Fancy some literary tourism? Here are the best places to visit if you are a book-lover in London:
The Globe Theatre
The redeveloped site of Shakespeare's theatre is amazing, built to look almost exactly as it had during his time. The exhibition will teach you all about the history of the theatre and how shows used to happen, as well as how the shows they produce today return to traditional methods from Shakespeare's time. You can see the theatre itself and even buy tickets to performances there too!
The British Library
The British Library is THE site for book and history lovers with its Treasures exhibition including original manuscripts, complete with annotations of famous historical authors. They also have changing exhibitions, I saw the Alice in Wonderland and West Africa ones which were brilliant!
Walking Tour
Visit areas of London where famous authors lived, like Bloomsbury, home to modernists like Virginia Woolf. Not far from there is the building that inspired Orwell's Ministry of Truth from 1984 and the bust of Woolf in Tavistock Square. Do some research to find where you want to see or just keep an eye out for the plaques commemorating these writers.
Bookshop Crawl
Take an afternoon along Charing Cross Road browsing beautiful independent bookstores, old second-hand shops and bargain basements. You will end up in the flagship Foyle's store which is one of the best bookshops I have ever been in.
Literary Pubs
Fancy somewhere to take a break or just want to see the watering-holes of your favourite writers? Visit pubs like The Wheatsheaf, The Marquis of Granby, or The Duke of York which frequented by the likes of Dylan Thomas, Virginia Woolf and George Orwell.
Dr Johnson's House
While seeing the home of the man who wrote the first comprehensive dictionary might seem a bit too educational, this is a lot more fun than you would expect. You will learn a lot about the man who pretty much shaped the modern English language, as well as seeing his original publication and getting to explore the ridiculous definitions.
National Portrait Gallery
This gallery is full of paintings of for famous writers, so a great stop if you want to check out your favourites. My top picks were William Blake, Charles Dickens and the more abstract T.S Eliot.
Oscar Wilde Statue
An abstract depiction of Wilde with an engraved quote, this statue seems slightly out of place in the middle of the street but is a great homage to the famous novelist poet and playwright if you can find it.
Charles Dickens Museum
See just what Dickens' house looked like and explore the place which became important inspiration for many of his works. At Christmas the house is decked out with traditional decorations which take two days to put up and take down!
221b Baker Street
The home of the famous fictional detective. You can get a guided tour of Sherlock Homes' house by staff in character and costume, as well as the brilliant parlour gift shop, or just pass by to get a snap of that famous door!
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