The biggest global sporting event has begun and all eyes are on London as they host the Summer Olympics 2012. We bring you a guide on the transport, nightlife, eating out and bed and breakfasts to stay ahead of the games
Getting around
The London Underground System, the buses and the boat services on the Thames will connect you to anywhere in the city with ease. Tickets to events come with a free Games Travel Card, valid for use on public transport on the day of your event. For other days, get an oyster card, the cheapest way to pay for single journeys. A good transport guide is tfl.gov.uk.
Wine and dine
The games village has a fixed menu throughout the Olympics, with an eclectic choice of dishes including pastas, burritos and even lamb rogan josh with pilaf, for as little as £8 (`640). However, London has plenty more to offer, so when you’re not following Usain Bolt’s sprint or Sania Mirza’s game live, you could unwind at a pub. The British Lion, The Essex Arms and The Fox are all located within walking distance from the Stratford tube station.
We also recommend that you visit the Wetherspoons chain of pubs. They have a typical pub atmosphere with high chairs, pub grub (try the roast chicken or the chicken tikka masala) and plenty of beer. Central London also has more upmarket clubs and restaurants. A walk around Waterloo, Trafalgar or Leicester Square will lead you to restaurants like Bella Italia, Wagamama (for delicious sushi) and the Savoy Grill, run by well-known chef, Gordon Ramsey. Don’t miss out on waffles and pancakes in Covent Garden and of course, the London fish ‘n’ chips that you’ll find on every street corner. You can also watch the games live at outdoor parties in Hyde Park and Victoria Park, right next to Olympic Park. Live screening of the major sporting events, interspersed with entertainment, are expected to make the bigscreen locations, the places to be. But if partying is high on your priority, you must visit the Ministry of Sound, possibly the best-known clubbing hotspot in the country. Situated in Elephant and Castle, it hosts some of the best DJs from around the world.
Beyond the Olympics
It goes without saying that you’ll see more of the city than just the Olympic Village. So we will skip the usual suspects like Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Madame Tussauds, etc, and give you instead some lesser known spots that might interest you. We recommend a trip to the Portobello flea market, where you’ll find the most exquisite antiques and other bits and bobs. The market is on Saturday, while the shops in the area are open on all days but Sunday. Camden Market is the next best option for street shopping. Theatre fans can head to the West End and catch plays like Billy Elliot, Chicago, Les Miserables, The Lion King or the classic Wizard of Oz. If you saunter around Leicester Square at noon, you’ll almost certainly get tickets for plays at about halfprice. Or head to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre for Richard V and Taming of the Shrew to watch some of the best actors of England perform.
Walking tours across the city could be a fun way to spot iconic landmarks. For more information on the sporting events, the Curly’s Pocket Guide to Sports app (`60) explains the rules of each sport in a simple and witty manner. Features trivia as well (writer Albert Camus nearly became a professional footballer, but his dreams were thwarted by TB). The double deck hop-on-hop-off bus with its open top, stops at all the typical tourist hotspots across the city. You can get off at any area, wander about as long as you like and get back on to any other bus at the same stop. This service, called ‘The Original Tour’, is one of the most interesting ways to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the Olympic City.
A return ticket to London starts from approximately Rs 42,000.
Details: makemytrip.com
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