London guide

Introduction | History | Famous tourist attractions | Transport


Famous Tourist attractions

Westminster Abbey, resting place of the royals, is one of the most visited churches in the Christian world. It's a beautiful building, full of morose tombs and monuments, with an acoustic field that will send shivers down your spine when the choirboys clear their throats. The roll call of the dead and honoured is guaranteed to humble the greatest egoist, despite the weighty and ornate memorabilia.

St. Paul's Cathedral was built after the devastating Great Fire of 1666. Almost 300 years later, survived the Luftwaffe's bombs and became a symbol of hope to devastated Londoners. This is the site of Princess Diana and Charles's marriage.

Westminster Cathedral is the headquarters of Britain's Catholic Church, and the only prime example of neo-Byzantine architecture in the city. The interior is part splendid marble and part bare brick - the money ran out. The 14 Stations of the Cross sculptures by Eric Gill and the marvellously sombre atmosphere make this a great escape from coach tourists and traffic alike.



The Queen opened Buckingham Palace to the public for the first time in 1993 to raise money for repairs to Windsor Castle. The palace rates poorly compared to Britain's other stately homes. The interiors range from kitsch to tasteless opulence and reveal nothing of the domestic life of the Royal Family apart from a gammy eye when it comes to interior decor. George IV, on his accession in 1820, decided to reconstruct the house. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence in July 1837.The present Forecourt of the Palace, where Changing the Guard takes place, was formed in 1911, as part of the Victoria Memorial scheme. The gates and railings were also completed in 1911 King George III bought Buckingham House in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte to use as a comfortable family home close to St James's Palace. Buckingham House became known as the Queen's House, and 14 of George III's 15 children were born there. In 1762 work began on remodelling the house to the King's requirements

Henry VIII is probably Hampton Court’s most famous occupant and its first royal owner. All his lavish private rooms were demolished in the early 18th century but the two most magnificent public rooms still survive - the Great Hall and the Chapel Royal, which is still a place of worship today.

King William III’s Apartments are the finest and most important set of Baroque state apartments in the world. They are still furnished with the magnificent furniture and tapestries which graced them in 1700 when they were completed for the King. Today you see them restored after the terrible fire of 1986. An exhibition under the colonnade in Clock Court near the entrance to the King’s Apartments explains the restoration and the function of the state rooms.

There are over 60 acres of gardens to explore at Hampton Court including the Maze, the Great Vine and the newly restored Privy Garden. The buildings of Hampton Court cover 6 acres and comprise many courtyards and cloisters. One of the greatest pleasures of visiting the palace is strolling around them admiring the harmonious blend of Tudor and Baroque architecture and curiosities such as Henry VIII’s Astronomical Clock and Cardinal Wolsey’s coat of arms in Clock Court.

The Tower of London, once a castle and palace, is now a beautifully preserved monument to cruelty. According to Shakespeare, the young princes and heirs of Edward IV were slaughtered here by their wicked uncle, Richard III. The cells have played host to an illustrious crew which includes Thomas More, Anne Boleyn, Walter Raleigh, Rudolf Hess and Wham! Bloodcurdling attractions include torture implements displayed in Martin Tower. Don't overdose on suits of armour, coats of arms or Beefeaters and you'll have a fun time. Check out the ravens on the green: legend says that the day they desert the Tower, London shall fall to its enemies.



The awesome neo-Gothic brilliance of the Houses of Parliament has been restored thanks to a recent spring clean of the facade. The building includes the House of Commons and the House of Lords, so the grandeur of the exterior is let down only by the level of debate in the interior ('hear, hear'). There's restricted access to the chambers when they're in session, but a visit around 6 pm will avoid the worst of the crowds. Check the time on the most recognisable face in the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben.

Downing St, the official residence of the prime minister (no 10) and the chancellor of the exchequer, has been guarded by an imposing iron gate since the security forces realised that the lone iconic bobby outside Maggie's door was not sufficient to stop the IRA mortar bomb attack in 1989.



The British Museum. The Museum exists to illuminate the history of cultures, for the benefit of present and future generations." The British Museum holds in trust for the nation and the world a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Housed in one of Britain's architectural landmarks, the collection is one of the finest in existence, spanning two million years of human history. Access to the collections is free.

The Victoria & Albert Museum has an eclectic mix of booty gathered together under its brief as a museum of decorative art and design. It sometimes feels like an enormous Victorian junk shop, with nearly four million artefacts on display. It's best to browse through the collection whimsically, checking out the Chinese ceramics, Japanese swords, cartoons by Raphael, sculpture by Rodin, the Frank Lloyd Wright study and the pair of Doc Martens.

The Natural History Museum is so large, it could be classed as two museums. The museum has two main feature Earth and Life but most visitors usually head straight for the Dinosaurs were you can see many life size robotic models. Those who have not visited the museum for a long time will be surprised to learn that the museum has moved on with many of the very latest interactive displays on show along side the more traditional displays
There are so many things to see and do that you will undoubtedly miss one or two things, however make sure you take in the Dinosaurs, the Earth galleries with its amazing simulated earthquake and the Ecology department with it's small life like rainforest.

The National Gallery, located on the edge of Trafalgar Square, has one of the world's most impressive art collections. Famous paintings include Cezanne's The Bathers and van Eyck's Arnolfini Wedding. Entry to the gallery is free, which means if you feel like dropping in and looking at just one or two pictures, you can do so at your leisure without feeling obliged to cover extensive territory.

The Tate Gallery is the keeper of an impressive historical archive of British art. The adjoining Clore Gallery has a wonderful collection of JMW Turner paintings, and try not to miss the pre-Raphaelite room. Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, the brand-spanking new Tate Modern on the South Bank displays the Tate's collection of international modern art, including major works by Bacon, Dalí, Picasso, Matisse, Rothko and Warhol, as well as work by more contemporary artists. The building is as exciting as the art: gorgeous industrial-strength red brick with a 325-foot-high chimney. The former turbine hall, below street level and running the length of the vast building, now forms the awe-inspiring entrance to the gallery.

The Science Museum has over 300,000 objects in its care, covering the entire history of western science, technology and medicine. It has been uniquely placed to acquire objects recording the Industrial Revolution, and now holds unrivalled collections in this area. Medical artefacts from all periods and cultures also form an important part of its holdings.
The Science Museum acquires objects to represent the development of western science, technology and medicine from around 1700 to the present day.



Huge Hyde Park used to be a royal hunting ground, was once a venue for duels, executions and horse racing, and even became a giant potato field during WWII. It is now a place of fresh air, spring colour, lazy sunbathers and boaters on Serpentine Lake. Features of the park include sculptures by Jacob Epstein and Henry Moore, the contemporary Serpentine Gallery and Speaker's Corner.

Regents Park is the home of London Zoo, a mosque, and an open-air theatre. The Queen Mary Rose Gardens in the centre of the park are particularly spectacular. Nearby Primrose Hill has great views of London.

At the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, there are 300 acres of beautiful gardens, with six glasshouses to visit including the Evolution House. The Gardens are open daily from 9.30am. Closing time varies according to the time of year, but it's not earlier than 4pm or later than 7.30pm. For exact times call the Gardens on 020 8940 1171.
Admission to the gardens is £5 for adults, £2.50 for children; during the last hour before closing, there is a reduced rate of £3 for all visitors. Kew Gardens are closed 25 December and 1 January.
The nearest Underground station is Kew Gardens and you are also within easy reach of Richmond with its riverside pubs, antique shops, village green and royal park.

Plant your feet in two different time meridians at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park. Nearby is the world's biggest, emptiest and most expensive bouncy castle, the Millennium Dome, which is now closed as a tourist attraction



The colourful Portobello Market is London's most famous street market, best seen on a Saturday morning before the gridlock sets in. It's full of antiques, jewellery, ethnic knick-knacks, second-hand clothes and fruit and veg stalls. Petticoat Lane is East London's celebrated Sunday morning market, but it's overrated, overpriced, and appeals only to those so bleary-eyed from the night before that they think they need broken chocolate bars, ugly trinkets and cut-price cans of Ajax. Brixton Market is a cosmopolitan treat made up of a rainbow coalition of reggae music, slick Muslim preachers, halal meat and fruit and vegetables. Its inventory includes wigs, homeopathic root cures, goat meat and rare records.

The huge Camden Markets could be the closest England gets to free-form chaos outside the terraces of football stadia. They stretch between Camden and Chalk Farm tube stations, incorporating Camden Lock on the Grand Union Canal, and get so crowded on the weekends that you'll think you're in the Third World. The markets include the Camden Canal Market (bric-a-brac, furniture and designer clothes), Camden Market (leather goods and army surplus gear) and the Electric Market (records and 1960s clothing).

Smithfield is the last-surviving produce market in Central London. It's Europe's largest wholesale meat market and no place for faint-hearted vegetarians. Early weekday mornings, Smithfield is a hive of activity. Many of the local pubs open from the middle of the night to cater for the stallholders unsociable hours, so assuming you can pass yourself off as a Cockney meat seller (just douse yourself in blood and practise saying 'wotcha guv'), there's always the chance of an early-morning pint with your fried breakfast.

Covent Garden was once a vegetable field attached to Westminster Abbey, became the low-life haunt of Pepys, Fielding and Boswell, then a major fruit and veg market, and is now a triumph of conservation and commerce. The car-free piazza is surrounded by designer gift and clothes shops and hip bars and restaurants. Stalls selling overpriced antiques and bric-a-brac share the arcaded piazza with street theatre, buskers and people-watchers



London is famous for shopping, so you will need to take your credit cards with you…. A variety of choice is available: big shopping places to small deluxe boutiques, shops from all over the world are all located in London… Most shops are also opened on Sundays.

It's worth taking a walk through Harrods even if the security staff instruct you how to carry your day pack. Glazed Edwardian tiles set off food displays to make you sweat, with glazed pies, fresh-cream chocs flown in from Belgium that very day, and pies housing game you've never heard of. Anyone for a lark's tongue vol-au-vent? The toilets are sumptuous, and the pet shop's good for a laugh.

Located in the same posh area of Kensington you will find Harvey Nichols with fashion collections from all over the world, also from less known designers. The posh place to shop, loved by all the London Society people.

Another famous shopping Paradise is the famous Selfridge’s, on Oxford Street, where on the ground floor you will see all the main beauty shops from Clarins to Rubinstein and where the friendly and impeccable beauticians will tell you their latest tips on how to look smashing. The main fashion houses from Milan, London, NY and Paris are also represented.



For many years, Piccadily Circus - at the junction of five busy streets - has been a famous London Landmark. At its heart and backlit by colourful electric displays is a bronze fountain topped by a figure of a winged archer. The statue is popularly called EROS, the pagan god of love, but it was in fact designed in the 19th century as a symbol of christian charity - a monument to Lord Shaftesbury, a philanthropist.

The westend - In fact this area of London is W1 (West One) in the City of Westminster. You’ll find the best of London shopping here as well, from the big name stores to fabulous niche shops selling almost everything. It is truly a shopper's paradise and a major hub of activity in the cityMadame Tussaud's & London Planetarium - Started by Madame Tussaud in 1835, this famous waxworks is one of London's most popular tourist attractions. The museum shares the same building as the London Planetarium. Over two million visitors a year come to see the lifelike wax models of the famous and infamous pop stars and royalty. The wax figures are placed in new themed areas, including 'The Garden Party', 'Two Hundred Years of Madame Tussaud's', 'Hollywood Legends' and 'The Spirit of London'

Canary Warf - Formerly the West India Docks, this 70 acre site is one of the largest civil engineering projects ever undertaken. The 800ft tower, One Canada Square, is the tallest building in Britain, and one of the tallest in Europe.

The Wharf - Canary Wharf's exclusive weekly paper containing news on Dockland's companies, people, transport, leisure, and entertainment.

Docklands Light Railway - Travel, service and tourist information. Trains run from the Tower through Canary Wharf to Isle of Dogs. The Most advanced signaling system in Europe.

The London Eye - Experience a bird's Eye View of the River Thames from the British Airways London Eye. At 135 meters high, the Eye is the capital's fourth-tallest structure. Continuous commentary enhances the visitors' experience in the capsules, which can accommodate up to 25 people in each of the 32 enclosed capsules


Introduction | History | Famous tourist attractions | Transport