London Holborn and Clerkenwell

The Temple, Between Essex St. and Temple Ave. (020 7427 4820; www.templechurch.com) The Temple was a complex of buildings established by the Knights Templar, catapulted into stardom by The Da Vinci Code. Established as the English seat for the order in 1185, the buildings were leased to lawyers after the order ended in 1307, and the site is now devoted to legal and parliamentary offices. The medieval church, gardens, and Middle Temple Hall are open to the public. The 1681 Fountain Court is a place for peaceful reflection and was featured in Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit. Also beautiful is Elm Court, the small garden enclosed by stone structures. Originally used as a stable for the Knights Templar, Middle Temple Hall became a bit more distinguished later when Shakespeare acted in the premiere of Twelfth Night there. This historic building—which survived WWII—is an excellent example of 16th- and 17th-century Elizabethan architecture with its beautiful double hammer beam roof. On the night of his return from the Spanish Indies in 1586, Sir Francis Drake came to Middle Temple Hall. Today, the temple houses a table known as the "Cup-board" made from the hatch of his ship. Temple. Go to the Victoria Embankment, turn left and turn left at Temple Ln. 1hr. tours Oct-July T-F at 11am; book tours ahead of time. You can book to stay for lunch if you are appropriately dressed. Church and tours free. Middle Temple Hall open M-F 10am-noon and 3-4pm, except when in use. Su service 11:15am. Hours for church vary, but are posted oustide. Organ recitals W 1:15-1:45pm. No services in Aug and Sept. Wheelchair access.

Royal Courts of Justice, Where Strand becomes Fleet St. (020 7947 7684) This stunning Neo-Gothic structure was designed by G.E. Street and was opened by Queen Victoria on December 4, 1882. It is home to more than 1000 rooms, and 3.5 mi. of corridor. Justice had better be pretty swift with all the walking it takes to get anywhere in this building. Supposedly, a tributary of the Fleet River, the namesake of Fleet St., runs beneath the building. It is also famous for its large and beautiful mosaic. Guests can sit in the back two rows of the court rooms and listen to the proceedings if court is in session. Order! Temple. Right onto Temple Pl., left onto Arundel st., right onto Strand. There is a sign with wheelchair accessibility and routes in the entrance to the main building off the Strand. Tours (usually on 1st and 3rd Tu of every month) £10; should be booked in advance. Open M-F 9am-4:30pm. Wheelchair access.

St. John's Square, St. John's Ln. ( 020 7324 4005 ;www.sja.org.uk/museum "> www.sja.org.uk/museum ) This was originally the site of the 12th-century Priory of St. John, former seat of the Knights Hospitallers. The foundation of a round church in the Norman style, built by the Order of St. John, is marked in the square by gray cobblestones. The crypt of the original church is still intact and was probably used as a chapter hall for the early order. William Weston, the last prior, who"died of a broken heart" in the face of the dissolution, has an effigy in the crypt, near an effigy of a Spanish knight of the order who died in 1575 sculpted by famous sculptor Esteban Jordan. The crypt is one of the few surviving examples of Norman architecture in London and is well worth seeing. The fantastic gate which guards the square was originally built in 1504 as the entrance to the priory. (Shakespeare had his plays licensed by the master of the revels at the priory, and William Hogarth lived in the gate, where his father ran a Latin-only cafe.) The order of St. John bought back the gate in 1874, and the modern order of St. John has been an order of chivalry headed by Her Majesty since 1888. Farringdon. Left onto Cowcross St., left onto St. John St., left onto St. Johns Ln. Free. The museum will be finished in fall 2011. Hours to be determined. Check the website. Tours will reopen in Sept. Wheelchair access.

The Charterhouse, North on Charterhouse Sq. ( 020 7253 9503 ; www.thecharterhouse.org ) Built by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on a burial ground for victims of the Black Death, the Charterhouse was a widely acclaimed school and home for the elderly. While the school moved elsewhere, it remains a functional senior citizens home. In 1371, it was a Carthusian priory, but its religious functions were expunged during the Reformation. Elizabeth I stayed at the Charterhouse immediately prior to her coronation. Barbican. Left onto Carthusian St., right onto Charterhouse Sq. i Partially wheelchair-accessible. Partially wheelchair-accessible. Tour £10; Apr-Aug W at 2:15pm; must be booked in advance. To book, send a letter with 3 dates and a check to "Charterhouse." Include a contact number and a self-addressed envelope. Send to Tour Bookings Charterhouse Sutton's Hospital, Charterhouse Sq., Lo. Wheelchair access.