prettycitylondon: Discovering London’s Beautiful Places (The Pretty Cities, 1)

Product Information

Hands-down the coolest garden centre in the city. And one of our favourite park cafés in London, too.

Want to find them? Read our handy guide (hint: there’s a map to help you along with the task) Mercato Mayfair The food is rich, decadent, and just as irresistible as the prized vintage wines that they serve here. Megan’sWho wouldn’t want to discover an ancient Roman temple buried in the heart of The City? Or visit one of the highest points in South London where you can soak up some of the best views in the city – get this – in absolute peace and quiet? You’ll find Peggy Porschen at 116 Ebury Street, Belgravia, SW1W 9QQ & 219 King’s Road, Chelsea, SW3 5EJ. Bonus points if you see the tree stump around which Queen Elizabeth I is said to have danced when it formed a part of the garden of one of her favourite subjects, Christopher Hatton. Oriole London has no shortage of hidden palaces (see St James’s above) but we guarantee that you’ve never seen one quite like Eltham Palace before.

A complex past has left its mark on Georgia’s intriguing capital, where cobbled streets were once ruled by Prussian and Russian forces. Art nouveau buildings share the skyline with modernist Soviet structures and sixth-century Orthodox church towers, and a bohemian spirit breezes through hidden bars, restaurants and vintage-style cafés. Disused factories have been converted into boutique hotels, and the natural sulphur bathhouses (widely believed to have given the city its name, which roughly translates as “a warm place”) are still in use. My favourite part of this space is the moving ‘Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice’ in the midst of it. The original church had the misfortune to burn down in the Great Fire of London. It was rebuilt by Christopher Wren, only to be bombed to a shell during The Blitz. It’s not difficult to see what inspired so many poets, writers and intellectuals to live in Highgate.

South London Walks 

London is one of those cities that is both contemporary and nostalgic at the same time. The architecture of the Millennium Bridge makes it so easy to photograph from different angles. There are views of St Paul’s Cathedral on one side of the Thames and the Tate Modern at Bankside, but the best time to photograph this unique bridge is early in the morning to avoid the crowds. The cavernous environs of Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank aren’t necessarily noted for their beautiful interiors – apart from when it comes to Skylon. Maybe it’s the fact that, despite being sandwiched between Covent Garden and Charing Cross Road, entering feels like stepping into the Narnia wardrobe. Make no bones about it though, if you’re not discovering secret places in London, you’re only hearing half the story. Don’t missPrague Castle. For the maximum wow factor, enter through the courtyard of Queen Anne’s Summer Palace