We are staying in London for a few days in July. We'd really like to find some quaint, atmospheric little pubs, the sort that we'll remember long after our holiday is over. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Years ago we have done kind of "pub hopping" in London for a day. Searching for the most beautiful pubs was a very different way to discover the city but it resulted in a map full of nice pictures. You will find pubs in every street, in every neighbourhood.

Lesley: <BR> <BR>There are tons of those kind of pubs. The two that I most enjoyed were The Grenadier and The albert. Both of these are in the Buckingham Palcae area. Great food and tons of atmosphere. <BR>Enjoy!

There are literally hundreds of pubs in London which are quaint and atmospheric. They are in every section - on just about every street. So instead of looking for a specific one - which may be eight tube stops from where you want to be -- just call in at any that look interesting as you travel about the city. <BR> <BR>And you can probably skip those that you read about in the popular guide books - simply because they are listed they will be over run with other tourists and won't be "atmospheric". When you walk into a pub and every voice you hear is American you can bet it is listed in Rick Steves, Fodor or Fromers.

Pubs are one of the best parts of visiting London & surrounding areas! I agree with previous posters - they are in every neighborhood, and each seems to attract its own clientele and has its own type of atmosphere. Plan a day of visiting different neighborhoods - Notting Hill, Kensington, Hamstead Heath, central London (covent garden area's pretty good), Wimbledon (go up the hill from the train station to the village common area and look for either the Rose & Crown or the Fox & Hounds as a starting point), Chelsea and any other area that sounds interesting. You'll get a great idea as to the diversity and types of pubs in the greater London area. Enjoy!

Here’s a walk that covers four rather historic pubs in a relatively concentrated area. Take the tube to the Charing Cross station. Walk across Trafalgar Square to St. Martin’s Lane. (It’s between the National Gallery and St. Martin in the Fields church. At 90 St. Martin’s Lane, you’ll find The Salisbury Pub which dates from the mid 19th century and is notorious for the bare knuckle fights that were held there in that era. It’s a stunning pub and you may find it filled with theatre people. Leave the pub, cross St. Martin’s Lane and enter Goodwin’s Court at 55-56 St. Martin’s Lane. Goodwin’s Court is a wonderfully authentic 18th century street. At its end turn left on Bedfordbury, then right on New Row, cross Garrick Street and continue straight onto Rose Street to 33 Rose, The Lamb and Flag pub. This one is really old, being one of the few wooden structures to survive the Great Fire of 1666. It was once known as the “Bucket of Blood” because of all the fights that broke out in it. It was also one of Charles Dickens favorite spots on his pub crawls. Backtrack to Garrick Street, turn left, continue down Garrick (which changes its name to Bedford) to The Strand and turn left again. Continue on The Strand to 91 The Strand and The Coal Hole pub. Now a popular refuge for theatre people, it got its name in the early 19th century from the coal haulers who unloaded boats on the river and went there to restore themselves. Leave the pub, cross The Strand and walk straight ahead to Southampton Street. Walk up to Maiden Lane, turn left and continue on Maiden Lane which changes its name to Chandos Place. At 51 Chandos Place you’ll find the Marquis of Granby pub which dates to the 17th century when it was called “The Hole in the Wall” and run by a mistress of the Duke of Buckingham. It’s a friendly tavern which, like the others, attracts theatre people. Now backtrack on Chandos to Southampton, turn left on Southampton and continue up the hill to Covent Garden Market where you won’t find any pubs of historic significance but you will find three pubs on the north side of the market, any one of which serves pretty good traditional pub food. <BR> <BR>Remember that most pubs are of the self service variety. You order food and drink at the bar and pick it up yourself. Also, traditionally, bartenders are not tipped. <BR> <BR>

Perhaps this will be of help to you: <BR> <BR>pubs.com <BR> <BR>An A-to-Z listing of London Pubs. <BR> <BR>Cheers, Joanne