With the London marathon approaching on Sunday, Molly Loeffler takes a look at the history of this great British sporting event.

The idea for the London Marathon was born in 1978 in a pub next to Richmond Park. Ex-Olympians John Disley and the late Chris Brasher were in the Dysart Arms listening to people talking about the New York Marathon. After hearing about the amazing atmosphere and experience their fellow runners had at the New York Marathon, Disley and Brasher decided to enter the 1979 race.

The ex-Olympians were astounded by the marathon. They loved how the entire city was involved with the course going by major New York attractions and thousands of cheering spectators lining the streets. Once they returned to London, Brasher wrote an article entitled ‘The World’s Most Human Race’ for The Observer and discussed how he believed the New York Marathon brought people together in a family sort of way. At the end of the article, he questioned whether London could ever host such an event.More...

Our intern Molly Loeffler shares her favourite things to do in the bustling area surrounding our flagship store in Covent Garden.

From shopping to eating to enjoying a show, our local neighborhood of Covent Garden is a vibrant area with so much to do.

The Markets

One of the main draws to Covent Garden is the markets. Surrounding the main piazza, the markets are open everyday and sell just about anything you would ever need! The Apple Market is about 40 stalls in the famous Inigo Jones designed market and is open everyday specialising in antiques on Mondays and arts and crafts from Tuesday to Sunday. The East Colonnade Market is on the eastern part of the main piazza and sells a variety of things from hand-made soap, confectionery, and even has a magician’s stall. The third main market of Covent Garden is the Jubilee Market. During weekdays, the market is open from 9:30-6:00pm. On Mondays the market specializes in antiques, and Tuesday-Friday it is a general market selling everything from household goods to handmade clothing. During the weekends the market is open from 9-6pm and specializes in arts and crafts.More...

In London for Valentine's Day? Not sure where to go? Ronny Lavie reveals five of the most romantic, or not, venues in the capital on 14th February.

Valentine's Day is almost upon us and, single or attached, London is full of exciting, romantic and quirky ways to fly the flag for true love. These are some of the options, whether you are an advocate of old-school courtship or a more modern approach to sweeping that special someone off their feet (and, for one option in particular, I mean that in the literal sense)...

For the traditionalist:

Simple and classy, dinner and a movie is the ultimate date night. More...

At 310m, it's the tallest building in western Europe (the Eiffel Tower is taller at 324m, but that's a structure rather than a building), and after the Shard opened to the public last Friday, we thought we'd pay London's latest tourist attraction a visit. On a particularly clear night, these are the top 10 views you can expect:

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More than three inches of snow have fallen on the capital since Friday, with temperatures struggling to get above freezing. Here's a selection of images from the weekend:

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Stanfords' very own Hubert Mical has launched an exhibition of his 12 favourite London images, from Battersea Power Station at night to St Paul's Cathedral.

Entitled The City We Live In, his images will remain on display at Mamuska Polish restaurant on the first floor of Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre until the New Year. Here's a sample of what to expect:

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Lonely Planet author Joe Bindloss explores London's myriad attractions by following that most iconic of rivers - the Thames.

For centuries, London has called out like a beacon to entrepreneurs, dreamers and chancers from across the globe. In the 19th century, the docks along the River Thames formed a living map of the trade routes of the British Empire. The dimly-lit alleyways of Limehouse were home to London's first Chinatown, while the docks of the East India company marked the first step on British soil for generations of Indian merchant sailors.

It seems appropriate in Olympic year, after an opening ceremony paying homage to the remarkable diversity of More...

It sometimes makes sense to vary or change your routine. It can open your eyes to new perspectives, to things you hadn't considered before. A walk to work is the perfect solution for urban commuter fatigue syndrome, which city dwellers the world over will have experienced at some point or other. More...

There are many ways to explore London, and most of them involve looking at specialist books and maps or following guides with a crowd of people. But now Stanfords are introducing a different way to discover the delights of the capital, with Stanfords Self-Guided Audio Tours.  These are like the audio guides we use in museums and galleries, but out on the street. It’s time to look up – not down!

These informative and amusing Audio Tours come in a ready-to-go package containing your own mp3 player preloaded with an audio tour specially designed with Stanfords customers in mind. Headphones, a lanyard, a battery and a unique map of the route complete the kit, and it’s yours to keep. All you have to do is press play and start walking – and listening.

The commentary is intelligent and engaging. The music and ambient sound effects are enhancing. More...

Getting around London by bicycle has never been so accessible. With the city’s public cycle hire scheme, cycle superhighways around the capital and improvements to cycle paths in preparation for the 2012 Olympics, there has never been a better time to get on your bike. Cycling is a great way to get fit and experience another side of London as well as saving money on transport. Whether you are a visitor to the city or a life long resident, discover London from another perspective with the best of our cycling books and guides. More...