Billed as the greatest flower show in the world, the Chelsea Flower Show in London is the ultimate event in the British gardening calendar.
For 2012, the Chelsea Show takes place from May 22nd – 26th.

Chelsea Flower Show

The Chelsea Flower Show is an annual event organized by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK’s leading gardening charity.  Exhibitors from all over the world attend the Show, including countries as far away as Barbados, Sri Lanka, Australia, Jamaica, South Africa and Zimbabwe.  The Chelsea Show has become an important event where the latest gardening trends, features, new plants and the newest and most desirable gardening products are launched.

Not to be missed is the Great Pavilionwhich is the centrepiece of the Chelsea Flower Show.  Here you can enjoy some of the best garden displays and have the opportunity to exchange ideas and get advice from some of Britain’s leading growers and plant specialists, who are a key part of the show.

Chelsea Flower Show - Courtesy VisitBritain

Where is the Chelsea Flower Show?

The event is held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4SR.

Buying Flower Show Tickets

Visitor numbers to this extremely popular flower show are limited due to the venue size.  If you’re planning on visiting the show, it’s advisable to book early.  Find and book your flower show tickets here.

How to Get There?

It is recommended that visitors travel to the Show by public transport.

By Tube 

Catch the Tube to Sloan Square Tube Station.  From tube station, turn left down Lower Sloane St until you reach the junction of Lower Sloane St and Royal Hospital Road. Turn right into Royal Hospital Rd to reach the Royal.  Walking time is about 10 minutes.

By Bus

• Bus numbers 11, 137, 211, 360 and 452 stop closest to the showground, while
• Bus numbers 19, 22, 319 and C1 stop at Sloane Square.

By Rail

London Victoria Station is the closest to the Show.  London General operates a shuttle bus service between London Victoria (Hudson’s Place) and the showground (Barrack Gate, Chelsea Bridge Road).  The shuttle runs from 7 am to 8 pm each day (6 pm Saturday).

Chelsea Hotels

Chelsea is one of the more fashionable districts of London and there are some luxurious and boutique hotels in the area such as the  San Domenico House.  This fabulous boutique hotel is a few minutes’ walk from Sloane Square and about 15 minutes walk from Harrods.  Also nearby are the 5-star Draycott Hotel with its Edwardian-style rooms and myhotel Chelsea.  For the complete list of Chelsea Hotels, see HERE.

If you can’t make it to the Chelsea Flower Show, see here for the list of other Flower and Garden Shows in England.

Map of Chelsea:

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Winter Wonderland is here again to transform London’s Hyde Park into an exciting world of ice and festival fun with carols and music to set everyone into the mood for Christmas.

Starting from 18 November, 2011 to 3 January, 2012, Winter Wonderland promises musical treats, shopping, fun, laughter and excitement for both adults and children.

Two million visitors attended Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park in 2010.  As well as London’s largest open-air ice rink, Winter Wonderland includes flights in the giant Observation Wheel, Big Top Shows and gentle rides for younger children.  A new attraction for this year is the ‘Zippos Cirque Extreme’, a brand new and world-class circus.

What’s On at Winter Wonderland

Visitors to Winter Wonderland will be able to enjoy traditional Christmas foods and mulled wine and a brilliant German Christmas Fair.  With a range of stalls selling authentic arts, crafts, presents and food, this is a great place to do some Christmas shopping and enjoy the atmosphere of the Festive season. The bandstand will feature regular carol concerts and, if time allows, even Santa himself is scheduled to make an appearance in the run-up to Christmas.

Entry to Winter Wonderland is free and there’s no charge to visit Santa. You can book the Ice Skating, the Giant Wheel and Big Top tickets in advance to make sure you don’t miss out on your day of visit. Tokens for all rides and attractions are available for purchase on the day.

Event:    Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, London
Dates:     November 18, 2011 - 3 January 2012
Place:     Hyde Park, London

Hotels Near Hyde Park

If you are looking for a hotel near Hyde Park, there are over 200 hotels in the vicinity of Hyde Park to choose from.  It very much depends on which end of Hyde Park you would prefer your accommodation to be.  See the list of Hyde Park hotels here.  In any event, even if you are not staying close to Hyde Park, it is easy to get to the Park by Tube.

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November 5th is Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night or Fireworks Night in Britain and all around the country you’ll find Bonfire Night festivities and massive firework displays.

So Who was Guy Fawkes

This British tradition dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a Catholic conspirator, tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King James I.

For those holidaying in London, firework festivities will take place throughout London’s boroughs and many of the large parks have communal firework displays that are open to the general public.

If you love a good firework display and some great fun,  wrap up and head out to enjoy the spectacular London fireworks, massive bonfires, refreshments and lively entertainment.

Read more on Bonfire Night HERE.

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All eyes will be on London on April 29, 2011 when the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton takes place.

For Royal watchers or those who love Royal weddings and want to share in the excitement of this historic occasion, you can do a London walk that will let you discover William and Kate’s London.

On this new Royal Wedding Walking Tour, participants will see the the top London attractions linked to William and Kate, as well as lesser known spots that are a part of their life in London.  Not only will you be taken on a London sightseeing tour of places royal, but your expert guide will also give you the hottest Royal gossips.

This 2.5 hour London walking tour starts from Green Park in central London where your guide shares with you stories of Britiain’s Royal family, Kate’s life as a commoner and the places where the couple frequented over the years.  Also, find out about the Mahiki nightclub where young royals hang out.

Royal Wedding Tour

The London tour ends at Westminster Abbey where William and Kate’s wedding will be celebrated.

For further information on The Royal Wedding Walking Tour and how to book, see HERE >

See other London tours >

Your London hotel choices >

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London is the entertainment capital of the world and some of the popular West End shows are booked out months in advance.  To avoid disappointment, book your London musical before you leave home.  Below are some of the  many musicals that are playing.

Phantom of the Opera
Since premiering at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London in October 1986, this blockbuster show continues to play on and on. Not to be missed whilst in London!

Love Never Dies
This brand-new London musical is the sequel to the Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom sets out to prove, that indeed, Love Never Dies.

Les Miserables
Based on Victor Hugo’s novel of the same name, Les Mis is the world’s longest-running musical. So popular is this London musical that in October 2010, Les Mis became the first musical in history to have three productions running in the same city.

The Lion King
Disney’s multi-award winning musical transports audiences to a dazzling world that explodes with glorious colours, stunning effects and enchanting music.

Mamma Mia
Mamma Mia! this infectious and funny ABBA musical is still running.

Wicked the Musical
Wicked tells the untold story of the legendary witches from Frank L Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grease
If you haven’t seen Grease before, don’t miss it – it’s Electrifying!

Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot is a funny, heart-warming and feel-good celebration of dance,  and tells the poignant tale of a young boy’s dream to be accepted by his family.

We Will Rock You
We Will Rock You features 31 of Queen’s greatest songs and receives standing ovations every night.

London’s musicals rock, so don’t miss it on your London visit!

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Visitors to London will be able to join in the City’s celebration of its heritage and diversity at the annual Lord Mayor’s Show.

On Saturday 13 November, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, the newly elected 683rd Lord Mayor of London, will embark on his first duty which is a procession from Mansion House to St Paul’s Cathedral, as part of the Lord Mayor’s Show.

London Procession

This London event follows a tradition which dates back to 1215 and is enshrined in the charter of King John. Each new Lord Mayor is required to swear a pledge of allegiance to the Sovereign in front of the Lord Chief Justice and Judges of the Queen’s Bench Division.

Accompanying the Lord Mayor in his gold state coach is a procession that extends more than three miles and involves around 6,000 people from all walks of life in London, who will come together to celebrate their City’s proud cultural heritage.

More than 60 participating organisations ranging from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to the British Red Cross Society are involved in this year’s Show demonstrating London’s cosmopolitan makeup. The route of procession is the same each year, as it has been since 1952 – starting at Mansion House the procession travels to Cheapside and then to St. Paul’s Cathedral where the Lord Mayor is blessed and then on to the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand.

To end the Show and mark the beginning of a new mayoral year, London’s newly confirmed Lord Mayor will start a magnificent firework display on the River Thames at five o’clock on the 13th of November. The spectacular fireworks display will take place on the Thames between Blackfriars Bridge and Waterloo Bridge.  It’s one of London’s most spectacular displays, and you’ll be able to see the fireworks for miles.

The Lord Mayor’s Show is an established highlight of London’s social calendar and attracts half a million of visitors every year.  If you’re planning to join in this heritage London event, get there early as roads will be closed.

Date : 13th November
Time : 11:00 – 17:00
Tube : Bank, Moorgate, St Paul’s or any district line station between Temple and Monument

For more detailed information see the Lord Mayor’s Show website at www.lordmayorsshow.org.

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The annual Agatha Christie Festival kicked off in Torquay in brilliant sunshine.  This year is the 120th anniversary of the birth of the world’s favourite crime and mystery author, so what magnificent weather to celebrate this event.

Our room at the Torquay Imperial Hotel wasn’t ready so we headed down to Torquay’s waterfront where all the activities seem to be.

We called into the Tourist office and the exit from the gift shop led us to Princess Gardens where this bust of Christie is installed.

A traditional English fete was in progress – what good fortune for us from the photography perspective.  Stall holders dressed in 1920s/1930s costumes manned stalls selling arts and crafts, Christie books, foodstuff, etc.  Some of the visitors came dressed for the part as well.

Looking around to see what’s going on at the various stalls, I spotted Hercule Poirot.  Initially I thought that he was one of the fete visitors who came as a Poirot look-alike, and a very good one at it, but a photographer nearby suggests to me that he was probably the official Poirot for the Festival.  Poirot kindly offered to pose for photos by Agatha Christie’s bust before he strolled off to show his famous moustached face to the rest of the fete stalls holders and visitors.

All around the harbour there was live entertainment, with jazz, choirs and brass bands, etc.

But, for me, I’ve met  Hercule Poirot on my first day in Torquay so that’s my mission accomplished for the day.

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Visitors to London in August have the opportunity to see the world famous Crown Jewels on this exclusive, limited-availability Tower of London tour.

This private viewing after hours is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view one of the most celebrated symbols of the British monarchy – minus the crowds and long queues. The Tower of London has been home to the Crown Jewels since the 14th century.  These priceless and precious Crown Jewels enchant millions of visitors every year, and queues are long in the summer months.

Your exclusive, private tour led by a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) starts before the Tower of London opens to the general public, ensuring you will escape the crowds!  The conveyor belt used to carry visitors past the jewels will be switched off, so you can examine the Royal ceremonial objects in your own time.

After half an hour in the Jewel House you will be served a light breakfast and are then free to enjoy the rest of the Tower of London at your leisure.

This private viewing is available on August 16, 22 and 29 only.

See here for more details of this event and how to book.>

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If you love the distinctive theme songs from James Bond movies, this is a concert not to be missed.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the UK’s top orchestras, celebrates Britain’s most popular secret agent as guest vocalists thrill you with the theme songs that form such an essential part of the ‘Bond experience’.

Highlights include music from Goldfinger, Licence to Kill, The Spy Who Loved Me, Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die, Dr. No, From Russia With Love and many more!

And what’s more, special guest Honor Blackman (Pussy Galore!) will be at London’s great Royal Albert Hall to present the concert.

There’s only one performance of “The Music of Bond” by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra  on Sunday, October 31st so book early.

Enjoy Bond movies before you go.

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Visitors to the beautiful university town of Cambridge will be able to enjoy one of their favourite Shakespeare plays.  From 12 July to 28 August Cambridge University hosts the annual Cambridge Shakespeare Festival.

This 7-week Shakespeare Festival has become one of the region’s most popular events, attracting more than 25,000 visitors from all over the world. Six of Shakespeare’s most popular plays will be performed in the Colleges of Cambridge University by The Festival Company.

This year’s performances are:

• From July 12 – 31 : Love’s Labour’s Lost, Hamlet, and The Taming of the Shrew, and
• From August 2 – 28 : As You Like It, Henry V and Twelfth Night

The Shakespeare plays will be held at Cambridge University’s famous colleges – Robinson College Gardens, Trinity College Gardens, Downing College Gardens, King’s College Gardens and St John’s College Gardens.

So, the Shakespeare Festival is a great opportunity to explore these prestigious Cambridge Colleges.  Must-sees include the Trinity College (As You Like It) and King’s College (Henry V), where the festival has been granted permission to perform in parts of the Colleges not even normally available to members.

For more information on the performances, tickets or venues, visit the www.cambridgeshakespeare.com.

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