If you’ve never stayed in a hostel, it’s definitely an experience worth trying. Unlike hotels, motels, or rented apartments, hostels offer a lot of unique advantages. Many people simply think that hostels are cheaper, but that’s only one of a long list of benefits. For example, the fact that hostels use communal sleeping and eating areas encourages the guests to share their experiences with each other, make new friends, forge fresh bonds, and even explore the local area with their newfound companions. Many modern hostels also feature a wide variety of rooms and convenient services like easy internet access and kitchen facilities. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.
4 Best Hostels in London
- Overview, Photo: beaer_photo/stock.adobe.com
- Smart Russell Square Hostel, Photo: fizkes/stock.adobe.com
- Generator Hostel, Photo: Evgeniy Kalinovskiy/stock.adobe.com
- Astor Museum Hostel, Photo: Monkey Business/stock.adobe.com
- YHA London Central, Photo: tsuguliev/stock.adobe.com
- Cover Photo: Courtesy of Pawel - Fotolia.com
More Ideas: London Glassblowing
One of the most wonderful things about art is how varied it can be. All through history, imaginative and creative minds have found new ways to express themselves, new techniques and mediums to share their ideas with the world. From paintings and sketches to sculpture and photography, we've seen so many different forms of artistic expression, and perhaps one of the most unique and beautiful of all is glassblowing.
A technique involving an exceptional degree of skill, glassblowing involves inflating molten glass into a parison, or bubble, through the use of a blowpipe. It’s quite an extraordinary art that dates back thousands of years, having highly functional purposes and also great artistic merit too. Watching a glassblower create their work can be just as fascinating as admiring the finished product, and the London Glassblowing gallery is the best place to see it all.
London Glassblowing - Glassblowing Studio and Gallery in London
By far one of the best attractions in London for anyone interested in art and glassblowing, London Glassblowing is a combined studio and gallery space where visitors can watch glassblowers at work and admire the creations of some of the most skilled and talented glassblowers from all over the United Kingdom and beyond. It’s a dream destination for anyone who enjoys glassblowing, and here’s all you need to know about visiting:
- The Studio - The London Glassblowing studio was established by Peter Layton back in 1976. It was one of the first hot glass studios in all of Europe and has a reputation as one of the fienst in the continent too, with Layton himself playing with colors, styles, and textures to create some of the most extraordinary decorative glass works of modern times. Visitors can take a walk aroudn the studio, feeling the heat all around them and admiring the beauty and mastery of a glassblower at work. There's a little viewing area where you can watch it all happen, with glassblowing usually going on throughout the day.
- The Gallery - As well as exploring the studio space, visitors to London Glassblowing can also spend some time in the gallery. London Glassblowing is the UK's leading gallery of contemporary glass art and one of the most successful in Europe, featuring and displaying the work of the greatest glassblowers from all over the globe. The gallery is filled with colorful, textured, unique creations representing a range of themes and ideas, all available for purchase for those wishing to expand or begin their own glass art collections, with a professional team of friendly gallery experts on hand to guide you and offer any assistance you might need during your visit.
- Location - London Glassblowing studio and gallery is located at 62 - 66 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3UD.
- Getting There - The best way to get almost anywhere in Central London is by taking the tube. The nearest tube station to London Glassblowing is London Bridge.
- The Local Area - Bermondsey Street is a great spot for art lovers in general, with plenty of other galleries nearby including White Cube and Eames Fine Art, so it's a good place to spend a full day as an art enthusiast or collector. There are some terrific cafes, restaurants, and cocktail bars in the local area too, as well as a few different food markets like Borough Market and Druid Street Market.
- Opening Times - The London Glassblowing gallery is open from Mondays to Saturdays from 10am to 6pm. The London Glassblowing studio is also open from Monday to Saturday, but from 10am to 5pm, with a break at lunch between 1pm and 2pm. Sometimes, the London Glassblowing gallery and studio are also open on Sundays, but this is usually for special events, so you'll need to check the latest news and events calendar to find out more when planning your visit.
- Experience Days - Want to take your admiration of glassblowers to the next level? Ever wanted to actually try glassblowing for yourself and learn about how it's done from a master of the art? Well, if you answered 'yes', the Experience Days at London Glassblowing might be for you. These Experience Days allow you to spend a full day in the hot glass studio at London Glassblowing, receiving full tuition and guidance from Britain's best glass artists and being able to make three of your own pieces to take home or gift to loved ones. To learn more and book a day for yourself, call +44 (0) 207 403 2800.
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More Ideas: The Second Shelf - Rare Books By Women In London
A beautiful and historic city with so much to offer, London is an amazing place to live and visit. Whether you’re a resident or just in the city for a few days, there’s plenty to see and do all around the British capital, from visiting the major landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Big Ben to roaming around the paths and gardens of Hyde Park or doing some shopping on Oxford Street.
A hub of art and culture, London is home to countless theaters, boutiques, galleries, museums, and live entertainment venues. It’s a lovely place for those who appreciate the arts, with many charming little shops just waiting to be found and housing all kinds of hidden gems and treasures, just waiting to be discovered. A wonderful example of this is The Second Shelf in Soho.
The Second Shelf - Rare Books By Women In London
The Second Shelf is a Soho bookshop specializing in rare books and manuscripts by female authors. Opened in November of 2018, The Second Shelf is owned and operated by A. N. Devers, a writer, critic, and journalist, as well as a literary expert and rare book dealer. A published author herself, Devers has campaigned valiantly to help female authors and pioneers of the past and present get the recognition they deserve.
Devers has had articles published in many major publications and newspapers including The New Yorker, The Los Angeles Times, Slate, The Paris Review, New Republic, Lenny, and The Washington Post. Through The Second Shelf, she's hoping to help more people discover beautiful old works and offering a wonderful new hangout and relaxation spot for locals and visitors alike.
- Rare Books By Woman - The Second Shelf stocks and sells over 3,000 titles by women. The collection features a lot of variety, ranging from stunning first editions of iconic works by leading female authors like Jane Austen to little-known texts and historic manuscripts from the past. Subjects covered in the many tomes, novels, and volumes in the store include feminism, science, philosophy, suffrage, and more, and the store is a fascinating location to explore for anyone with even a passing interest in rare books and literature written by women.
- The Magazine - The Second Shelf also produces and sells its own biannual magazine: The Second Shelf: Rare Books and Words by Women. Published and edited by A. N. Devers, this fascinating literary review puts the spotlight on women's writing from the past and present, including stunning photographs of rare books, artworks, manuscripts, and ephemera. Original commissions from various writers, artists, and other creative minds help to complete each issue, with the magazine managing to offer high quality writing, stunning art, and historic literary information all in one.
- Special Events - Helping to develop Smiths Court into a popular meeting space for locals and tourists alike, The Second Shelf hosts and organizes a range of events throughout the year. Examples of upcoming events include book launches by up and coming female authors, discussions, signings, and more. Fairs, festivals, and conferences are also on the calendar of upcoming events, and there’s always something fascinating on the horizon for visitors to The Second Shelf, making this little bookstore an amazing place to be if you love writing, reading, and the whole world of women’s literature.
Visit The Second Shelf
If you'd like to visit The Second Shelf and see some of these rare books and manuscripts in person, as well as having a chance to meet A. N. Devers and enjoy a special event at this unique London bookshop, here's all you need to know:
- Location - The Second Shelf is situated in the heart of Soho at 14 Smiths Court, London, UK, W1D 7DW.
- Getting There - If you're taking the tube to The Second Shelf, the nearest station is Piccadilly Circus. You can follow Brewer Street and then take Farrier's Passage or follow Great Windmill Street and take a small alleyway down to Smiths Court. The store has a bold red front and is easy to spot.
- Contact - To get in touch with the shop for further information or any queries, you can call +44 020 3490 2800.
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