Stephen Schwartz's Wicked continues at London's Apollo Victoria, filling in the Wicked Witch of the West and Good Fairy's back story from The Wizard of Oz. It has been as much a wow in the West End as it has been on Broadway.
Available :
7 Sep 2006 - 27 Apr 2013; not Sun
Every Friday at 11pm The Pacha Bar morphs into Smoke, a club night for the refined with a touch of the exotic.
Available :
Fri only
Pacha London has established a strong presence on the club scene with a legendary roster of parties.
Available :
Fri and Sat only
The Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square houses the English Stage Company, Britain's leading company dedicated to new work by innovative writers. Look Back in Anger premièred here and since then the theatre has been at the hub of new writing.
Available :
Daily; not Sun
One of Britain's most successful films, Billy Elliot, has become a stage hit at the Victoria Palace Theatre. It won two Olivier Awards for best new musical and, for James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mowe, who first stard as Billy, best musical actor.
Available :
24 Mar 2005 - 21 Dec 2013; not Sun
Gordon Ramsay's restaurant Maze, in Mayfair's Grosvenor Square, sets the trend for tapas-style dining. Michelin-starred, modern European cuisine on tiny plates woos the business crowd at lunch and well-heeled Londoners in the evening, all in a smart wood-panelled setting.
Available :
Daily
Stroll through military history at The Guards Museum in St James Park, London and learn the story of the foot soldier from 1642 to the present day. See displays of uniforms, weapons and personal memorabilia of the soldiers who fought.
Available :
Daily
The Tate Gallery in London consists of two parts: the transformed Bankside Power Station that is Tate Modern, and the renovated, reorganised and expanded Tate Britain, at the original Millbank site. Tate Britain shows off the Tate's vast collection of British art - arguably the greatest in the world.
Available :
Daily
To mark the return of several key works from an international tour, the world's greatest collection of works by JMW Turner is presented at the Tate Britain.
Available :
Daily
Back in Yorkshire after living in California, David Hockney's newer works are inspired by rural scenery. Reflecting this, his largest-ever painting Bigger Trees Near Warter 2007 shows a sweeping vista of stark woodland and is now permanently on show in Tate Britain.
Available :
Daily
During summer Buckingham Palace's doors are opened to the public, providing access to the State Rooms. Highlights include gifts the Queen has received on behalf of her subjects, like Salvador Dalí drawings and an embroidered silk scarf from Nelson Mandela.
Available :
Jul - Sep 2013 (annual)
Join the throng of visitors outside Buckingham Palace every other day to witness the Changing of the Guard.
Available :
Daily
The official London residence of the monarch since Queen Victoria moved there in 1837, Buckingham Palace is one of the most recognisable monuments of the monarchy in London, perched in the midst of central London's green spaces.
Available :
Daily
Always provocative, the eagerly awaited Turner Prize is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the preceding year. See the entries and winner at London's Tate Britain.
Available :
Oct 2013 - Jan 2014 (annual)
London's Lufthansa Festival of Baroque Music takes over the churches of St John's - Smith Square, St Peter's - Eaton Square and Westminster Abbey every summer. Concerts range from little-known gems of early 17th-century repertoire to large-scale masterpieces of the late baroque.
Available :
May 2013 (annual)
The famous BBC Henry Wood Proms mainly take place at the resplendant Royal Albert Hall but, recently, chamber and smaller ensemble concerts have additionally been programmed at Cadogan Hall, just one Tube stop away. This year there are four Saturday matinées.
Available :
Aug - Sep 2012; Sat only (annual)
In 1995, 100 years after Henry Wood founded "the Proms," the first Proms Chamber Music concerts were held. Since 2005 they have been held under Cadogan Hall's Byzantine tower, a tube stop away from the Royal Albert Hall.
Available :
Jul - Sep 2012; Mon only (annual)
Westminster Abbey has been the Royal church for coronations, weddings and funerals since the Norman Conquest. A "royal peculiar", the building is technically neither a cathedral nor a parish church: it is under the jurisdiction of a Dean and Chapter, subject only to the Sovereign.
Available :
Daily
The British Antique Dealers' Association (BADA) Antiques & Fine Art Fair is an annual showcase of quality antiques in Duke of York Square in Chelsea. Furniture, paintings and more are exhibited and on sale to the public.
Available :
Mar 2013 (annual)
Patrick Barlow's four-actor adaptation of John Buchan's adventure novel The 39 Steps continues apace at the Criterion Theatre, bringing a quintessential stiff-upper-lip heroism to the West End. Join the energetic quartet in a romp across Britain - perhaps best known from Hitchcock's famous film.
Available :
14 Sep 2006 - 30 Mar 2013; not Sun
Beyond, at London's Club Colosseum, serves up house every Sunday morning for those who can push through the after-hours slump. DJs on rotation include Severino, Steve Pitron, Sharp Boys, Paul Heron David Jimenez and Stevie B.
Available :
Sun only
While superclubs across the country watch their attendance levels fall and interest start to tail off, Peach, now relocated to Studio 33, still packs in the punters every Friday night.
Available :
Fri only
Speciality food producers turn out each Saturday in the pedestrianised Duke of York Square Food Market off London's Kings Road. They offer food ranging from quality French cheeses to free range eggs, breads, muffins and international cuisine.
Available :
Sat only
The Chelsea Flower Show is the gardening Mecca of Europe. Some of the greatest exponents of the art exhibit imaginative garden designs over an 11-acre site at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, creating a floral wonderland for the public to explore.
Available :
May - Jun 2013 (annual)
The Saatchi Gallery - in its new location at Chelsea's Sloane Square - hosts an impressive collection of contemporary art by young, emerging artists and big names like Brit-art darling Tracey Emin. It also hosts high-profile temporary exhibitions.
Available :
Daily
Due to its tremendous success and popularity in the past few years, Roller Disco South at the Renaissance Rooms in London now opens its doors three nights a week (Thursday, Friday and Saturday).
Available :
Thu, Fri, and Sat only
Qualified guides offer guided tours around the Palace of Westminster, home to the world's oldest parliamentary democracy. Visitors can explore this historic building and its many treasures.
Available :
Daily
Sneak a peek inside the British Houses of Parliament, one of the world's oldest representative assemblies, during the Summer Opening. With nearly 1200 rooms and 100 staircases, the one-hour guided tour visits both debating Chambers and the great State Rooms.
Available :
Jul - Sep 2013 (various dates)
Wood-panelled Berry Bros & Rudd in London's West End is the UK's oldest wine merchant. Whether you're spending five pounds on a bottle of wine or hundreds on a case of champagne, the knowledgeable staff are always happy to help.
Available :
Daily; not Sun
Three Michelin stars take Gordon Ramsay's flagship eatery, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, to another level of dining. Its location in Chelsea and the deluxe white and cream interior prepare the upper end of London society for a serious gourmet experience. A sommelier advises on the wine list.
Available :
Weekdays only
There's a way to escape the rain outside and pretend you're in sunnier climes...It's called South London Pacific Tiki Lounge Cocktail Bar. Situated in Kennington, it's the closest you'll get to a South Pacific island without hopping on a plane.
Available :
Daily
London's first fully nude nightclub continues to carve its special niche in Vauxhall's South Central every Saturday night. Gay, straight, men, women - all are invited to mingle to the sounds of the (naked) DJ. Footwear, sadly, is obligatory.
Available :
Sat only
Trooping the Colour is a quintessentially English experience of pomp and ceremony. A parade of the Massed Bands and Troops of the Foot Guards and Household Cavalry takes over Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's birthday.
Available :
Jun 2013 (annual)
For a cocktail with a view to remember, head to the Hilton Park Lane. A well-mixed drink on the 28th storey offers panoramic views of the capital, while the dark expanse of 300-acre Hyde Park spreads out directly beneath you.
Available :
Daily
Galvin at Windows, on the 28th floor of London's Hilton Park Lane Hotel, has a glamorous interior evoking the golden age of the 1930s with a 21st-century theme. An iconic space renowned for its peerless views of London, this has become one of London's leading destination restaurants with Chris Galvin at the helm.
Available :
Daily
The Birds Eye View film festival is the UK's first annual film festival devoted exclusively to women in film, hosted at various venues in London including the BFI Southbank and the ICA. The festival incorporates dozens of events over ten days.
Available :
Mar 2013 (annual)
The early music Dufay Collective conjures up Christmases of days gone by in the splendid surroundings of London's Banqueting House. Discover how it was in December in the courts of medieval Europe and enjoy a light lunch before the concert.
Available :
Dec 2013 (annual)
The RWS/Sunday Times Watercolour Competition at the Bankside Gallery has been going strong for over 20 years. Seven artists out of the 1500 that entered have been shortlisted for the largest art prize dedicated to watercolour painting.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
The Wolseley, a grand Viennese-style café brasserie on Piccadilly, bustles with waiters amid noisy diners. The varied Northern European cuisine is favoured by the theatre crowd throughout the day. Pop in to this spectacular building for coffee and cake or linger over a lavish dinner.
Available :
Daily
London's most over-the-top department store, Harrods takes up an entire block of smart Knightsbridge. From world-famous collectable teddy bears in Toy Kingdom to Beluga caviar in the ornately tiled Food Halls, the store offers seven floors of material delights.
Available :
Daily
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