Brent: Home to the Wembley Stadium, and the football grand final

Brent offers far more than football to their visitors...

The borough of Brent’s got plenty to offer to visitors looking for London holiday accommodation that’s close to key Olympic events.

Wembley Stadium’s long been respected as a transformed venue for key Premier League matches and sell-out tours for the world’s greatest musical talents – but in the summer of 2012, it’ll be even more than this: the home of the final football matches in the Olympics.

Wembley City’s also well prepared to welcome visitors with open arms. They have a variety of retail parks, shopping outlets, restaurants and accommodation that will meet the high standards you expect on holiday.

If the original stadium, built in the 1920s, doesn’t impress you enough, don’t forget the Sunday market that’s broken records as one of the busiest in the whole of England. You can find more or less everything here in hundreds of stalls from 9am to 4pm every week. Whether you are feeling peckish and want to enjoy some fresh food, or want discount clothes and fashionable shoes, anything that you can’t buy at the Wembley markets isn’t worth having!

Everything you need to know about the Olympic action in Wembley

Wembley City and the borough of Brent is a happening place, but if this hasn’t persuaded you yet, then maybe details about the football, badminton and rhythmic gymnastics events will persuade you further.

Wembley Stadium is sharing the burden of the football with five other stadia scattered around the country during the London Olympics. However, one of the best features that make this venue different is the protective roof that will guarantee the best football action even when the weather isn’t great. No more cancellations or postponed matches!

Meanwhile, over at the Wembley Arena, which is next door to the stadium, 6,000 lucky people will be able to watch gifted badminton players compete for gold. In 2011, the Badminton World Championships are also going to be held at this venue, a promising indicator of what’s to come. With the shuttlecock reaching bewildering speeds of 250mph, strong reaction times and an even stronger backswing are vital.

The rhythmic gymnastics is also shaping up to be a fierce contest, too. Held from Thursday the 9th of August through to Sunday, this sport will be perfect for those who want to visit over a long weekend break to Brent. Just 15 minutes away from Central London on the Overground, why wouldn’t you?

Best London holiday rentals for 2012

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Whether you go into Central London for the evening or decide to explore around Wembley City, boredom isn’t an emotion you’ll experience easily while staying in Brent.

Restaurants in Wembley

In addition to the impressive restaurants available within the Wembley Stadium (perfect for you hungry football fans!), Wembley City has a wide choice of places to eat. For those with a large appetite, eateries like Moore Spice offer generously-sized portions of Indian food that is well-seasoned, with balanced flavours and spices. The sesame chicken is sumptuous, and the batata wada isn’t bad, either!

Sightseeing in Wembley

Of course, visiting the Wembley Stadium for the 2012 Games can be an excursion in itself – but it certainly doesn’t mean that there aren’t other striking landmarks in the borough of Brent.

For example, the nearby Arena Square has plenty of leisure activities to indulge in, particularly at night time when the continent’s most extravagant lighting show will illuminate the Wembley Stadium in striking colours. As you can imagine, sport runs through the veins of this city, and this is why handprints of sporting legends have been cast in bronze, available for you to see throughout the square.

Don’t be caught offside when planning transport to Wembley

Wembley is easily accessible on the London Overground lines between London Euston and Watford Junction, with just a few stops separating you from the Underground that will take you further into Central London in just under 15 minutes.

If you’re travelling by air, there are several airports nearby that include Luton and Heathrow. The Tube, National Rail, and taxis also make transfers when you arrive and depart hassle free, and if you’re staying at a hotel, they will be able to give you travel advice that’s up to the minute.

Finally, don’t forget that there are regular buses that will also take you into the heart of the city or the centre of the games in Newham Park. If you’re looking to travel nationally without expensive train fares, coach journeys from providers such as National Express could drive down the cost of transport to the Olympic holiday dreams are made of.