My husband recommended we see this statue while visiting London and I'm so glad we did! It is super…read morecute and obviously related to a story I loved growing up. There were a fair amount of tourists gathered around the statue the day we were there, so clearly it's a popular spot. The park surrounding the statue had helpful signs leading us in the correct direction. We were able to get some great photos! Really fun item on our itinerary and allowed for some additional walking outdoors through the park.

It's a whimsical statue along the serpentine close to the Lancaster Gate end of the park…read more Loads of animals are hidden in this sculpture and whenever we take a walk with friends kids, they have a fun time counting the number of animals in the statue. There's always a bit of a crowd here waiting to take a picture of the boy who never grew up. Wonder if they will do a bit of an event here when the new "Pan" movie is released

Ham House was built in 1610 and was lavishly remodelled in th 1670s when it became the centre of…read moreRestoration court life and intrigue. Today the house is thought to be the most haunted in England. It still has a large portion of rare original furnishings and paintings as well as its lavish interior. Coupled with this there are extensive and beautiful 17th century gardens.

Beautiful House! You will be amazed by the paintings and…read moresculptures that are both in/outdoors of the house which was built in 1610. I really enjoyed that peaceful place.. P.S Dolphin chairs are another things to be checked in the House :)

I stumbled upon this spot while searching for free sites to check out in London. It's a peaceful…read moregarden that stands in the remains of a former burned down church. The churches walls remain as a skeleton and lattice of sorts for the growing garden. It'll only take you a few moments to see the small space. It was a little smaller and simpler than I anticipated. You can easily get there on foot after crossing the London Bridge.

The moment you step onto the property and stand in the open courtyard, see the birds flittering…read morefrom scalloped cut out to cut out, vines shrouding the walls, the greenery hanging over your head like a rainforest canopy, and the original cobblestone beneath your feet, you feel as if you've been transported to another century, a much simpler time. Whether you prefer to sit in the sun on a bench in the center of the old church whose rooftop was damaged in the Great Fire and then from a bomb in 1941, or to retreat to the shady areas behind the high arched walls, it is nonetheless a very divine experience. Photographs do not do this place justice, you have to simply go and understand for yourself. The trek up the hill to this place is irritatingly modern. All around its perimeters is either some form of disruptive and dust-raising construction or a cold and corporate office building, glass skyscraper, or something blocking the sunlight. If you want a more private affair, come during the early morning, late afternoon, or on weekends when the nearby office workers aren't swarming it eating their lunch or taking ciggie breaks. It can make for a less pleasant experience when you're swimming in a cloud of smoke.

This modern looking lodge with exterior walls and an inside fire place over looking forest and…read moremeadow is the only surviving Tudor hunting lodge. In the 16th century it was called "The Great Standing" - an elaborate OPEN SIDED viewing platform used by the corpulent Henry the Eighth and court to view hunting and equestrian displays. He was better able to gracefully ascend the "procession stairs" (as you will) that had low risers and wide treads to accommodate his girth, equestrian injuries and the ladies' great skirts. The supporting massive oak beams have survived more than 500 years. Banners with family crests used to festoon the sides of the platform and flags flew gaily above. See what the Royal party will be feasting on and hear the kitchen help chopping and dicing in the background. Children can try on Tudor clothing upstairs. This is a family-friendly destination. The volunteers are great about answering your questions. Many thanks to volunteer Danny, now 94 who used to play about the ruins as a boy and has studied the history of the site for years. He was an incredible font of knowledge.

I brought a group up here today for a work trip, and I was pleasantly surprised!…read more It's a very neat building from the 1500s, first used as an open building for Henry VIII to go hunting from (they apparently corralled deer in for him to shoot with his bow and arrow from a chair in the building). Queen Elizabeth then closed it in and made it into the building it is today. The building is charming and a bit corny, set with fake food and costumes to try on - definitely a bit school group centered, but at the same time, it's really more about coming in and having a bit of a feeling of how old and special the building is, and there are lovely views from the top floor. Plus the staircase is original, and is apparently one of the first (if not *the* first) example of a staircase that goes up in a square (like most staircases now!) The guide told us that The Globe came and measured up the stairs and used them as a template when they redid the Globe, so you're in fine company. It's free to go and is open 7 days a week from 10am to 5pm (subject to some closures for private tours, like us today, or school groups). It's set in Epping Forest but is easy to get to as it's less than 10 minutes by foot from Chingford. There's a pub next door and a café across the street, so it's a nice place to start or end a trip to the Forest. There's also a great visitor centre, with permanent and temporary exhibitions, and a gift shop (naturally).

In 1954, after the Blitz in London, Roman temple ruins were discovered. The ruins dating to 400…read moreA.D. were painstakingly preserved and studied. Today, this underground museum houses the ruins and artifacts found and is opened free to the public. (The Museum is beneath the Bloomberg Building). We ordered free tickets on line, but most people show up without tickets and get in fine. They run the tours every 20 minutes or so. On ground level is a display of the artifacts found at the site. We were surprised by the sophisticated workmanship. A theater describes the people, temple and their devotion to Mithras, a sun/star-type deity. Visitors descend into the area of the temple ruins and experience a virtual program of the temple as it might have appeared 2000 ago. After the brief program, visitors can walk around and take photos. The museum is remarkably well done and I was fascinated by the experience and thinking about these early inhabitants of the region. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Donations are encouraged. Restrooms are available. The entire museum is accessible. Plan a short 30-45 minute visit.

The Temple of Mithras - known also as the London Mithraeum - are the remains of a temple dedicated…read moreto the Roman god Mithras, in the city of London, underneath an office block built for Bloombergs in 2012-14. During construction, the Temple was moved to its original position and this visitor centre was constrcuted to house it and enable the public to have regular access. The mithraeum was built here, on what were then the banks of the Walbrook river, around AD 240, in the middle of the Roman city of Londinium, which became the site of the present-day London (and of course gave us the city's name). The worshippers in this temple were members of an all-male cult that spread across the Roman Empire in the first four centuries AD. By the later 5th century AD, following the departure of the Roman legions from Britain in 410AD, Londinium had been effectively abandoned, and the temple had been abandoned with it. The site became buried and the medieval and then the modern city of London evolved above. The remains were unearthed during World War II, when bombing destroyed much of the area on and around the site, and a subsequent archaeological excavation here revealed the ruins of a Roman building. The excavation was open to public display and generated a great deal of interest at the time. On the last day of the excavation, a sculpted head of the god Mithras was uncovered, confirming the identity of the building as a mithraeum. In response to public interest, the temple remains were dismantled and reassembled nearby, and remained on view until the early 2000s. The redevelopment of the site has enabled the temple to be returned to its original location, and additional remains were also found. It was decided at the time that the remains should form part of a small museum open to the public, providing interpretation of the site. This has included the development of a multi-media interpretation in which light and sounds are used to give an impression of the building as it was originally constructed and used. You enter at ground level, where this is a display of some of the many and impressive objects discovered during the 2012-14 excavation. Sadly, the interpretation is rather limited, but they includes coins, surgical and grooming instruments, pottery, keys, jewellery, footwear, a paddle and even (rare) surviving part of a Roman panelled door. (It's actually an impressive collection of everyday objects that would be very welcome in any museum.) You then descend to a lower floor where there is an audio loop about the site and the cult of Mithras, and some more limited interpretation on interactive computer screens. This is interesting but there need to be more screens for the number of people visiting. (You had to queue up to read them.) Then, every 20 minutes, access is provided to the remains of the temple itself, where there is a sound and light show. We also found this a bit disappointing: it would have been an ideal opportunity to explain all about the building and how it was used, instead of which everything was focused on creating "atmosphere". But visitors are able to remain behind for a short while to take photographs. So all in all, an interesting diversion for 30 minutes, but it could have been better presented. Entrance is free, but it is best to book as space is limited and entry is controlled to 44 people an hour (11 people every 15 minutes). Access is via stairs or a lift to all floors (but the main entrance door is not automatic). There are toilets. Note the light show includes periods of very low lighting and rumbling noise, so may not suit everyone.

The Chiswick House & Gardens is a beautiful little garden in west London that many people don't…read moreknow about. I have been here during the fall when it is completely quiet, and during their magical lantern festival at night when it is packed with crowds. The grounds are well kept, and the lanterns are most amazing. The lanterns along the little lake are especially stunning thanks to the water reflection, but it's also extremely cold thanks to the water. There are three "rest stops": the cafe upon entrance, the marshmallow roasting station in the middle of the tour (but no warming huts which is desperately needed as it's humid and bone chilling in London), and a small fair ground at the end of the tour with hot food, hot drink, and a ferries wheels. The only problem is that it is so freezing cold, and their inadequate toilets especially for women created a huge problem: long queues, chilling cold temperature inside the loos, and generally uncomfortable dirty conditions. It is to be expected with any festivals but still the organizers could have done a better job at regular cleaning and providing directions.

We just headed here this weekend for the Magical Lantern Festival. Hence my rating and review is of…read morethe festival. However, we did see some gorgeous marble statues and the gardens (what we could see of them in the dark) and Historic House, looked like this place definitely merits another visit. The Magical Lanterns are stunning. After the London Lumiere festival, I was a bit skeptical of what would be on offer. But I was blown away by the displays. Budget 2 hours for the walk itself, especially if you are visiting on a night with crowds. We picked up hot coffees and churros at the entry. Feasted on hot chocolate and hot toddy from Beltane and Pop and roasted marshmallows on the firepit at the midway stop. And there was a good selection of meals at the exit point with a covered marquee to enjoy it in. We however decided that we wanted a proper sit down restaurant that was well warmed for dinner and hence walked across to Chiswick high street for a meal. Do note, that these are all pop ups and food trucks - I assume they are only here during the festival. They do have a permanent coffee shop on the premises that was open. But the number of wailing children on this occasion, kept us away.

What a beautiful park…read more I went for the enchanted woodland walk, and it was just lovely. The 2 mile walk takes in some of the highlights of the ground, all decorated with beautiful lights. It was just gorgeous. I did think they should have limited the number of people walking around, perhaps to hourly slots, as it was so busy it kind of changed the atmosphere a little bit. All of the lights and scenes created were so creative and well thought out. Magical for both adults and children. The cutest things were seeing little fairies and pixies dotted around, and little doors at the bottom of trees where little elves must live. I loved it and would highly recommend you visit next winter. I'd really like to go back to the park in the day time for a nice sunny walk!

A lovely park, one of those where you forget you're in London. It's a bit built up and a bit out of…read morethe way, but once you get there, it's really nice. There's a garden centre and a Hilton hotel, as well as lots of park land, grazing cattle, and a fly fishing pond, just to name a few things. Oh, and Syon House, of course! It is, unfortunately, in the flight path - which might be good if you like to look at big planes! It's also near to Kew so while it might not be a place to go for your final destination, it's worth passing through.

Did you know you can visit the factory where both the famous Liberty Bell and Big Ben were forged?…read moreAnd it's in central London, and it's still a working factory? The Whitechapel foundry is on the Whitechapel Road about halfway between the Aldgate East and Whitechapel tube stops. You can even buy a bell in the small gift shop when it's open. But the best part is that you can see church bells as a work in progress all over the factory if you're lucky enough to walk past when the doors are open and you poke your head in. My tip: go around to the side of the building near the back by the large green workshop door, even at night, and be transported back several centuries. It simply doesn't look like anything in the area, and it has aged gracefully, even sinking into the terrain in an uneven way. I can't tell you how many times I've walked past and still been startled by that small but transformative scene.

Situated on one of the busiest, most stressful roads in East London, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry…read moreis located in a beautiful historical workshop. For a fee of £10 ( a bit steep in my opinion), you can go inside and tour to see where the Liberty bell and Big Ben were originally cast. The small museum is free but a bit pointless if you don't pay to get into see the two bells.