London West London

Few people agree about where the “official” boundaries of West London lie, and even fewer agree about West London’s defining characteristics. Encompassing everything from the live entertainment venues and urban sprawl of Hammersmith to the suburban and chain-store-saturated Chiswick, West London is held together more by geography than personality. The region’s most famous employer, the BBC, has its headquarters here, and the charming areas of Chiswick and Kew provide a welcome break from the noise of the City. Shepherd’s Bush, undergoing a growth spurt of sorts, is an excellent place to head for a range of ethnic cuisines and pub grub. (In Shepherd’s Bush, Central Line is at the east end of the Green, while Hammersmith and City Line are far west of the Green on Uxbridge Rd. Central Line has greater proximity to most sights and hotels. Both Hammersmith stations are close to each other, but the Piccadilly and District Lines are more convenient for the bus station. Goldhawk Rd. is also convenient.)

Bbc Television Centre. This vast media complex, shaped like a giant question mark, is the hub of British entertainment. All of the BBC’s domestic television and radio programs are developed and filmed here, as well as shows from other networks who prefer to use their sprawling facilities. The BBC is always looking for regular people to be part of live studio audiences for its many news, comedy, and game-show programs. Some visitors appear on news programs, others on prime-time programming. For a more in-depth experience, take a fun 1-2hr. backstage tour of the center, complete with peeks at a number of studios and hallway encounters with media celebs. (Wood Ln. White City. ☎0870 603 0304; www.bbc.co.uk. Wheelchair-accessible with advance notice. Tours M-Sa 10, 10:20, 10:40am, 1:15, 1:30, 1:45, 3:30, 3:45, 4pm. Booking required. Min. age 10. £9.50, seniors £8.50, students and children £7. Studio audience: ☎0870 901 1227; www.bbc.co.uk/tickets. Free. MC/V.)

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club—the proper name for the arena that hosts the Wimbledon tennis championships every summer—includes a brand new museum dedicated to the history of tennis. Visitors can peruse memorabilia displays and interactive video exhibits, including a peek inside an original locker room with a three-dimensional John McEnroe as host. Tours (2hr.) of the grounds are led by certified Blue Badge Guides and include stops in the Millennium Building and the iconic Centre Court. (Church Rd. Southfields. From Tube station, take Bus #493, or cross street and walk south on Wimbledon Park Road. Visitors to the museum should enter through Gate 3. ☎8946 6131; www.wimbledon.org/museum. Museum open daily 10:30am-5pm, guided tours at noon, 1:30, 2:30pm. Museum only £8.50, students £7.50, children £4.75; museum and guided tour £14.50/£13/£11.)

Chiswick House. Both Chiswick House and its gardens were created by Richard Boyle, Third Lord Burlington (1694-1753), the first of many Englishmen to try to recreate Italy’s Tuscan hillside in his backyard. Chiswick’s elegant parties catering to the English elite are credited with kick-starting the aristocracy’s obsession with Palladian architecture. The rooms upstairs still contain much of the original decorative work, from gilded ceilings to textured wall coverings. The beautiful gardens are as innovative as the home, the first example of the naturalistic design that came to be known as the 18th century naturalistic English style. The grounds are popular with local families and are perfect for picnics, with a pond, open grassy areas, statues, and lots of woodsy trails. (Between the Great West Rd. and the Great Chertsey Rd. ☎8995 0508. Turnham Green. From the Tube, walk south on Turnham Green Terr., turn right on Chiswick High Rd., turn left on Duke’s Ave. Walk for 10min., then take a right on Devonshire Passage and go through the pedestrian underpass at Great West Rd. House open Apr.-Oct. W-F and Su 10am-5pm, Sa 10am-2pm. £4.20, students £3.20, children over 5 £2.10. Gardens open daily 8am-dusk; free. Frequently closes early for functions; call in advance.)

Hogarth’S House. Sandwiched between the peaceful gardens of Chiswick House, a modern business complex, and the traffic-laden A4 motorway, the former country estate of noted British painter and engraver William Hogarth remains a quiet getaway inside walled premises. Hogarth was most famous for his wildly popular satirical works, many of which depicted stories of moral character and ranged from pleasantly humorous to uncomfortably gruesome. The lower two floors of the house and the small garden are open to visitors and offer a relaxed environment in which to learn about one of Britain’s most prolific artists. (Hogarth Lane ☎8994 6757; www.hounslow.info/hogarthshouse. Turnham Green. From the Tube, walk south on Turnham Green Terr., turn right on Chiswick High Rd., then left on Duke’s Ave. Walk for 10 min., then take a right on Devonshire Passage and go through the pedestrian underpass. Open Apr.-Oct. Tu-F 1-5pm, Sa-Su 1-6pm; Nov.-Dec. and Feb.-Mar., Tu-F 1-4pm, Sa-Su 1-5pm. Free.)