Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The bridge is most interesting when the drawbridge lifts to let ships pass, as it does a
thousand times a year, but it's best viewed from outside the museum. For the bridge-lifting
schedule, check the website or call (see previous page for contact info).
Nearby:
The best remaining bit of London's
Roman Wall
is just north of the Tower (at
the Tower Hill Tube station). The chic
St. Katharine Dock,
just east of Tower Bridge, has
private yachts, mod shops, a recommended medieval banquet, and the classic Dickens Inn,
fun for a drink or pub lunch. Across the bridge, on the South Bank, is the upscale Butlers
Wharf area, as well as City Hall, museums, the Jubilee Walkway, and, towering overhead,
the Shard. Or you can head north to Liverpool Street Station, and stroll London's East End
(described next).
▲
East End
ThisformerlyindustrialareajustbeyondLiverpoolStreetStationhasturnedintooneofLon-
don's trendy spots. It boasts a colorful mix of bustling markets, late-night dance clubs, the
Bangladeshi ghetto (called “Banglatown”), and tenements of Jack the Ripper's London, all
in the shadow of glittering new skyscrapers. Head up Brick Lane for a meal in “the curry
capital of Europe,” or check out the former Truman Brewery, which now houses a Sunday
market, cool shops, and Café 1001 (good coffee). This neighborhood is best on Sunday af-
ternoons, when the Spitalfields, Petticoat Lane, and Backyard markets thrive.
▲
Geffrye Museum
This low-key but well-organized museum—housed in an 18th-century almshouse—is loc-
atednorthofLiverpoolStreetStationinthehipShoreditcharea.Walkpast11Englishliving
rooms, furnished and decorated in styles from 1600 to 2000, then descend the circular stairs
to see changing exhibits on home decor. In summer, explore the fragrant herb garden.
Cost and Hours:
Free, fees for (optional) special exhibits, Tue-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun
12:00-17:00, closed Mon, garden open April-Oct, 136 Kingsland Road, tel. 020/7739-9893,
Getting There:
Take the Tube to Liverpool Street, then ride the bus 10 minutes north
(bus #149 or #242). Or take the East London line on the Overground to the Hoxton stop,
whichisrightnexttothemuseum(TubeticketsandOystercardsalsovalidonOverground).
