When traveling to London, among all the great world famous historical and cultural landmarks, make sure not to miss the historic and quite cosmopolitan Mayfair. This famous area of London is a heaven of luxury and opulence. But you don't have to be too wealthy to sit in a pub and watch the rich go by.
A part of London where history has been alive for centuries
Mayfair is an area of central London in the City of Westminster, named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place there from 1686 until it was banned in that location in 1764. Prior to 1686, the May Fair was held in The Haymarket, and after 1764, it moved to Fair Field in Bow. It is roughly bordered by Hyde Park to the west, Oxford Street to the north, Piccadilly and Green Park to the south and Regent Street to the east. Most of the area was first developed between the mid 17th century and the mid 18th century as a fashionable residential district, by a number of landlords, the most important of them the Grosvenor family. The freehold of a large section of Mayfair also belongs to Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth II was born in Bruton Street and lived in Mayfair during her infant years.
Although Mayfair is a wealth of 20th-century luxury and opulence, it is also an area full of history. However, this wasn't always the stylish London neighborhood that we see today. In the 18th century the region was a paradise for prostitutes, drunks and crooks, a daily scene for donkey races and duck hunts- all in an almost impossible combination of noise and disorder, especially during the fair. As a result of all that clatter, the fair was closed in 1764, at the insistence of the Earl of Coventry.
From popular fair to exclusive location for big pockets
Now, two and a half hundred years later, the name 'Mayfair' is synonymous with class and style. To put it quite simply, Mayfair means money, loads, and has turned into London’s most exclusive residential address. Today, many of the grand houses which in the 18th century were occupied by dukes, earls and baronets, are home to a modern type of higher class, mainly people who can afford the best of luxury that London has to offer
Although some of the lovely old houses have been taken over by foreign embassies and international businesses, they have not been drastically changed and there is still a distinct Georgian air about Mayfair which can best be appreciated by strolling around the area, turning into small streets and mews, or sitting in one of the quiet little squares.
The district is now mainly commercial, with many offices in converted houses and new buildings, including major corporate headquarters and a concentration of hedge funds. Rents are among the highest in London and the world. The area encompasses London's largest concentration of luxury hotels and many fine restaurants.
Shepherd's Market, the site of the original May Fair is the 'village centre' of Mayfair. There are some good restaurants and interesting pubs and the area has not yet been spoiled by tourism - it caters to the needs of locals as well as visitors. Outdoor cafes abound in the summer months, and even on a cool winter's day - as long as the sun is out - you will see plenty of hardy souls lunching 'al fresco'. Many 18th-century buildings survive and the market has a special charm - definitely worth a wander around and a stop at Ye Grapes pub with its traditional Victorian interior.
Mayfair- a treat for special food lovers
Mayfair also has to cater for all the tastes in food of the residents and tourists alike and there are many small traditional food shops which do this. One of the most interesting is R. Allen & Co, on Mount Street, an old-fashioned poulterer, with pheasants hung in the windows in the same fashion as they were a hundred years ago.
And while on the subject of food, if you really want a treat try Le Gavroche, one of the best French restaurants in London; this is haute cuisine at its finest and most serious.
For something less famous but with good food and popular with Londoners, try Wheelers on South Molton Street There are branches all over the city, easily recognized by their green frontage. Their specialty is fish and seafood - Dover sole, a British favourite, is cooked a staggering 13 different ways.
Last but not least- haute couture and plenty of style
Haute couture has its home in Mayfair and small, chic boutiques with famous names above the door are scattered around the area. Both Old Bond Street and New Bond Streets are stuffed with elegance. There are world-famous jewelers such as Cartier, Tiffany and Asprey; men who like to buy the best come to Saville Row to be suited. Then there are the art galleries and antique shops. And if you want one of the world's best haircuts, the Vidal Sassoon Academy on Brook Street will give you the style of your life.
There are a number of delightful shopping arcades in Mayfair that are fun to wander around and which contain shops selling every kind of luxury you could possibly want. One of the most popular is the Burlington Arcade on Piccadilly. Built in 1819, supposedly to prevent passers-by from throwing garbage into the garden of nearby Burlington House (now the Royal Academy of Arts), the arcade is still patrolled by a beadle, a man in traditional dress whose historic function is to ensure shoppers obey the rule against singing, carrying open umbrellas, or running. In the 1870's Charles Dickens reported that the arcade was mainly occupied by "bonnet-makers, ladies' boot-makers, and sellers of knick-knacks." He would see some changes if he were to visit the Burlington Arcade today. There are shops full of exotic jewelry, antique toy soldiers, cashmere and Irish linen.
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