London Sites and Attractions
Westminster Abbey is an architectural creation from the 13th to 16th centuries. English monarchs are buried here including William the Conqueror. The British Museum, founded in 1753, houses the world’s great collection of antiques from Greece, Rome, Asia and prehistoric Britain. The Hampton Court Palace is home to the famous hedge mazes surrounded by breathtaking gardens.
Sir John Soane’s Museum is a unique historic home featuring the architecture of the building itself along with an art museum. The National Gallery showcases one of the greatest collections of paintings from Europe in the world. Entrance is free and worth the time. The collections are retrieved from eras since 1250. Victoria and Albert Museum features an extraordinary collection of Venetian glass, Chinese art, Victorian clothing and even antique tapestries. This is a definite must-see.
St. Paul’s Cathedral is not only an awesome site but is the place of the funeral for Winston Churchill and the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Buckingham Palace is a must-see in the area. Vast gardens surround the grand palace which is the residence for the Royals of London. Housed here are priceless art pieces, antique furnishings and decorations from centuries gone by.
Other notable sites include the Royal Observatory Greenwich, Courtauld Institute Galleries, Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, Millennium Dome and Lincoln’s Inn. Also list on your itinerary the Somerset House, St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Lloyds of London, and Old Bailey.
Whether it’s taking a walk around the artificial lake at Regent’s Park or touring the Thames River, there’s plenty of water-related things to do in London. Regent’s Canal, Docklands Sailing & Watersports Centre, Highgate Bathing Pond, and Evian Lido are other notable water spots.
The department store and monument of Harrod’s is the 3rd most popular destination in London. Expensive and impressive, no trip to London would be complete without a stop at the famous store. Covent Garden is full of shopping spots, bars, boutiques and a theater. The Soho neighborhood gives you many choices of cafes, restaurants, shops and theaters.
Your choice of hotels may be based on how much money you can afford to spend during your London stay. There are many nice hotels that are reasonably priced or there are lavish hotels that will cost you plenty. One of your best hotel choices is the Benaissance London Chancery Court which is plush and comfortable. For a romantic stay try the Covent Garden Hotel – rated one of the 25 most romantic hotels in the world. A favored historic hotel is the Brown’s Hotel, dating back to Victorian times. An inexpensive but impressive lodge is The Pavilion Hotel with crazy, wacky themes to each room.
The most family-friendly hotels include the Colonnade Town House located in the Little Venice section of London. Children under 12 stay free and the place is home to restaurants, shops and more. The Hart House Hotel is small but rooms are large. A family-friendly bed and breakfast is the James House/Cartref House where they have bunk beds for kids and an overall family theme.
Some of the more popular restaurants around London are the Gordon Ramsay with its French cuisine, Le Gavroche in Mayfair, and Menu featuring fabulous Mediterranean foods. Among the least expensive are the Hard Rock CafÃ?©, Porter’s English Restaurant – serving kid-friendly menus, and the Simpson’s-in-the-Strand.
Make reservations well in advance of your visit and make sure all reservations are confirmed shortly before you leave. Always be careful while you’re a tourist in other countries since there are predators in every city of the world. Plan your itinerary, if you can, but leave plenty of room for spontaneous sight-seeing as well.
