Literary, legal and scholarly , this is the brainy quarter of London. Dominated by two towering institutions, the British Museum and London University, and bolstered by the Inns of Court, it could hardly be otherwise. It is an area of elegant squares and Georgian façades, of libraries, bookshops and publishing houses. Most famously, the Bloomsbury Group, known for novelist Virginia Woolf lived here during the early decades of the 20th century. Fitzrovia’s reputation as a raffish place was enhanced by the characters who drank at the Fitzroy Tavern, such as the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914–53) and the painter Augustus John (1878–1961).
Fitzroy Square
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Set in a lovely four-storey Georgian townhouse, this is a traditional Vietnamese restaurant.
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Morning
Arrive at the British Museum at 10am (opening time) so that you can enjoy the new Great Court in peace. View Norman Foster’s glass dome while having coffee at the café here. Stroll past the great Assyrian bas-reliefs on your way out.
Browse the antiquarian book and print shops, such as Jarndyce , along Great Russell and Museum streets. Turn left up Little Russell Street, noticing the fine Hawksmoor church of St George’s. Loop around Bloomsbury Square and check out the list of Bloomsbury group literary figures posted here. Head west to Bedford Square with its elegant Georgian houses. Cross Tottenham Court Road and carry on to Charlotte Street.
Afternoon
See the photos of literary figures such as Dylan Thomas in the basement bar of Fitzroy Tavern at No.16 Charlotte Street, while enjoing a pre- lunch drink. If you fancy something more substantial than bar food, try a curry from Rasa Samudra at No. 5.
After lunch amble gently back to Tottenham Court Road for some homeware shopping. Heals and Habitat sell a wide range of furniture and household items, many at the cutting edge of British design. On the second floor of Paperchase (at No. 213–5), the cafe serves good tea.
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Now housed in a spectacular new building in St Pancras, the British Library holds copies of everything published in Britain, as well as many historical publications from around the world. Members have free access to these, while non-members can enjoy the magnificent space and the regular exhibitions put on here. A dazzling, permanent display in the John Ritblatt Gallery includes the earliest map of Britain (1250), a Gutenberg Bible (1455), Shakespeare’s first folio (1623), Handel’sMessiah (1741) and many breathtaking illuminated manuscripts. The glass walls in the core of the building reveal the huge leather volumes from the King’s Library, donated by George III. There are regular talks and events, a café, restaurant and, of course, a well-stocked bookshop.
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Find exquisite crafts and jewellery in this museum shop. Everything from a pair of earrings modelled on those of ancient Egypt or a replica Roman bust to contemporary crafts.
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At 190 m (620 ft), this was the tallest building in London when it opened in 1965. Sadly, the revolving restaurant on top has been closed, for security reasons, but the Tower Tavern in Cleveland Street has a good large-scale diagram explaining the tower’s constituent parts (as well as hand-pulled beer).
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A touch of authentic Italy in this quiet square behind Oxford Street. Eat hand-made pasta at pavement tables.
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Home to Charles Dickens from 1837–39, during which time he completed some of his best work (includingOliverTwist ,Nicholas Nickleby andPickwick Papers ), this four-storey terraced house offers a fascinating glimpse into the life and times of the great Victorian author and social reformer. Some rooms have been laid out exactly as they were in Dickens’ time. Nearby Doughty Mews provides another step back to Victorian times.
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The most appealing art shop in town has wood panelling and rows of glass jars full of pigments.
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Write a letter home on these fine hand-made papers. The shop is also a specialist on bookbinding.
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Restaurant price categories
For a three course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes, and extra charges.
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