks, maam. »
It always catches the tourists by surprise. As they take in the splendour of the Royal Opera house, the neat market stalls and walk out to the Piazza, there sometimes stands before them a man juggling chainsaws, in his underwear. This is Covent Garden, official home to some of London's best street performers.
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