Visiting London
London has so many attractions that it is difficult to know where to start - and it’s worth remembering that you won’t see everything in one visit. It's the hub of British business, political and financial life, the seat of government and the Royal family, the entertainment capital, home to the nation’s greatest treasures and the place that most overseas tourists to Britain visit.
London is especially attractive to young visitors with an influential club and music scene, trendy bars and cutting edge shops and fashion. It's also full of stylish and exclusive restaurants; armfuls of art galleries; multitudes of museums; scores of theatres and a major waterway in the River Thames, which remains bustling, rejuvenating and scenically impressive all at once.
Ten unmissable sights for tourists The West End is the heart of London and the focus of most tourists' trips. See Leicester Square (full of cinemas and buskers), Covent Garden (shops and street theatre), Oxford Street (even more shops) and Soho (once infamous for its seedy sex trade, now more synonymous with gay bars, trendy clubs, cafes and restaurants). It’s also the heart of theatre land: queue for cheap tickets at the booths in Leicester Square or buy online:
There are an abundance of museums in London. If you only go to one, make sure it’s the British Museum (tube: Russell Square). It could take you several days to plough through the oldest museum in the world. Highlights of the collection include the Elgin Marbles, Egyptian mummies and the Rosetta Stone.
Standing side by side on Marylebone Road (Baker Street tube station), Madame Tussaud's and the London Planetarium are prime tourist attractions and as such it's worth booking tickets in advance to avoid the long queues of bored tourists that keep Londoners amused every summer.
The Tower of London was less fun to visit when it served as a prison and place of execution. Today the 900-year-old royal palace houses the Crown Jewels and much more. Advance booking is recommended, which can be done online:
The State Rooms of Buckingham Palace are open during August and September; overseas tourists especially enjoy a quick taste of the royal lifestyle. Combine this insight into the lives of our rulers with a look at the real power behind the throne. Guided tours of the main chambers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords also take place throughout the year (for UK residents) and in summer (for overseas visitors.) If all this earthly power is too much for you, Westminster Abbey (close to Parliament) and St Paul’s Cathedral (in the City, next to the tube station of the same name) are but two of the many beautiful churches dotted about the city. Art-lovers love London, with as it has galleries to suit all tastes. No visit to the city would be complete without a tour of the National Gallery (Trafalgar Square), one of the great world collections. Combine that with a visit to the National Portrait Gallery next door.
If you are wealthy or into designer clothes areas like Knightsbridge (Harrods and Harvey Nichols), Mayfair, New Bond Street, and Kensington are the places to head for. The world’s great designers have flagship stores here and prices to match.
The Millennium Dome is a distant memory, but on the South Bank of the Thames, head for the London Eye. Opened to coincide with the city's Millennium celebrations, the Eye is a huge Ferris wheel opposite the Houses of Parliament with the best bird's eye views of London. Reach it via the pedestrian Millennium Bridge, which is now completely safe to use after a wobbly start!
Central London is surprisingly compact. Most of the above attractions are within several minutes’ walk of each other. (St. Pauls and the Tower are further east in the City of London.)
If you have the time or particular interest head for any of five Premiership, and several other professional football clubs, the Wimbledon tennis championships, the Royal Festival Hall, the National Theatre, London Zoo, Hampstead Heath, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Tate Britain and Tate Modern galleries, the Saatchi Gallery, the ICA, the Royal Academy, Kings Road, Regent Street, the Petticoat Lane, Portobello Road and Camden markets, the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Observatory, Hampton Court and; Kew Gardens. And that’s only scraping the surface!
Getting around
A quick ride in a London taxi or a double-decker bus (both on many tourists’ To-Do lists anyway) will be welcome at some stage for tired legs. Note: London Transport is phasing out the famous old Routemaster buses: they will all be replaced before the end of 2005.
Travel in London isn’t always as clean and efficient as you would wish: tube and bus lines are in need of renovation while the cost of taxis can be prohibitive, especially at night. Do as Londoners do: set off early and resign yourself to delays and frustrations. It’s worth it.
One-Day, Weekend and Family Travelcards and Bus Saver tickets are all designed with tourists in mind and can be bought in Tube stations, London Transport ticket retailers and some self-service ticket machines.
Bus tickets need to be bought before entering the bus – either from standalone machines at bus stops or from selected newsagents displaying a London Transport sign. Children under 11 with appropriate ID travel free on all London buses. www.transportforlondon.gov.uk/
The London Pass is worth investigating if you’re planning on seeing lots of sights. From £12 a day, it will give you free entry to over 50 attractions and numerous other discounts and special offers.
