Queen's Diamond Jubilee: London travel guide - Daily Telegraph
The Queen will also be attending the Epsom Derby on Saturday - tickets are still available through www.epsomdowns.co.uk. A Diamond Jubilee Concert is taking place on June 4, but the event is sold out.
On June 4, thousands of beacons will be lit around the world to mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne. To find out where your nearest beacon is, see www.diamondjubileebeacons.co.uk. And on June 5, a Diamond Jubilee Carriage Procession will take the Queen from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace, with thousands expected to line the streets.
There are also dozens of events taking place at the country's English Heritage properties, including Aspley House and Eltham Palace and Gardens in the capital. For a full list, see www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events
Special exhibitions are also on at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the Museum of London, the National Portrait Gallery, Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace.
As many as 10,000 street parties are also planned for the weekend. For tips on what food and drinks to serve your guests, and what to wear, see www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9284333/Queens-Diamond-Jubilee-Entertaining-guide.html
What else is there to do?
Telegraph Travel's London city break guide features the best things to see and do across the capital. There are also individual guides to London's districts.
Where to stay
Telegraph Travel has expert reviews of more than 75 hotels in London, the majority of which can be booked through the website at the lowest price guaranteed.
Many hotels have also launched a variety of Jubilee-themed offers, ranging from the tempting to the tenuous.
Restaurants
A number of restaurants and bars have unveiled themed menus in the run up to the Jubilee. Among the most bizarre dishes being coronation chicken ice cream, currently available at Gelupo in Soho.
Transport
Tube: Engineering works on the London Underground are few and far between this weekend, for a change, with just the Waterloo and City Line and parts of the London Overground facing closure. However, there will be no access to Buckingham Palace from Green Park station on Monday - visitors are advised to use Westminster or St James’s Park stations.
Roads: There will be a number of bus diversions and curtailments. Drivers are advised to avoid central London between June 3 and June 5. Sunday will be particularly busy due to a number of road and bridge closures. Seven London bridges will be closed to both road users and pedestrians for most of the day.
River: There will be no river services on Sunday June 3 from 1430 until 1800 between Battersea Bridge and the Thames Barrier at Woolwich.
For more information, see www.tfl.gov.uk
Read more
Sixty years of royal tours
Few of us have seen as much of the world as the Queen, who has visited 116 countries. Sophie Campbell looks back on six decades of regal globetrotting.
Jubilee London, then and now
A new book, 'The Queens' London', makes a striking comparison of the city in the diamond Jubilee years of Queens Victoria and Elizabeth II, 115 years apart.
Cruises with a royal connection
Four options for those wanting to explore our royal heritage by cruise ship this year.
London 2012: Games security staff '40% local' - BBC News
A total of 40% of Olympics security workers are from boroughs close to the Games site, a report has said.
Security provider G4S said 10,500 candidates from the six host boroughs are currently undergoing security screening and training.
More than 100,000 people have been interviewed for Olympic-related jobs, with 3,000 already deployed.
Olympic organisers Locog committed to recruiting locally for jobs in retail, catering, cleaning and security.
'On target'At least 40% of G4S's Olympic workforce is set to come from the local boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
Mark Hamilton, managing director of G4S London 2012, said: "It was always our intention to mobilise a large part of our workforce from the six boroughs around the Olympic Park in east London.
"I am delighted that we are on target to secure the services of thousands of local people who will help make the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games safe and secure.
"I am also thrilled that so many have come forward to seek work. They have a very responsible, and I hope rewarding, part to play in the sporting extravaganza and they are helping to add to the buzz of excitement that is building around London 2012."
Most of the 23,700 security jobs will end after the Paralympics in September, but G4S said they will have gained valuable qualifications and work experience to help find more employment.
London This Summer (PHOTOS) - Huffington Post
London is a touristic city by definition. If you are planning to visit the British capital this summer, bear in mind you would hit the massive touristic crowds who come to watch the Olympics or those who come to celebrate with the British nation the Queen's 60th year on the throne. If this is not enough, there might be a chance you find yourself standing in a long line just to get in to the Charles Dickens Museum just in time for the author's 200th birthday. But wait. There is more. Across town, Warner Brothers Studio Tour will open the Harry Potter studios to all the real fans who want to re-live the films. And last but not least, The Rolling Stones, celebrating their 50th anniversary, might tour again, with a possible finale in London.
No doubt, London is going to be a hot destination this summer. If you find yourself in London -- and want to beat the crowds while you're there -- I suggest checking in some less touristic destinations.
Hoxton
One of my favorite areas is Hoxton. Funnily enough, I got to this area by chance. I printed a map to follow Banksy's steps, and one of the locations was near the tube station Old Street.
When I got out of the tube, my first reaction was to go and find Banksy's famous graffiti Sweep on Hoxton but after asking few locals where I can find it, they told me the only Banksy left was the one outside Cargo club in Rivington street.
Of course I ran to that direction, however, I was quite disappointed to find out the mural was a bit hidden by some plants. Nevertheless, I decided to walk around this area, and I was happy to discover a vibrant district of arts and entertainment and a large number of bars, nightclubs, restaurants and art galleries -- not to mention some great walls covered with good graffiti. If I had an extra time in London, I would definitely spend more time in Hoxton, follow more graffiti walls, get in to more boutiques and enjoy the people watching.
Directions: Take the Northern line and get off Old Street Station.
Hampsted
While Hoxton is a neighborhood of a young and creative crowd, Hampsted is also a less touristic area, but with a completely a different vibe. Hampsted is known for its affluent residents and is a hub for some of the most expensive housing in the London area. Someone advised me to check out Hampstead Heath, which is a great park with one of the highest points overlooking London, making it great for photography.
Strolling around this beautiful area, watching hound dogs running around and kids wearing rubber boots and running into puddles, made me feel like I was in a British movie. Speaking of movies, a lot of British movies have been filmed in this area, including "Notting Hill" and "Notes on a Scandal" to name a few. All I could ask for was spotting Hugh Grant stepping out from the Kenwood House or walking his dog in one of the streets.
I highly recommend walking to Hampsted Heath and around the narrow cobblestone streets in the area. Enjoy a nice lunch in one of the notable and longstanding cafes such as La Gaffe, Gaucho Grill or Le Cellier du Midi for example, and have a less-crowded shopping experience in one of the main streets.
Directions: Take the Northern line and get off at Hampsted Station.
London by Night
Another way to beat the crowds is sight-seeing at night. As long as you avoid Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus or Soho, which are all packed with club and theater crowds, it can be a great opportunity to catch a glimpse of Tower Bridge, London Eye, the Houses of Parliament and the Palace of Westminster, less packed.
London is an exciting city. There are so many sites and places to see and visit; I always recommend checking the side streets of a central area because so many gems and photography opportunities are out there. Walk around the side streets of Notting Hill, check out all floors of Liberty, enjoy a theatrical tour to Hampton Court Palace (highly recommended) or take an architectural tour around some of the most interesting buildings in London, such as The Gherkin. (And try to time it during lunch break when all the business men in suits are out there.)
The weather might be tricky and rainy at times, but one thing is sure: London is definitely going to be buzzing and hot!
Follow Sivan Askayo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SivanAskayo
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