Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
•
Seeing a
West End show or musical
is very much an iconic experience.
West End London has an astonishing 25 different theaters, most of them re-
lying on ticket stands that accost tourists on the streets. They range from
huge performance spaces for internationally acclaimed shows to tiny theat-
ers for local productions. The choice is baffling, and big marketing budgets
mean that the most expensive theaters get disproportionate visibility. For a
great overview of the different theaters and reviews of each current show,
use the excellent Time Out London website.
ww.timeout.com/london/theatre
•
The
English National Opera
(
www.eno.org
)
and
Royal Opera House
(
www.roh.org.uk
)
are the UK's premier opera performance spaces. It's in-
ternationally acclaimed and comes with a hefty price tag. Tickets need to
be purchased in advance. For a behind the scenes look at the centuries old
building take a
tour of the Royal Opera House
.
•
£FREE -
Stand in the city's main square,
Trafalgar
, and admire the domin-
eering
Nelson's Column
monument. It's much smaller than most European
city squares and a little anticlimactic, however, the 360º panorama of sur-
rounding building make it an essential stop.
•
£FREE - Piccadilly Circus
is just a crowded road intersection with a foun-
tain covered in tourists. It's not really worth going out of your way to see
it but you're likely to use the Piccadilly Circus Underground station during
your London trip.
•
£FREE
- The
Leicester Square Garden
features plenty of tourists tucking
into their Burger Kings and a good smattering of pigeons. It's prime people
watching territory if you can find a bench space.
•
The snazzy ornate exterior of
Liberty
is a facade for a warren of designer
boutiques and exclusive fashion ranges. The 19
th
century interior crackles
with elegance, with a jumble of rooms and fireplaces making it seem like
you've wandered into the 1920's. If you're not a shopper, stop by for a coffee
at the
cafe inside the Liberty
, just to admire the building's interior.
•
Regent Street
is a whole curve of elegant white grandeur, with the regal
looking townhouses home to most of the UK's biggest clothing chains. The
