London St. John’S Wood And Maida Vale

In Maida Vale, the cross section of three canals is known as Little Venice—although there is nothing too Italian about it. While not filled with an abundance of interesting sights, St. John’s Wood and Maida Vale do pay homage to two uniquely British institutions: cricket and the Beatles.

Lord’S Cricket Ground. The most famous cricket ground in England, Lord’s is home to the local Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and hosts most of London’s international matches. To see the Lord’s Museum, home to the Ashes Urn as well as to all the cricket-related memorabilia you could ever dream of, attend a match or take a 1-hr. tour led by a senior club member. Included in the tours are the MCC members’ Long Room, the ground, stands, and the striking space-age NatWest Media Centre. On game days, tours after 10am skip the Long Room and media center, though visitors get a discount on game tickets as compensation (no tours during international test matches). Games take place on most summer days. (10min. walk from St. John’s Wood. Enter at Grace Gate, on St. John’s Wood Rd. ☎7432 1000; www.lords.org.uk. Tours daily Oct.-Mar. noon and 2pm; Apr.-Sept. 10am, noon, 2pm. Wheelchair-accessible. Tours £10, concessions £7, children under 16 £6, families £27.)

Abbey Road. There’s something in the way Abbey Rd. moves; it’s most famous for the zebra crossing at its start, where it comes together with Grove End Rd. The best way to stop traffic: a photo op crossing the street in Beatles stride. Stop to read the adulatory graffiti on the nearby street signs and walls—fans from all over the world have left marks here. Next to the crossing, the Abbey Road Studios (3 Abbey Rd.), where the Beatles made most of their recordings, are closed to the public but still in business. (St. John’s Wood.)