Top (00)7 ways to feel like James Bond

Bond is back and Visit London, the city’s official visitor organization, has compiled seven ways to get shaken – not stirred – up in the 007 lifestyle

1.  Know your surroundings

Get the lay of the land as a spy on London Walks’ Spies’ and Spycatchers’ London tour.  This customized tour will lead aspiring agents around some of London’s most secret places in the world of espionage and into the covert world of the MI5 and MI6 organizations.  Join the walk every Saturday afternoon.

2.   Cruise in style

See London from a different perspective and hop on a speedboat to get a view from the water.  Flying Fish Tours runs a thrillseeker’s dream.  Shoot along the Thames on Flying Fish’s Early Bird Scenic London to the Thames Barrier cruise and pass the MI6 headquarters, as well as many other London landmarks, including Tower Bridge and the O2 arena.

3.  Dress the part

Head to Savile Row for a tailor-made suit.  Bond, his creator, Ian Fleming, and current Bond actor Daniel Craig have all been fitted in this legendary area, so you’ll be in good company and looking sharp.  Check out Turnbull & Asser, a shirt maker thought to be one of Bond’s favorite stores.

4.  Sip like a spy

It is no secret that Bond was a fan of martinis, and it is widely known how he takes them.  Head to The Donovan Bar in Brown’s Hotel for a series of Bond-themed drinks concocted by master mixologists.   Sample the Goldfinger, Icebreaker or Casino Royale, and remember to order with the famous line.  While there, why not stay at the hotel under its Ian Fleming Centenary Stay, which features two cocktails, full English breakfast (Bond’s favorite meal) and a hardback copy of the newest Bond book, as well as overnight accommodation in luxurious surroundings. 

5.  Live the nightlife

Bond was a gambler with expensive taste, so what better way to wile the night hours than gambling at one of the most exclusive hotels in the city?  Located in the basement of the Ritz, the Ritz Club is a members-only facility with games, a restaurant and a bar.   Though exclusive, the club is open to guests of the Ritz as part of its James Bond Experience package.

6.  Get close to the action

Get inspiration for living the spy life by getting up close and personal with the current Bond, Daniel Craig himself.  Maybe not the living, breathing version, but Madame Tussaud’s is offering the next best thing.  See Craig as Bond in a crisp tuxedo, watched over by a figure of Judi Dench as his boss, M.  Guests will feel like they’ve walked through the doors of MI6, with a grilling from official Madame Tussaud’s “agents,” who have been trained by a former staffer.

7.  Pull it all together

Get a glimpse into the life and work of Ian Fleming, the mastermind behind the world's most famous secret agent at to the Imperial War Museum’s For Your Eyes Only exhibit. At the exhibition, you'll be able to learn about the writer's early life, his wartime career and work as a journalist and travel writer, as well as finding out how much of the famous James Bond plots were based on fact and how much on fiction. Plus, you can discover to what extent the adventures of the suave Secret Service agent were actually based on Fleming's own life.

For more information about London including attractions, accommodation and events, log onto www.visitlondon.com

Notes to editors

Media inquiries:

Rachel Kelly, 212-850-0304 or rachel.kelly@visitbritain.org

Jacqueline French, +44 (0)20 7234 5844 or jfrench@visitlondon.com

Free high resolution images of London available to download from the Visit London photo library: www.visitlondonimages.com

For broadcast-standard video of London, free to use for editorial purposes: www.thenewsmarket.com/visitlondon.

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