Top 10 Things To Do, Activities and Attractions in Markyate

"If unparalleled views are what you’re after, you’ll find them at the Shard’s Shangri-La hotel. Stretching 306 metres into the sky, the Shard is London’s tallest building and the Shangri-La occupies floors 34 to 52. With Borough Market, the Globe, Tate Modern and the Tower Bride close by, your days will easily fill with sightseeing but the hotel's rooms, with views across the city, will easily lure you back come nightfall – as will the hotel’s restaurant, Ting, which offers tasting menus starting from £55."

"The Shangri-La Suite is the top suite at the Shangri-La at The Shard, designed to maximise the view of London’s skyline from every direction possible. The 2,000 square foot one bedroom suite is plush and homely with one of the best views you’ll see from any hotel room. Click to read about the Shangri-La Luxury Circle programme which gives guests access to a host of added value amenities."

"Part of London’s new modern skyline, this skyscraper is the highest in the European Union at the time of writing. It rises to 309 metres. The building is a popular tourist destination, with great views of London."

"This is one of the oldest fortresses in London, built after the Norman Conquest of England, to house the new royalty who had just moved into the country and needed a nice secure palace to live in. As such, it’s a highly defensible castle, with two defensive walls and a moat, so it feels very castle-like. It’s also the home to the English Crown Jewels and has played host to notable historical events, in particular, the executions of 112 people, including Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey."

"The Tower of London – Built by William the Conqueror in 1078, the Tower of London was turned into a prison in 1100. Some of its most famous prisoners included King Henry VI, the wives of King Henry VII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and Sir Thomas More. These days the Tower is a museum rather than a prison. A great way to see some of the grounds is with an entertaining tour hosted by the Yeoman Warders who will frighten and dazzle you with tales of the Towers past."

"Discover the unique history of this medieval fortress, royal palace and infamous prison. 🏰 The Tower of London is home to the dazzling Crown Jewels 👑 and legendary Beefeaters 💂‍♀️ and ravens."

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"Some people thought I was being brave when I posted shots like this on Instagram, but this composition is actually taken from an island in the middle of the road (so it’s totally safe). Try using a tripod, long exposure and taking pictures at night for a similar result to below. Best time for pics: Blue hour/nightCost: FreeLocation:Link on Google Maps"

"It’s hard to believe that tucked away amongst the built up surroundings of Hampstead, just 6 kilometres from Trafalgar Square, lies 800 acres of fields and woods. Hampstead Heath transports you to the countryside, with its mosaic of habitats providing a resource for the copious amounts of wildlife. Featuring a number of priority species identified in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, the Heath is known as one of London’s best places for wildlife."

"Escape to the country without leaving the city with a trip to Hampstead Heath, just a few kilometres from Central London. This wild and undulating expanse of green space spans nearly 800 acres, with woodland, playing fields, swimming ponds and meadows. Hike up Parliament Hill for unbeatable views or take a dip in the Hampstead ponds on a hot summer’s day."

"So everyone knows about Hampstead Heath but it’s still the place to go for a picnic. Not only is it massive, so plenty of room for everyone, but you get mega views from the top of Parliament Hill, you’ve got the ponds and a lido for when you wanna take a dip and it’s a lovely walk up to Kenwood House."

"The ferns, fig trees and purple African lilies that clamber up the final three storeys of the 'Walkie Talkie' skyscraper are mere wallflowers at this 155m-high rooftop garden – it's the rather extraordinary 360-degree views of London (the best in the City) that make this vast, airport-terminal-like space so popular (advance booking recommended). Located on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch St, the Sky Garden has front-row seats for the Shard and vistas that gallop for miles east and west."

"Get the lift to the top of 20 Fenchurch Street and let your toddler explore London’s highest public garden. There are 360 degree views of the London skyline, gardens to run around in and a café where you can buy cakes and pastries. Cost – Free, but you need to prebook."

"On your second day in London you’re going to head a little to the West, and take in some of the sights in this area, starting with Kensington Palace. Inextricably linked with Queen Victoria, who was born here, Kensington Palace is a Royal Residence, and has been since the 17th century. Today it’s occupied by both Princes William and Harry, and whilst you can’t visit the private Royal Residence, you can tour the State Rooms."

"Kensington Palace is a royal residence located in Kensington Gardens in London. The palace has housed members of the royal family since the 1600s. As of 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Eugiene and her spouse, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent call the palace their home."

"Splendidly refurbished in 2010 it was built between 1721-1724 to the designs of John James, as one of the Fifty Churches projected by Queen Anne’s Act of 1711. The reredos is from the workshop of Grinling Gibbons and frames a ‘Last Supper’ painted for the church by William Kent in 1724. The windows contain Flemish glass of the early 16th century from Antwerp."

"Why combine two baked goods together when you could do three?. That’s exactly what Sophia Sutton-Jones aka Sourdough Sophia has done at her Crouch End microbakery with the chocolate babka cruffin. All the flavours of a chocolate babka wrapped into a croissant-muffin hybrid….yes, yes and yes."

"Restaurants Bakeries Bethnal Green. Lily Jones (aka Lily Vanilli) carved out a solid, celebrity-packed fan base well before opening her own hip bakery in Bethnal Green, and her forays into sculptural, macabre cake creations (gingerbread gravestones, anyone?) set her far apart from the mainstream cupcake clan. These days, she still puts on an innovative show, although space is tight in her gorgeous little courtyard café if you fancy sampling wacky delights such as yuzu lemon tart or pomegranate and black-tea vegan cakes."

"Away from the hustle and bustle of Sunday’s Columbia Road Flower Market is Lily Vanilli’s bakery (a spot open only on Sundays) serving juicy sausage rolls, blood orange chocolate tarts, banana loaves and rye cookies to name a few. Pastel pink walls, strings of fairy lights and succulents decorate the inside, while picnic-style tables scattered on the cobbled courtyard are the place to sit, soak up the buzz and dig into gooey brownies."

"A post shared by Lily Vanilli (@lily_vanilli_cake) on Sep 2, 2017 at 1:03am PDT. Dubbed the "queen of cupcakes" after building her reputation baking for the stars, Lily Jones' (AKA Lily Vanilli) London bakery just off Columbia Road is a gallery of beautifully crafted cakes, patisseries and savoury treats, all baked on site. The perfect pit stop after a morning at the nearby flower market."

"Based in West India Quay, The Sipping Room is a welcoming bar and restaurant that serves both seasonal dishes and inventive cocktails. Open early in the morning and shutting up shop close to midnight each day, the venue caters for your every need. Head down at lunch and enjoy a delicious menu of seasonal classics and comfort food treats."

"This large al fresco bar and restaurant in West India Quays has a brilliant view of the docks. The menu is mostly casual food, from nibbles and sharing boards to burgers and sandwiches, plus a fantastic selection of cocktails and wines. drakeandmorgan.co.uk/the-sipping-room"

"This neo-Gothic house built in the late 1890s for William Waldorf Astor, of hotel fame and once the richest man in America, showcases art from UK museum collections outside the capital. Visit as much to see the opulent house (it's astonishing) as the collections on display, but note it's only open for a few months each year for the Winter Exhibition Programme (see the website). Check out the bronze putti (cherubs) chatting on old telephones on the steps!"

"If you’re a keen shopper, you will want to hit the shopping mecca that is Oxford Street. But also make sure you experience luxurious afternoon tea in London , take an offbeat food tour, sample street art, and hit a few alternative bars in town. Check out our Guide To London for loads of offbeat and fun ideas of things to do in London."

"In the East end of London is the V&A satellite, the Museum of Childhood. The museum has been collecting childhood related objects since 1872 and is home to one of the world’s finest collections of children’s toys, doll’s houses, games and costumes dating back to the 1600s. There’s plenty to keep kids busy with free daily activities including arts and crafts, tours, storytelling and treasure hunts."

"The Museum of Childhood is a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum which specialises in objected designed by and for children such as toys, clothes and more. Nearest tube station: Bethnal Green."

"Spanning the 1600s to the present day—toys, clothes and interactive displays are set within a 1872 hangar with marble floor and visible cast iron frame."