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What's On In LondonSuggested Itineraries, Things To See and Do in London. Following the Suggested Itineraries section is a guide to annual events in London, What's on in London, when and where, together with useful links to further information. You will also find interesting and useful information in 151 Things to do in London and in our past newsletters. Suggested ItinerariesHere are some suggestions about how you could spend your time in London. You will be hard pressed to do all of these things in the time available, and you may enjoy your visit more if you leave some things out or plan to spend more time in London. Most of these attractions can be researched from our links page.
3 day visit
London and Paris What's On In London 2012A selection of events and attractions in London - see also Special Event: HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations - more details Special Event: This year celebrates the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens - more details What's On In London - January 2012 1- 22 January 2012 - Somerset House Ice Rink. The grand 18th-century courtyard of Somerset House makes for a spectacular backdrop for one of the most popular ice rinks in town. Skating around under the Tiffany-decorated 40-foot Christmas tree with a hot toddy to keep out seasonal chills is one of London's most appealing winter rituals. More details 6-15 January 2012 - The London International Boat Show. One of London's most popular exhibitions with hundreds of exhibitors from around the world displaying all the best in boats, equipment and holidays - and some spectacular features. More details. 29 January 2012 - Chinese New Year. This year, the Year of the Dragon, Chinese New Year falls on 23rd January 2012 but the London celebrations are on 29th January. The festivities include traditional and contemporary Chinese entertainment in Trafalgar Square with performances by visiting artists from China. There will also be cultural stalls, food, decorations and lion dance displays in Chinatown and a local performance stage in Shaftesbury Avenue. Organised by London Chinatown Chinese Association. All are welcome at London's free events in Chinatown and Trafalgar Square to welcome in the Year of the Dragon. More details. What's On In London - February 2012 6 February 2012 - Queen's Accession Gun Salutes. Queen Elizabeth came to the throne (aged 25) on 6 February 1952, the date when her father King George the Sixth died. The anniversary of the Queen's accession is heralded by a 41 gun royal salute fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park at 12:00 noon and a 62-gun royal salute fired by the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London at 1:00pm. More details. What's On In London - March 2012 15- 18 March 2012 - Affordable Art Fair. Since setting up shop in Battersea Park for the first time in 1999, the biannual Affordable Art Fair has become a well-loved institution in London's art scene, an event that strips away the pretension of the art world and gives buyers a chance to pick up some really great work at fair prices, ranging from £50 to £3,000. More details.18 March 2012 - St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival. London's Irish community have always celebrated St Patrick's Day in the traditional manner, with church services, music, dancing and plenty of Guinness and whisky. In recent years, the capital has also hosted a major weekend celebration - the UK equivalent of parades in New York and Chicago. This year's parade will be on Sunday 18 March. London's St Patrick's Day Parade involves marching bands, floats, street theatre and more. All 32 Irish counties are represented, dressed in their traditional county colours. Other parade participants include members of London's Irish community and other Londoners. As well as the parade, you'll be treated to the best of Irish music, dance and culture in Trafalgar Square at the free St Patrick's Day Festival. More details. 16 March - 01 April 2012 - The Ideal Home Show at Earl's Court Exhibition Centre. For over 103 years the Ideal Home Show has been bringing ideas and inspiration to generations of British home owners and the show is back for 2012 at Earls Court London, with more features, more expert advice and more fun for all the family. The show brings together more than 600 quality exhibitors from all over the UK to offer a unique shopping experience for all areas of the home, including ideal Interiors, ideal Home Improvements, ideal Gardens, ideal Gadgets, ideal Food, ideal Housewares, ideal Shopping and ideal Woman. More details. 21 - 25 March 2012 Chelsea Antiques Fair. The Chelsea Antiques Fair has been a popular annual fixture on the Kings Road since 1950. It offers a Boutique style, of intimate elegance in the fine Old Town Hall, built in 1906 in 17th Century style. Small and relaxed, the 36 exhibitors are delighted to chat with visitors, impart their knowledge and discuss collecting in all its forms. There is something to suit all budgets. More details. What's On In London - April 2012 07 April 2012 - The 158th Boat Race. World famous sporting event between Oxford and Cambridge, first held in 1829. The 4 ¼ mile Thames course from Putney to Mortlake is over three times as long as the Olympic course. This is as British a sporting occasion as you will ever see as the two university crews battle it out to the roars of the crowds lining the river banks. The race will start at 5:00pm. More details. 21 April 2012 - 41 gun royal salute to mark the real birthday of The Queen (rather than her "official" birthday which is in June). Fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park at 12:00 noon and a 62-gun royal salute fired by the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London at 1:00pm. More details. 22 April 2012 - The Virgin London Marathon is one of the great sporting events of the year. The 26-mile race through the streets of London attracts runners from all over the world, as well as those running for fun or charities. More details. 21 April - 13 October 2012 - Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Sam Wanamaker's faithful reconstruction of the Globe Theatre was opened by HM the Queen in June 1997. Here you experience Shakespeare's plays in the round and in the open air - just as it was over 500 years ago - a unique experience! This season the Globe is presenting an unprecedented programme of multi-lingual Shakespeare productions. Revelling in the vast array of communities and languages that make-up London's vibrant cultural landscape, 37 international companies will present every one of Shakespeare's plays in a different language over six weeks. More details. 23 April 2012 - St George's Day Patriotic celebrations take over the capital for St George's Day in recognition of England's dragon-slaying patron saint. The official London event takes place in Trafalgar Square, where festivities include free entertainment with live bands on the main stage, food stalls and street actors all putting on a very English display. More details. What's On In London - May 2012 22 - 26 May 2012 - The Chelsea Flower Show. This is one of the events of the year – not just for garden enthusiasts but for socialites and anyone who loves beautiful things. See the very best in modern garden design, themed gardens, extravagant plantings, plus outdoor furniture and greenhouses. On the last day, there’s the opportunity to buy some of the magnificent exhibits. Tickets are on sale NOW. More details. 18 May - 8 September 2012 - Regents Park Open Air Theatre. Regent's Park has a long association with drama, there have been performances in the park since 1900, although this theatre wasn't erected until 1932. The Open Air Theatre is a particular favourite for productions of Shakespeare plays. With a capacity of over 1000 this venue is also popular for musical and theatrical performances. A delightful and informal venue, it's ideal for families. This year's productions are the musical Ragtime and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Tickets on sale from 06 January 2012. More details. What's On In London - June 2012 01 - 02 June 2012 - The Derby Festival. The Derby is a race for three year olds run at Epsom. It is one of the oldest - and greatest, horse races in the world. Nowadays it is a two day Friday/Saturday festival, with Friday designated "Ladies Day" – an excuse to dress up in their finest frocks and sport their most colourful hats. More details. 02 - 05 June HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. To mark 60 years of the Queen's reign the Diamond Jubilee these celebrations will centre around an extended weekend, with Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th public holidays. More details. A centre piece of the celebrations will be in the afternoon of Sunday 3 June when up to a thousand boats will muster on the River Thames in preparation for Her Majesty The Queen to lead the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. It will be one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river. More details. 02 June, 10 June and 16 June 2012 - Royal Salutes to mark Coronation Day, the birthday of The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen's official birthday. A 41 gun royal salute fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park at 12:00 noon and a 62-gun royal salute fired by the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London at 1:00pm. More details. 02 June 2012 - The Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour). First rehearsal – Major General's review. This is a colourful ceremony and parade with music, pageantry and the massed bands and troops of the Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of Her Majesty The Queen. The parade starts at 11.00am. and lasts approximately one hour. This is the first rehearsal with the Major General commanding the Household Division taking the salute. Tickets (free) are available to the public - applications before 29 February 2012. More details. 4 June - 12 August 2012 - The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Held annually since the Royal Academy's foundation in 1768, the Summer Exhibition is a unique celebratory showcase for art of all styles and media, encompassing paintings, sculpture, photography, prints, architectural models, film, and artist's books. Historically, the exhibition has also provided an opportunity for Royal Academicians, many of whom are internationally renowned, to show their work. Many of the works are for sale - they range in price from under £100 for a limited edition print to many thousands for major oils and sculptures. More details. 7 June - 04 August 2012 - Opera Holland Park, another much loved London institution. Opera Holland Park performances take place under a large, futuristic, "big top" canopy; you may need a coat on a colder evening but at least you are guaranteed to be dry! It's informal, ideal for families, and fun - everyone brings a picnic to eat in the park in the dinner interval. It's affordable and the opera is good too! This year the productions include: Lucia di Lammermoor, Così fan tutte, Gianni Schicchi + Zanetto (Mascagni), Yevgeny Onegin, Falstaff - and for the kids, Fantastic Mr Fox, a revival of the version commissioned by Opera Holland Park especially designed to be performed in the beautiful gardens and natural scenery of Holland Park. Tickets on sale from 19 April 2012- book quickly, the tickets go very fast! More details. 9 June 2012 - The Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour). Second rehearsal – The Colonel's Review. As above with the Household Division's Colonel of the Regiment taking the salute. Tickets (£10) are available to the public - applications before 29 February 2012. More details. 13 & 14 June 2012 - Beating Retreat is a musical spectacle of sound and colour. On two successive evenings (3rd & 4th) London's famous Horse Guards Parade resounds to the stirring sounds of the Massed Bands of the Household Division as they perform the ceremony of Beating Retreat - one of the major spectacles in the capital's ceremonial calendar. The event starts at 6:30pm with the salute being taken by Her Majesty The Queen or another member of the royal family. Tickets are available NOW. More details / tickets. 16 June 2012 - The Queen's Birthday Parade (Trooping the Colour). The real thing with The Queen taking the salute. Tickets (£25) are available to the public - applications before 29 February 2012. More details. 09 - 10 June 2012 - Open Garden Squares Weekend. From the iron-fenced residential parks of west London to the landscaped churchyards of the City, hundreds of garden squares play a vital part in maintaining London's status as one of Europe's greenest cities. Open Garden Squares Weekend is a celebration of London's Open Spaces. One weekend ticket provides access to numerous gardens and squares in London not usually open to the public. Other parks and gardens put on special events, such as jazz bands, all contributing to that festive atmosphere! More details19 - 23 June 2012 - Royal Ascot. Royal Ascot is the world’s most famous race meeting, steeped in history that dates back to 1711, it's not just about racing but fashion and style too. The Royal Family - big racing fans - drive from Windsor each day in open horse-drawn carriages to watch a varied programme of high quality racing. More details. 21 June - 09 September 2012 - The London Festival - part of London's Olympic year. From chart-topping bands to award-winning artists, from dance to drama, from fashion to food, and from Shetland to Penzance, there's something in the Festival whatever you're into. Rehearsals are underway and tickets to many events are available now. More details. 25 June – 8 July 2012 - Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships. This is the only remaining Grand Slam Lawn Tennis tournament to be played on grass. It attracts top players from all over the world. Tickets are allocated by ballot - applications must be sent by post prior to 31 December - but there are always a small number available on the day by queuing at the All England Club. More details. What's On In London - July 2012 03 - 08 July 2012 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The magnificent setting of Hampton Court Palace is a sumptuous backdrop for the world’s largest annual flower show. Packed with ideas on how to grow your own, nurture the environment and to make the most of your garden, the show combines quality, innovation and creativity, featuring spectacular show gardens and horticultural exhibitors. More details. 13 July - 08 September 2012 - The BBC Henry Wood Promenade Concerts. One of the worlds great music festivals, these concerts began over 100 years ago so that everyone would have access to quality classical music - even today there are low-priced tickets for each of the 70+ performances, held in the historic Royal Albert Hall. Details of concerts are announced in early April. More details - when available. 27July - 12 August 2012 - The London Olympics Simply the greatest sporting show on earth. More details. 31 July - 30 September 2012. Annual public opening of State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, The Queen's official residence in London. If you are in London at this time, a chance to see these magnificent rooms and the palace gardens is a chance not to be missed. This year a spectacular exhibition - "Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration" will be showing the many ways in which diamonds have been used by British monarchs over the last 200 years. The exhibition includes an unprecedented display of a number of The Queen's personal jewels – those inherited by Her Majesty or acquired during her reign. More details. What's On In London - August 2012 01 - 31 August 2012 (dates to be confirmed) and on most Saturdays. Public tours of The Houses of Parliament for overseas visitors, who will be able to see the historic building, including the Chambers of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The tour includes: Queen's Robing Room - Royal Gallery - Prince's Chamber - House of Lords Chamber - Peers' Lobby and Corridor - Central Lobby - Commons Corridor and "No" lobby - House of Commons Chamber - St Stephen's Hall - Westminster Hall - New Palace Yard. Tours take about 75 minutes. More details. 07 - 11August 2012. The Great British Beer Festival. The Great British Beer Festival has celebrated 30 years of being Britain's biggest and best beer festival. Also known as the Biggest Pub in the World, the festival plays host to a some 500 beers, lagers, ciders and perries from the UK and around the world. More details. 25 - 27 August 2012 - Notting Hill Carnival - Europe's biggest street party; after Rio de Janeiro it's the second largest in the world. The festivities started as a local affair set up by the West Indian immigrants of the area and has become a full-blooded Caribbean carnival, attracting millions of people from all around the world. There are scores of massive 'sound systems', many spectacular floats and steel drum bands. Additionally, to keep you well fed, there are hundreds of stalls lining the streets selling all sorts of food and drink including Caribbean specialities. The Main Parade is on the bank holiday Monday. More details - when available. 29 August - 9 September 2012 - The London Paralympics There are 20 sports in the Paralympics programme, ranging from Paralympics Athletics to Wheelchair Rugby. More details. What's On In London - September 2012 22 - 23 September 2012 - London Open House. Some 650 varied buildings - from government buildings to private houses and apartments - normally barred to the public, are opened on an entirely free basis. This is a wonderful opportunity to see some of the capitals architectural gems normally hidden from public eyes. More details - when available. 19 - 23 September 2012 Chelsea Antiques Fair. The Chelsea Antiques Fair has been a popular annual fixture on the Kings Road since 1950. The antiques are presented against the gilded opulence of Chelsea Town Hall, with its marble columns, chandeliers and original oil paintings; a fitting backdrop for such a wealth of prized items. The fair has 38 specialist dealers this year, and a quick browse will reveal 19th and early 20th century porcelain and pottery, fine gem set jewellery, oak furniture, silverware, Chinese antiquities, Art Deco furniture, fine maps and prints, Persian carpets and rare glassware and much, much more. Prices range from £20 to the tens of thousands, so there is something to suit all budgets. More details. What's On In London - October 2012 10 - 25 October 2012 - London Film Festival. This is Europe's largest public film event, screening over 250 films from some 50 countries and includes a selection of some of the best films from around the world. More details - when available. What's On In London - November 2012 5 November 2012 - Bonfire Night. Bonfires are lit and there are fireworks displays all over London (and the UK) to commemorate the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to blow up James I and his Parliament. The plot's most famous conspirator, Guy Fawkes, ("The Guy") is burned as an effigy. Although the official anniversary is on the 5th, bonfires and firework displays start up to 2 weeks before and go on for a week after the actual date. More details. 14 November 2012 - Royal Salute to mark the birthday of The Prince of Wales. A 41 gun royal salute fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park at 12:00 noon and a 62-gun royal salute fired by the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London at 1:00pm. More details. 10 November 2012 - The Lord Mayor's Show. The inauguration of the new Lord Mayor of the City of London. The first Lord Mayor's Show was held in 1215 when King John's Charter stipulated that the new Lord Mayor must swear an oath of allegiance to the King and also to literally 'show' himself to the people. Since then only major disasters such as the Black Death have stopped the Show. The Lord Mayor's procession winds through nearly 800 years of London's history, marching unscathed through everything from the black death to the blitz. From 1422 and for centuries after, it travelled down the River Thames - hence the term 'floats', and there followed a time when the Lord Mayor rode on horseback. Since 1757 however, Lord Mayors have travelled in the famous ceremonial gold coach. In the 21st century, it's a day out for half a million people, with 3 million more watching on television. More details. November 2012 (date to be confirmed) State Opening of Parliament. The State Opening of Parliament marks the start of the parliamentary session. It occurs when Parliament reassembles after a general election, and each subsequent year it is normally in November. It's the main ceremonial event of the parliamentary year, attracting large crowds, both in person and watching on television. The Queen drives in state from Buckingham Palace to Westminster. Before the State Opening, the cellars of the Palace of Westminster are to this day searched by the Yeomen of the Guard - a precaution dating back to the Gunpowder Plot of November 1605. More details. 15 November - 22 January 2013 (dates to be confirmed) - Somerset House Ice Rink. The highly successful ice rink at Somerset House will open again. During the day, the ice rink is the perfect family attraction with skating lessons and guides to aid inexperienced skaters. Once darkness falls, the rink is illuminated with flaming torches and special architectural lighting. The Courtyard is dominated by a magnificent 40ft-high Christmas tree. More details What's On In London - December 2012 December 2012 - London's Christmas Lights. London's famous shopping streets, Regent Street, Oxford Street and Bond Street are all magically lit for the festive season. December 2012 - Traditional Christmas Pantomimes. Enjoyed by children and adults alike, the Christmas pantomime is an integral part of an English Christmas. |
Open top bus tour