Blog

  • The Horse Guards in Whitehall: A Closer Look at London’s Mounted Regiments and Their Timeless Traditions

    The Household Cavalry regiment, the soldiers who stand guard on horseback in Whitehall are made up of two main groups: the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. Today they make up just one regiment but each has its own identity, traditions, colonels and uniform. The Blues and Royals and the Life Guard can be seen in Whitehall between 11am and 4pm every day and many visitors to London like to have their photograph taken next to the mounted soldiers. Be careful, however. As the signs nearby say, horses can both bite and kick.

  • London’s New Super Sewer and a Tunnel Under the Thames

    London’s five billion pound Super Sewer is now fully connected and promises a cleaner, healthier River Thames. The 150-year-old sewer network has struggled to cope with the twin challenges of an increase in the population it serves in the capital (from four million people when it was built to over nine million today) together with climate change. With rainfall overwhelming the system, it sometimes discharges into the Thames. With the Super Sewer fully connected, 95% of those spills are stopped.

  • Ugo Foscolo in London: An Exile of the Italian Revolution

    Born in 1778 in Zakynthos (Zante in Venetian), a Greek island that was then a Venetian possession, Ugo Foscolo was the son of an Italian father and a Greek mother. Following his father’s death, the family moved to Venice, where he learned Italian and completed his studies at the University of Padua. He joined intellectual circles and admired Napoleon, even siding with his army.

  • The Queen Of Crime, Agatha Christie in London

    Who is the best-selling writer in history after Shakespeare and the Bible? The answer is Agatha Christie who was born in Devon in 1890 but whose stories often feature London and who wrote what is the capital’s (and the world’s) longest-running play The Mousetrap, which is still playing at Saint Martin’s theatre sixty-five years after it opened. One of the original cast was the late Sir Richard Attenborough, who was paid partly with a share of rights from the play. These were never expected to be worth much but later in his career he was able to sell them to help finance his film about the life of Mahatma Gandhi starring Sir Ben Kingsley.

  • Musical Theatre in London: From Classics to Contemporary Hits

    Going to the theatre has always been an important part of any trip to London. Not only does the city boast some of the great theatres but ticket prices are usually reasonable. It is also home to the world’s longest-running play, The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. The story has been at St Martin’s Theatre for over seventy years. London also hosts the world’s two longest-running musicals. Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera have been running on the London stage for nearly forty years. Les Mis, as it is commonly known, celebrates its fortieth birthday in October 2025, and Phantom passes the forty-year mark a year later.

  • The Michelin Guide to London: How the Star System Shapes the City’s Dining Scene

    Are you looking for somewhere special to eat when you come to London? The Michelin star system is considered the gold standard by which eateries are judged. All Michelin inspectors are anonymous and many are unknown even to the company’s directors. They are not allowed to tell their parents what they do in case these parents boast about it and the secret is revealed. They are anonymous and thorough, paying for their own meals and claiming the cost back from the company later so they are completely unbribable.

Blog Posts

King Edward V and the Duke of York (Richard) in the Tower of London by Paul Delaroche. Photo Credit: © Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Who Killed the Little Princes in the Tower of London

Yeoman Warders, often referred to as ‘Beefeaters,’ conduct their own tours of the Tower of London. However, they are not allowed to say that Richard III had ordered the killing of his own nephews, who are often referred to as ‘the Little Princes in the Tower.’ This is because the Ricardian Society, who believe Richard was innocent of the crime and had been unjustly accused of it by William Shakespeare and others, dispute this view and will come down on anyone who supports it. This just goes to show how a small but vocal group can exert influence and proclaim the innocence of one who is an obvious villain.

Read more
Crowd lining parade route London New Year's Day Parade. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

5 Fun Ideas for New Year in London

The end of December through January is a fun time to be in London.  Christmas may have passed, but the atmosphere is still quite festive, and there are loads of events to ring in the New Year and get you excited about the start of the year.   Below are some of the major events and activities to entice you to plan a visit to our fair capital London which continues to bounce back with an increasing number of tourists!

Read more

13 London Christmas Markets: Purchase Unique Gifts and Festive Delights

Embrace the joyous spirit of Christmas and discover a treasure trove of unique gifts at London’s enchanting Christmas markets. From the bustling South Bank’s festive market to quaint neighborhood fairs, these eight markets offer an unparalleled Christmas shopping experience. Immerse yourself in the twinkling lights, handcrafted delights, and heartwarming cheer that permeate these seasonal havens.

Read more
William Buckland

William Buckland – The Dinosaur Dean – at Westminster Abbey in London

Working as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide in I often show my guests – especially if they have young children – the bust of the William Buckland in the south aisle of Westminster Abbey. He may hardly be a household name but Buckland is memorialised for his appointment as Dean of the Abbey in 1845 and his work as an early palaeontologist and undergroundologist (geologist). He excelled at two of the new sciences that would enthral Britain in the nineteenth century.

Read more
Ice Skating at Battersea Power Station. Photo Credit: © Battersea Power Station.

Ice Skating in London – 4 Open Air Ice Rinks To Enjoy Over The Christmas And New Year

Christmas festivities in Central London usually start with the putting up of Christmas lights in the major shopping areas. But nowadays, the laying out of ice rinks in popular tourist attractions makes the visitor experience much more fun. Here are five places where you can enjoy skating in London with amazing scenic views.

Read more
Zippos Circus at Winter Wonderland in London. Photo Credit: © PWR Events, an International Management Group (UK) Limited company.

Guide to Enjoying Christmas & New Year In London

London offers a variety of ways to keep you entertained over the festive season. Here are some of the best tips from Guide London to help you make the most of the capital over Christmas and New Year!

Read more
Dickens's Dream by Robert William Buss, portraying Dickens at his desk at Gads Hill Place surrounded by many of his characters. Photo Credit: © Wikipedia Commons.

A Dickens Of A Christmas in London

More than anyone else, Charles Dickens invented the British Christmas with A Christmas Carol, his story about Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. It was first published in 1843 and has been adapted for stage and screen many times. No surprise then that there are four museums in the United Kingdom dedicated to Charles Dickens (including one in London), more than any other British writer.

Read more
Santa's Sleigh and Gigantic Bells at Covent Garden in London. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

5 Reasons To Visit London During The Christmas Holidays

Christmas is a magical time of year to be visiting London. There are spectacular decorations everywhere and people are generally in a festive mood. Here are some of our favourite seasonal experiences which are all great reasons to visit London during the Christmas holidays.

Read more
Portrait of George Frederick Handel. Photo Credit: © James Newton.

Stand Up For Handel – The Hallelujah Chorus

Christmas is upon us and many people – both locals and visitors – will go either to a church or concert hall to experience a performance of the Messiah written by George Frederick Handel, which is a highlight of the festive season. The Messiah was first performed in Dublin in 1742 and soon came to London.

Read more
Harry Potter: Platform 9 3/4 at London's Kings Cross Station

Harry Potter’s Importance to Tourism in London and Britain

Blue Badge Tourist Guides in London are used to taking people around places that have been around for a while and are often asked, ’How old is this place?’. Hogwarts School may have existed for some time, but nothing in the Harry Potter series of books and films is over thirty-five years old. Via this blog post, I’ll take a look at some of the places associated with the boy wizard.

Read more
2018 Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree. Photo Credit: © Ursula Petula Barzey.

Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

For many Londoners, the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lighting ceremony along with carol singing marks the start of the countdown to Christmas. The ceremony typically takes place on the first Thursday in  December and is led by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, accompanied by a band and choir followed by the switching on of the Christmas lights.

Read more
Frost Fair on the River Thames near the Temple Stairs. by Thomas Wijck. Photo Credit: © Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

I Want A Picture-Perfect White Christmas In London

In December our thoughts turn to Christmas. We think about our family, friends, Christmas cards, food (lots of it!) and presents – will Santa pass by this year? Also, just as important, the reason for Christmas: the birth of Jesus. But what we also think about is the weather – will it snow? This question set me thinking – why do we feel Christmas isn’t really Christmas if it doesn’t snow?

Read more