Tower of London

Garrison, jewel house, king’s bed champers, zoo, royal palace, defensive structure, offensive structure, prison and place of execution – this 900 year old structure is a gold mind for lovers of history. The Tower was built by William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest, and stands as an ever looming example of the Norman Conquest. Discover layers of history as you explore the 27 m tower and all of its different complexes. To truly experience the Tower of London I recommend getting a tour, because guides really do unlock a lot of interesting historic, architectural and cultural aspects of the Tower of London.

Tower of London, England, UK by Garry Knight

London Eye

The London Eye soars 135 meters into the London sky to give viewers 25 mile view of London in every direction. This world famous ferris wheel is one of the best ways to experience London’s skyline, but is a particularly stunning view if you go from sunset to night fall. More than 10,000 people visit on average per day, so plan to deal with crowds. Each capsule holds 30 people per vehicle, so don’t expect to get to intimate at this site. Due to the popularity of this site, I recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Maybe even consider paying for the premium tickets that allow you to skip through the lines.

London Eye at Sunset by Garry Knight

Shakespeare’s Globe

This theatre is based off of the plan of the Globe Theatre where many of William Shakespeare’s plays were first staged. Shakespeare also happened to co-own the Globe Theatre. The original Globe Theatre burned to the ground in 1613, but 400 years later the theatre was rebuilt. Due to the authenticity of design there are no seats for the crowd, so if you catch a show be prepared to stand through the entire performance.  Every year there are seasonal festivals outside of the theatre that can be quite entertaining if you just happen to be in town.

The Globe Theatre, London, England, UK by Garry Knight

Buckingham Palace

You know that we couldn’t skip this internationally recognizable landmark when writing about London. The Buckingham Palace is the famous royal palace where Queen Elizabeth II currently resides. Although the royal family still uses some of the house, a lot of it is open to the public. Visitors can admire different memorabilia of gift to the throne, including drawings from Salvador Dali. The 29 acre gardens are also available to visitors for those who want to take an outdoor stroll in royal style.

Buckingham Palace, London, England, UK by Leonard Bentley

National Gallery

Located in Trafalgar Square, this gallery offers a huge range of art that dates from 1260 to 1900. Few places in the world exhibit so many important paintings in one place. The admission is free to all, and make sure to check for their extended opening hours. The Gallery is huge, so do not try to see everything in one visit. It is best to pick out a handful of exhibits you want to see then work your way from there. One could spend an entire week with no rest wandering the Gallery and still miss some of the exhibits.

Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, London, England, UK by Garry Knight

Holly Williford is a travel writer who has gone to several places all around the world. She has just booked a tour to the landmarks of Senegal and South Africa with Palace Travel.

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London aerial photo, England, UK by Doc Searls

The only problem with planning London trip is the cost that this city could have. Especially if you’re from European countries where the change euro/pound is not so convenient, the good planning of your London tour is crucial.

Start to cut the transfer costs such as Airline Company choosing low cost ones and considering bus transfer to City center. Bus transfer can be cheaper than trains, give you a more panoramic view of the landscape and also let you choose other airports where low cost Airline companies arrive at such as London Stansted. Plan also how many quarter you would like to visit creating your personal city tour and the list of the most important places. After this try to count how many subway trips you should pay. If they are too many consider to buy an Oyster card that can be charged at your arrival and save you money and time.

Moreover while you list all the attractions, museum or restaurants you want to visit always take a look at their site: they can give you the chance to book online your seat or your ticket giving you a great advantage to save time and have a free space for the last minute ideas, photos or snacks. This is particularly suggested for well known attraction like London Eye where you can find yourself bottled in a very long cue to take the ticket and then to jump on their experience.

Planning your London trip on your own needs of travel and city tour will help you to manage in a correct way your money, your time and have the best of the most unique capital of the world also in a weekend escape!

Bio: Valentina is a weekend traveler who enjoys low cost trip to take street photography of unique places in Europe.

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Tower Bridge, London, UK by siddhu2020

When to visit

Spring and summer (somewhere from April till August) are normally considered to be the best times to visit this magical city. Though even during this time layering in clothes is advised. Personally though, I love the British winter- when you can actually feel the spirit of London dwelling in every nook and corner of its streets.

What not to miss

The city definitely deserves leisurely visits to many of its endowments. However, there are a few things that are blasphemous to miss. If you are on a scheduled trip, make note of a few things that ought to be visited. There are always the guided tours, but again personally, I prefer discovering a city at my own pace. Do the basic background research but then let the city itself make you discover her. Be impulsive; turn a street you don’t the destination of. Eat everywhere- from the most delectable restaurant to small eateries to roadside kiosks. Let the city guide you where to go next. But even among these, the must-dos include the following-

• It would be a sacrilege to come from London without visiting the abode of the Queen- the Buckingham Palace. Experience the royalty first hand. The State rooms in the palace are open to visitors during a few months of the year.

Buckingham Palace & Queen Victoria Memorial, London, UK by shining.darkness

• If looking for a good time to able to appreciate all that the city offers, take a walk along the embankment form the London Eye to the Tower Bridge.

• Go up the London Eye (preferably at night) to get a spectacularly breathtaking view of the city.

• A bit hidden jewels of the city include the Churchill War Rooms and markets like the Borough Market, Spitafields, and Portobello etc.

• If you’re with the love of your life, the Kew Gardens are not to be missed at any cost. The entire city is spotted with several fascinating gardens. But the Kew Gardens, the royal botanic gardens, is the best place for a couple to spend a quiet, blissful evening.

Temperate house at Kew Gardens, London, UK by Heather Cowper

• When in need of a little solitude, choose to walk by yourself in the Hyde Park- watch life go by and sit around for a little introspection and retrospection.

• For the shopaholics, London brings in some special gifts. The Selfridges, the King’s Road and Notting Hill/Westbourne Grove bring you the best of fashion, interiors and technology. Shop around and have fun!

Moving around the city

The amazing transport facilities in the city make it easy to move around at any time of the day and even at night. My personal favourite being the feet, I always prefer walking around the city to take in the true flavour of the place. There are also the options of the 8000 buses, the trams networking 39 stops around the city, the black cabs and the underground tubes. If your budget allows, you can always go for a little luxury like hiring a Bentley chauffeur in London.

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Thames, London, England, UK by Jim Linwood

The city is also full of architectural wonders to visit and see. There is the London eye, the Big Ben, St Paul’s cathedral and the beautiful London Bridge. People can visit these monuments destination and have fun with friends. The unique Buckingham Palace is another architectural wonder in the city of London. The palace is open to tourist as from the months of August to September. The palace has a very exceptionally beautiful garden that one can visit and have a good life experience. Apart from the above mentioned destinations, London city has many parks and walks that one can enjoy.

The Royal Court Theater is also one of the exotic destinations in London where you can enjoy yourself and see a good theater performance. The experiences in the theaters are good and unforgettable. The city has various lavish departmental stores that are well equipped with all the local brands and the national brands. The nightlife at London is absolutely cool and rocking. Most pubs in the city remain open all night in Fridays and Saturdays. Therefore these are good destinations to go with your friends, party and have fun.

The British Museum is also found in London. This is a good destination that you cannot miss to visit when you are in London. It is the museum that is famous all over the world because it has good collections and displays. Plan to visit it when you are in London. The Tate Gallery is another destination in London where you can visit when you are traveling with your kids. The city is full of exotic range of foods. It is where you can find any cuisine ranging from that of the Chinese, Italians, Indians and many others. Esta is the electronic system for travel authorization. The esta authorization is an online process and all the applications are made online. Esta form therefore are obtained online and all the requirements are completed online.

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View of London from London Eye, England, UK by André Zehetbauer

The British Airways London Eye is simply an opportunity that mustn’t be missed. It is the largest observation wheel in the world and has, somewhat unrealistically, been compared with the Eiffel tower in Paris. From here you can ride in one of the many viewing pods around the huge wheel and see all along the River Thames and across London. The ride takes some time to complete and is a good way to get your bearings in this fantastic city. From the top you can visualize where all of the main attractions are located which makes reaching them on foot far easier. Also make sure to take note of the famous bridges over the River Thames as they were the predecessors of this truly wonderful engineering feat.

The British Museum is another must see place in London and entry here is free of charge-therefore it is perfect for a day trip to London. Thought to be one of the world’s best human history and culture museums and is home to around 8 million pieces the British Museum has something that will interest everybody. Just the building itself is worth seeing with its 44 columns that resemble the temple of Athena Polias and the famous reading room that was redeveloped in 2001. Remember entry is free so you can come and go as often as you like. There is no need to spend all day here, just look at a few galleries and then return another time to view some more.

British Museum, London, England, UK by Ana Paula Hirama

Of course no visit to London would be complete without taking a trip to Buckingham palace. This is the official London residence of the Queen and is also where she chooses to do most of her entertaining. You can see the palace from the Royal mews quite easily and for free and this is where the famous photographs are usually taken from. There is also access to the palace museum for the public, however this isn’t always opened and it is advisable to check before you make the journey. One of the best and most famous parts of the palace is its guards, the life guards, and once a day it is possible to watch the changing of the Queens Life Guard on Horse Guards Parade and outside the palace’s gates. This is an absolutely great spectacle and a real video and photo opportunity not to be missed.

So make sure that you come to London as these are just a few of the hundreds of great things that are on offer, many of which are free of charge.

Autor Bio: This article was produced by Catalita G.  She lives in London and the places mentioned above are some of her favorites. Catalita runs the travel blog Channel Voyager, where you can get more ideas for trips to London (did you know the term in Danish is Rejser til London).

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Change of Guard, Buckingham Palace, London, UK by Dan McKay

Summer is the best time to visit London thanks to the assortment of activities available. Tourists can stroll through St. James Park right through to Buckingham Palace in order to witness the Change of Guard which is such a spectacle. The annual Notting Hill Carnival attracts millions of tourists who come solely to witness its pomp. The streets of West London are always packed with people who are eager to witness the biggest festival in Europe. Adults and children alike can get to enjoy this festival without discrimination. This makes London the ideal family vacation destination.

Most people regard London as one of the best cities across Europe because of its edgy fashion. Whichever street you walk down in London, you are likely to peer through the clothes store windows to catch a glimpse of the wide array of fashion. Top Shop is one such place that celebrities from all over visit to grab the latest trends in fashion. Budget conscious shoppers come to this shop to browse through the many fashion endowed floors. This chic store has an in-house disc jockey who makes standing in the queues a bit more tolerable. Fashion loving people definitely enjoy visiting this city.

Notting hill carnival, London, England, UK by S Pakhrin

Another thing that makes London one of the top cities in Europe is football. Wembley stadium plays host to very important football matches such as the UEFA champion’s league fina. Hordes of football loving visitors come to this city annually to watch important matches. The English Premier League is also very popular worldwide and it attracts many foreigners who come to watch their favourite football teams in action. Popular teams such as Chelsea and Arsenal call the city of London home and they have many fans all over the world. Some people even fly into London just to see their favourite footballers in the hope of getting an autograph.

The city of London is home to more than 7.5 million people excluding visitors. A lot of these Londoners come from abroad so they speak an assortment of languages making it a culture rich city. The theatres in London are the best in the world. One such theatre is the West End Theatre which attracts the best actors. There are lots of tranquil green spaces where visitors can sit down and have picnics. There is no shortage of parks form Richmond Park to Hyde Park. Visit London and experience the free attractions and some of the best sporting events in the world.

Richmond Park, London, UK by Cristian Bortes

Author Bio: Blogger who researchers and talks about the fantastic city of London and what makes it special for tourists for Eccleston Square Hotel

The post Why London Is Regarded As One Of The Top Cities In Europe appeared first on Europe Explored.

For the cheap price of an advanced train ticket, you could be visiting interesting places in the UK that you may not have known were even within reach.

To make sure you get the most out of your trip, make sure you’re packed with the bare necessities that will help you enjoy your day to the maximum.

Three O’Clock in London, England, UK by Garry Knight / License: Creative Commons

• Phone Battery - At the risk of sounding like your dad, you don’t want to get stuck somewhere with a flat battery. Since there isn’t always a place you can go to charge your phone, it’s worth purchasing an external battery pack for your phone.
• Backpack - In order to carry all your important belongings, you’ll want to keep them in a quality bag to ensure that you can always find your items
• Food – Unless you want to explore cafes and eat out, packing some snacks for the trip will be a money saver and also allow you to eat faster for when you have a long day planned.
• Weather – Check the weather beforehand so you’ll know whether to pile on the layers or pack a poncho just in case things get stereotypically cold. Hay fever sufferers will want to have a supply of antihistamines will them.
• Toiletries – Whilst you shouldn’t try and pack your whole bathroom, taking suntan lotions and wet wipes for makeup would be a great idea.

Museums Can Be Packed With Entertainment

There are plenty of museums around, but you won’t get a more comprehensive sizeable one than the London Science Museum. The UK is filled with weird and individual museums, from Cornwall’s Witch or Lawnmower museums, to the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence in Wales, there are plenty of odd and interesting places to visit if ordinary museums seem a little dull to you.

If you or your friends share the love of a similar television show or film that was set in the UK, it’s a fun idea to try and visit the place where it was shot. Doctor Who fans can not only visit the museum located in East London, giving you a first-hand look at the costumes and models of the many supernatural beings on the show, but also located in Wales is the Torchwood HQ that all ‘Whovians’ will want to see at least once. Fans of Harry Potter fans are lucky enough to be able to visit the Warner Bros studios and have a tour of the worldwide loved film in central London.

London attractions, England, UK by Garry Knight / License: Creative Commons

Don’t Forget To See The Big Landmarks

There are plenty of places in the UK that people all over the globe come to visit, yet some that we haven’t even seen ourselves. The list of landmarks people come from all over to visit include:

• Stonehenge
• Windsor Castle
• Big Ben
• Hadrian’s Wall
• Buckingham Palace
• Tower of London
• The London Eye
• St Pauls Cathedral

With even more tourists wanting to see places like Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden, you’ll want to plan a thorough trip to London so you can see this most popular places for yourself.

Matt Chiles is a London tourist guide and passionate traveller, always looking to help those who are less experienced at day tripping.

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Dulwich Picture Gallery

If you enjoy looking at great artwork, you should check out the Dulwich Picture Gallery. This gallery features some of the finest European artwork in the country. Some of the most popular exhibitions at this gallery include Nicolas Poussin’s First Series of Seven Sacraments, Murillo & Justino de Neve: The Art of Friendship and Coming of Age. If you visit the Dulwich Picture Gallery during the weekend, you can enjoy a free guided tour of the permanent collection.

Brixton Windmill

The Brixton Windmill is one of the most interesting sights in London. It was built in 1816 and has remained beautifully preserved since then. When you enter the windmill, you will be able to hear an interesting story about the family who used to own the windmill. You can also book a guided tour in advance if you want to see the upper floors.

Brixton Windmill, London, UK by Stuart

Hunterian Museum

The Hunterian Museum is located inside the Royal College of Surgeons of England and features thousands of medical instruments and specimens. When you are touring this museum, you are sure to see something that boggles your mind. Some of the most fascinating exhibitions in this museum include Model Anatomy, Extinct, Humans as Fossils and Big.

Dennis Severs’ House

If you are in London, you should make the time to stop by Dennis Severs’ House. A man named Dennis Severs used to live in this home without electricity and other modern conveniences. He purchased the 18th century home and decided against restoring it. As you are walking through this home, you will feel like you went back in time. The home is only lit by candlelight, so it is quite dark inside.

St. Mary’s Secret Garden

St. Mary’s Secret Garden is one of the most beautiful places to visit in London. It features a herb garden and vegetable beds that grow winter lettuces, kale and brussel sprouts. Visiting this garden gives you a chance to escape the bustle of the city and just relax. You can also take a very fun and informative gardening course at the St. Mary’s Secret Garden.

Women’s Library

The Women’s Library features a lot of different books and articles that relate to females. When you are there, you can go in the reading room and research the materials for free.

As you can see, there are plenty of less-known attractions in London that are worth checking out. If you just go to the tourist spots in London, you will be missing out on these hidden gems.

Sally writes for Reserve Apartments the Edinburgh Festival Accommodation specialists. Reserve Apartments also feature properties in Glasgow, for an Apartment Glasgow visit https://www.reserveapartments.co.uk.

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Black London Cab by James Barrett

Plan Your Travels

Planning your time in London is crucial. London is such a small town, however it is considered to be overcrowded and traffic is not exactly swift moving. However if you choose to take your own vehicle into town, parking becomes another issue you have to consider. In London parking spaces are limited, even if you were able to find one, paying for parking spaces can be ludicrously high. Then comes in the dreaded congestion charge fee. If you drive into Central London during peak times you will be required to pay the congestion charge fee. This was brought in to reduce traffic and emissions coming into London.

Ordering a Cab

So why bother with all that stress when you can just get a cab. Getting a cab in central London is very straightforward. There are many trustworthy and reputable cabbies in London, some even offer to take you on a tour themselves! It is all part of the London experience, cabbies are some of the most bubbly people you can meet.

Ordering a cab is easy. As London is so fast paced cabs are always at the ready for you!. In the heart of London there is no way you will not find a cab lurking around somewhere. Black cabs are considered to be more expensive than other independent companies. Black cabs are more reputable than other cabs however, this good service and swift delivery comes at an extra price. Other independent businesses such as Orderacab, provide you a service that compares local cabbies in your area and comes up with the best price for you. This is a great device as it helps people find where they are going at the cheapest price.

Getting a cab is probably the best alternative to driving into central London. You are worry free once you enter and leave the cab. As a driver you are cautious as to where you should park your car. With a cab you are just dropped off to your destination with nothing to worry about.

The article is written by Michael O’Donnell who writes for the online London taxi booking service orderacab.co.uk.

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It’s not just young children that benefit from day trips, older children and even young adults will learn something by travelling into London for day trips too. There is so much to do that you’ll never get bored. There are museums, theatres, famous boats and the River Thames, monuments and bridges, not forgetting Big Ben, the London Eye and Buckingham Palace. Also, many of these places are free to visit, so no extra money is being spent unnecessarily.

Big Ben & London Eye, England, UK by Adalberto.H.Vega

Children learn about the history of the city of London each day, so why not give them the chance to visit and view the place they are learning about with school trips to London? This will give them a chance to learn more by doing something exciting, such as activities and walks, rather than sitting in a boring classroom all day.

Although children are the hardest to please when it comes to learning, by giving them something fun to do and helping them learn will surely keep them happy. Giving the children something that will help them learn about the history of where they live and that involves lots of activities, for example. Want all of this? Then send them on school tours of London with their school!

Many children don’t often get the chance to travel into London with parents due to work or other commitments. These tours and days out will give children the chance to see what London is all about for themselves and will give them the opportunity to see first-hand what it entails, rather than watching videos and looking at photos.

Getting children to remember what’s being taught is always a struggle, so by giving them the chance to travel to London, have fun and learn, they should (hopefully) remember and appreciate what they are being taught more.

School Trips To Londonare easily arranged through the child’s school, and are reasonably priced for any parent, giving children the opportunity to view London and learn about its history in a more enjoyable way. This also gives them the chance to learn about different methods of transport used in and around the city – a hot topic for young kids, learning about trains, tubes, cars, bikes, boats and buses.

Children like to venture through places they are unsure of, so by giving them the chance to venture to London, you are giving them the opportunity to go on a huge adventure, whilst learning along the way. This gives the child an improved knowledge of their surroundings and history but enjoyment of being somewhere new and exciting.

Have you ever stopped to think about how your child may benefit from school tours of London? Well, giving children the opportunity to travel to London, will allow them to learn, have fun and grow up, knowing that London is not such a scary place to be, and that you don’t have to stay local to have fun or to learn.

Enjoy stress free school tours to European and other worldwide destinations with Voyager School Travel. Call them on +44 (0) 1273 827 327 to know more!

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