Quite Possibly the Best 'Base Camp' in London for Tourists

Independent Travel - Planning Tips - Day Trips - Trains - Bus Tours - Hotels - Victoria.St

Walking out the front door of St Ermins Hotel (another link) and to your left, across the street is a Post Office and the most famous police station in the world, New Scotland Yard.  About a hundred yards up Broadway is the St James' Park Underground Station which serves the Circle and District lines.

Leaving St Ermins Hotel (another link) and walking to the right down Caxton Street, you will find the National Map Centre which likely has the largest, retail inventory of maps anywhere in England.  If you can't find the map you want here, it probably does not exist!  Across the street is a National Trust gift shop, Blewcoat School, which was  - as its name suggests - originally a grammar school.

On the opposite corner of Caxton Street and Buckingham Gate is St James's Court Hotel, up the road from which is Buckingham Palace and St James's Park.

Just off Caxton Street and along a narrow passageway (only wide enough for a one horse cart) is the newsagent's shop.  Following the passageway to Victoria Street will take you past The Albert, a pub with all the British pub ambiance that you would expect.

A short walk up Victoria Street to the left will take you to Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey, The Palace of Westminster (Parliament) and Big Ben.

A block walk from The Albert in the opposite direction - toward Victoria Station - takes you into a shopping district.  Sainsbury's is a supermarket / grocery store whose house brand of dark chocolate is, according to reliable sources, a chocolacoholic's dream come true.  This recommendation is from - in the words of Horace Rumpole - 'she who must be obeyed' ['my wife'.]  ...Just kidding, Dear.

Next and short distance away is a very good bookstore, Books Etc.  You can cash your travellers' cheques at the American Express office or - across the street -  at a branch of the Nat West bank.  Another Post Office is next door to Boots, a chemist ['drugstore', the chain is the equivalent of America's ubiquitous 'Walgreen's.]  If you forgot to bring your makeup, sticky plasters ['Band-Aids^®'] or vitamins [pronounced 'i' as in bit], Boots is the place to go.

Almost directly across the street is Westminster Cathedral which is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Archdiocese of London and often confused with the Anglican Westminster Abbey.  For colonists who are homesick for the Great American Tragedy ['a hamburger']  - although we would recommend fish on a bat ['bun'] - just off the cathedral plaza is a Mc Donald's Restaurant.

Aficionados of 'Broadway plays' can take in shows at the Victoria Palace and Apollo Victoria Theatres.

At the far end of Victoria Street is the Victoria Railway Station (alternate link) and Victoria Underground Station serving the Circle, District and Victoria lines.

There is a veritable shopping centre inside the railway station.  In addition to the many restaurants, you will find that W H Smith has a large store selling newspapers, magazines, books, travel accessories and more.  At one time there was a tourist information centre.  However, on our last trip, it had closed for remodelling.

We said it before and we will say it again...  Victoria Street is quite possibly the best 'base camp' in London for tourists!

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Last modified: Thursday, 27 October 2005 .