London/Holborn-Clerkenwell

Holborn and Clerkenwell is in many ways a buffer zone between London's West End and the City of London financial district.
Holborn has long been associated with the legal professions, notably in the Lincoln's Inn area, and was also a major centre of the old British newspaper industry before the advent of new publishing technology.
Clerkenwell is full of architects and publishers, and as a result many new bars and restaurants have cropped up, and continues to be a target for more development. The bars vary from family orientated wine bars, to huge clubs and cool underground bars, and it compares well to its more artistic, trendier neighbour, Shoreditch (in the East End).

By Tube

The district is serviced by the following tube stations, all in Zone 1:

• Holborn (Central and Piccadilly lines) is at the junction of High Holborn and Kingsway.
• Chancery Lane (Central line) is the best station for accessing Lincoln's Inn and the other Inns of Court.
• Farringdon (Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines) is the best station for accessing most of Clerkenwell's nightlife.

By train

• Farringdon station offers overland rail services to Brighton, Bedford, and direct connections to London Gatwick and London Luton airports.

Landmarks

• Bunhill Fields Burial Ground

  address: 38 City Road, EC1Y 1AU
  First used to bury bones to make space at St Paul's, it was designated as a burial ground during the Great Plague of 1665. Notable interments include Daniel Dafoe, John Bunyan and William Blake.

• The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn

  phone: +44 20 7458-7800
  address: Gray's Inn Rd, WC1
  One of the four Inns of Court in London who hold the exclusive right to call qualified legal professionals to the bar, i.e. to become barristers at law. The grand buildings housing the inns are arranged around lovely green gardens. There are records of Gray's Inns operating from this location since the 14th century.

• The Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn

  phone: +44 20 7405-1393
  address: Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3TL
  Like Gray's Inn, one the of the four societies of the bar. The wonderful old buildings here are arranged around the open spaces of Lincoln's Inn Fields and a walk around this area will give any visitor a real sense of the history and grand traditions of the legal profession in London.

• Myddelton Square Park

  phone: +44 20 7278-6075
  address: Myddelton Sq, EC1R
  Nice shady park next to St Marks Church. Small children's playground.

• Royal Courts of Justice

  phone: +44 845 4568770
  address: Strand
  The building holds the High Court and the Court of Appeal, two of the highest courts in the United Kingdom, though only civil cases are heard here. Trials are open to the public, but tourists would probably be more interested in seeing the impressive entrance hall, and admiring the stunning Victorian Gothic exterior.

• Staple Inn

  address: High Holborn, WC1V 7QH
  See the rare range of Tudor half-timbered buildings. Staple Inn was built in 1585 and served as an inn Inn of Chancery (law school). Most of it escaped both the Great Fire and the German air raids, unlike other buildings in the area. The western end is actually from a different, adjoining building—which was incorporated into the Inn with a unified facade during restoration work in 1936, although the difference can still be seen in the roofing and slightly different style. One of Charles Dickens's homes was on the site and it was featured in his Mystery of Edwin Drood.

• Temple Church

  phone: +44 20 7353-3470
  address: Inner Temple, Fleet St, EC4Y 7HL
  Has a history dating back to the 12th century with connections to the order of Templars. The chancel of the church was build by Henry III. The church still serves the members of Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn and has frequent service open to the public.

• Wesley's Chapel and Leysian Mission

  phone: +44 20 7253-2262
  address: 49 City Rd, EC1Y 1AU
  John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church, laid the foundation stone, preached here and is buried behind the chapel. The site also contains the Museum of Methodism.

• Two Temple Place

  phone: +44 20 7240 6044
  address: Two Temple Place, WC2R 3BD
  A former home for William Waldorf Astor, a wealthy American moved to London at the end of 19th century. This Victorian house, built between 1892-1895 by John Loughborough Pearson. is in an eclectic Neo-Gothic style. It's richly decorated from outside, but even more rich and heavily eclectic inside. The building is owned by the Bulldog Trust and it's open to the public during exhibitions. For exact dates/time check with the exhibitions schedule. A café, a shop and a cloakroom are open for visitors during these days.

Museums

• Hunterian Museum

  phone: +44 20 7405-3474
  address: 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3PE
  Inside the Royal College of Surgeons. Exhibitions on the history of surgery, including medicine, natural history and art. The museum was established by John Hunter (1728-1793), the founder of scientific surgery.

• Islington Museum

  phone: +44 20 7527-3235
  address: 245 St John St, EC1V 4NB
  Local history museum.

• Museum of the Order of St John

  phone: +44 20 7324-4005
  address: St John’s Gate, St John’s Lane, EC1M 4DA
  Museum in the former English headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller, covering the history of the order from crusading knights to modern first aid organisation.

• Sir John Soane's Museum

  phone: +44 20 7440-4263
  address: 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields WC2A 3BP
  The former home of architect Sir John Soane, the building has been converted into a museum, displaying some of the objects he collected during his lifetime, including the alabaster sarcophagus of Seti I, and paintings by artists including William Hogarth. There is a display of some of Soane's architectural plans on the upper floor. Be sure to wait in the picture room until the guides open the walls up to reveal further paintings behind. The museum is a little-known tourist attraction, but well worth a visit. Admission free (but you're encouraged to leave a donation), online pre-booked timed entry required.

• Somerset House

  phone: +44 20 7845-4600
  address: Somerset House, Strand WC2R 1LA
  Somerset House is home to three art galleries: The exceptional Courtauld Institute displays a collection of 19th- and 20th-century art, including well-known works by Degas, Matisse and Kandinsky; The Gilbert Collection presents a collection of decorative art; and the Hermitage Rooms, the most recent addition to Somerset House, hosts temporary exhibitions of works on loan from the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The central courtyard is filled with fountains in the Summer, but in the Winter, an ice rink is installed, it is very popular, so visitors should book in advance, or expect to wait a long time to skate.

• Conway Hall

  phone: +44 20 7242-8032
  address: 25 Red Lion Sq, WC1R 4RL
  Theatre and concert hall. Home of the National Secular Society and the South Place Ethical Society: often hosts lively debates on religion, politics and secularism.

• Gresham College

  phone: +44 20 7831-0575
  address: Barnard's Inn Hall, EC1N 2HH
  Attend free public lectures, in Barnard's Inn Hall (mostly, but other venues are used as well), renowned historic Inn of Court featured in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.

• London School of Economics

  phone: +44 20 7955-6043
  address: Conference and Events Office, Houghton St, WC2A 2AE
  LSE hosts a prestigious public lectures programme, which is nearly always free to attend, but may require a ticket in advance for a lecture by a Head of State or Nobel Prize winner.

• Peacock Theatre

  phone: +44 20 7492-1593
  address: Portugal St, WC2A 2HT
  Owned by LSE, and part of their campus, this theatre is leased to Sadler's Wells as "Sadler's Wells in the West End".

• Sadler's Wells Theatre

  phone: +44 20 7863-8000
  address: Rosebery Ave, EC1R 4TN
  Leading dance production theatre with an amazing history back to the 1690s. Everything from classical ballet to hip hop. For ballet fans, you have often got a much better chance of securing a ticket here than in the Covent Garden venues. Also attached is the Lilian Baylis Theatre, primarily performances by students.

• Somerset House Ice Rink

  phone: +44 20 7845-4600
  address: Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA
  In the courtyard of Somerset House, this has become a Londoner's favorite, although how it will compete with the newcomers remains to be seen. It is preferable to visit at night, when the Christmas tree is lit up.

• History of Drinking Tour

  phone: +44 844 504 808
  Guided walking tours covering the history of Britain's love affair with alcohol. Stops off at 4 attractive pubs over the course of two hours.

• Exmouth Market

  address: Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QA
  Area with lifestyle, fashion, health, book and interior shops.

• Hatton Garden

  address: Hatton Gdn, EC1N
  This street is the centre of London's jewellery trade and especially famous for diamonds. A lot of dealers and designers to chose from, both contemporary and traditional.

• Leather Lane Market

  address: Leather Ln, EC1N
  Not much leather sold here these days but worth a visit for some great cheap finds. Clothing, electrical goods, toiletries and food. Combines well with a visit to Hatton Garden which is in the next street east.

• Magma Books

  phone: +44 20 7242-9503
  address: 117-119 Clerkenwell Rd, EC1R 5BY
  A fine bookshop specialising in the graphic arts, as well as toys, for not-quite-grown-up boys. A good place to pick up foreign design titles, or simply waste an hour browsing through lots of pretty books. A valuable stop for graphic junkies.

• The Old Curiosity Shop

  phone: +44 20 7405-9891
  address: 13–14 Portsmouth St, WC2A 2ES
  The original shop immortalised in the Charles Dickens' novel by the same name. Nestled amongst the campus of LSE, it is worth a visit just for the old Tudor design itself. As the name suggests, it sells some oddities and knick-knacks, but mostly shoes these days.

• Smithfield Market

  phone: +44 20 7248-3151
  address: 225 Central Markets, EC1A 9LH
  Smithfield Market is London's largest wholesale meat market and hence a great source of fresh meat from Britain and around the world. Additionally, there are many good restaurants in the vicinity.

Budget

• Blue Lion

  address: 133 Gray's Inn Rd, WC1X 8TZ
  Offers good food in an easy pub atmosphere.

• Hare Khrisna cart

  address: Houghtson St
  Shows up on the edge of Houghtson St regularly on weekdays offering free vegan food, if you don't mind the sogginess and queue. (Alternatively, there is a Hare Khrisna temple at Soho Sq if you like proper vegan curry.)

• L'Osteria 57

  phone: +44 20 7430-1990
  address: 57 Gray's Inn Rd, WC1X 8PP
  Italian bistro with large range of pasta dishes and a carne menu. Inside and casual sidewalk seating.

• My Old DutchPancake house. Offers £5 for any pancakes, but only on Monday. Nice selection of Dutch and European beers.

• Necco

  phone: +44 20 7713-8575
  address: 52-54 Exmouth Market
  Japanese cafe bar with home-made sushi and a range of bento-box combinations. Friendly staff.

• The Three TunsLSE Student Union bar, which sells tasty lunchtime meals.

• Tinseltown

  phone: +44 20 7689-2424
  address: 44-46 St John Street, EC1M 4DF
  Halal American-style diner, serving burgers, steaks, and grills. Good for Muslims on a budget and hungry, early-morning clubbers.

• QuadLSE Student Union bar, which sells tasty lunchtime meals.

• Whitecross Street Market

  phone: +44 20 7527-1761
  address: 1 Whitecross Street, EC1V 9AB
  Eclectic street-food market.

• Wright's Bar

  address: Houghton St, Clare Market
  Excellent value little cafe with friendly Italian family serving, tasty sandwiches and coffee. Gets crowded with LSE students come lunch.

Mid-range

• Carnevale

  phone: +44 20 7250-3452
  address: 135 Whitecross Street, EC1Y 8JL
  Small vegetarian restaurant with integral deli.

• The Green

  phone: +44 20 7490-8010
  address: 29 Clerkenwell Green, EC1R 0DU
  Easygoing gastro-pub with good quality, reasonably priced lunch menu, and tapas in the evening.

• Isolabella

  phone: +44 20 7405-6830
  address: 45 Red Lion St, WC1R 4PF
  Italian restaurant.

• Little Bay Farringdon

  phone: +44 20 278-1234
  address: 171 Farringdon Rd, EC1R 3AL
  European restaurant.

• McQueen

  phone: +44 20 7036-9229
  address: 55-61 Tabernacle St

• Moro

  phone: +44 20 7833-8336
  address: 34-36 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE
  Offering North African/Spanish cuisine and serving the best tapas in the city. While there are endless options for meat eaters, there are also some tasty delights for vegetarians.

• Smiths of Smithfield

  phone: +44 20 7251-7950
  address: 67-77 Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ
  Grade II listed four-floor restaurant in Smithfield Market. Opening hours listed are for top-floor restaurant and terrace. Ground floor cafe and bar open longer hours: Mo-Fr 0700-1700; Sa-Su 0930-1700.

Splurge

• Pearl Restaurant

  phone: +44 20 7829-7000
  address: 252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN
  Modern international.

Pubs and bars

Clerkenwell

• Betsey Trotwood

  address: 56 Farringdon Rd
  Live music in the cellar every Friday. Venue is like a very small dungeon, but they know what is good music.

• The Craft Beer Company

  address: 82 Leather Ln, EC1N 7TR
  One of RateBeer's Top 50 bars in the world, and only one of two in the UK (see CASK Pub & Kitchen in Pimlico for the other). Famous for its vast selection beers: cask, keg and bottle.

• Crown Tavern

  phone: +44 20 7253-4973
  address: 43 Clerkenwell Green, EC1R 0EG
  A large, traditional pub, rebuilt in 1815 but claiming a history on this site back to 1641. In good weather, outdoor tables in the square can be pleasant. London legend claims that Stalin and Lenin first met in this pub, in a back room (under the "Conspirators' Clock") in 1903.

• The Dovetail

  phone: +44 20 7490-7321
  address: 9-10 Jerusalem Passage EC1V 4JP
  Small Belgian bar serving Belgian beer and Belgian food.

• Fluid

  phone: +44 20 7253-3444
  address: 40–42 Charterhouse St, EC1M 6JN
  A stylish loosely Japanese themed bar upstairs (they serve sushi), with a more spread out dance floor down a spiral metal staircase. Plenty of sofas everywhere, although on the weekends you will have to get down early to slump in a chair.

• Fox & Anchor

  phone: +44 20 7250-1300
  address: 115 Charterhouse St, EC1M 6AA
  Independent traditional pub quite close to the Barbican. Beers are often served in pewter tankards for the extra traditional touch. Six rooms are available for those who want to sleep where they drink (or just near the Barbican). Great atmosphere but it can be a little more expensive than average, especially the food and lodging.

• Horseshoe

  phone: +44 20 7253-6068
  address: 24 Clerkenwell Cl, EC1R 0AG
  Irish pub where they play live Irish music every Thursday at 8PM (check it on the net!). But, be there in due time, else you risk house full!

• Jerusalem Tavern

  phone: +44 20 7490-4281
  address: 55 Britton Street, EC1M 5UQ
  A converted Georgian coffee shop, which sells the Norfolk beer, St. Peters. Well worth a visit but after 5PM on weekdays, it gets flooded with City workers.

Finsbury

• Cafe Kick

  phone: +44 20 7837-8077
  address: 43 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QL
  Hidden down a backstreet away from the busier parts of Clerkenwell, lies a cosy little bar crammed with several table football machines, and a good selection of cocktails. In the summer people spread out onto the pedestrianised street and chat in the sun. Happy hour 4-7PM daily.

• Water Rats Pub

  phone: +44 20 7209-8747
  address: 328 Gray's Inn Rd, WC1X 8BZ
  Has regular live bands.

Holborn

• Cittie of Yorke

  phone: +44 20 7242-7670
  address: 22 High Holborn, WC1V 6BS
  The interior gives the impression of being a historic relic but it was only built in 1924 (although there have been other pubs on the site since 1430). Lack of authenticity aside, it really is an impressive and atmospheric pub, a grade II listed building and on CAMRA's national inventory of historic pub interiors.

• The Knights Templar

  phone: +44 20 7831-2660
  address: 95 Chancery Ln, WC2A 1DT
  Part of the JD Wetherspoon chain. The building is the former Union Bank and it has nice high-vaulted ceilings with black pillars. The drinks range includes a range of often changing guests beers.

• The Penderel's Oak

  phone: +44 20 7242-5669
  address: 286–288 High Holborn, WC1V 7HJ
  Part of the JD Wetherspoon chain. The open-plan, L-shaped ground floor bar is known for a varied selection of guest beers (but poor Wi-Fi). The basement bar is actually part of the Lloyds No. 1 chain, with background music and a different atmosphere.

• The Shakespeare's Head

  phone: +44 20 7404-8846
  address: 64-68 Kingsway, WC2B 6BG
  Part of the JD Wetherspoon chain.

• The Square Pig

  phone: +44 20 7691-3144
  address: 30-32 Procter St, WC1V 6NX
  Can be pricey and crowded too, but that's because it's used for large language-exchange and online meet-ups.

• Ye Olde Mitre

  phone: +44 20 7405-4751
  address: 1 Ely Ct, EC1N 6SJ
  Called the hardest to find pub in London. A small but historic and award-winning pub; it dates to 1586 and marked the boundary between the gardens of Christopher Hatton and the Bishop of Ely. Parts of the Tudor pub remain, although it was rebuilt in 1757 and partially altered in 1781 and 1930; now a Grade II listed building. It's tied to Fuller's brewery, so it has their usual range plus a few unusual guests. Only open one weekend in the year, to coincide with CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival in August.

• Ye Old White Horse

  phone: +44 20 7242-5618
  address: 2 St. Clements Ln, WC2A 2HA
  Great little Victorian pub adjacent to the LSE campus. The Horse is one of the last remaining little boozers of its kind; a true throwback. Warm, welcoming, well-preserved interior, well-kept real ales, and a low-priced selection of sandwiches and pub meals make this place worth a visit while passing through Holborn.

St. Luke's

• Old Fountain

  phone: +44 20 7253-2970
  address: 31 Baldwin Street, EC1V 9NU
  Local CAMRA Pub of the Year 2011. This traditional pub is known for its large beer selection, mostly from local and micro-breweries.

Clubs

• Fabric

  phone: +44 20 7336-8898
  address: 77a Charterhouse St, EC1M 6HJ
  A massive club (think cathedral scale) that provides a more underground version of Ministry of Sound and hosts some of the biggest names in dance music, from Goldie to David Holmes to the Scratch Perverts. There are always big queues, so get down early if you can.

• The Nightjar

  phone: +44 20 7253-4101
  address: 129 City Road, EC1V 1JB
  Speakeasy-style cocktail bar. Regular live music fitting the prohibition era theme.

• Sosho

  phone: +44 20 7920-0701
  address: 2 Tabernacle St
  Sosho is a former photographic studio and warehouse space converted into a two floor restaurant, bar, lounge and club with a 24 hour licence, midway between the city and central Shoreditch. Sosho is light and airy during the day time, candle lit and loungey in the evening. Serve carefully sourced and proper food, with world class cocktails and great music on one of East London's best sound system. With a 24 hour licence it is a late night drinking and DJ bar during the week and a cutting edge clubbing venue at the weekend.

• The Zetter Townhouse

  phone: +44 20 7324-4545
  address: 49-50 St John's Square, EC1V 4JJ
  Cocktail lounge in a Georgian townhouse. Also offers some accommodation with thirteen rooms available for hire

There are not too many hotel options in this district and visitors are better off looking in neighbouring Bloomsbury.

Budget

• London School of Economics

• Swinton Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7837-1451
  address: 18-24 Swinton St, WC1X 9NX
  Good value bed and breakfast in the north west of the district.

Mid-range

• Hotel Strand Contiental

  phone: +44 20 7836-4880
  address: 143 Strand, WC2R 1JA
  Excellently-located on south side of the Aldywch, straddling Westminster and the City. While it could be noisy at night and it appears small and grimy from the outside, there is a superb Indian restaurant on the 2nd floor.

• MiNC Eagle Court

  phone: +44 20 7397-1325
  address: Eagle Court, 10-11 Britton St, EC1M 5QD
  Studio, one and two bedroom service apartments. Very modern and nicely appointed.

Splurge

• Malmaison London

  phone: +44 20 7012-3700
  address: 18-21 Charterhouse Sq, EC1M 6AH

• Rosewood Chancery Court London

  phone: +44 20 7781-8888
  address: 252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN
  Try this hotel for a very upscale experience. It is in an older building that has been beautifully renovated (formerly HQ of Pearl Assurance). There is high-speed internet, but the charge is £15 per day. The hotel is air-conditioned. The staff is very helpful. A great experience, if you can pay the rates.

• The Rookery

  phone: +44 20 7336-0931
  address: Peter's Ln, Cowcross St, EC1M 6DS
  An atmosphere and decor that more recalls a private gentleman's club than a hotel.

The only real way to connect is to be inside a business that has Wi-Fi.

Newspapers and magazines

• The Clerkenwell Post, a local lifestyle paper.