The Culture Bank

Not many towns or cities in the UK can rival London in terms of shopping opportunities.  Keen shoppers can choose from busy high streets, upmarket shopping centres, bargain markets, vintage boutiques and huge department stores.

High streets and department stores

Some of London’s most famous high streets are Oxford Street (which is home to Selfridges), Regent Street (home to Hamleys), Bond Street, Mayfair, Carnaby Street, Kings Road and Knightsbridge (home to Harrods).  They all offer a good range of the most popular high street stores, each with its own individual flair.

Shopping centres

Some of the most luxurious shopping centres in London are the Westfield Shopping Centres, located near Whites City/Shepherds Bush, and Stratford.  Westfield Stratford is the largest shopping centre in Europe.  Other shopping centres in London include Canada Square in London’s Docklands, Thomas Neal’s Centre in Covent Garden and the Brent Cross Shopping Centre.

Markets

There are markets of every kind in London.  Borough Market is a huge food market, Camden Market is a vast market selling all sorts of goods from clothes to art, Portobello Road Market sells loads of products but specialises in antiques, and Covent Garden market is a complete shopping experience.

Staying in London

After a busy day’s shopping, visitors may be tempted to stay overnight in London before returning home.  The most enthusiastic shoppers may even stay in the city the night before in order to be up and ready when the shops open.  There are many comfortable B&Bs and hotels throughout London, notably among St Pancras hotels the Jesmond Dene.

A trip from London to Chicago is likely to start at the busiest airport in the world, Heathrow. 
Heathrow now has five terminals providing flights to almost anywhere in the world and there are several convenient ways to get to all the terminals.  One of the quickest ways to access the airport is via the high speed train service direct from London Paddington train station.  The Heathrow Express costs around £20 for a standard single ticket and the journey will take approximately 15 minutes.

It is important to get to the airport with plenty of time to spare before the flight.  Most airlines will state that travellers should arrive two hours before flight time in order to check in.  Those who have not visited Heathrow before should arrive much earlier to allow for some familiarisation time.  There are plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars at the airport so travellers will not find themselves lacking something to pass the time.

Your flight is most likely to take you to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.  It is situated approximately 17 miles outside downtown Chicago but there are a range of options available to take travellers to their final destination in Chicago.  A door to door shuttle service is available from stands outside the airport building to various hotels in Chicago.  These cost around $25 per trip but for more convenience a taxi can be hired for around $35 to $40.

Many people visit London every year, whether for a day trip or an extended stay.  Its excellent transport links make it easily accessible by rail and road, plus there are several airports that serve the city.  From Heathrow, Gatwick or Luton airports, it is a short journey to the hub of the city.  It is also possible to travel from outside the UK to London via ferry or on the Eurostar, a rail link that terminates in central London at the famous London St Pancras International railway station.

Once in London, the choices are endless.  The visitor may wish to see a West End play in one of London’s many well-known theatres, or indulge in a spot of shopping in Oxford Street.  For some, a sightseeing tour is essential for soaking up the London atmosphere.  Those with a head for heights may prefer to view the city from the London Eye, a big wheel that offers a panoramic view of London from above.

With hundreds of hotels in London, the tourist is spoilt for choice.  In a bed and breakfast, guests are able to enjoy an affordable stay in a relaxed atmosphere and avail themselves of the local knowledge that the B&B owners are likely to have.  Whilst dinner is not served at a bed and breakfast, this is not a problem because of the wide range of restaurants available throughout the city.  In short, the London bed and breakfast experience is one that attracts many people.

London is home to countless historical buildings that give the city its character.  In fact, many hotels and London bed and breakfast options are also housed in interesting old buildings.  If you are looking for a choice of St Pancras hotels, Jesmond Dene is a great place to stay due to its central location in the city, making it ideal for visitors interested in exploring London’s historical side. 

Tower of London

The most famous historical building in London is of course the Tower of London.  The tower has been used as a prison, an armoury, a zoo and even a royal palace throughout its history and is one of the top attractions in the city. 

Westminster Abbey

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a hugely popular tourist attraction.  The beautiful Gothic church contains the final resting place of many famous individuals, from kings and queens to politicians and scientists.

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is home to Queen Elizabeth II and is well known for being the oldest occupied castle in the world. 

Other buildings

The iconic dome of St Paul’s Cathedral towers above the London skyline.  Other attractions such as Kensington Palace, the Monument, Eton College and the Royal Albert Hall are also all worth seeing.

With Paris being so accessible from the UK, a trip to the French capital may not seem particularly unusual, but visitors who have seen all the major sites should consider the hidden treasures of the City of Lights. 

Tourists will best know Montmartre, the hill that gives its name to the surrounding district, for the magnificent white-domed Basilica of Sacré Coeur, but how many are aware that Montmartre is also home to the last remaining and working vineyard in Paris? Stretched across a hillside at the junction of Rue de Saules and Rue Saint-Vincent, the vineyard was saved from redevelopment in 1933. Its annual yield is not to be found in any of Paris’s restaurants or shops, but is instead auctioned off for charity; in any case, the wine is purported to be undrinkable.

There is no shortage of museums in Paris, but one that tourists can easily overlook is the Musee Carnavalet, located in the Marais, at 23 Rue de Sévigné. The museum traces the history of Paris from its origins through to the modern era and among its impressive exhibits are several dedicated to the writers Voltaire and Rousseau; entry is free.

La Cite des Sciences et de L’lndustrie, at Parc de la Villette, is a museum dedicated to helping non-scientists discover the world of science and is the biggest of its kind in Europe. Adults and children alike will love visiting this museum; there is an entry charge, although admission is free for disabled visitors and a companion.

The Palais Garnier – Opéra National de Paris, holds tours in English on Thursday afternoons. A magnificent example of 19th century theatre architecture, the Palais Garnier is the setting for the famous ‘Phantom of the Opera’. 

The above are just four examples of the more unusual things for visitors to Paris see and enjoy.

Rome is a marvel to behold with majestic sights on every corner of her historically rich streets. Amid the mellifluous sound of the native language buzzing in the air, a traveller can take in an amazing array of culture, history and architecture.

Sights to see
 
For people with an interest in religion or art, The Vatican City is a big attraction. It is home to the Pope and St Peter’s Square, with awe inspiring statues and buildings. Also located within Vatican City is The Sistine Chapel, which hosts Michelangelo’s famous ceiling. It is such a crowd draw, so it’s advisable to arrive early in order to gain entry. Rome is the heart of the Roman Catholic faith and there are many religious places of interest to enjoy. Historic sites are here in abundance; the Colosseum is an architectural marvel and the Trevi Fountain, into which it is said one must throw a coin in if they wish to return to Rome, is an artwork in itself. Museums, churches and other historical sites are dotted liberally around the city, so it is wise to carry a guide book.

Things to consider

Rome is also renowned for its food, with a large choice of restaurants and bars available around the city. However some restaurants next to major tourist attractions may be less impressive than others, because they have a captive market. Some of the best restaurants are a little off the beaten track. Rome can be very hot in the height of the summer so thought should be given to travel dates. Rome is vast and has so many delightful sights that some planning or research may add to a trip’s enjoyment. Buses and trams are available for travel around the city.

London is a major world centre of culture. Below are just a few examples of cultural attractions located close to the many cheap B&B London guesthouses.

Tate Modern & Tate Britain

The Tate Modern is the national museum of modern art in the UK. The former power station holds various exhibitions throughout the year. The Tate Britain houses examples of UK, art spanning five centuries and is the world’s largest collection of British art.

Saatchi Gallery

The Saatchi Gallery is a contemporary art gallery that is free to enter and is the jumping off point for many up and coming artists. Visiting the Saatchi Gallery allows you to see work by British artists that might be as yet unknown, along with international artists that do not normally exhibit in the UK.

Museums

There are so many museums in London that you could easily spend your entire stay exploring them. To name a few, there is the British Museum, Imperial War Museum, London Transport Museum, Museum of London, National Maritime Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

West End theatres

London’s West End is home to many theatres. You can attend major musicals, comedy, drama and just about any other type of show you could hope to see.

Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall was built as a centre for Art and Science appreciation and understanding. Not solely a concert hall, the Grade I listed building holds events, meetings and ceremonies of all kinds.

Brick Lane

Brick Lane is home to the East End’s edgier street-art galleries, as well as Bangladeshi curry houses, trendy clubs, warehouse exhibitions and intimate live music venues.

Not many people vocalise their disappointment with the Eiffel Tower. At least for some, it is a trip that just does not resonate with the expectations that brought them there. Fortunately, there is another French icon that never fails to lift flagging spirits, the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, which stands on an island in the Seine.

It is not just the magnificent Gothic façade of the cathedral that impresses; there is also the entire experience that takes into account its awe-inspiring interior, the historical events that happened right there at that altar and the twin bell towers made famous by any number of movies, cartoons and a gentleman with a hunchback

Perhaps what best grabs most visitors’ fancy is the bell tower made famous by Quasimodo. Housed in the South Tower is the largest of the bells, named Emmanuel and weighing over 13 tonnes. However, the ancient art of pulling the rope by hand has been replaced by a motor, which does the job just as efficiently. Visitors are able to ascend one of the other bell towers for a great view of the ‘city of lights’.

There are many different types of accommodation on offer in London, ranging from vast, five-star edifices in the smartest parts of the city, to the smaller, family-run guesthouses that are dotted all across the capital.

Guesthouses are also known as bed and breakfast accommodation, and these small and friendly places can actually be preferable to the costlier hotels if you’re simply looking for a good base to explore London.

There are also many different types of self-catering apartments available, and these are often preferred by visitors for lengthier stays, or those with children, who want to be able to come and go as they please without having to worry about specific meal times.

A London B&B is a great compromise, because guests receive excellent service and a clean bed for the night, with all the basic facilities and a hearty breakfast to get them started in the morning. This is available at a fraction of the cost of staying at a big hotel, and the saving can be substantial.

London has an excellent public transport system, and most hotels in London are within easy access of an underground station or bus stop for quickly getting to the main attractions. This is especially important as, unlike Paris, for instance, London sprawls over a vast area and it’s not really possible to walk from, say, the British Museum in Holborn to the Natural History Museum in South Kensington –  whereas if your hotel is near a tube station, this is not a problem.

B&Bs often offer excellent accommodation in private homes and guests are often made to feel a part of the family. A cooked breakfast will be included in the price, and the service will always tend to be a lot more personal than what you’d receive in a bigger hotel.

If you are a keen sports fan then a visit to London will involve a sports fixture of some sort, whether it be tennis, football, cricket or rugby.  London is home to some of the most famous sporting events on the sports calendar, which is why many sports fans visit St Pancras hotels to make the most of the exciting sporting events.

When it comes to sport, this infamous city is of course also home to the most famous grass tennis tournament in the world, and the many Kings Cross hotels are perfectly placed to house Wimbledon guests.  London is a city that offers ample activities, both indoor and outdoor, for any visitor to explore.  London is one of the most accessible capital cities on the planet, which is why it receives such a high number of visitors to its many bed and breakfast premises. 

London not only offers the visitor a great level of sporting fixtures but it also has a high variety of famous streets lined with nationally regarded high street shops and boutiques.  St Pancras hotels are ideally located near to some of the most popular shops and markets that attract millions of visitors each year.  Returning visitors find their first stop off point is usually one of the many boutiques London has to offer before checking in at their London bed and breakfast hotel for the night.