Ananasfreak

A walk in London Town

Head into Soho for one of your London walks, with its myriad restaurants and developing nightlife. Regent St bows out of the north-west turnoff up to Oxford Circus.
Continue west on Piccadilly to St James’s church with its exceptional low-cost restaurant and the Royal Academy which has run-of-the-mill temporary art array, some of them smash for which you must book in advance. Detour right into the curious Burlington Arcade, just coming the academy, but beware the Burlington Berties who are supposed to stop you whistling or otherwise transgress.
Return to Piccadilly for a one more of your London walks and continue until you reach St James’s St on your left. This takes you down to the red-brick St James’s Palace, the royal residence from 1660 to 1837 when Queen Victoria upped and moved to Buckingham Palace. Skirt around its east side and you emerge in The Mall.
although that wouldn’t allow you time to explore any of the individual sights in detail. It will, however, give you a good preamble to the West End and Westminster. For details of the individual sights see their debut in the Things to See & Do chapter.
Start at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Wren masterpiece that was completed in 1710, and scramble to the top of the Golden Gallery for one of the best views of London. Then, unless you’re feeling very energetic and want to walk all the way on Fleet St and the Strand, save on foot leather by catching bus No 501 or 521 from Newgate St behind St Paul’s station to Covent Garden.
Another of the enjoyable London walks is Covent Garden, once London’s fruit and vegetable market, has been restored to a bustling piazza. It’s one of the rare places where pedestrians rule the roost, with plenty of places to sit out and eat and drink. The Royal Opera House currently under refurbishment is on the north-cast turnoff, with the Theatre Museum facing it and the London Transport Museum round the turnoff in the piazza.
Walk north-west up James St to Covent Garden tube station and turn left into Long Acre. Stroll on the road looking out for Stanfords map and travel bookshop on your left, and then continue across Charing Cross Rd to Leicester Square with the green in the centre fighting to be noticed amid the first-run cinemas, nightclubs and fast-food outlets. Note the Leicester Square Theatre Ticket Booth to the south side which sells half-price tickets on the day of appearance.

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