London is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Its origins go back to Roman times, over two thousand years ago.  An ideal crossing point of the River Thames, the Square Mile that is now the City of London was the regarded as the perfect site for a port.  It was a busy and thriving city.  

Much of that Roman city has been destroyed over the centuries, and replaced with successive layers of buildings bearing witness to the area’s importance in trade and commerce.  Until Victorian times, there was only one bridge across the river – London Bridge, located in the same place as the original Roman structure.

Head for the Museum of London near St Paul’s Cathedral to discover the story of Roman London, and just where many of the important Roman buildings would have been situated.  Also on display are countless Roman artifacts discovered over the years. Book your stay at Mowbray Court Hotel to visit this place and explore more about the past history.

Not far away on Wallbrook, near the Bank of England, the remains of one of those original Roman buildings can now be seen.  It is situated underneath the newly opened Bloomberg European headquarters.  This is the London Mithraeum, a rare and unusual temple dedicated to the Roman god Mithras.

The Mithraeum was originally discovered in the aftermath of the Second World War.  Having been removed from the site for many years, it has now been returned to exactly the same spot on which it was originally built by worshippers many centuries ago.  Visitors are welcome to explore the Mithraeum, and entry is free of charge. It is easy to return to your accommodation in Kensington from anywhere in the city.  

It would have been a really large temple.  Although only the remains of the building now exist, columns of light create a 4D image showing just how big and tall it would have been.  Adding to the sense of atmosphere and history, voices chanting rituals to Mithras emerge out of the hazy darkness.  

Don’t forget to take a look inside the display cases containing artifacts found by archaeologists recently working on the site. In addition to lots of Roman jewellery, pottery and glassware, there are two very significant tablets. These tablets are the first ever examples of handwriting to be found anywhere in the country.  Both date back to the first century AD. One tablet is an IOU dealing with money lending, while the other contains the first reference to Londinum, the name by which the Romans knew the city of London.  While visiting the historical sites, staying at hotels in London Earls Court might be great choice for you.

Look too at the walls as you go down the stairs to the Mithraeum which is situated on the original Roman level where it was originally built.  The stairs begin in modern day London, but as you descend you travel through the different layers of London history – World War Two, Victorians, Georgians, The Great Fire, Tudors, The Plague, Medieval, Viking and Saxon before eventually reaching Roman soil.

Cold, dreary winter nights become fun, light filled entertainment during London’s second Lumiere festival.  Taking place between 18^th and 21^st January, Lumiere is the biggest arts festival to take place anywhere in the city.

Thousands of people are expected to attend this free entertainment, and if you are planning to come to London for the festival it is wise to make your preparations early!  This is colour, light and spectacle on a grand scale.  Flying bodies, giant elephants and colour changing benches were among the most popular features of the first festival – so what can be expected this time?

The answer is simple – it is going to be bigger, better and more spectacular than ever before.  Over 40 artists from all over the world are taking part, creating incredible light installations turning London’s iconic architecture into a totally new environment.  It is not far from from Mowbray Court Hotel.

Just imagine a house in South Audley Street where fluorescent blue tubes crawl up the walls and over the intricate brickwork or glittering, sparkling lights roll and splinter within a soundscape at Kings Cross.  The quiet stonework of Westminster Abbey comes alive in a painted jewel like tones, highlighting every statue, nook and cranny on the walls.  Busy Leicester Square takes on a mysterious atmosphere as nocturnal creatures emerge within a luminous secret garden while the brutal concrete architecture of the National Theatre suddenly becomes a blazing, liquefying beacon.

Lumiere 2018 involves a massive area of London, stretching from Kings Cross to the South Bank, Victoria to Covent Garden.  Much of the West End is involved including Piccadilly, Mayfair, Carnaby Street, Seven Dials and Regent Street. Maps can be downloaded at www.visitlondon.com/lumiere/programme/map.

It is wise to try and plan your visits to Lumiere as it is almost impossible to visit every location in one night. Although the installations blaze with colour for around six hours, many involve watching or taking part for long periods.  Sometimes you need to sit and reflect, or watch an entire programme from start to finish in order to truly appreciate the installation.  Yet others are interactive, and involve a lot of fun as you touch or move objects to create something new.  Often, it becomes hard to drag yourself away to move on to the next delight!

Tourists, visitors and locals throng the streets during Lumiere caught up by the enthralling spectacles and sheer, undiluted fun.  Dress up warm with comfortable shoes, and be prepared to have a really great time exploring London’s streets and parks.  To avoid last time rush, it is advisable to book your stay in advance at hotels near Earls Court Tube.

Football is one of the most popular games worldwide, and London is very much a centre of the game.  This is where you can explore the legendary Wembley Stadium, home of the FA Cup, as well as top clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

Games played at these clubs are frequently broadcast worldwide, attracting millions of viewers.  It is not surprising that when in London, many visitors are keen to see these grounds for themselves.  Tickets for home matches may be available, but you need to check dates and availability on line; likewise booking for tours of the various stadiums.

Going behind the scenes at football stadiums offers an extremely memorable opportunity and some brilliant photos.  At Wembley, you can not only go pitchside beside the hallowed turf, but handle a replica of the FA Cup.  You can stand in the England changing room, go through the players tunnel and go into the managers box. 

Two of the key London clubs are both situated in North London and accessible by tube from Hotels near Earls Court.  Arsenal’s stadium is the third largest in the country, and is claimed to be the most technologically advanced in the world.  You can take a Legends tour led by a former Arsenal player, who can give you lots of insights into what it was like to play at the stadium. Alternatively, you can opt for a self guided audio tour which contains anecdotes from players like Jack Wilshere and Robin Van Persie.  Whichever tour you choose while residing at Mowbray Court Hotel, you are guaranteed a wonderful experience and opportunities to see key places like the dugouts, the director’s box and the press lounge. 

Two miles away at White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur welcome visitors to their stadium. Knowledgeable guides take you behind the scenes and provide lots of fascinating trivia and insights into the operation of the stadium, and what it is like to play at this legendary site.

Moving southwards to Chelsea, you can explore Chelsea Football Club’s fantastic site at Stamford Bridge.  This has been home to the club for over a hundred years, and its museum shows how the club has grown from a local side to a football powerhouse known around the world.  It’s museum is the largest football museum in London and is well worth seeing. There are lots of hands on activities and videos of famous games to watch.  The museum can be visited on its own, or as part of an hour long tour of the stadium.

Also in South West London is another fantastic stadium tour, that of Fulham Football Club at Craven Cottage.  The lour lasts over an hour, and takes you into some of the most memorable areas of the club such as the home team changing room, TV studio and the players tunnel.