London’s Calling
Join us on an antiquing adventure of a lifetime as we tour London this summer.
I don’t know about you, but when the end of August rolls around, I’ve just about had my fill of hot dogs on the grill, mosquitos, sunburn, ants circling the sticky puddle formed by my melting popsicle, guys in jorts and, for the most part, summer. Where I live, August is hot and humid, and my lawn looks a lot like I feel – wore out. Most of the time, the end of summer is a bummer.
But not this year. This summer, the end of August means the beginning of something new and incredibly exciting. We’re going to London! And you’re invited to join in the fun.
Kovels Antique Trader, working with professional tour operators in Europe, has just launched Antique Adventures to create unique travel experiences centered around our hobby. Our first stop: London.
From August 29 through September 5, I’ll be playing tour host along with fellow editor Kele Johnson on an unforgettable antiquing experience across the pond. The tour includes stays in four-star hotels, incredible antiques and collectibles shopping, visits to amazing museums, stops at breathtaking and historic palaces, and a lot of what makes London a true city of the world, and this a trip of a lifetime.
We promise a grand yet cozy experience, with tour space limited.
During our stay, we’ll hit such well-known London favorites as Grays Antique Market, home to one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of fine antiques and spectacular jewelry, and Leadenhall Market, one of the oldest markets in London, dating as far back as the 14th century. Located in the historic center of London’s financial district, Leadenhall Market played a starring role in the Harry Potter films, making it a rather magical place for a bit of shopping.
And while I like to hunt for bargains just as much as the next person, you can’t very well go to London without taking in the city’s fantastic landmarks.
We’ll tour Westminster Abbey, an architectural masterpiece and one of the most important churches in the world. Westminster Abbey has been the setting for every Coronation since 1066 and for numerous other royal occasions, such as 16 royal weddings–including Prince William's 2011 marriage to Catherine Middleton.
We’ll walk in the footsteps of kings and queens at Kensington Palace, famously the birthplace of Queen Victoria in 1819 and a royal residence for more than 300 years. Speaking of royals, we’ll also take in Buckingham Palace, one of the few working royal palaces on earth. Did you know that Buckingham Palace became the official London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837? Neither did I.
While the 830,000-square-foot Palace is filled with history, perhaps the most well-known bit of pomp and circumstance takes place outside: the famed Changing of Guard. The formal ceremony at the Palace’s forecourt has been around for centuries and is not to be missed.
Our week will also include tours of the Tower of London, an incomparable medieval fortress and home of the Crown Jewels, and the British Museum, an architectural wonder and home to some of the world’s most noted antiquities, including the Rosetta Stone.
London is filled with so much history that you can drink it in while sipping a pint of Guinness, which is what we’ll do one evening at the Mayflower Pub on the River Thames. The Pub’s proprietors tell me that from their spot, you can see the original 1620 mooring point of the Mayflower, the ship that carried the Pilgrims from England to Plymouth, Massachusetts.
I know this summer, when the hot and humid days of late August shuffle in, a pint of Guinness at a pub with new-found friends at the end of a day’s adventure is going to top yet another hot dog off the grill. And men in jorts.
Visit our website here to learn more about Antique Adventures and view the complete itinerary for the London Tour.
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Paul Kennedy is Editorial Director of the Collectibles Group at AIM Media. He enjoys Mid-century design, photography, vintage movie posters and people with a good story to share. Kennedy has more than twenty-five years of experience in the antiques and collectibles field, including book publishing. Reach him at PKennedy@aimmedia.com.
