Ye Olde London Town

London for all tastes and budgets

Two thousand years in the making and still a work in progress, London's a dear old soul. Pretty in some lights, with a middle- aged suburban spread and a comfortable bosom for an annual 28 million or so guests, there's fine romance in the city's heart.

London is a veritable smorgasbord of things to do and see, to suit all tastes and budgets.

London Eye When the Millennium Commission announced their intention to build a Ferris wheel that would tower 50 meters above Big Ben, people were understandably cynical. But the British Airways London Eye turned out to be the finest new attraction in London since Queen Victoria’s Great Exhibition. On busy summer days around 15,000 visitors take a 'flight'. On a clear day from the top of its 140 metre arc, you can see 25 miles in each direction. Take in the capital’s greatest landmarks and sweeping panoramas safely ensconced in a perfectly designed pod. Many Londoners' have become regular users, revelling in this unique perspective of their city. Weddings, business meetings, birthdays and family outings are regularly played out in the pods. For tourists it is an essential port of call: relaxing, fascinating and inspiring, the Eye has become a definitive part of the London experience.

British Museum Founded in 1753 by Act of Parliament, from the collections of Sir Hans Sloane, the British Museum is one of the great museums of the world, showing the works of man from prehistoric to modern times with collections drawn from the whole world. Famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon, the Sutton Hoo and Mildenhall treasures and the Portland Vase. The hieroglyphics and classical sculptures are instantly recognizable and world famous, but more surprising is the workmanship and beauty of the Saxon jewellery collection. The treasures assembled here from Britain's 'Dark Ages' reveal a period of original and brilliant artistry. There is also a program of special exhibitions and daily gallery tours, talks and guided tours. In Dec 2000 the museum's Great Court reopened with a magnificent glass and steel roof by Sir Norman Foster.

Buckingham Palace The official residence of Queen Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace has been opening its doors to visitors for the last few summers. Originally acquired by King George III for his wife Queen Charlotte, Buckingham House was increasingly known as the 'Queen's House' and 14 of George III's children were born there. On his accession to the throne, George IV decided to convert the house into a palace and employed John Nash to help him. Nash doubled the size of the house with the addition of a new wing in the French Neo-classical style favored by George IV. Marble Arch was also constructed in celebration of the victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo. However, by 1829, the cost of reconstruction had escalated to nearly half a million pounds and Nash lost his job. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to live in Buckingham Palace (from 1837) but found it lacked sufficient bedrooms, so Marble Arch was moved to its current location and a fourth wing was added. The present forecourt (where the changing of the guard takes place) was constructed in 1911 as part of the Victoria Memorial scheme. Work on Buckingham Palace was completed just before the outbreak of World War One. Visitors are permitted access to the State Rooms which are still used by the Royal family to receive and entertain guests on state and ceremonial occasions. Decorated in lavish fashion, they include paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Canaletto, Sévres porcelain and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.

Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace is strongly associated with the reign of Henry VIII and is the oldest surviving Tudor palace in England. Work began in the 1520s when Hampton Court was transformed from an agricultural estate with the addition of new kitchens, lodgings and gardens. All of Henry VIII's six wives stayed at Hampton Court where Henry VIII lavished £62,000 (the equivalent of £18 million today) on extending the Palace. In the seventeenth-century William III commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to rebuild Hampton Court but lack of time and money meant that much of the Tudor Palace survived. Visitors will enjoy Henry VIII's State Apartments, fantastic Baroque and Tudor architecture, the Tudor Kitchens and 60 acres of garden featuring the famous maze.

Houses of Parliament Now more commonly known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace of Westminster began life as a royal residence in 1042 under Edward the Confessor. The major structure to survive various fires, Westminster Hall, was built between 1087-1100 and is one of the largest medieval halls in Europe with an unsupported hammer beam roof. During the fourteenth-century the hall housed shops and stalls selling wigs, pens and other legal equipment and the courts of law met there. Thomas More, Charles I and those accused of trying to blow up parliament (1605) were all tried in Westminster Hall. Following a fire in 1512, Henry VIII decided to abandon the palace and from this moment onward it became home to the two seats of parliament - the Commons and the Lords. However, it was to suffer from another disastrous fire in 1834 and everything was lost except Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower. A competition was launched to redevelop the whole site. Sir Charles Barry was responsible for the mock Gothic building that has become such a familiar landmark today; including the Clock Tower that houses Big Ben, the bell that chimes on the hour, and is home to the largest clock face in the country. Members of the public can watch debates when parliament is in session. You don't need tickets in advance, but may have to queue. For the chance to watch Prime Minister's Question Time, you will need to obtain tickets in advance from a member of parliament (British citizen) or from your consulate or High Commission.

National Gallery Occupying a prime location overlooking Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery houses a superb collection of over 2,000 paintings. The Gallery was originally established by parliament in 1824 to allow the public the opportunity to study and enjoy the riches of the collection. Since the nineteenth-century the collection has increased dramatically and now includes some of the finest examples of Western European art from 1260-1900. Works on display include those of Botticelli, Monet, Constable, Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Holbein's The Ambassadors, The Hay Wain by Constable and Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Marriage are just some of the major attractions of the National Gallery. Admission is free. The Gallery also offers a delightful shop and a restaurant called Crivelli's Garden.

Natural History Museum Hundreds of exciting, interactive exhibits. Highlights include 'Dinosaurs', the ultimate dinosaur exhibition; 'Creepy-crawlies', guaranteed to have you scratching in minutes; 'Human biology', the must-see exhibition about ourselves; 'Ecology' and 'Mammals', with its unforgettable blue whale. Don't miss 'The power within', offering an 'earthquake experience' and, if you are visiting with children, 'Investigate' - an exciting new hands-on science center, Rhythms of life, a lively family exhibition as well as the 'BG Wildlife Photographer of the Year' exhibition.

St Paul’s Cathedral Sir Christopher Wren’s mighty cathedral draws the eye like nothing else in London, even though the City’s skyscrapers now tower above it. The centerpiece of the great reconstruction of London after the great fire of 1666, it is still the spiritual focus of Great Britain. Royal weddings and birthdays, the funerals of Britain’s leaders and services to celebrate the ends of wars all take place beneath the famous dome. The cathedral miraculously survived the Blitz in World War II as the surrounding area was flattened by German bombing raids. It served as an inspirational symbol of British strength in the nation's darkest hour. From the medieval relics in the crypt to the gorgeous Victorian mosaics, up to the staggering views of London from the top of the dome, St Paul’s is both a fascinating store of British history and an architectural triumph.

Tate Modern Located along the banks of the River Thames, Tate Modern opened to great acclaim in 2000 and has since welcomed over 6 million visitors through its imposing doors. Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, the gallery pays homage to modern and contemporary art from 1900 to the present day. The collection includes works from Matisse to Moore, Dali to Picasso and Rothko. The awesome turbine hall creates a stunning entrance and a vast space in which to display temporary installations. There are three levels of galleries, enclosed by a spectacular two storey glass roof that provides fantastic views of London and a great café.

Tower of London The Tower is one of London's most popular visitor attractions and forms a stunning backdrop to the river. The Tower of London came into existence following the Norman conquest (1066) and the need to colonize and defend England. Since then it has been used as a prison, palace, place of execution and a showcase for the Crown Jewels. After King Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church it housed religious prisoners including two of Henry VIII's six wives - Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both of whom were beheaded on the scaffolds at Tower Green. Visitors can also see the Crown Jewels which are still used by the Royal family today, the Yeoman Warders ('Beefeaters') who have been protecting the tower since the fourteenth-century and the infamous ravens. Legend has it that Charles II was told that if the ravens left the Tower then the monarchy would fall.

Westminster Abbey The setting for every coronation since 1066 and the burial ground for kings, statesmen, scientists, musicians and poets, Westminster Abbey is a true Medieval masterpiece. Stunning Gothic architecture, the fascinating literary history represented by poets corner, the artistic talent that went into the statues, murals, paintings and tombs, and the fantastic stained glass, combine to make Westminster Abbey the most enduringly stunning of London’s churches.

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is the oldest inhabited castle in the country and the preferred London residence of the Royal Family. It stands in beautiful grounds on the western edge of London, and is one of the best places for a day trip from the capital. It's easy to see why the Royals love their Windsor home. The Royal Parks are extremely wild and lovely, and teeming with deer. There are hundreds of quiet beauty spots to be found if you take your time. The castle itself is truly majestic - solid, imposing and at the same time graceful. Visitors can check out the State Apartments, Queen Mary's Doll House collection and the magnificent St George's Chapel, festooned in the banners of knights of the kingdom, from the crusading era to that of Margaret Thatcher. One of the best features of the castle is walking around the ramparts, feeling the ancient stone under your feet and looking out over the parks. Windsor is a magical place - one visit is never enough.

Trafalgar Square Lord Nelson, Britain's greatest military hero, and the mighty lions that surround him, pay testament to the position of Trafalgar Square at the heart of the capital, the heart of the nation, and, once upon a time, the heart of an empire that controlled three fifths of the world. Yet though it is dominated by these imperial symbols, and by the magnificent Victorian edifice of the National Gallery, the square is no relic of a bygone age: instead of statues of military heroes, the plinths are now used for exciting and controversial modern art, beginning with Mark Quinn's nude statue of thalidomide victim Alison Lapper; there are fantastic free outdoor events in Summer, highlighting the best of London's multicultural music and dance scene; as the traditional end point for protest marches, the Square is a key rallying point for British counter-culture; and as the center of London's bus network, and an essential stage on any Night Bus trip home, it is often the final stage in any night out in London. In all these ways, Trafalgar Square has retained its status as the heart of London, and one of every Londoner's most treasured spots.

Soho The set of streets and alleyways between Oxford Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Charing Cross Road and Regent Street is one of the most cosmopolitan parts of London. Successive waves have brought French, Germans, Italians, Russian and Polish Jews, Swiss, Greeks and, most famously, Chinese to the area, fleeing poverty and persecution in their own countries and attracted to Soho by its tolerance, proximity to the center of London and low rents. Once famous as the center of London's vice industry, Soho is now celebrated as the most fashionable part of London. Soho's main industries are television, magazine, fashion and dot.com start-ups, whose fashionable employees fill the sophisticated boutiques of Carnaby Street and Kingly Court during the day. By night, the winding alleyways of Soho are thronged, as Londoners and tourists come to sample some of the most varied entertainment the capital has to offer. Always the most tolerant part of London, Soho is also the heart of the capital's vibrant gay scene. Cinemas, pubs, bars, nightclubs, comedy clubs, some superb live music venues and a dozen West End theaters attract people of all ages and backgrounds into Soho's melting pot. Superb Chinese and Italian food, as well as restaurants to suit all conceivable tastes and budgets, make Soho a gourmets paradise. It seems extraordinary that such a small area could contain so much life and energy, but the truth is that you could visit Soho every day for a year and still barely scratch the surface.

Hyde Park Although many of the parks in London are officially owned by the sovereign, it is the four central London parks that are usually referred to as ‘Royal’. Few Londoners realize, as they enjoy cutting the grass on their way to work, the extent to which the Royal Parks dominate the center of London. Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James’ park form an unbroken line of greenery that stretches over three miles, from the Houses of Parliament to Olympia. Attractions include Buckingham Palace, and the Royal processions on the Mall, boating on the Serpentine, the superb Serpentine gallery, classical and popular music events, cafes, gardens, statues, monuments, open-air theater and mile after mile of rolling grass.

Speaker’s Corner Located on the corner of Park Lane and Cumberland gate opposite Marble Arch tube, Speakers' Corner is the spiritual home of the British democratic tradition of soapbox oratory. Every Sunday since the right of free assembly was recognized in 1872 people from all walks of life have gathered to listen to speeches about anything and everything, and to heckle. The coherence of the speakers varies greatly as do the topics of discussion, but as a whole it makes for great street theater. If you have a burning desire to share your opinions with the world, take something to stand on and start pontificating. Although Sunday morning is the best time to visit, speakers can now be found on the corner throughout the week.