Visit London catacombs are located beneath West Norwood Cemetery.

If you want to get off the beaten track, this is the perfect place to visit.

Today, I'm taking you there.

London catacombs: article summary

London catacombs: visit Brompton Cemetery

Visit Brompton Cemetery is one of seven magnificent Victorian cemeteries built in the countryside after burial was banned in the city of London in the 1830s.

When Brompton was built, it was still a country place. Some of the people buried there are literally buried in the middle of the fields.

Brompton Cemetery was designed by Benjamin Baud. It features a domed chapel at its southern end, accessible via long colonnades.

The cemetery resembles a large open-air cathedral. It has a central nave stretching from Old Brompton Road to the central colonnade and chapel.

Monuments according to social status

As with most Victorian cemeteries, the grandest and most expensive memorials are found beside the main road, where they can show off their wealth.

The further you move away from the main avenue, the lighter and smaller the memorials become. Although there are some strange exceptions.

London catacombs: timid demand

Beneath the colonnades are the catacombs. Unfortunately, the catacombs were not a success. Around 500 of the thousands of seats were sold out.

In fact, the cemetery was a financial failure and the shareholders ended up selling it to the government.

The site is now maintained by Royal Parks, an association.

The catacombs lie directly beneath the colonnades, which can therefore be considered as a two-storey structure, half above ground and half below.

Brompton's must-see colonnades

The catacombs of West Norwood or Kensal Rise resemble a large square cellar divided into corridors. Brompton's catacombs are a long, thin corridor that follows the colonnades above ground.

The design of Brompton's catacombs proved considerably more expensive to build than the cheaper caves used elsewhere, which probably contributed to the catacombs' failure as a burial site.

The clergy of the city's churches collected payment for burials in their cemeteries. They also took care of burials outside London. Brompton's owners resented this method, and decided to share the revenue with the parish in which the deceased would have been laid to rest.

Subsequently, above-ground burials became more and more popular. the catacombs were always avoided.

London catacombs: a fairly short visit

The visit to the catacombs is fairly short and, basically, after descending the very steep steps, you will walk along the corridor while listening to the guide talk to you. the history of the site and funeral customs in general.

Officially, no photography is allowed, but if you ask very nicely, you can take a general photo of the long corridor.

Above the catacombs, there are concave niches behind the colonnades, which could have been sold to people who also wanted an above-ground statue.

All these spaces are empty, suggesting the financial drain that this kind of venue represented.

A visit to the catacombs is a unique experience in London. However, I'd advise you to concentrate on the most popular attractions first, especially if it's your first visit to the city.

The capital boasts hundreds of hotels, but if you're looking for something a little different, you need my guide to the best. unusual hotels in London.

Unusual hotel in London: article summary

Unusual hotel in London: Hazlitt's

If your idea of quirky is time travel, you need look no further than Hazlitt's, one of London's most atmospheric stays, transporting guests back to 1718.

The Georgian building is the antithesis of the hustle and bustle outside. Here you'll find :

• Brocade sofas
• Elaborate chandeliers
• Paneled walls lined with bookcases
• Antique bathtubs
• Chimneys
• Four-poster beds

A unique place to spend your night in London.

Le Treehouse Hotel

It's not a real tree house, but the place is filled with enough plants to make you feel like you're in a small forest.

The Treehouse Hotel in Marylebone aims to offer its guests a place to stay worthy of their childhood imagination.

In addition to nostalgic music, handicrafts, recycled objects and local snacks, the hotel features the Nest, a rooftop bar and terrace offering 360-degree views of the city.

Pets will be even more spoiled than their owners, as the room service menu extends to dogs traveling with guests.

The hotel is just a few steps from Hyde Park and Regent's Park for even more greenery.

Unusual hotel in London: The Standard

This King's Cross building is instantly recognizable, thanks to the red pill-shaped elevator that ascends and descends its dark concrete exterior. Since The Standard arrived, the hotel has made the former Camden Council office building much more fun.

Other design quirks include:

• Outdoor bathtubs
• A resident librarian who looks after the books in the old library
• A complete tribute to the London Underground

Once there, take the elevator up to Decimo for cocktails. with a view of the St Pancras spires.

Andaz

Conveniently located just outside Liverpool Street station, the city's Andaz outpost is home to :

• Interiors bordering on the original
• Colorful murals
• Hot pink sofas

Here you'll find a Greek-style Masonic temple, which dates back to 1912 and features a marble and gold ceiling.

The latter is now used for movie nights and other events.

Other party-ready spaces at the hotel include its listed ballroom, featuring a stained-glass dome that survived two world wars.

Unusual hotel in London: Good Hotel

This maritime holiday in London's Docklands is the unusual capital hotel you never thought you'd need.

His name is not a lie. a hotel trip you can feel good about.

Good Hotel is officially a social enterprise, which means it reinvests its profits in the community and supports causes worldwide.

Unsurprisingly, the restaurant aims to be as sustainable as possible, with many vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu.

Production from local breweries can be sampled on the roof, as can aperitifs, and there are long dining tables in case you're looking to make new friends.

Sunborn Hotel

For a night afloat on the Thames, Sunborn is the yacht-shaped hotel for you. It's moored at the Royal Victoria Dock, which also means that lovers of the unusual will find it easy to get away from it all. can take to London's most unusual transport links.

The luxurious 10,000-square-meter superyacht :

• Third-deck bar overlooking the O2
• Daily tea service
• A gourmet restaurant

Enjoy our tasting menus while gazing out over the ocean. Canary Wharf.

Unusual hotel in London: Nhow Hotel

This new hotel in Shoreditch is both creative and original. In collaboration with Jealous Gallery, the hotel presents the work of London artists in rotation throughout the year.

Some of the Nhow Hotel's interactive works allow guests to participate and share in the experience. to share stories of their travels.

The decor ranges from graffiti to royal portraits, with colorful doors inspired by Notting Hill and a restaurant that reinvents the great British pub.

In the penthouse, there's a vibrant floral theme and a gleaming marble bathroom.

If you're looking for an unusual hotel in London, these are the places I recommend you visit first. You'll be able to make your vacation in the English capital a unique experience!

If you do a search, you'll quickly find that in the UK, stores selling royal family souvenirs in London there's no shortage of them.

In fact, it's a market in its own right all over the country.

Today, I'm offering you a list of stores to choose from to buy your official royalties souvenirs.

Royal family souvenir store in London: article summary

The Royale Collection boutique

The Royal Collection boutique is one of the best places to start shopping for Royal family souvenirs.

The Royal Collection represents everything the Royal Family has owned over the last 500 years of the British monarchy. It is easily of the world's largest and most valuable collections.

A historic collection

The Royal Collection comprises over a million works of art and other artefacts, many of which have been reproduced or embellished on official royal souvenirs. which can only be purchased on this site.

Their best-selling official royal souvenirs and memorabilia are :

• Celebrating Prince Philip
• The official souvenir album of the glorious 70s
• The Duke of Edinburgh's commemorative box in a limited edition

Royal family souvenir store in London: Historic Royal Palaces Shop

Everyone knows Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, but the King owns dozens of royal residences throughout the UK, and the team at Historic Royal Palaces Shop looks after six of them.

While the king lives in Buckingham Palace and works at Windsor Castle, the other royal estates need their own staff to run the place.

Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity dedicated to :

• Visit Tower of London
• Hampton Court Palace
• Kensington Palace
• Kew Palace
• Hillsborough Castle

A huge choice of souvenirs

They sell admission tickets to these royal establishments, as well as souvenirs and other gifts. of the royal family's official merchandise.

Their royal memorabilia includes:

• Jewelry
• Food
• Porcelain
• Some books

Lambert Souvenirs

In business for over half a century, Lambert Souvenirs is one of London's most iconic souvenir stores.

Initially called Lambert of London LtdThe store has been open in London since 1975. Today, they sell everything in the UK when it comes to gifts and souvenirs, and not just in connection with the royal family.

The souvenirs and artworks sold by Lamberts are creations by independent artists celebrating all the royal events, such as :

• Prince William and Kate's royal wedding
• The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan
• Items relating to the life of Princess Diana
• Queen-related objects

Royal family souvenir store in London: best-sellers not to be missed

Lambert Souvenirs maintains a unique inventory of royal merchandise for every event and for nearly every member of the royal family, including:

• Queen Elizabeth II
• Princess Diana
• The Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales
• Prince William and Duchess Kate
• Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan

The British Museum store

One of the world's most famous museums, the British Museum, is as important as the British monarchy itself.

Although it's not Windsor Castle, it's just as impressive and is one of the most important establishments in London, and indeed in England as a whole.

Visit British Museum is one of the few buildings in the world where you can relive the last two million years of human existence.

And as the British monarchy has played a central role in the creation and history of the UK, Europe and the world, the museum offers both exhibitions and unique memorabilia of the British monarchy.

The British Museum store is a treasure trove, or at least a replica of one, incredible items that can't be bought anywhere else.

Whether it's replicas of the Rosetta Stone, your very own Stonehenge or a bust of Her Majesty, the museum is the only place to shop.

Now you know where to find the Royal Family souvenir stores in London. You can take home a unique gift from your trip to the English capital.

London has an incredible number of museumsfrom world-renowned art galleries to historic palaces.

There really is something for everyone.

Today, I've decided to introduce you to the main museums you can find in the city.

London museums: article summary

London museums: the British Museum

You could easily lose yourself for a week in the extraordinary collections of the British Museumincluding cultural objects and artistic masterpieces from around the world cover the entire course of human history.

At the heart of the splendid neoclassical building is Norman Foster's Grand Courtyard. It's a breathtaking courtyard covered by a spectacular glass roof that leads in all directions to the maze of galleries.

Collection highlights include:

• The Parthenon marbles
• The finest Greek works of art in existence
• Egyptian mummies
• Aztec amulets
• The Rosetta Stone
• Benin bronzes

And that's just for starters! If you visit only one museum in London, this should be it.

The Natural History Museum

Dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages should visit London's Natural History Museum, where fossils spanning more than 4.5 billion years of history tell the story of the dinosaurs. the history of life on earth in fascinating detail.

The exciting, interactive dinosaur gallery is the highlight of the show. The enormous suspended skeleton of Hope, the blue whale, and the bones of some of the world's most exotic extinct megafauna are no less impressive.

The truly spectacular building designed by Alfred Waterhouse is a masterpiece in its own right, a secular temple in the spirit of the Victorian era.

A regular calendar of child-friendly events and activities makes the Natural History Museum an ideal family destination.

London museums: Tate Modern

The former Bankside power station on London's South Bank is now home to one of the world's most exciting modern art galleries.

Enter through the impressive Turbine Hall, whose dizzying space is usually home to site-specific temporary installations by internationally renowned contemporary artists, before exploring the five levels of thematic galleries.

Once you've had your fill of this seemingly endless demonstration of human creativity, head to the bar and panoramic terrace on the top floor for a drink. with a breathtaking view of the Thames and London.

The National Gallery

Dive into the world of Renaissance art at the famous National Gallery in London, where you'll rub shoulders with artists such as :

• Leonardo da Vinci
• Raphaël
• Michelangelo
• Titian

The story continues with some of the finest masterpieces by Caravaggio, Velazquez and Rembrandt, before plunging us headlong into the world of modernity with the revolutionary canvases of the Impressionists.

The National Gallery's conservation is second to none, and the audio guide is an excellent companion. So, whether you're an art novice or a seasoned aesthete, you'll find plenty to captivate you in one of the world's finest museums.

The National Gallery is a must-see on any trip to London. is one of the key stops on your visit.

Museums in London: the Victoria and Albert Museum

Another cultural gem in South Kensington is the vast Victoria and Albert Museum houses one of the world's largest art collections.

Dedicated to arts, crafts and design in all its forms, the V&A is home to everything. You'll find :

• Magnificent Korean ceramics
• Textiles from the Middle East
• Chinese painted screens
• European furniture
• An unrivalled collection documenting the history of fashion

The museum's incredible Cour des Moulages, meanwhile, presents life-size plaster replicas of numerous works of art from around the world.

The Tower of London

Visit Tower of London is a treasure trove of English history. Overlooking the city, the emblematic white tower was built by William the Conqueror.

Over the centuries, the complex grew to encompass a fabulous royal palace. Today, the vast gardens have been transformed into one of London's most visited museums.

A must-have for anyone interested in English history.

London museums: the Science Museum

Making the complexities of scientific research fun for everyone, London's Science Museum offers an exciting day out.

Discover all the great human advances, from telegraphs to Morse code, from hot-air balloons to the first airplanes, to the world's first MRI scanner and much more.

If you've got little ones, be sure to visit the basement garden. Here you'll find a multi-sensory play area where children can experiment with water, sound and light.

London is full of museums. On your vacation in the city, you'll be able to take advantage of all the different venues. You can find out more about the areas you're passionate about.

On your vacation in London, you'll probably want to know where to party!

Fortunately, there are plenty of places to have fun in London.

Let's discover the different places to explore in the English capital.

Where to party in London: article summary

Where to party in London: the Queen of Hoxton

The Queen of Hoxton consists of three parts:

• The roof
• The bar
• The club

This venue offers a program of weekly events. The roof is regularly transformed into a seasonal, immersive pop-up.

On Fridays, numerous events such as Drag Bingo and Glee Club take place. On Thursdays, other parties include Karaoke and DJs playing everything from disco to old-school hip-hop.

The venue opens :

• Wednesday to Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The XOYO

The venue's weekday programming is known for being packed with great, often emerging, artists, and their small underground space makes it the ideal place to hear them.

They also organize events such as the one where a 16-piece orchestra performed Destiney's Child's greatest hits.

On Fridays they have a resident DJ, while on Saturdays various guests play mainly house, techno and disco.

XOYO opens:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
• Friday and Saturday from 9:30 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Where to party in London: the Colors

Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen has undergone a major overhaul and is now called Colors, a new inclusive club and concert venue that hopes to revitalize Shoreditch's concert scene.

There's a stylish restaurant and bar with £5 cocktails before 7pm, chicken wings and burgers from The Orange Buffalo, and trippy audiovisual artwork on the walls.

Expect :

• Party nights
• Neon cartoon atmospheres
• Drag make-up workshops
• Queer movie nights

The venue opens :

• Thursday to Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The Moth Club

Imagine an old workers' club, with dark wood, carpeting and the smell of spilled beer.

Now imagine a group of Hackney hipsters taking over, covering the ceiling with gold glitter and hanging a gold-fringed curtain and a gaudy silver sign at center stage.

Add to this a weekly program of events and you have one of London's liveliest clubs.

On site, you'll find :

• Ru Paul's Drag Race Quiz
• A Madonnathon
• Bingo
• Karaoke
• Race nights
• Interactive film screenings
• Special cabaret events

You can visit us on site:

• Every day from 7 p.m. to midnight

Where to party in London: Village Underground

It all began in 2006 with the hope of creating affordable studios in London. They transported four old wagons to the top of an old railway viaduct, as well as some shipping containers, and offered them a little refurbishment.

This is where painters, filmmakers and musicians now exhibit their work. Even the outside wall is an exhibition in its own right, repainted every three months by a different street artist.

As far as club nights go, Village Underground is one of London's most eclectic clubs, programming styles such as :

• From indie
• Experimental electronics
• Hip-hop
• Reggae
• R&B

Paradise

Paradise is one of the world's leading London's gays and openly gay clubs in the world. And now it's the only place in central London where you can have fun in front of a thousand people.

You'll find it in a few railway arches under Charing Cross station, ideally located just a few steps from the main station. Soho and its many gay bars.

The walls are painted black, there are exposed light fixtures and disco balls on the ceiling, and it's usually lit by a sort of dark blue.

There are four bars in total and several dance floors spread over two floors, where you can show off your moves to the rhythm of an ever-changing set list.

You can visit this location:

• Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

There are plenty of places to party in London. During your visit, discover the city's clubs!

Over the past decade, South Bank has become one of the city's top tourist attractions.

The South Bank isn't just a place to go to admire London's iconic views.

Indeed, it has also become a place for a family day out or a place to meet up with friends.

Today, let's discover it.

South Bank: article summary

South Bank: buy vintage at Flat Iron Square

Probably one of the lesser-known vintage shopping destinations is Flat Iron. Every Saturday and Sunday, they organize a huge vintage and flea market alongside concerts and ephemeral food vendors.

It's a great place for bargains, and prices are lower than on Portobello Road. Don't hesitate to visit if you want to do good business.

Find some inner peace

One of South Bank's most unusual spots is the Tibetan Peace Garden, inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in May 1999.

If you enter through the north entrance, you'll come across the stone tongue pillar engraved with a message from the Dalai Lama. At the top of this pillar, you'll see three carved steps representing peace, compassion and love.

Meet here at around 2 p.m., when the garden gets plenty of light and is at its most tranquil. You'll be able to relax before setting off on your tour of the city.

South Bank: visit the Garden Museum

Next to Lambeth Palace, St Mary's Church houses the Garden Museum, which tells the story of gardening.

There are objects from the collections of 16th-century naturalist John Tradescant, who was Charles Iᵉʳ's chief gardener.

The ticket price may seem high, but it includes entry to climb the 14th-century tower to take the best photos of Parliament.

Marvel at the majesty of Lambeth Palace

This medieval riverside palace is the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

It's not open every day, but you can book a guided tour to see :

• The crypt
• The chapel
• The great hall

The current library is open to the public from Tuesday to Friday each week, without appointment.

South Bank: observe marine life at the Sea Life aquarium

If you're looking for a fun day out with the family, look no further than Europe's largest collection of global marine life.

At Sea Life London Aquarium, children of all ages can discover the wonderful marine life that lives in our oceans and seas.

Colourful displays, live entertainment and interactive stalls guarantee an exciting day out for all.

South Bank skatepark

The basement of the South Bank Centre has been the beating heart of London's skateboarding scene for 40 years.

The area dug under the buildings has been set aside for this purpose. to allow skaters to show off their skills.

There's also a balustrade to prevent the hundreds of tourists who stop to watch from getting too close and potentially obstructing the passage.

South Bank: the Jubilee Gardens

Located opposite the London Eye are the Jubilee Gardens, a lively green space among some of London's most famous tourist attractions.

The gardens offer a place to sit and relax during the summer months and there's even a children's playground.

Take a trip to Gabriel's Wharf

This area of London isn't necessarily known for its shopping, but it's a good choice if you're looking for something unique.

On the outskirts of the district lies an artistic enclave. offering a treasure trove of independent boutiques.

At Gabriel's Wharf, you'll find vintage stores nestled between artisanal gift boutiques, as well as numerous independent cafés and restaurants, making it the place to be. ideal for a quiet afternoon.

South Bank: visit the Leake Street graffiti tunnel

Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel is a free brick canvas nestled in the heart of London's street art scene.

The venue made its debut in May 2008, when the famous street artist Banksy himself launched the Cans Festival.

Although not much of Banksy's work remains today, it is, in my opinion, one of the best places to see street art in London.

South Bank is a great place to discover in London. During your visit, chances are you'll drop in for a stroll. You'll be able to enjoy all the activities I've described in this article!