The East End Language Tourists Don’t Realise Londoners Are Speaking
Learn how Cockney rhyming slang works and why Londoners still use this East End code — plus get weekly London stories free in our newsletter.
British history
London Travel Tips for Americans: What to Know Before You Go
Essential London travel tips for Americans — from the Tube and tipping to plug adaptors and etiquette. Plan your first London trip with confidence.
The London Market That Has Opened Before Dawn Every Day for 800 Years
Smithfield Market has traded meat on the same City of London ground since 1173 — discover its brutal history, Victorian dragons, and dawn traders — plus get weekly London stories free in our newsletter.
London Is Built Over Secret Rivers That Still Flow Under Its Streets
London is built over secret rivers that still flow underground today. Discover the Fleet, Walbrook, Westbourne and London’s other hidden waterways.
London Has a 2,000-Year-Old Roman Wall — and Most Visitors Walk Right Past It
Discover the 2,000-year-old Roman wall hidden in London’s busiest district. Most tourists walk right past it. Here’s where to find it and what to look for.
The Families Who Have Quietly Owned London’s Best Streets for 300 Years
The Duke of Westminster still owns most of Mayfair. The Cadogans own most of Chelsea. Here’s the extraordinary story of London’s invisible landlords and how they shaped the city’s most beautiful streets.
The London Fog That Killed 12,000 People — and the Government That Covered It Up
In December 1952, London was swallowed by a yellow-green smog that killed up to 12,000 people. The government called it just weather. The truth took years to come out.