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Culture
Barbican Theatre
London’s theatre scene is second to none. Catch a performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company at Barbican Theatre for a peerless experience. For more details, visit www.rsc.org.uk.
Museums
Some of the top museums in the world are here. Check out the Tate Modern, the British Museum, Vic- toria and Albert Museum, Madame Tussauds and the National Gallery. For full details on exhibits, visit www.londonmuseums.org.
Portobello Road is home to three markets, each of which has its own distinct character. The daily fruit and vegetable market is the best place in West London for fresh pro- duce; the weekend street market sells new goods, crafts and fashions; and the pick of the bunch is the world’s largest antiques market which takes place only on Saturdays.
You can’t go to London and not mooch around their famous depart- ment stores. These massive, multi- storey emporiums sell everything you could possibly think of. Don’t miss out on Harrod’s (87-135 Bromp- ton Road, Knightsbridge. Tel: 44 20 7730 1234) legendary Food Halls.
Harvey Nichols (109-125 Knights- bridge. Tel: 44 20 7235 5000) is the younger, hipper cousin of Harrods and is a treasure trove of designer clothes, furnishings and posh nosh. You may even glimpse a celeb or two while shopping.
For more travel information on Britain, log on to www.visitbritain. com.
National Gallery
Shopping
Napoleon Bonaparte called England a “nation of shopkeepers” and even today, shopping is something of a na- tional pastime. It may be one of the most expensive cities in the world, but its unique culture, history and traditions of fine workmanship mean that you can buy lots of things here that you won’t find anywhere else.
Discover the real meaning of “shop till you drop” at London’s premier shopping district: the West End. Oxford Street in Soho and the sur- rounding streets are where you’ll find the flagship stores for brands like Top Shop, Next and Nike Town
Nearby Carnaby Street rose to fame in the Swinging Sixties. Today, it’s a lot more mainstream, although a few cools shops still remain among the union-jack sequinned bikinis and postcards of Prince William.
 EnDLEss VACATIon
Beyond London
Trips from London to quaint towns and tranquil sights are easily accessible and should be taken to get a taste of true English life
away from the big city.
CORNWALL
Unlike the rest of
Anglo Saxon Eng-
land, Cornwall’s
roots are Celtic. It
is a land of myth
and legend as evi-
denced by standing
stones or menhirs,
stone circles, and most famously, the leg- end of King Arthur’s birth at Tintagel. The 13th century castle is dramatically perched on the coast. Not far away is the waterfall at St. Nectan’s Glen. The coastal path winds its way through this area amid breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and Cornish countryside.
Cornwall is also a popular destination for the nation’s surfers, who enjoy some of the best conditions in Britain. Families with children shouldn’t miss Dobwalls Family Adventure Park. Open from April to Octo- ber, the Park features six steam and four die- sel locomotives, a nature trail and woodland play areas. Also on offer are assorted en- tertainment shows and the Dobwalls Dixie Bears. Phone 01579 320325 for more infor- mation.
Getting There
Cornwall is a six-hour drive from London. For trip planning, visit www.viamichelin. com or www.theaa.com. Or fly from Gatwick airport to Newquay from around £30 (single). You will then need to hire a car unless you are going to be based in or around one of the resort towns like Newquay or St. Ives that have a fairly good public transport system in place (www.airsouthwest.com www.easyjet. com). Trains run from
London Paddington about nine times
a day and take up to six hours termi- nating at Penzance but also stopping at Truro and Camborne (www.firstgreatwest- ern.co.uk).
BIRMINGHAM
Known as the “work-
place of the world”,
Birmingham began as
a small rural manor.
First mentioned in the Domesday Book as being worth 20 shillings, the town was es- tablished in 1166. Today, it is a vibrant and