Visit London Blog - Enjoy the very best of London

Posts Tagged "hyde park"

< Older Entries
7 Dec
2011

Dickens and London Exhibition at Museum of London

Posted by in Arts No Comments

Winter, Christmas and Charles Dickens just seem to go together so this morning was the perfect time to visit the Dickens and London exhibition at Museum of London, before it opens on Friday.

Dickens often walked the streets of London at night to piece together ideas for stories and characters. This exhibition takes you on a similar tour of Dickensian London, showing how the city he called his “magic lantern” inspired his famous tales.

Like any Dickens novel, there’s plenty of information about the grimy, poverty-stricken side of London in the 1800s. But there are also cheerier aspects on display, such as a beautiful painting of people enjoying Hyde Park in the summer, strolling, relaxing and playing – just like Londoners do today.

My favourite exhibits were:

  • Handwritten letters by Charles Darwin, plus one of his own inkwells
  • A display of period doorknockers (straight out of A Christmas Carol!)
  • Dickens’ writing desk and chair

Also, Museum of London have added to their excellent app collection with Dickens: Dark London, a gorgeous-looking, graphic novel app, with monthly additions, available from 9 December.

Dickens and London, Museum of London, 9 Dec-10 Jun (admission charge). Get two-for-one entry to Dickens and London with our special offer

Please Sir, Can I Have Some More….

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens in 2012 with more Dickens-themed activities in London:

  • The Charles Dickens Museum: See where the author lived between 1837 and 1839
  • Meet Ebenezer Scrooge: Visit one of Dickens’ most famous characters in the grottos of Museum of London and Museum of London Docklands between 27 December and 1 January, and win a prize if you can cheer him up!
  • The British Library: Charles Dickens and the Supernatural examines how Dickens used supernatural phenomena in his stories. Until 4 March
  • BFI Southbank: Dickens on Film showcases archive footage of classic Dickens adaptations and examines his contribution to film and television history. 15 December
  • Charles Dicken’s London: Our guide to the London landmarks featured in Charles Dickens’ novels
23 Nov
2011

Big Screens Announced Showing London 2012 Games Coverage

Posted by in London 2012 Olympic Games 1 Comment

Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square will host big screens during the London 2012 Games next summer.

With giant screens, state-of-the-art technology and concert-quality sound systems, these sites will be among the best places to watch the Games if you don’t have a ticket.

And it’s not just about the Olympic and Paralympic sporting action: there’ll be “have a go” sports sessions, live music and entertainment.

You can watch the Olympic Games at BT London Live Hyde Park and BT London Live Victoria Park from 27 July to 12 August, and the Paralympic Games at BT London Live Trafalgar Square from 29 August to 9 September.

Find out more at www.btlondonlive.com.

11 Aug
2011

Watch a Free Marathon Swimming Test Event in Hyde Park this Weekend

Posted by in London 2012 Olympic Games, Sport 3 Comments

Fancy watching a free Olympic Test Event this weekend?

The London 10km Marathon Swimming International takes place in the Serpentine in Hyde Park, and is free to watch. This swimming event is part of the London Prepares series, the official London 2012 sports testing programme.

You can watch the action from a number of spots around the Serpentine on Saturday.

The top 60 swimmers in the world have been invited. Up to 40 athletes will compete on the Serpentine, each swimming six laps of the 1.67km course.

Competitors to look out for include:

  • Liverpool-born Spyridon Gianniotis, who’s competing for Greece (he’s the 10km gold medallist from the recent FINA World Championships in Shanghai)
  • German Olympian Thomas Lurz (the silver medallist from Shanghai)
  • Martina Grimaldi from Italy, who took silver in Shanghai
  • Marianna Lymperta from Greece, who took bronze in Shanghai

David Luckes, Head of Sport Competition at the London 2012 Organising Committee says, “The London 10km Marathon Swimming International will be used to test the Marathon Swimming course in Hyde Park as well as many of LOCOG’s operations.

“We are delighted to be able to run such an event with a high level of international athletes and look forward to giving the public an opportunity to witness world class sport for free this weekend.”

The women’s race starts at 10am and the men’s race starts at 2pm.

For more information about the free event, including entry lists, visit the London Prepare series website.

9 Aug
2011

In Pictures: The Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship London

Posted by in Sport No Comments

Here are some great pictures of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship London, which took place in and around Hyde Park at the weekend.

Congratulations to everyone involved, including Helen Jenkins and Alistair Brownlee for their fantastic winning performances in the elite races.

Fancy seeing more world-class sport in London, ahead of the Olympics? Check out our What’s On Sport page for all the details you need.

26 May
2011

UEFA Champions League Festival in Hyde Park

Posted by in Special Events, Sport No Comments

London’s Hyde Park is hosting a free football festival this week. Our Major Events Marketing Manager Beckie Crane went along to find out more…

On a beautiful summer afternoon, I visited the much-anticipated Champions Festival, a free festival in Hyde Park celebrating all things UEFA Champions League Final.

With the Men’s Final between Barcelona and Manchester United taking place on Saturday at Wembley Stadium and tickets literally like gold dust, it was my opportunity to grab a little bit of the action.

I had my picture taken with the trophy and only had to queue for about half an hour. Then I visited the Museum of Champions, which took me on a journey through time, detailing all of the most exciting moments in UEFA history.

One of the best things I picked up was a passport from the Adidas area, which was then stamped at each location and entered me into a competition to win tickets to the final.

The festival is a great day out for every football fan. I’m even thinking of heading back there for the legends match on Saturday before the big game. I suggest you do the same.

The free UEFA Champions Festival in Hyde Park runs until Saturday 28 May 2011

17 May
2011

UEFA Champions League Trophies on Display in London

Posted by in Special Events, Sport No Comments

The UEFA Champions League cups have gone on show outside London’s City Hall.

Both the men’s and women’s trophies are being displayed in the back of a black London taxi. You can see them today and tomorrow from 10am until 7pm.

The cups are on a London-wide tour before heading to Hyde Park for the free UEFA football festival, which opens on Saturday.

9 Mar
2011

The Wellington Arch and Apsley House

Posted by in Attractions 4 Comments

Did you know the Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner is open to the public? I’ve passed the arch a million times on the bus, but this week I decided to stop and visit.

Inside the arch, there are three floors of exhibition space exploring the history of the building. The Wellington Arch was built to create an impressive western entrance to London and has also served as London’s smallest police station.

The Quadriga on the top is the largest bronze sculpture in Europe and replaced a sculpture of the Duke of Wellington which was mercilessly ridiculed for being enormously out of proportion to the Arch.

From the balconies at the top of the Wellington Arch, you can enjoy a fantastic view of Apsley House, the entrance to Hyde Park, Green Park and Constitution Hill.

Apsley House, to the right of the photo, is often known as Number One London and was home to the Duke of Wellington in the 1820s after his victory at Waterloo. The current Duke of Wellington still uses Apsley House as his London base.

The house is very grand, with an impressive collection of paintings, including some from Napoleon’s collection. It’s a must see for anyone interested in military history.

The ticket price includes an enjoyable audio guide for Apsley House packed with facts about banquets and balls, ducal disagreements about the colour of the wallpaper and the current duke’s childhood enthusiasm for sliding down the bannisters.

Book a joint ticket for the Wellington Arch and Apsley House – adult £7.40, child £3.70, concession £6.30 www.english-heritage.org.uk

18 Feb
2011

London to Host UEFA Football Festival in Hyde Park

Posted by in Special Events, Sport 2 Comments

London’s Hyde Park will host a free football festival in the run-up to the UEFA Champions League Final in May.

Organised by UEFA, the eight-day festival will include:

  • Live football areas
  • Five-a-side tournaments
  • Master classes
  • Entertainment and bars

There’ll also be a chance for fans to get up close to the UEFA Champions Trophy at a “travelling museum”.

The men’s UEFA Champions League Final takes place at Wembley on 28 May, while the women’s final is at Craven Cottage on 26 May.

The Hyde Park football festival runs from 21-28 May 2011

23 Dec
2010

London Photo of the Week: Cycling Santas

Posted by in Special Events No Comments

Quick! Follow that reindeer! Even Santa knows that cycling in London is a great way to get around.

www.LKGPhoto.com shared this photo with the Visit London Flickr group.

If you’ve taken a great photo of London, enter our Only in London Flickr photo competition and you could win top price tickets to Jersey Boys and a night for two at the Thistle Marble Arch with a bottle of champagne! Don’t forget to tag your entry onlyinlondon2010.

« Older Entries