London is one of those (few) cities that give me something new on every new trip. Even the last trip brought me to discover some new side: so, today, I will tell you 4 (new) suggestions about what to do in London.
I start by suggesting a walk to the Columbia Road flower market, which is held every Sunday along Columbia Road (East London area). Located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Columbia Road is a street of Victorian shops: every Sunday is filled with colours, perfumes and people looking for flowers (or plant) perfect for their home or to bring to friends (those who, maybe, just that Sunday have invited them for lunch). The market was founded in 1869 as a covered market for the sale of foodstuffs and, due to several factors was closed in 1886. “Reconverted” in small warehouses and laboratories, the building was demolished in 1958. During the Second World War, it was subject to the rules of priority of food products, and this led it to decline; its recovery began when, from the 1960s, new regulations forced the operators to attend the market regularly. The market is open every Sunday from 8 to 14.
I discovered the St. Katharine Docks by chance, thanks to a book bought during one of my many trips to the city. The area was born as an area of commercial piers to serve the north side of the town, near the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. In ancient times, the St Katharine Docks were part of the port of London, and today they have been transformed into a residential and recreational centre. The area owes its name to the former St Katharine’s by the Tower, built in this area of the city in the 12th century. I found a quiet place despite being, today, definitely alive and populated (by locals and many tourists); currently, it is also used as a small dock for private boats.
My dream of the last two years or so was to be able to visit the Sky Garden, the highest hanging garden in London. It is located on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street, the skyscraper of the City also known as Walkie-Talkie, and is designed as a public park of the City of London and can be visited only during office hours and with reservation; in fact, the garden opens to the public at 10 am and closes at 6 pm. From 6 pm onwards access is reserved for customers of the bar and the two restaurants in the structure.
Address: 20 Fenchurch Street (via Philpot Lane), London EC3M 3BY
Nearest metro station: Monument
Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 10.00-18.00; Saturday and Sunday: 11.00-21.00.
I conclude this post with the small Florence Nightingale museum, located in the St Thomas’ Hospital area (on the other side of the Thames compared to the parliament building). This museum, decidedly tiny, wants to tell the story of the woman who, in a few words, made sure that the nursing profession was born. To visit it takes at most an hour and the ticket costs 7.5 pounds: I admit that once I left the museum, I thought that, although it may be interesting, maybe the card is almost “too much” (I think that if it were free admission, perhaps it would be better). Personal thoughts about the ticket, surely I recommend a visit to those who have chosen to embark on a nursing career and to those who want to discover something more about the life of this great woman. All information can be found on the museum official website.
Address: 2 Lambeth Palace Rd, Lambeth,
Nearest metro station:: Westminster