If you are visiting London then Paddington is the best place to start your London trip. Paddington Station is located in Praed Street in Central London and its terminus of the Great Western Railway. There are many best things to do near Paddington Station and you can easily spend a day visiting all places near Paddington Station. This article is part of our United Kingdom Travel Guide.
Where to store your Luggage
If you are Paddington station and willing to roam nearby places then first things will come in your mind is “Where to store my luggage?” The best answer to this query is to put your luggage at some safe and secure place. Luggage Storage Paddington by Vertoe is the best place to store your all bags. It is very convenient to book luggage storage space online on their website. Vertoe’s Paddington lockers are safe and also you will get insurance for your baggage. There are many luggage storage locations by Vertoe in Paddington. So, just drop your bags at any of their left luggage facilities and start your day trip!
Paddington Bear
Start your trip by visiting Paddington Bear bronze statue at Paddington Station. The statue is created by Sculptor Marcus Cornish. You may hear about fictional Paddington bear from Paddington Bear movie or from child books. The statue is from illustration by Peggy Fortnum. There will be a long queue to take a photo of this famous bear. There is a plaque near Bear Batch which describes the arrival of Paddington Bear. Don’t forget to visit the Paddington Bear shop which sells a number of bear items and books.
The Alexander Fleming Museum
The Alexander Fleming Museum is only 4 minutes walking distance from Paddington station. It features a laboratory of great scientist Fleming who discovered Penicillin. It is bought to its original appearance. The museum shows the story of Fleming, the use of penicillin in the modern edge, and its importance. So visit this museum and learn about this great discovery in medical science. Visit short tours to get more details on Penicillin discovery. The Museum has all the original equipments that Fleming used at that time.
Little Venice
The Little Venice is another hidden gem near Paddington Station. It is one of the most instagrammable places to visit in London. This is a perfect place near Paddington station to spend the evening. Enjoy canal sidewalk, eat, and drink at one of the canal-side restaurants. Come at little Venice and leave hustle and bustle of busy London streets. Little Venice is the best place to take beautiful photos. So don’t forget to take photos to upload on Instagram or Facebook. Also, there are many places to dine and shop in this area.
Paddington Basin
Paddington Basin is only 500 meters to the South of Little Venice. This beautiful destination has many options for dining and leisure. There is also a small floating park to sit back and enjoy your coffee. There are also many options for boating. You can also hire a self-drive boat to enjoy the waterways. Don’t forget to try a drink at one of the popular clubs in Paddington Basin.
The Fan Bridge
The Fan Bridge is very close to the Floating Park. The beams of this Fan bridge rise when it opens and go down when it closes. It was designed by Knight Architects and the design of this bridge is like Japanese Fan. There is fix timing for the opening of the bridge. It opens at 12 noon on Wednesday and Friday. Also, it opens at 2 pm on Saturday.
Merchant Square Paddington
Merchant Square is next to the floating park where you can find eateries and offices. Also, there is a space where you can get relax. If the atmosphere is hot then sit near to jets of water. This is the best place to enjoy with kids where they can try to reach the centre without touching spouting water jets.
Also, there is an option to sit and relax on the free desk chair in the relaxing space. Merchant Square has two sculptures. One of them is a sculpture of Sir Simon Milton who was a British Conservative Party politician and once deputy Mayor of London. Crave Street Food Market is also famous at Merchant Square which opens on Thursday and Thursday from 12 to 3 in the day.
Let’s tell your experience in comments by visiting all these wonderful places.