Sick of being a slave to the guide book? Dylan Cleaver finds a week of entertainment in London that you won't uncover in any book and which won't break the bank.
MONDAY
Take the No 11
KEY POINTS:
It might be quicker to get around underground but you're missing a world of history above sea level. You could take one of those tacky tourist buses but you needn't really bother. Just get a guide book and the No 11 bus to see some of the best sights in London. Going from west to east, it takes you from leafy Fulham through posh Chelsea and Sloane Square. On past Victoria and Trafalgar Square, the route finally ends in the City at Liverpool St after wending its way through Aldwych and Bank. It's a great way to get up close and personal with London before delving deeper into its streets and stories.
TUESDAY
Dine at an East End pie and mash shop
If the thought of jellied eels is enough to make your stomach churn, then you might take some convincing to enter a pie-and-mash shop as the two Cockney delicacies go hand in hand. Pie and mash is traditionally a minced meat pie, although these days you can get a variety of fillings, served with a couple of scoops of mash before being doused in liquor - a non-alcoholic, green parsley sauce. As a side you could chow down on eels, either stewed or jellied, or you might not.
You'll never get consensus on what the best store is but G. Kelly has two highly regarded shops in Roman Rd Market, and M. Manze, perhaps the most famous of the old pie-and-mash proprietors, has three shops, the most accessible of which is on Tower Bridge Rd. While in the East End, drop into the Blind Beggar on Mile End Rd and picture the scene as it would have been when Ronnie Kray calmly walked in and shot dead fellow gangster George Cornell in 1966.
WEDNESDAY
Watch legal history
Catch a trial at the Old Bailey, a magnificent building in the heart of the City where the biggest cases in the land are played out. During a break, pop over Newgate St to Smithfield and find the William Wallace memorial at St Bartholomew's. Smithfield, a centuries-old livestock market, was the scene for many public executions, including Wallace's.
THURSDAY
Get salty
Spend an hour or two of the early morning at Billingsgate Fish Market. The air and the language are a little tasty, so after this jaunt head across the Thames to the more refined Greenwich. The Cutty Sark might have come close to being destroyed in a blaze of glory recently but there are still many arresting sights in this part of London that owes much to its maritime history. Go downriver slightly and get a view of the Thames Barrier, one of the more remarkable pieces of modern engineering.
FRIDAY
Go people watching
Choose a spot to watch some of London's more eccentric denizens going about their life. Camden Market is usually vibrant and always interesting even if it has become something of a tourist trap. Soho gets more interesting as the night gets longer but perhaps the best people-watching takes place at Hampstead Heath in London's north. Pack a picnic and head up there but be aware, others might be watching you.
SATURDAY
Catch a game of football... or cricket
It depends on the season, obviously but you'd be remiss not to try to catch a look at Britain's national pastime. Tickets for London's Chelsea and Arsenal, are hard to get and expensive so a bit of planning might be required.
Better off trying for West Ham, the suddenly awful Tottenham Hotspurs or Fulham, who have the most picturesque home ground tucked against the Thames. There are plenty of lower division options such as Crystal Palace, Leyton Orient, Brentford, Charlton and Queens Park Rangers, although avoiding the notorious Millwall might besmart. Similarly, if you can get to Lord's or the Oval for a day's cricket the historic surroundings will ensure it's not a day wasted, even if it is first-class rather than international you are taking in.
SUNDAY
Enjoy a Sunday session on the Thames bank
This one requires some assistance from the weather but there are few things finer than sprawling on the lawn at one of London's riverside pubs, supping a refreshing ale. Londoners have an interesting attitude to weekends, preferring to draw them out to the maximum rather than worrying about work the following day. That has some drawbacks for employers but it also means Sunday afternoons in the capital can be as lively as most Friday nights.
The best place to enjoy a Sunday "sesh" is Hammersmith, where pubs such as The Old Ship, The Rutland and the impressive Dove Inn line the bank.
Dylan Cleaver travelled to London courtesy of Flight Centre.
