Romantic Restaurants, Getaway Places in Penn Street

"From Egyptian mummies and pieces of the Parthenon to the game-changing Rosetta Stone and an enormous Easter Island figure, the British Museum in London's West End—covering a whopping 18.5 acres—is not just one of London’s best museums, but one of the world’s. Organized by geographic territories, modern-day Indiana Joneses could spend weeks exploring these halls, which date back to 1753. Preplan your visit by mapping out the highlights in advance."

"Founded in 1753, the British Museum houses a vast collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures, spanning two million years of human history. World-famous objects children will be fascinated to see on display include the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures, and Egyptian mummies. With so much to see, their free Museum Explorer activity trails are a great way to narrow down the focus when visiting the museum with children."

"Despite the name, this sprawling building in London’s academic Bloomsbury district is only fleetingly concerned with British history. Instead, it aims to represent the entire sweep of human endeavour, from pre-historic man through Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Absolutely marble-ous!"

"The Victoria & Albert Museum in London is the world's largest museum of applied and decorative arts and design. With a permanent collection of more than 2.2 million works, the V&A sits on more than 12 acres that contain 145 different galleries. The museum was founded in 1852, with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert serving as its namesakes."

"The Victoria & Albert Museum, locally known as 'the V&A', is the world leader in exhibiting art and design, showcasing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. Go back in time to discover art through the ages, some of which dates back 5,000 years. Discover fashion, sculptures, photography, books, and more."

"The V&A celebrates art and design with 3,000 years' worth of amazing artefacts from around the world. A real treasure trove of goodies, you never know what you'll discover next: furniture, paintings, sculpture, metalwork and textiles; the list goes on.Some exhibitions require tickets."

"With over 3 million visitors each year the Science museum is a firm favourite amongst children and adults. There are seven floors of educational and entertaining exhibits, including the ground floor Exploring Space Gallery with the Apollo 10 command module, rockets, satellites, a piece of moon rock, a 600kg Spacelab X-ray telescope and a full size replica of the Eagle moon lander. Opened in 2000, the Wellcome Wing looks at the future of science, medicine and technology."

"Founded in 1857, Science Museum London is one of the major tourist attractions in London. The major museum is located on the Exhibition Road and houses over 300,000 items and artifacts including the first jet engine and oldest surviving steam locomotive. If you are a kid between 8-11 years old, then take part in the Science Night which is an all-night extravaganza."

"The hands-on style of this London Museum brings science to life for everyone. Be sure to check the museum’s calendar for regular exciting events, including ‘Science Night’, where children get participate in a range of activities, and then spend a night sleeping amongst the exhibits. The Science Museum © Flickr DncnH"

"1824: The première of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9; the Egyptians capture Crete; ‘New Holland’ becomes ‘Australia’; some government guys in Britain bought 38 paintings. Now: Beethoven’s no longer in the charts, Australia still has an identity crisis, and The National Gallery has over 2,300 works tracing the complete development of Western European painting from virtually every European school of art."

"Additionally, the Amba just might be the best place to stay in London for walking as numerous attractions – including the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, 10 Downing Street, and Covent Garden – lie just steps away. Check rates:Booking.com | Hotels.com | Expedia Read reviews:on TripAdvisor"

"Quick Tip: Get here about 20 minutes before the National Gallery opens as it can get quite busy later in the morning. National Gallery(free to the public)"

"Restaurants Italian Covent Garden. If Angela Hartnett’s Michelin-starred Murano is altogether too fancy and too pricey, take the children to this casual but classy offshoot in Covent Garden. The kids’ menu allows little‘uns to choose from four kinds of fresh pasta and four different sauces, with ice cream or fruit salad for afters – and all for a tenner."

"For refined and generous dishes, look no further than Angela Hartnett’s Café Murano. The menu picks the best from Italy’s northern regions: tortelli stuffed with pumpkin; hearty risotto Milanese with osso bucco. Punchy flavours accent simply cooked meat and fish dishes, seen in tender grilled octopus with vibrant salsa verde and borlotti beans, or braised rabbit in a heady rosemary and tomato stew."

"Also known as the Temple of Mithras, this museum is centered around the remains of an ancient Roman temple in the City of London, left from the days of Roman rule, and is one of the lesser-known free museums in the capital. Named as one of the UK’s most significant archaeological sites, the museum showcases the ancient temple and a selection of interesting Roman artefacts found during excavations, including fragments of writing-tablets which feature the first known reference to London and the earliest hand-written document in Britain."

"One of London’s quirkier and lesser-known spots is literally a blend of old and new. The London Mithraeum is a museum centred around the ruins of a Roman Temple and is located, rather oddly, underneath the shiny glass Bloomberg Buildings in the middle of the city. A visit to the Mithraeum is not just looking at old artefacts, but a full on sensory experience."

"Year Built: c.240 CE Location: Modern-day Walbrook Purpose:  Temple/sanctuary Still Standing:  No – only partial ruins remain. photo source: Wikimedia Commons. The Temple of Mithras is one of the few remnants leftover from the Roman Empire’s time in the area and is one of the oldest buildings ever discovered in London."

"What makes pentalounge a cut above the rest is the way they do things. They have designed the pentahotel Reading to be simple and stylish, to provide excellent value..."

"The first night gave my room along the street, which was noisy. The next day asked to change to a room not across the street, very quiet. Hotel bedding was comfortable."

"This restaurant has established itself as a pioneer in sustainable cuisine, with its avant-garde efforts signalling the way forward for other restaurants to follow. Itadaki Zen was the first vegan and organic Japanese restaurant in Europe, importing the healthy culinary traditions of East Asia, such as the focus on a balanced diet and preventative medicinal habits key to a healthy lifestyle. The restaurant opts for a zen-like ambience that places food at the centre of the experience."

"Itadaki Zen is a 100% vegan Japanese tapas restaurant, serving up all your favourite dishes all the way from Tokyo right here in London. Choose from delicious small plates for sharing such as Tofu Steak marinated in teriyaki sauce, Miso-glazed Aubergine, Vegan Gyoza and even Vegan Calamari served with tartar sauce. Alternatively, if you don’t like sharing, opt for a bigger dish such as Homemade Japanese Vegan Curry with rice and pickles, Miso Ramen or Bibimbap."

"Try vegan Japanese food at Itadaki-Zen in King’s Cross, which makes its dishes as healthy as possible by using only organic ingredients. The result is a tempura that is light and perfectly golden, while grilled spring rolls are crisp rather than greasy. Go for a set menu to sample all there is on offer, from vegetable sushi to udon noodles."

"Ran by the team behind popular ramen hit, Kanada-Ya, Machiya is a hidden gem tucked behind Piccadilly Circus specialising in homely Japanese cuisine. Whilst their savoury offerings are not halal, they do offer a couple of desserts that are worth making the stop for. Matcha cakes could be a hit and miss, and even more so for a Matcha Fondant."

"Whether you choose to eat at Nando's Oracle Riverside or the Nando's in Friar Street, you'll be sure to find something that the little 'Nandinos' might fancy. Nandino's mains are grilled in a special PERi-tamer baste - a mild, sweet marinade that won't leave tongues tingling. Made especially for Nandinos (aged 10 and under), for just £5.55, kids can choose from one of the mains and add two sides."

"After lunch we stopped at Kew Palace, a 17th century building that was the summer home of King George III in the 18th century. It’s actually the oldest building in Kew Gardens and it has been turned into a museum showcasing the history and bringing to life King George and his wife Queen Charlotte and their 15 children’s lives in the palace over the three levels. There is a perfectly manicured garden out the back which gives a stunning view."

"The 17th-century home of King George III, who preferred the countryside to the urban St James's Palace. Today only the building known as the Dutch House remains, however it is kept in immaculate condition."