travel books covent garden

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Experience.

Monday: 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

Tuesday: 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

Wednesday: 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM

Thursday: 09:00 AM - 07:00 PM

Friday: 09:00 AM - 07:00 PM

Saturday: 10:00 AM - 07:00 PM

Sunday: 12:00 PM - 06:00 PM

Stanfords are the UK's leading specialist retailer of maps, travel books, and other travel accessories, having been established in 1853 by Edward Stanford. After 118 years at their Long Acre address the flagship store has relocated to a new London home on  Mercer Walk in Covent Garden.

Stanfords books has have been an essential first port of call for adventure and armchair travellers alike for more than a century. Their roll-call of customers past and present includes such famous names as Amy Johnson, David Livingstone, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Ranulph Fiennes, Bill Bryson, Michael Palin, and even Sherlock Holmes.

Looking for your next home or office in Covent Garden? Look no further.

Stanfords: the london traveller’s bookshop

A bit of history, the victorian era, the beginning of stanfords, the prestige of stanfords.

the interior of the Stanfords library

the globe with some books for sale from Stanfords

THE EDWARDIAN ERA

The first world war and the first postwar period.

postcards for sale from Stanfords

balloons inside of Stanfords

THE SECOND WORLD WAR

The second part of the twentieth century.

books for sale from Stanfords

maps for sale from Stanfords

STANDFORDS TODAY

ADDRESS : 7 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9FA

HOW TO GET THERE: the library is easily accessible, walking a few minutes, from the Covent Garden subway station, the blue line of the Piccadilly line.

OPENING HOURS : Mon-Sat 9-18 Sunday 10-18 (coronavirus cause at the moment the library is closed but you can buy in the online shop)

I reccomand also: London: on foot from romantic Little Venice to the rock Camden Town

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Stanfords - London

“This is hands down the best travel-related bookstore I have found anywhere in the world.”

Stanfords is a specialist bookshop located in Covent Garden, London, specializing in maps and travel books. For over 160 years, the store has supplied explorers (including Captain Robert Scott, Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Michael Palin and Bill Bryson), with the equipment they have needed for their expeditions, such as maps, guides and gadgets. Stanfords is considered the biggest travel bookshop in the world!

They hold multiple events in-store, from book authors talking about their travel books, to evenings held relating to adventures you can take around Britain – whether that be by car, foot or bike. They also have many destination guides, for those who wish to travel further than Britain (the full list of this guide can be found on the website). Other items they sell include road maps and atlases, cycling guides and maps, wall maps, and globes (as photographed)! Also, be sure not to miss out on the book of the month!

Any adventurous explorer, keen traveler, or those who love books on the topic of travel will love Stanfords. However, there really is no place else on earth with more maps, books, travel accessories and globes under one roof – therefore this huge London bookshop is definitely worth checking out for anybody!

Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 8:00pm, Saturday 10:00am to 8:00pm, Sunday 11:30am to 6:00pm

Telephone: 020 7836 1321

Website: http://www.stanfords.co.uk/

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10 lovely independent bookshops in London – that deliver

By Monisha Rajesh

1. West End Lane Books

As friendly and familiar as the local pub, West End Lane Books is a real neighbourhood favourite. With its worn floorboards and selection of classics and crime, contemporary and kids’ books, this is a place with as much heart as history. Driven out of Libya by the Gaddafi regime, publisher Mohammed Fergiani opened the store in 1994 before launching its sister shop – Queen’s Park Books – in 2004, and both are still run by his son Ghassan. Around a quarter of stock is for children, with the back corner dedicated to younger readers, and in addition to books the shop sells beautiful gift wrap, tarot cards and notelets, normally under the watchful eyes of the two resident goldfish, Canongate and Faber. West End Lane Books are now posting out books.

Address: West End Lane Bookshop, 277 West End Lane, London NW6 1QS Telephone: +44 20 7431 3770 Website: welbooks.co.uk Twitter: @WELBooks

The Second Shelf

Snuggled into a corner of Smith’s Court in Soho and fronted by a little red door, The Second Shelf is a shrine to women writers and the rare-book trade. Pink-floored and wallpapered with marbled paper normally used for the end pages of books, the shop was opened in November 2018 by writer AN Devers. Stocking everything from vintage paperbacks at £6 apiece to a proof of Toni Morrison’s Beloved and even a £15,000 paper belonging to Marie Curie that contained her own edits, the Second Shelf is ideal for special gifts or to simply spoil yourself with a fabulous first edition. While the shop is temporarily closed, you can buy gift certificates online for future use and to help keep the shop afloat.

Address: The Second Shelf, 14 Smith’s Court, London W1D 7DW Telephone: +44 20 3490 2800 Website: thesecondshelf.com Twitter: @secondshelfbks

• Burley Fisher Books

Focusing on small press and mini press books, Burley Fisher is the ultimate community bookshop hosting regular events and launches. Under normal circumstances you can pull up a chair in its cosy little café or get a drink at the bar while thumbing through its thoughtful collection of books, as well as personal and political essays and auto-fiction. Striving to deliver by bike, the dedicated staff suggest books based on your recent reads, and have just launched Isolation Station , a podcast that features writers currently releasing new books. While the shop is temporarily closed, the team are still on social media offering recommendations and posting out any books they have in stock.

Address: Burley Fisher Books, 400 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AA Telephone: +44 20 7249 2263 Website: burleyfisherbooks.com Twitter: @burleyfisher

Round Table Books

What started as a pop-up store for diversity-focused children’s books became a permanent fixture in Brixton in May 2019 after a successful crowdfunding campaign by local residents and parents whose kids were thrilled to see themselves represented for the first time in fairy tales and comics. Fitted with bright-red shelves and lit by an array of lightbulbs, the space radiates with a technicolour joy bouncing off smooth, shiny hardbacks. The shop’s ethos centres on championing books with BAME, neurodiverse, LGBTQ+ and disabled protagonists, and stocks writers including Annabelle Sami, Kwame Alexander, Jason Reynolds and Samantha Baines. While the shop is temporarily closed, you can email or contact India and Layla on social media and they can arrange for books to be delivered directly from stockists.

Address: Round Table Books, 97 Granville Arcade, Coldharbour Lane, London SW9 8PS Website: roundtablebooks.co.uk Twitter: @booksround

Persephone Books

Two flower boxes guard the entrance to Persephone Books, a demure frontage that belies the force of the literature within. Owner Nicola Beauman had the idea to reprint a handful of fiction and non-fiction titles by mid-20th-century women writers who were overlooked in their time, and her catalogue has now grown to include 135 books. Wrapped in identical grey jackets, they’re arranged alongside vases of bright fresh flowers. Priced at £13 each or £33 for three, the books contain individual endpapers bursting with colour, usually made from a textile relating to the year of publication. While the shop is temporarily closed, Beauman’s daughter Fran will read segments from the books every day at 11am on Instagram Live. Tune in to watch Elevenses with Fran ( @fransbookshop ).

Address: Persephone Books, 59 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3NB Telephone: +44 20 7242 9292 Website: persephonebooks.co.uk Twitter: @PersephoneBooks

• Gay’s the Word

Since opening in 1979, Gay’s the Word has been a pillar of the LGBTQ+ community, selling comics, graphic novels, poetry, history titles and memoirs along with usual staples such as DVDs, flags, humorous postcards and badges. The UK ’s first gay bookshop, and now the only surviving one, it stocks everything, ‘from the profound to the frivolous, from the liberating to the indulgent’, and has regular discussion groups, readings and signings from writers including Sarah Waters and Armistead Maupin. It’s a safe space for open conversation and staff are always willing to lend an ear to anyone who steps through the door. While the shop is temporarily shut, Jim, Uli and Erica will do their best to fulfil mail-order queries ([email protected]), and every weekday morning Erica will be reading the work of an LGBTQ+ poet on Instagram Live ( @gaysthewordbookshop ).

Address: Gay's the Word, 66 Marchmont Street, London WC1N 1AB Telephone: +44 20 7242 9292 Website: gaystheword.co.uk Twitter: @gaystheword

From the moment you step through the door it feels warm, spot-lit by desk lamps clipped to shelves and turned to face walls. A barrisol ceiling reflects the curves of the bookshelves that hug the edges, giving the appearance of infinite spines and pages. Opened in conjunction with workspace company Second Home, Libreria emphasises design and innovation, and a move away from the distractions of technology. There is no Wi-Fi in the shop and customers are politely requested not to use phones, encouraged instead to browse categories that include ‘bad feminist’, ‘enchantment for disenchanted’ and ‘utopia’ to discover books you might not otherwise read. While the shop is temporarily closed, sign up to The Libreria Podcast and Second Home’s free online programme which includes podcasts and an isolation book club.

Address: Libreria, 65 Hanbury Street, London E1 5JP Website: [ libreria.io ](http://thesecondshelf.com/) Twitter: @LibreriaLondon

Kirkdale Bookshop

Sydenham wouldn’t be the same without Kirkdale Bookshop, a neighbourhood stalwart that opened in 1966. Selling both new and pre-loved titles, it has all the charm expected from a local bookshop, from the window display that changes every two weeks to mark significant events to the yellow ducks tacked to the desk by the till. It’s easy to miss the basement that’s filled with second-hand books and classics, plus there are tempting knick-knacks for sale such as vintage Penguin mugs, tinned candles, soaps and hand creams. While the shop is temporarily closed, keep in touch or ask for recommendations via email and social media.

Address: Kirkdale Bookshop, 272 Kirkdale, London SE26 4RS Telephone: +44 20 8778 4701 Website: kirkdalebookshop.com Twitter: @KirkdaleBooks

If ever there was a time to long after travel books, it’s now. And there’s no better place to head to than Stanfords in Covent Garden. Established in 1853, it has inched its way around London , coming to rest most recently on Mercer Walk. It’s a haven of maps, guides and travelogues – including contemporary fiction and children’s books. For those on the hunt for a present, there are stacks of diaries, journals and calendars as well as board games and antique globes. While the shop is temporarily closed, contact them on Twitter for book recommendations on specific locations and order online for home delivery.

Address: Stanfords, 7 Mercer Walk, London WC2H 9FA Telephone: +44 20 7836 1321 Website: stanfords.co.uk Twitter: @StanfordsTravel

Newham Bookshop

Beneath faded yellow awning, this busy East London delight – named by Bernardine Evaristo as a favourite – is technically two shops, with an adults’ side and a dedicated children’s side linked at the back. It was set up 42 years ago by a group of parents who felt that Newham should have a bookshop. Free from airs and graces, with books in delicious disarray, this spot is usually a treat for browsers picking their way around piles on the floor or flicking through pages beneath the jungle-themed bunting. While it is temporarily closed they can not post anything they do not currently have in stock, but readers can call between 9am and 10.30am to order books that can be posted or delivered locally by bike. Email ([email protected]) for requests to check stock.

Address: Newham Bookshop, 743-745 Barking Road, London E13 9ER Website: newhambooks.co.uk Twitter: @newhambookshop

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• The Best Independent Bookshops In...

The Best Independent Bookshops in Covent Garden

There are many reasons to visit Covent Garden, London . The breath-taking opera house, bustling old market and charming cobbled streets draw many visitors, but it’s also a booklover’s dream. Read on for more literary inspiration from the bookshops in the heart of Covent Garden .

Perched on the borders of Covent Garden and Soho, Foyles’ flagship branch is beloved by Londoners and visitors alike. The world-famous bookshop carries the widest range of titles of any bookstore in the UK, as well as a busy calendar of literary and musical events year-round. Whatever you’re interested in – whether it’s science, sports, photography or fiction – you can be sure Foyles will stock it. A huge children’s section is also available for the youngest of bookworms.

Soho Original Books

For lovers of all things Japanese, JP Books should be your first port of call. There you’ll find the largest range of Japanese books and materials available in Europe – and they can order anything you can’t already find there. It offers Japanese language learning books, plus magazines, novels, travel guides and much, much more. You can also find unique Japanese stationary, origami paper and sake cups – perfect as little gifts.

Quinto Bookshop

Find your latest literary obsession in the Covent Garden treasure trove that is the Quinto Bookshop . Specialising in second hand books, the bookshop stands out amongst the crowds on Charing Cross Road with its distinctive green façade. The ground floor is dedicated to their partners Francis Edwards booksellers, who are devoted to rare and antiquarian books. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for something slightly more ordinary, then in the basement Quinto Books have a wide selection of second hand books on all subjects. It’s the perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon.

Stanfords is one of London’s oldest and most famous travel bookshops. They specialize in maps, travel guides, and books related to exploration, adventure, and geography. You can find a wide selection of travel literature and maps from around the world.

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A Literary Guide to Covent Garden for Bookworms

By: Author Jess Esa

Posted on Last updated: 18th April 2024

Covent Garden is famous for being one of the most picturesque, photogenic, and lively areas in London. Tourists and locals alike flock there every single day for the market, the unique shopping experiences, and the great pubs, restaurants, and Covent Garden hotels .

Covent Garden is also a haven for bookworms! Here, you’ll find some of the best bookshops in London, as well as a Covent Garden bar that serves literary cocktails, a pub named after Phileas Fogg, and blue plaques immortalising authors like Austen and Dickens. You’ll find all of this and far more in our ultimate bookish guide to Covent Garden!

Visit Quinto Bookshop

Right on the edge of Covent Garden, and a short walk north of Leicester Square station, is one of the most magical and pure bookshops in London. London, of course, is chock full of incredible bookshops, and so many of them are speciality shops: queer literature, socialist political texts, feminist classics.

But there’s something so pure and historic about Quinto Books . What makes this Covent Garden bookseller unique is its focus on antiquarian – often very valuable – literature. If you’re a collector of old tomes and first editions, popping into Quinto Books is like stumbling across a goldmine.

Shop at the Moomin Shop

One of the most unique things to do in Covent Garden is to visit the Moomin Shop. In case you’re not familiar, Moomins are a Finnish national treasure: a series of now iconic books and comics featuring these strange white hippo-like characters that toe a fine line between being completely adorable and slightly eerie.

Moomins have successfully built a home at the edge of the uncanny valley. And a second home in Covent Garden! In the heart of Covent Garden market building is this two-storey Moomin Shop full of books, plushies, posters, and all collectable things Moomin. It’s a dream, in more ways than one.

Read More: Our Guide to Five the UK’s most Literary Cities

Eat at Rules

Rules is one of the most essential Covent Garden restaurants. In short, this is because it’s the oldest restaurant in London! Established in 1798, Rules has been open for more than 220 years. It also doubles as one of the best Covent Garden pubs, serving some really excellent cocktail choices at their upstairs Winter Garden Cocktail Bar.

At Rules you can enjoy traditional English food at its absolute finest, including steaks, pies, soups, and the best game (pheasant, hare, duck) you’ll ever it. It’s a little pricey but you pay for the best. And Rules is the best of the Covent Garden restaurants.

Tip : If you have time visit The London Transport Museum !

Enjoy Bao at Buns and Buns

Yes, that is the restaurant’s real name. Buns and Buns , the most delightful of Covent Garden restaurants, is found in a glass box in the middle of Covent Garden market building. Reasonably priced and the freshest food around, Buns and Buns has something delicious for everyone.

As our site name suggests, we love bao. And at Buns and Buns you can enjoy the best bao in London. Or, if you want something European, their freshly baked pizzas are to die for. Basically, Buns and Buns is all about them quality carbs, making them one of the most fun and indulgent yet healthy of Covent Garden restaurants.

Read More : 11 Best Covent Garden Restaurants

Have Literary Cocktails at The Library Members Bar

Take a walk down Saint Martin’s Lane, just around the corner from Cecil Court (which we’ll come to in a moment) and you’ll find a small door with a single word above it: ‘LIBRARY’. Library is a lot of things: a hotel, an events venue, a cocktail bar, and a member’s club. The reason for its name is two-fold: it used to be an old public library.

The other reason is that it has kept that literary spirit alive by being one of the most original Covent Garden bars around. How?

Well, all of the drinks on its cocktail menu are named after authors. The cocktails do a fantastic job of capturing the tone of the authors, making this one of the most fun and unique Covent Garden bars. However, being a member’s club, it does cost £500 a year to join, or you can get a day’s entry for £20.

Read More : 8 Must-Visit London Bookish Cafes and Bars

Drink Coffee and Go Book Shopping in Stanford’s

Stanfords is one of the most original and awesome bookshops in London. Established while Victoria was still on the throne, Stanford’s is a travel bookshop that centralises around world literature, travel writing, travel guides, maps, and globes.

We first fell for Stanford’s when visiting their second branch in Bristol , where we used to live. These shops ooze charm and inspire an irresistible urge to head out on an adventure.

Located just around the corner from Neal’s Yard, Stanford’s also has its own lovely little cafe area where you can enjoy a latte and a fresh slice of cake as you flick through your newest read. Stanford’s doubles as a fantastic Covent Garden cafe and bookshop. What in the world is better?

Visit Cecil Court for More Book Shopping

The once brief home of Mozart and birthplace of the founders of Foyles, Cecil Court today is a haven for bookworms. It’s a single pedestrian street, lined with lamps and so many unique booksellers. One shop, Goldsboro Books, sells exclusively first editions. Another, Alice Through the Looking Glass, is themed after the same book.

Our favourite bookseller in Cecil Court is Marchpane . Though we aren’t huge lovers of children’s literature, the shop itself is an absolute delight and a treasure.

The Daleks are originals from the ‘60s and ‘70s, as are the Paddington Bear toys. There’s a selection of first edition children’s books. The staff are the most enthusiastic and charming people. Visiting this shop is how you cure a bad mood.

Read More : Discover London’s Best Independent Bookshops

Buy Alice in Wonderland Themed Tea Sets at Whittards

There are a lot of Whittards shops around the UK, but this one in Covent Garden market building has the best mood of them all. It feels at home there; it belongs in Covent Garden. Here, you can sample the teas, lemonades, and hot chocolate for sale, and browse some of the highest quality teas available.

Downstairs, you’ll find cutlery and crockery. Most charming and sweet of all is the Alice in Wonderland tea set, which includes mugs and plates and a teapot, all designed with original illustrations from the book. You can even buy their Alice-themed collection online .

Read More : Take a Day Trip to Blenheim Palace

Drink Gin at Mr Fogg’s Tavern

Phileas Fogg, the protagonist of the joyous Jules Verne novel Around the World in 80 Days , has had his name proudly fixed to this most delightful of Covent Garden pubs Mr Fogg’s Tavern . The downstairs tavern area is the quintessential English pub with its aesthetics turned up to eleven: a fireplace, taxidermied crows, hanging ornaments like birdcages, and portraits adorning the walls.

Then, you can head upstairs to Mr Fogg’s Gin Parlour ! There’s something far more literary about gin over beer. And this gin parlour has over two hundred gins for you to choose from. The choice of tavern and gin bar makes this one of the very special Covent Garden pubs.

Tip : Visit More Literary London Pubs on the Historical Pub Tour

Visit Dickens’ Old Curiosity Shop

You might know the name of this shop from the Dickens novel of the same name. But here’s a fun fact! Although the shop did inspire Dickens’ novel, the shop only took the name “The Old Curiosity Shop” after the book was published, giving them a sort of symbiotic relationship.

The Old Curiosity Shop can be found on the Western edge of Covent Garden, and it is still open today, making the shop almost four hundred years old! And what does it sell? Shoes! Lovely women’s and men’s shoes.

Explore Neal’s Yard

Ah, Neal’s Yard. This is a curious little area hidden down some back alleyways at the northern edge of Covent Garden. What makes it unique, as you can see from the photo, is its brightly coloured walls and how bohemian its aesthetic is.

Inside Neal’s Yard, you’ll find a sweet selection of places to drink both coffees and cocktails. At the front of Neal’s Yard is Monmouth Street. And on Monmouth Street is Monmouth Coffee, an utterly splendid Covent Garden cafe.

Go Literary Blue Plaque Hunting

The blue plaques of London are legendary. They showcase all the historical links and wonders of London. In Covent Garden alone you’ll find two Charles Dickens plagues, one of Margot Fonteyn, legendary ballerina, and Jane Austen! For a list of all the blue and green plaques of Covent Garden, see the official site right here before you go plaque hunting in Covent Garden!

Read More: Discover the Best Japanese Restaurants in Covent Garden & Soho

Watch The Woman in Black at Fortune Theatre

We all have our own first experiences with The Woman in Black . For many, it’s the Hammer Horror film starring Daniel Radcliffe and Ciaran Hinds. For others, it’s the original book by Susan Hill. For me, it was this play. Having now seen the film and read the book, I stand firm that the play is the best experience of the lot.

The Woman in Black is a truly clever, thrilling, and haunting performance. It is a play within a play that uses minimalist staging, clever lighting, a two-way cyclorama, and other savvy techniques to create the most memorable of theatre-going experiences. The Woman in Black is unmissable.

Catch a Show at the Royal Opera House

The London Royal Opera House can be found at the corner of Covent Garden, just at the edge of the market building. Pay attention to their website in order to see what performances are coming up.

If you’d rather not see a performance, the Royal Opera House is still worth a visit for its impressive interior design and architecture. And the gift shop is one of the most classy in London, with some great opera and ballet themed gifts, as well as a selection of books to pick up.

Enjoy a Cookie At Ben’s Cookies

Ben’s Cookies is a small company that has steadily spread across the world. But the Ben’s Cookies at Covent Garden was the first one we ever visited. What makes this particular Ben’s Cookies so unique is its design. The now iconic logo of Ben’s Cookies was designed by the owner’s friend, a legendary illustrator whose drawings have brought joy to millions of children for generations: Quentin Blake, illustrator of the books of Roald Dahl!

Enjoy the Calm of Teatulia

We’ve saved the best for last. Teatulia manages to be both the best Covent Garden cafe and the very best of the Covent Garden bars. How so? Teatulia serves the best teas and cocktails in the area! As well as delicious mocktails, if you prefer.

Teatulia also features an enormous wall of bookshelves which frame a comfortable sofa. When you visit, you’re encouraged to pick your drink, select a book from the shelf, and lose yourself in the book and the atmosphere while escaping from the busy bustle of Covent Garden. What a haven!

The spending money for this post was gifted by Hotels.com, but all views are my own.

What a lovely guide to London. I had no idea about some of these places and can’t wait to check them out on my next visit. Also, the Moomin shop? That’s so fun. I remember watching that when I was a kid and loved it.

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Anthony Hopkins continues biopic streak to star in King of Covent Garden

A nthony Hopkins is set to play another real-life character. This time, he’ll transform into the composer George Frideric Handel in the upcoming feature biopic , The King of Covent Garden, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Academy Award-winning actor has played real historical figures from Adolf Hitler in the 1981 TV movie The Bunker to Richard Nixon in 1995’s Nixon to Alfred Hitchcock in 2012’s Hitchcock to Sigmund Freud in 2023’s Freud’s Last Session.

Filmmaker Andrew Levitas will direct the biopic. The film will focus on the German-British Baroque composer’s time when he created his arguably most famous work, the masterpiece Messiah, in 1741. Tim Slover wrote the script, while Dan Lupovitz and Kevan Van Thompson will serve as producers.

Anthony Hopkins and historical figures

Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherin Jenkins will serve as an executive producer on the film as well its musical advisor. Peter Touche will also EP alongside Jenkins.

The movie is pitched as “a powerfully majestic celebration of genius breaking all the rules to create an anthem inspiring the popular imagination of global audiences.” The film will be available for buyers at the Cannes Film Market later in the month. The movie is looking at a late 2025 release date.

Levitas described the story as hinging on “an unlikely pair, who meet each other at their lowest points, and together create a magnificent never-heard-before ‘sound for the people’: the groundbreaking masterpiece Messiah, the annual global bestseller for close to 300 years.”

He also described Slover’s script as “populated by passionate, real-life experience in all its color and dirt, creating a riveting human story with surprising contemporary relevancy, universal human connectivity and spiritual uplift.”

Handel was famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems concerti grossi and organ concertos. The composer was trained in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt and worked in both Hamburg and Italy before he settled in London 1712. He became a naturalized British subject in 1727.

His music forms one of the peaks of the “high baroque” style, which developed Italian opera. He created the English oratorio and organ concerto, which were new styles in English church music.

The King of Covent Garden and Messiah

The composer earned the moniker King of Covent Garden when he started working with John Rich and created his third company at the Covent Garden Theatre. His companies have been credited with supplying the English nobility with Italian opera. After a physical breakdown in 1737, he changed creative directions and transitioned to creating English choral works for the middle class.

Messiah was the last Italian opera Handel ever composed. His Zadok the Priest has been performed every time a British monarch is crowned since 1727. He died in 1759 and was given a Westminster Abbey state funeral.

Given that Messiah is Handel’s most famous and most recognizable piece, most people may not be familiar with the piece by name. However, one has definitely heard the iconic “Hallelujah” usually sung by choirs. That is the the chorus of Handel’s Messiah.

Hopkins was last seen as the voice of Jimmy, a mechanical knight in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies on Netflix. The actor has several projects in the pipeline , including the Roland Emmerich gladiator series on Peacock, Those About To Die.

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The post Anthony Hopkins continues biopic streak to star in King of Covent Garden appeared first on ClutchPoints .

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Covent Garden and Montmartre combined - Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

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Hardly a visitor to Moscow will not go for a stroll through its most famous street, the first... read more

Excellent pedestrian street with small shops and cafes. Worth a walk if you are there. A lot of... read more

Covent Garden and Montmartre combined

Loved this street in the old area of Moscow. It is certainly very touristy, lined with eating places and souvenir shops ... many selling nested 'Russian dolls' from China ...but still great fun. The day we were there was gloriously sunny and the street artists and artistes were out in force. Have your portrait painted, watch the jugglers or stand and listen to some really talented musicians. A lovely way to while away a couple of hours when you need a break from broad streets and massive buildings.

Stary Arbat provides blocks of pedestrian friendly enjoyment. This street is full of entertaining buskers, artists, shops and restaurants. Also, this is a great place to people watch.

We started at one end and walked to Red Square. Very enjoyable. Artists, shopping, restaurants and people watching all along the street

We loved the Arbat area- Full of buskers in every type- Dancers, musicians, artists, poets and singers. Great place to eat ice cream eat out and really soak up the atmosphere!

First visited Old Arbat 15 years ago. Then it had an unique amostphere. Typically Russian. Now, like so many places around the world, it's been too cleansed which sadly extracts the reason we went there in the first place. Don't however miss it if you have time to spare. The artists we saw were of a high standard. We even purchased a painting that was produced from nothing while we watched on. That was a great experience. But skip the souvenir shops. This place could learn from other parts of Europe and allow the street to fill up more with tables and chairs to create a less empty feeling. Probably won't happen as Russians (the masses) still haven't adopted the cafe / light lunch way of life.

Ubfortunately, this is not the same Arbat as 20 years ago. No musicians, no feeling of boheme and artists. There are some sellers of old books, some portrait masters who are tallented - the portrait is between 1000-2000 rubles. The buildings are beautiful, but the logos of shops cover their beauty. Shops with souvenirs dominate, some years ago the artist were dominating:( But when you walk, notice beautiful buildings and walk into Varenitchnaya restaurant to feel the time that passed.

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Eyewitness Travel Guides Top Ten Moscow by Dorling Kindersley (Jun 26 2012) Unknown Binding

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