Dulwich Picture Gallery

If you enjoy looking at great artwork, you should check out the Dulwich Picture Gallery. This gallery features some of the finest European artwork in the country. Some of the most popular exhibitions at this gallery include Nicolas Poussin’s First Series of Seven Sacraments, Murillo & Justino de Neve: The Art of Friendship and Coming of Age. If you visit the Dulwich Picture Gallery during the weekend, you can enjoy a free guided tour of the permanent collection.

Brixton Windmill

The Brixton Windmill is one of the most interesting sights in London. It was built in 1816 and has remained beautifully preserved since then. When you enter the windmill, you will be able to hear an interesting story about the family who used to own the windmill. You can also book a guided tour in advance if you want to see the upper floors.

Brixton Windmill, London, UK by Stuart

Hunterian Museum

The Hunterian Museum is located inside the Royal College of Surgeons of England and features thousands of medical instruments and specimens. When you are touring this museum, you are sure to see something that boggles your mind. Some of the most fascinating exhibitions in this museum include Model Anatomy, Extinct, Humans as Fossils and Big.

Dennis Severs’ House

If you are in London, you should make the time to stop by Dennis Severs’ House. A man named Dennis Severs used to live in this home without electricity and other modern conveniences. He purchased the 18th century home and decided against restoring it. As you are walking through this home, you will feel like you went back in time. The home is only lit by candlelight, so it is quite dark inside.

St. Mary’s Secret Garden

St. Mary’s Secret Garden is one of the most beautiful places to visit in London. It features a herb garden and vegetable beds that grow winter lettuces, kale and brussel sprouts. Visiting this garden gives you a chance to escape the bustle of the city and just relax. You can also take a very fun and informative gardening course at the St. Mary’s Secret Garden.

Women’s Library

The Women’s Library features a lot of different books and articles that relate to females. When you are there, you can go in the reading room and research the materials for free.

As you can see, there are plenty of less-known attractions in London that are worth checking out. If you just go to the tourist spots in London, you will be missing out on these hidden gems.

Sally writes for Reserve Apartments the Edinburgh Festival Accommodation specialists. Reserve Apartments also feature properties in Glasgow, for an Apartment Glasgow visit http://www.reserveapartments.co.uk.

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“The Three Graces” Fountain in Placa Reial, Las Ramblas, Barcelona / David Merrett

Las Ramblas still has its market, and flower stalls but is also awash with a variety of street entertainers who compete with each other for your attention, and your loose change. Some of them are very clever, and certainly worth watching. It is here however where you must be careful with Barcelona being one of the worst cities’ in the world for pick pockets. Avoid crowds, and do not let people get too close to you. In fact you are probably better off leaving all your valuables back in the hotel safe. At night the southern end of Las Ramblas becomes Barcelona’s red-light district with people openly having sex with prostitutes in the side streets. Remember Barcelona is a big city like New York or Paris where each of them has their parts you would not want to go. Keep your wits about you, and avoid the Ravel part of Las Rambles at night, and you should be fine.

Now we have the bad side of Las Ramblas out of the way we will try to concentrate on the good side. If people watching is your thing have a seat at one of the outdoor bars order a coffee or beer while watching your very own Fellini film act out in front of you. Las Ramblas is also the place to buy your postcards, or cheap reminders of your time in Barcelona.

If you love indoor food markets La Boqueria is the place for you just steps off the busy Ramblas is where the locals go to buy their daily produce including meat and fish saying “If you cannot find it in the Boqueria it’s not worth eating” You could spend a couple of hours in this market just staring at all the different meats hanging from the stalls, and bags of nuts and colourful spices from North Africa. There has been a market on this site since 1217, with the building you are in today being constructed in 1911.

The bottom of the Ramblas is marked with a statue to Christopher Columbus for it was here in Barcelona that Queen Isabel welcomed Columbus back to Spain following his first voyage to the Americas. Just beyond the Ramblas is the Ramblas de Mar a popular wooden  extension bridge in the shape of a wave that leads to the Maremagnum  a complex of shops restaurants and movie theatres , and is also home to a large aquarium completed in 1994 it is supposed to symbolize Barcelona’s opening to the sea.

John Ross is a globe-trotter who has been traveling for over 20 years. Tim has spent the last two years on various parts of Spain and recommends Outlet4Spain.com for the best accommodation anywhere in Spain.

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