The Watford Palace Theatre, which reopened in autumn 2004 after a £8.7m refurbishment, is a hive of cultural activity for Watford. The theatre produces nine shows a year, many of which tour nationally and transfer to the West End.
Available :
Daily
With 140 stores, including the likes of John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, BHS and Next, Watford's Harlequin Shopping Centre offers an unrivalled shopping experience, where you literally can shop 'til you drop!
Available :
Daily
Watford Museum tells the story of Watford past and present. Housed in the former offices of Benskins Brewery, it has displays of local history and industry, as well as paintings and sculpture.
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Thu, Fri, and Sat only
Ghoulish goings-on and spooky sights await any child courageous enough to enter Watford Museum this Halloween. Under cover of darkness it opens its chambers and holds a night-time tour through its creepy corridors - with plenty of surprises.
Available :
Oct 2013 (annual)
A splendid vista of English greenery, Cassiobury Park was once the estate of the Earls of Essex, as restored by Charles II. It is now administered by Watford Borough Council, offering a variety of natural habitats on either side of the Grand Union Canal for sporting and leisure pursuits. A mixture of flowerbeds, shrubberies and meadowland, the park is a haven for cycle riders, locals and visitors alike to escape the urban hustle and bustle.
Available :
Daily
Once a weekend retreat for Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and Lord Palmerston, The Grove is an 18th-century mansion, set in 300 acres of parkland, with a fully-equipped Ayurvedic spa, a pay/play Championship golf course, three restaurants and lovely formal gardens. What's more, you don't need to be a guest at the five-star hotel to make the most of the facilities.
Available :
Daily
Opened in January 1996, Woodside Leisure Park consists of Hollywood Bowl ten-pin bowling, an eight-screen Warner Village Cinema and the first-ever Kidsports facility. There are also various chain restaurant outlets and a bar (in Hollywood Bowl).
Available :
Daily
UK-based snow sports fanatics need not travel to the Alps every time they need a quick winter sports fix. Hemel Hempstead now boasts a 160m slope, an indoor lesson slope of 100m and top-of-the-range equipment and facilities.
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Daily
London's RAF Museum commemorates the bravery of those who took part in the Battle of Britain with a weekend of special activities. Bringing history to life, actors present the story of RAF pilots, while a living-history area shows the struggles they endured.
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Sep 2013 (annual)
The FA Cup dates back to the 1871/1872 season, when 15 teams took part. Nowadays the competition kicks off in November with some 700 teams all having the same dream, of holding the cup aloft at Wembley Stadium in May.
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May 2013 (annual)
Although not as high-profile as the FA Cup, in recent years the Carling Cup has enjoyed something of a renaissance, and the winners earn potentially lucrative UEFA Cup qualification. The final is played at Wembley Stadium.
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Feb 2013 (annual)
Chosen as the home for Henry VIII's children, Hatfield House is a gem in Hertfordshire's crown. Visitors can see tapestries, furniture and works of art in the house and explore the extensive gardens.
Available :
Apr - Sep 2013; not Mon or Tue (annual)
The London Mela brings the best of South Asian culture to Gunnersbury Park in Ealing every year. Entrance is free for live music, dance, film and fashion and there are market stalls and a mouthwatering selection of food and drink.
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Aug 2013 (annual)
Parliament Hill, one of the highest points on north London's Hampstead Heath, offers unbeatable views of the city. Join kite-flyers and make the most of the wind and the thrilling backdrop, featuring St Paul's, Canary Wharf and other prominent landmarks.
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Daily
Kenwood House is an idyllic cream mansion on north London's Hampstead Heath. View paintings by Rembrandt, Turner and Gainsborough left by the first Earl of Iveagh in 1927. A walk across the heath provides spectacular views of London.
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Daily
Gunnersbury Park Museum is the former home of the Rothschild family, who lived there when the air of Acton was "untainted". Now a museum, the former mansion contains imaginative exhibits which illustrate the family's life and an interesting programme of temporary displays.
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Daily
Number 20 Maresfield Gardens, Hampstead, was Sigmund Freud's last home after he fled Austria following the German invasion of 1938. Today the house is maintained as a museum, with holdings including Freud's library, his collection of antiquities, and, of course, his famous rug-covered couch.
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Daily; not Mon or Tue
Sancho Panza is firmly established as one of the most popular sound systems at the Notting Hill Carnival. Each year around thousands of people forsake the carnival floats to squeeze themselves as close as possible to the Sancho speakers.
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Aug 2013 (annual)
The poet's London residence from 1818 to 1820 was the venue in which he wrote his finest poems. Today it houses a museum and library devoted to the poet.
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Daily; not Mon
Around a million people hit Notting Hill's streets in West London for Europe's biggest carnival. Fabulous floats make a colourful circuit of the area and sound systems blast out music all day. Sample delicious Caribbean jerk chicken or Jamaican patties.
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Aug 2013 (annual)
The World Darts Championship, held at Alexandra Palace in London, has a global TV audience of more than ten million viewers. And then there's the small matter of the largest prize fund of any darts event anywhere.
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Dec 2013 - Jan 2014 (annual)
Highgate Cemetery is a treasure trove of decadent Victorian deathly delights - its numerous tombs and gravestones reflect grand Victorian taste in every sense.
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Daily
Set in a magnificent mansion within 170 acres of Hertfordshire parkland on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, just mention the word Champneys and others such as "health" and "pampering" spring to mind.
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Daily
Queens Park Rangers play their home matches at Loftus Road Stadium. The Premier League runs between August and May and full fixture lists can be found on the club websites. Please note: games may be rearranged due to cup or television commitments.
Available :
18 Aug 2012 - 19 May 2013 (annual)
The name of this centre in London's Maida Vale gives little away - this is where Iyengar yoga happens every hour of every day. Learn with the experts in a variety of ways.
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Daily
Founded in 1996, the Portobello Film Festival has been described as "London's biggest filmic free-for-all". The large independent film festival screens new shorts and features, cult movies and more at various locations around Notting Hill's Portobello area, including Westbourne Studios.
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Aug - Sep 2013 (annual)
Indie junkies in skinny black jeans head for London's Camden Crawl. Fifty venues across Camden welcome bands and surprise guests and host quizzes, film shorts, DJ aftershow parties and musical bingo!
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May 2013 (annual)
Originally a simple track leading to a farm called Porto Bello, today Portobello Road in Notting Hill hosts one of London's hippest street markets. With lots of antiques stalls, jewellery and vintage frocks, it's something of a must-see.
Available :
Sat only
The Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising opened in December 2005 to showcase the extensive Robert Opie collection - the world's largest collection of advertising imagery - along with a range of brand and packaging material.
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Daily; not Mon
The modern, airy arcades at Westfield London Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush are home to a plethora of labels, from top designer Gucci to high-street brand H&M. Stop for lunch at one of the many onsite restaurants.
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Daily
This is not the type of yoga that will chill you out. The hottest holistic craze to leave the States is now well ensconced in North London at its own centre in Chalk Farm. Get ready for serious sweating - Bikram Yoga is here to stay.
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Daily
London is an exhausting place to be in and city life can get to you. So why not forget urban life in the haven of tranquillity that is the Triyoga Centre in leafy Primrose Hill.
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Daily
Shaolin Training is not for the faint-hearted. Best known for breaking concrete blocks with their heads, the monks at this temple in North London offer you a glimpse inside their world as well as the chance to build your strength of both body and mind.
Available :
Daily; not Sat
A bit of a well-kept secret, Club Kali at The Dome in Tufnell Park is an open and friendly bi-monthly gay Asian music night
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Feb 2013 (monthly)
The Friends Life T20 begins with a group format in June, before quarter finals in July and Finals Day at Southampton's Rose Bowl in August. Middlesex Panthers play their home games at Lord's, Richmond and Uxbridge.
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Jun - Aug 2013 (annual)
Voted London's favourite pool by the capital's swimmers in May 2005, the Porchester Baths are an art deco-inspired architectural treasure built back in the day when water was scarce and bathing was trendy.
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Daily
The Roundhouse is one of the city's most exciting performance venues. This North London landmark was once a turntable for steam trains, now after a multi-million pound makeover it's a unique music venue and innovative arts and theatre space.
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Daily
Perched to the north of Regent's Park, Primrose Hill affords sweeping views over London. From the very top of the hill, it is possible to see all the way down to Greenwich and even to the Millennium Dome.
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Daily
The Hereford Road restaurant serves fresh, nationally-sourced produce and the simple cooking ensures that British meat, fish and vegetables are at the focus of the daily-changing menu.
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The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are a venerated institution, UNESCO World Heritage Site and internationally renowned as a pioneering centre of botanical research, study and conservation. They are open throughout the year for all to enjoy.
Available :
Daily
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