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Big, brash, busy, and beautiful, London is an amazing place to visit, and can appear somewhat overwhelming when you first arrive. A walk around the city centre will leave you bewildered by so many places of interest. But decide on your priorities, plan your visit well, and you'll find it one of the most memorable and rewarding cities in the World.
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The main traditional sights are all worthy of some time, even if only to stand outside, marvel, and take the obligatory photographs.
Buckingham Palace is only open for a few weeks each summer, while the Royal Family are on holiday, and pre-booking is essential. For the rest of the year try and time your visit to coincide with the age-old ceremony of the Changing of The Guard, usually around 11am, and witness British Pagentry at its best. It's a short walk from the Palace, through St James Park, to Westminster Abbey, and Parliament Square .
The Abbey, more than any other building, is a time capsule of English history. The coronation of every monarch since William the Conqueror has been held here, and most of them later returned to be buried within the lavish towering walls. Dozens of important and famous citizens are also interred or remembered with memorials, and the vast number of monuments, plaques, and statues, demands you pay close attention to the guide map. |
Across the square are the Houses of Parliament, with the tower of Big Ben standing proudly at one end. In truth it is the bell itself that is called Big Ben, not the tower, but that matters little to the thousands who flock to see it each year. The best view is from the opposite bank of the River Thames, close to the 440 feet high London Eye. Take the slow, graceful, half hour ‘flight' on the ‘Eye for amazing panoramic views of the capital, and then hop on one of the many river cruises downstream to Tower Pier. There is no better way to see the famous lifting Tower Bridge , than as you approach by boat.
The cruises pull up directly in front of the Tower of London , set at the eastern boundary of the original wall around the city. The centrepiece White Tower was begun just ten years after William of Normandy invaded Britain . It still houses the oldest church building in London , dating from 1080. Although most visitors walk quietly and respectfully past the executioners spot, where so many lost their heads, and pose for photographs with the traditionally clad Beefeater guards, the main reason most visitors come here is to gaze in awe at the Crown Jewels. Centuries of glistening riches are on show, including the Queen Mother's crown, in which nestles the legendary Koh-I-Nor diamond, the largest cut diamond in the world.
The London Underground is the easiest way to get around the city, and even out into the suburbs.
It's just a five-minute journey from the Tower of London to St Paul 's Cathedral, Christopher Wren's masterpiece that was completed in the early 1700's. Despite Westminster Abbey having the upper hand in terms of celebrity burials, St Paul 's is still a striking piece of work, both internally and externally. Its famous dome still dominates the surrounding area, and is one of the most recognisable features of the London skyline.
London is blessed not just with a wealth of historical buildings, but also with a surprising amount of parks and open spaces. The largest, Hyde Park , will take you half an hour to walk across, and was first laid out by Henry VIII. Green Park , St James Park, Kensington, Park, and Regents Park , all have ample space and beauty, in which it's easy to forget you are in the centre of a city of 8 million people. Regents Park is also home to London Zoo, one of the oldest and most impressive city zoos still in existence.
Covent Garden is an open space of a different kind. The bustling covered markets, pavement café's, and street entertainers, bars and restaurants, give it an enviable atmosphere that will make you want to return again and again. Nearby is Leicester Square , in the heart of the West End's theatre-land, and Soho , with fashionable Carnaby Street still setting the trends.
If it's shopping you want the Regent Street and Oxford Street are the places to head to, but also take in Piccadilly and Knightsbridge for the shops of the rich and famous.
If you are spending any number of days in London , consider taking a trip out of the centre to one of the other attractions. Hampton Court Palace is a favourite. Built in 1516 for Cardinal Wolsey, it was later taken over by Henry VIII, and now stands as probably the best of all the Royal Palaces.
The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew are a horticultural dream, and aircraft enthusiasts should make a flying visit to the Royal Air Force museum at Hendon.
In west London are three of London 's best major museums, the Natural History Museum , the Victoria and Albert Museum , and the Science Museum . All have been thoroughly modernised in recent years, with new interactive displays, and an interesting, relaxed, family friendly style. Like the other major national museums – The National Gallery, and the British Museum , both in the city centre – admission is free.
The rest of London does seem to have you dipping into your wallet at every turn, however, but this most exciting of capital cities will leave you feeling its money well spent.
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