Podcast: Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner

Last month I traveled by train from London to Berlin and back.

Art Deco mirrors, plus desks and tables designed by Queen Elizabeth II’s nephew David Linley, now the Earl of Snowdon. Bespoke furniture, china and lighting. All are up for sale in a series of ground-breaking auctions this August taking place in London (but also online).

This month, ballet fans will have the rare opportunity to see the acclaimed Australian Ballet in London. As part of the company’s 60th anniversary celebrations, performances by The Australian Ballet at London’s Royal Opera House will be the only performances outside of Australia. The 2023 London Tour will be the first international tour for The Australian Ballet under the leadership of Artistic Director David Hallberg. It will be the company’s first return to the Royal Opera House after an absence of 35 years.

I’ve never been to London, but I’ve experienced it many times. From sitting in on royal meetings in Buckingham Palace to passing through the walls of King’s Cross Station at Platform 9 ¾, London has come alive in my imagination through some of my favorite books and movies.

Could you justify spending $35,000 for a year’s worth of unlimited business-class flights between New York and London or Paris? Probably not. But if so, La Compagnie has a deal for you.

Google “La Compagnie” and the top non-sponsored result describes the airline thusly: “Discover Paris and London with La Compagnie, the unique French all-business-class airline, at an affordable price.”

Traveling with children can often feel like you're preparing for a military expedition. The packing list alone can overwhelm even the most organized parents, not to mention the precision planning required to ensure the children's needs are met at every step of the journey. But imagine if all that stress could be whisked away, replaced with an environment specifically designed to cater to the needs of your little ones and yours. Hotel Café Royal in London is making this dream a reality through collaboration with Louenna Hood, the former Royal Nanny.

“The city that never sleeps” is probably a cliché used for cities in almost every country in the world. But is London really a nocturnal city, where night-or-day you can find somewhere to play? Lottie Gross took up the challenge to find out...

Go to Venice or Amsterdam, and you can hardly cross a street without tumbling into a canal. In London, you have to dig deeper.

Drinking alcohol is so passé. In 2015 London, it’s all about inhaling vapourised booze through your lungs and eyeballs.

As a tourist in London, you won’t be short of company. The capital has the three most popular free visitor attractions in the UK (British Museum; National Gallery; Natural History Museum). It also lays claim to the top three paid-for sites (Tower of London; St Paul's Cathedral; Westminster Abbey).