London/Bloomsbury

(WT-shared) Burmesedays

By tube

• Euston (Northern and Victoria lines)
• Euston Square (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines)
• Goodge Street (Northern line)
• Great Portland Street (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines)
• Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines)
• King's Cross St Pancras (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Northern (Bank Branch), Piccadilly and Victoria lines - yes, that many!)
• Oxford Circus (Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines)
• Russell Square (Piccadilly line)
• Tottenham Court Road (Central and Northern lines)
• Warren Street (Northern and Victoria lines)

By train

John Winfield

Landmarks and parks

• Bedford Square

  address: WC1
  This wonderful square was built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area takes its name from the Dukes of Bedford, who were the main landlords in Bloomsbury. Distinguished residents have included Lord Eldon, one of Britain's longest serving and most celebrated Lord Chancellors. This is one of the best preserved set pieces of Georgian architecture in London and the majority of the buildings are grade I listed. The gardens are private and always remain locked.

• British Telecom Tower

  address: Maple St, W1T 4BG
  191-m (627-ft) skyscraper can be seen from far away and is the sixth highest building in UK.

• Bloomsbury Square

  phone: +44 20 7974-1693
  address: Bloomsbury Sq, WC1A 2LS
  This garden square was established by Lord Southampton in 1665 and is the oldest square in London. It was opened to the public in the 1950s. The square is surrounded by a number of beautiful 18th- and 19th-century buildings and terraces.

• Coram's Fields

  phone: +44 20 7833-2393
  address: 93 Guilford St, WC1N 1DN
  A park which is run as children's play area. Facilities include a pet's corner, lawns, sports pitches and a nursery. No adults are allowed to enter the park unless they are accompanying children. All visitors are welcome to join the local kids.

• Russell Square

  phone: +44 20 7974-1693
  address: WC1B
  The largest square in London. It was established in 1806 by the 5th Duke of Bedford and his statue can still be seen in the square. There is also a café.

• St George's Gardens

  address: Heathcote St, WC1N 1AB
  Peaceful gardens and interesting monuments including the daughter of Richard Cromwell, son of Oliver Cromwell.

Museums and exhibitions

J. Miers - (WT-shared) Jtesla16 at wts wikivoyage

• British Museum

  phone: +44 20 7323-8000
  address: Great Russell St, WC1B 3DG
  A vast repository of the world's cultures, with entire sections devoted to Egyptian, Greek, and Middle Eastern artifacts, as well as the piece which united them all, the Rosetta Stone. It also includes the largest collection of mummies outside Egypt and the Elgin Marbles. A definite highlight of a trip to London. Temporary exhibitions are invariably excellent and meticulously researched, but can be expensive.

• Cartoon Museum

  phone: +44 20 7580-8155
  address: 35 Little Russell St, WC1A 2HH
  A vast collection of cartoons and comics on display.

• Charles Dickens Museum

  phone: +44 20 7405-2127
  address: 48 Doughty St, WC1N 2LX
  Museum at the former home of Dickens exhibiting writings, paintings, furniture and other items relating to the writer.

• Foundling Museum

  phone: +44 20 7841-3600
  address: 40 Brunswick Sq, WC1N 1AZ
  A museum and a gallery telling the story of the Foundling Hospital, an orphanage for abandoned children founded in the 18th century. Massive art donations by British artists and the involvement of George Friederic Handel as a patron made this childcare organisation an early centre of art and music.

• Fitzroy House

  phone: +44 20 7255-2422
  address: 35/37 Fitzroy St, W1T 6DX
  A historic house that was inhabited by playwright George Bernard Shaw, it is where writer L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, worked in the 1950s. The building is reminiscent of the time, complete with Adler typewriters, Grundig tape recorders, and Western Union telefax. Tours by appointment.

• Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

  phone: +44 20 7679-2884
  address: Malet Pl, WC1E 6BT
  Formerly the teaching collection of Sir Flinders Petrie, one of Britain's greatest archaeologists, now preserved by University College London. Exhibits include beaded dresses, sculpture and wall reliefs, items of everyday use, papyri, cartonnage and pottery. Fascinating!

• Pollock's Toy Museum

  phone: +44 20 7636-3452
  address: 1 Scala St, W1T 2HL
  A treasure trove of antique toys exhibited in a warren of 6 rooms above the toy shop of the same name. A very charming place indeed, though the doll rooms are a bit gruesome.

• Wellcome Collection

  phone: +44 20 7611 2222
  address: 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BE
  Sir Henry Solomon Wellcome's vast collection of medical artefacts and art work that together explore what it means to be human.

• Camera Museum

  phone: +44 20 7242 8681
  address: 44 Museum St, London WC1A 1LY
  A downstairs museum dedicated to cameras from the 1800s to present day, including a camera rifle like the one used in License To Kill. The museum is a quick visit and worth the stop even for someone with a moderate interest in photography.

Other

Stephen Craven

• Goodenough College

  address: Mecklenburgh Sq, WC1N 2AB
  Goodenough College offers accommodation for international postgraduate students. The college's student community of approx 650 represents over 90 countries, offering a unique experience through stimulating intellectual debate, fostering cross-cultural activity and providing an exceptional social environment. Tours around the college are offered every Friday at 1PM and every first Saturday of the month at 11AM.

• University College London

  phone: +44 20 7679-2000
  address: Gower St, WC1E 6BT
  Includes a small but beautiful quad and an interesting Neo-Classical facade. The core buildings of UCL were built after the university's foundation in 1826.

Vadim Shlyakhov

• BBC Broadcasting House

  address: Portland Place
  The complex incorporates the Old Broad House built in 1930s. The façades of which feature the famous sculpture of Prospero and Ariel and the Ariel friezes by Eric Gill and Gilbert Bayes. BBC's The One Show is transmitted from the studio at the ground floor every weeknight starting from 7PM. The studio is quite visible from the plaza outside and some parts of the show are performed from outside of the studio – in the plaza.

• Birkbeck Cinema

  phone: +44 872 148 2992
  address: 43 Gordon Sq, Birkbeck, University of London, WC1H 0PD

• Bloomsbury Theatre

  address: 15 Gordon St, WC1H 0AH
  Theatre owned by University College London staging both student and professional productions. Broad range of performances.

• Dominion Theatre

  address: 268-269 Tottenham Court Rd, W1T 7AQ
  A large London theatre that tends to show mainstream blockbuster-type musical productions.

• Renoir

  phone: +44 20 7837-8402
  address: Brunswick Sq, WC1N 1AW
  Cinema showing arthouse and foreign language films.

• Walks

  phone: +44 20 7388-8822
  Bloomsbury has a number of famous walks that cover the lives and works of the Bloomsbury Group.

• Bloomsbury FestivalTakes place in the Summer around the environs of Bloomsbury, concentrated in Russell Square, and hosts arts and crafts fair, children's painting classes and dance workshops. The food stalls are good value too.

• London Mathematical SocietyBased on Russell Square, where they give lectures and exhibitions, for those numerically inclined.

Bookshops

• Gay's the Word

  phone: +44 20 7278-7654
  address: 66 Marchmont St, WC1N 1AB
  The leading gay-related bookshop in Britain. It has been around since 1979, during which time it has been closely linked with LGBT rights and other activism, including the 'Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners' campaign in the 1980s. Visitors will find fiction books and a large academic stock.

• Judd Books

  phone: +44 20 7387-5333
  address: 82 Marchmont St, WC1N 1AG
  Large stock of used, remaindered and academic books especially in the fields of architecture, history and philosophy.

• Marchmont Books

  phone: +44 20 7387-7989
  address: 39 Burton St, WC1H 9AL
  Antiquarian bookshop

• Persephone Books

  phone: +44 20 7242-9292
  address: 59 Lamb's Conduit St, WC1N 3NB
  Specialises in 20th-century fiction by women writers.

• Photo Books International

  address: 99 Judd St, WC1H 9NE
  Specialists in new and used photographic books

• Skoob

  phone: +44 20 7278-8760
  address: 66 The Brunswick, WC1N 1AE
  Wide selection of secondhand academic books, philosophy, modern literature and classics. Very popular with students.

Other

• Tottenham Court RoadThe centre for electronics retailers in London. If you are visiting the city and need to buy or replace an electronic item, you will not find a better selection nor better prices than here. Explore both sides of the street to the north of Tottenham Court Road station.

• The Brunswick CentreShopping centre with a large Waitrose supermarket and some other shops.

Budget

• Attendant

  phone: +44 20 7637-3794
  address: 27A Foley Street, W1W 6DY
  An independent coffee shop in a converted Victorian public toilet.

• Mary Ward Cafe

  phone: +44 20 7269-6000
  address: 42 Queen Sq, WC1N 3AQ
  A selection of veggie and vegan dishes that changes daily. Cakes, pastries, and salad available as well. Busy, eat in or take away.

• Ravi Shankar

  phone: +44 20 7388-6458
  address: 133-5 Drummond St, NW1 2HL
  Indian restaurant named after the famous Indian sitarist and composer. A superb vegetarian Thali can be had for under £10. Wash it down with a Kingfisher and you are set for the night.

• Salaam Namaste

  phone: +44 20 7405-3697
  address: 68 Millman St, WC1N 3EF
  Indian restaurant with dishes from around the country.

• Valtaro Snack Bar

  address: 66 Marchmont St, WC1N 1AG
  A cheap greasy spoon offering a decent-sized plate of pasta for under £5 as well as more English dishes.

• YouMeSushi

  phone: +44 20 7323-2266
  address: 37 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 1BY
  Founded in 2008, YouMeSushi has gone from strength to strength with the opening of three additional venues. Eat in, take away or have sushi delivered straight to your door (within a 3-mile radius).

• Indian YMCA

  address: 41 Fitzroy Square
  The hostel's restaurant is open to the public.

Mid-range

• Great Court Restaurant

  phone: +44 20 7323-8990
  address: The British Museum, Great Russell St, WC1B 3DG
  Housed in the British Museum, this restaurant offers a unique dining experience. For history buffs, its the perfect setting to sit down and enjoy familiar favorites. Reservations recommended.

Splurge

• Crazy Bear Fitzrovia

  phone: +44 20 7631-0088
  address: 26-28 Whitfield St, W1T 2RG
  Stylish Thai restaurant, also dishes from other Asian countries.

• Hakkasan

  phone: +44 844 858 0682
  address: 8 Hanway Pl, W1T 1HD
  Michelin-starred kitchen based on Cantonese tradition but also experimenting in other areas.

• Pied à Terre

  phone: +44 20 7636-1178
  address: 34 Charlotte St, W1T 2NH
  French restaurant with one Michelin star.

• Sam Smith's PubsCheck also a map with pub locations.

• Fitzroy Tavern

  phone: +44 20 7580-3714
  address: 16 Charlotte St, W1T 2NA
  Owned by the Samuel Smith brewery, the Fitzroy Tavern offers good, cheap beer. The pub, which took its name from a local aristocrat, the Earl of Fitzroy, in turn inspired the name of the surrounding area of Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia, and was a popular drinking place for BBC broadcasters (including George Orwell) following the Second World War. A very friendly pub, with nice outdoor seating in summer.

• The Yorkshire Grey

  address: 46 Langham Street

• The Cock

  address: 27 Great Portland Street

• The Horse and Groom

  address: 128, Great Portland Street

• The Champion

  address: 13 Wells Street

• The Blue Posts

  address: 81 Newman Street

• The Bricklayers Arms

  address: 31 Gresse Street

Budget

Hostels

• Astor Museum Inn Hostel

  phone: +44 20 7580-5360
  address: 27 Montague St, WC1B 5BH
  For 18-35 year-olds.

• Generator Hostels London

  phone: +44 20 7388-7666
  address: Compton Pl, (off 37 Tavistock Pl), WC1H 9SE
  Right in the heart of Bloomsbury. Communal showers and cold water, all-night parties and generally an architecture obviously designed exclusively with the easy clean-up of bodily fluids in mind. It is cheap, though, in London terms.

• London Central Youth Hostel

  address: 104 Bolsover St, W1W 5NU
  The newest of the five London YHA hostels, with state-of-the-art interiors, and a short walk from Regent's Park.

• St Pancras International Youth Hostel

  address: 79-81 Euston Rd, NW1 2QE
  The largest of the five London YHA hostels, minutes walk from St Pancras International railway station.

• University College London

  address: Bloomsbury and King's Cross
  Student halls of residence which are made available for rental during academic holiday periods.

Hotels

• Alhambra Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7837-9575
  address: 17-19 Argyle St, WC1H 8EJ
  Well-known multi-lingual (Spanish, Portuguese, French) family hotel. Free wireless Internet.

• The Apollo Hotel

  address: 60 Argyle St, WC1H 8EP
  Clean, but staff somewhat unhelpful. WiFi Internet.

• Avalon Hotel

  address: 46-47 Cartwright Gdns, WC1H 9EL
  Friendly staff, good rooms, and you get to take a spare key of both your room and the front door - very useful if you plan on staying out late.

• Excelsior Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7837-0571
  address: 42 Argyle Sq, WC1H 8AL
  Budget hotel in a quiet, leafy square close to King's Cross Station. All rooms have high speed internet connection.

• Guilford House

  phone: +44 20 7430-2504
  address: 6 Guilford St, WC1N 1DR
  A little shabby but well-located and fair value.

• Jesmond Dene Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7837-4654
  address: 27 Argyle St, WC1H 8EP
  A budget hotel run on a bed & breakfast basis. Free WiFi Internet access.

• Ridgemount

  phone: +44 20 7636-1141
  address: 65-67 Gower St, WC1E 6HJ

Mid-range

• Euston Square Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7388-0099
  address: 152-156 N Gower St, NW1 2LU
  Completely renovated in 2008.

• Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury

  phone: +44 871 942 9222
  address: Coram Street, WC1N 1HT

• George Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7387-8777
  address: 58-60 Cartwright Gdns, WC1H 9EL
  Historic building, full English breakfast.

• Jenkins Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7387-2067
  address: 45 Cartwright Gdns, WC1H 9EH
  A converted Victorian building. No lift.

• Goodenough Club

  phone: +44 20 7837-8831
  address: 23 Mecklenburgh Sq, WC1N 2AB
  5 Georgian townhouses looking over the beautiful Mecklenburgh Square gardens. No lift.

Splurge

• myhotel Bloomsbury

  address: 11-13 Bayley St, Bedford Sq, WC1B 3HD
  Funky and fashionable hotel with interiors by Conran and no surprise that it is listed in Hip Hotels.

• The Russell Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7837-6470
  address: 1-8 Russell Sq, WC1B 5BE
  This gothic building is a real landmark and dominates the eastern side of Russell Square. Not a cheap hotel by any means but good value for the location and standard. Popular with families. See the magnificent ballroom which was designed by the same people who created interiors for RMS Titanic.

• Sanderson Hotel

  address: 50 Berners St, W1T 3NG
  Hotel features the Courtyard Garden, Jeffrey Chodorow’s Spoon restaurant, the Long Bar, the Purple Bar, Billiard Room, Agua Bathhouse, penthouse suites and multi-service meeting spaces.

• Holiday Inn London - Bloomsbury

  phone: +1 888 465 4329
  address: Coram Street, WC1N 1HT