Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ROYAL HOSPITAL CHELSEA
Royal Hospital Rd Sloane Square 020 7881 5200,
www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk
.Mon-Sat 11am-noon
& 2-4pm, Sun 2-4pm.Free.
MAP
Founded as a retirement home for army veterans by Charles II in 1682 and still going
strong, the Wren-designed Royal Hospital is worth a visit for the vast, barrel-vaulted
chapel
, with its colourful apse fresco, and the equally grand, wood-panelled
dining hall
,
opposite, with its allegorical mural of Charles II and his hospital. In the Secretary's Office,
on the east side of the hospital, there's a small
museum
, displaying Pensioners' uniforms,
medals and two German bombs.
NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM
Royal Hospital Rd Sloane Square 020 7881 6606,
www.nam.ac.uk
.
Daily 10am-5.30pm.Free.
MAP
Appropriately housed in a sort of concrete bunker, the National Army Museum harbours in-
teresting historical artefacts, plus an impressive array of uniforms and medals (though for a
more balanced view of war, you're better off visiting the
Imperial War Museum
). Highlights
include a vast spot-lit model of the
Battle of Waterloo
(at 7pm before the Prussians arrived
to save the day); the skeleton of Marengo, Napoleon's charger at the battle; the saw used to
amputate the Earl of Uxbridge's leg; a paper lantern used by Florence Nightingale; and
Richard Caton-Woodville's famous painting of
The Charge of the Light Brigade
.
CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN
Royal Hospital Rd Sloane Square 020 7352 5646,
www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk
.
April-Oct Tues-Fri
& Sun 11am-6pm.£9.
MAP
Hidden from the road by a high wall, Chelsea Physic Garden is a charming little inner-city
escape. Founded in 1673, it's the second oldest botanic garden in the country: England's
first rock garden was constructed here in 1773, and the walled garden contains Britain's old-
est olive tree. Unfortunately, it's also rather small, and a little too close to Chelsea Embank-
ment to be a peaceful oasis, but keen botanists will enjoy it nevertheless. There's also a café,
which serves afternoon tea and delicious home-made cakes.
PORTOBELLO ROAD MARKET
Notting Hill Gate or Ladbroke Grove.Main market Mon-Sat 9am-6pm; antiques Sat 8am-6pm.
MAP
Situated in one of the wealthiest, celebrity-saturated parts of town, Portobello Road Market
is probably London's trendiest, yet it's always a great spot for a browse and a bargain. Th-
ings kick off, at the intersection with Chepstow Villas, with junky antique stalls and classier,
pricier antique shops. After a brief switch to fruit and veg around the 1910
Electric
Cinema
, the market gets a lot more fun and funky at Portobello Green under the Westway
flyover, where the emphasis switches to retro clothes and jewellery, odd trinkets, records
and books. Further up again, the secondhand material becomes pure boot-sale, laid out on
