Hubbie has already started his Business Meeting on Monday so I have 4 days to explore London on my own. Nissa, my cousin happened to be in London at the same time so we agreed to meet up and went to Emirates Stadium – Home of Arsenal
Arsenal Stadium
The Emirates Stadium (known as Ashburton Grove prior to sponsorship, and as Arsenal Stadium for UEFA competitions) is a football stadium in Highbury, England, and the home of Arsenal. With a capacity of 60,704 it is the fourth-largest football stadium in England after Wembley Stadium, Old Trafford and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
In 1997, Arsenal explored the possibility of relocating to a new stadium, having been denied planning permission by Islington Council to expand its home stadium, Highbury. After considering various options (including purchasing Wembley Stadium), the club bought an industrial and waste disposal estate in Ashburton Grove in 2000. A year later, they received the council’s approval to build a stadium on the site; manager Arsène Wenger described this as the “biggest decision in Arsenal’s history” since the board appointed Herbert Chapman. Relocation began in 2002, but financial difficulties delayed work until February 2004. Emirates was later announced as the main sponsor for the stadium. The entire stadium project was completed in 2006 at a cost of £390 million. The club’s former stadium was redeveloped as Highbury Square, an apartment complex.
The stadium has undergone a process of “Arsenalisation” since 2009 with the aim of restoring visible links to Arsenal’s history. The stadium has hosted international fixtures and music concerts.
I bought some stuff for Fabio who is a soccer fans and then we left to Oxford Street
How to Get There
Arsenal Stadium is located in the Islington area, toward the north of London at just over 2 miles from Kings Cross St Pancras railway station.
There are multiple ways to reach the stadium by public transport. The underground (tube) is one option – the nearest tube station is Arsenal, which is on the Piccadilly line. Decent alternatives are stations Finsbury Park (Victoria and Piccadilly line) and Highbury & Islington (Victoria line and London overground). From both stations it is an approximate 10-minute walk to the stadium.
On non-match days, Holloway Road station (Piccadilly line) is located closest, but will be closed pre-match and is exit-only after the match.
Alternatively, one can catch a train to Finsbury Park or Highbury & Islington main line stations. It is a 5 to 10-minute journey coming from Kings Cross station. During the week trains depart from Moorgate as well. Drayton Park rail station, closest to the stadium, closes on matchdays.
Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, commonly referred to as Winter Wonderland, is a large annual Christmas event held in Hyde Park, London, from mid-November to early January. As the evening comes around, Hyde Park is transformed by thousands of sparkling lights, it looked amazing and fun. There are a wide variety of attractions, activities, entertainment, food, drinks and so much more.
About Hyde Park
Hyde Park is a Grade I-listed major park in Central London. It is the largest of four Royal Parks that form a chain from the entrance of Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, via Hyde Park Corner and Green Park past the main entrance to Buckingham Palace. The park is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water lakes.
Free speech and demonstrations have been a key feature of Hyde Park since the 19th century. Speakers’ Corner has been established as a point of free speech and debate since 1872, while the Chartists, the Reform League, the suffragettes, and the Stop the War Coalition have all held protests there. In the late 20th century, the park was known for holding large-scale free rock music concerts, featuring groups such as Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Queen. Major events in the park have continued into the 21st century, such as Live 8 in 2005, and the annual Hyde Park Winter Wonderland from 2007.
