Tower of London, England, UK by xiquinhosilva

1. The Tower of London

One of London’s oldest and most popular attractions, the Tower of London was built in 1078, and remains one of the most well preserved medieval castles in the country. Its central location within the skyscrapers of the City of London financial district make it even more unique, as does its multiple galleries, and housing of the Crown Jewels.

2. St. Paul’s Cathedral

Located on the outskirts of the City of London financial district (about 10 minutes by Tube from the West End), St. Paul’s Cathedral has survived fire and the WWII Blitz to remain one of the capital’s most loved landmarks. Giving yourself the time to explore its artifacts, and the Whispering Gallery on the upper levels, is recommended.

Photo of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, England, UK by Garry Knight

3. Westminster Abbey

While a visit to Westminster, which contains the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, is always recommended, it’s worth taking the time to visit Westminster Abbey. The Gothic church is a regular destination for Royal weddings, contains a number of important burial sites, and includes fascinating museums exhibits.

Photo of Westminster Abbey, London by thetravelguru

4. Buckingham Palace

The Queen’s main residence is a constant favourite of visitors to London, and can be explored via guided tours of certain areas of the Palace. The Palace also includes art galleries, a gift shop, and the daily sight of the Changing of the Palace Guards.

Photo of Buckingham Palace, London by OwenXu

5. British Museum

Home to one of the world’s best collections of art and rare items, this Bloomsbury-based museum demands repeated exploration. First developed in the 18th century, the Museum, only a short walk from the West End, is particularly recommended for its Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artifacts.

Photo of British Museum, London by DAVID HOLT

6. Victoria & Albert Museum

Part of a street of famous museums in Kensington, which also includes the National History Museum and the Science Museum, the V&A was opened in 1852 as a home for decorative art, and today represents one of the best places to see photography and contemporary design exhibits.

Photo of Victoria & Albert Museum, London by gailf548

7. London Eye

This enormous Ferris wheel represents the best way to get a panoramic view of London. Based by the Thames, and near to London Waterloo train station, the Eye offers 30 minute rides in its passenger capsules, with varying prices.

Photo of London Eye, England by Jim Bahn

8. The National Gallery

This art gallery by Trafalgar Square is home to over 2,300 paintings, and is free to enter. The gallery’s pillared facade takes you into a vast holding of art from painters such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Van Gogh.

Photo of The National Gallery on Trafalgar square, London by Maurice

9. Tate Modern

London’s best modern art gallery sits on the banks of the Thames, and faces towards St Paul’s on the other side of the river. The gallery contains changing and permanent exhibitions, and is free to enter.

Photo of Tate Modern, London by aaron.bihari

10. Natural History Museum

Another of Kensington’s world class museums, the Natural History Museum is dedicated to the natural sciences, and animal and insect collections. Particularly recommended is the enormous Blue Whale, and the museum’s dinosaur exhibits.

Photo of Natural History Museum, London by Heather Cowper

Author bio: Liam Ohm is a keen writer with a particular interest in things-to-do in London. He highly recommends Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tickets for another great day out during your time in London.

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Colosseum, Rome, Italy by admin

One of the reasons for this is the simple fact that lying on a sun-kissed beach, while a utopian experience for some, is seen as a rather boring activity for many. After an hour or two of topping up the tan, plenty of trippers start thinking about finding something to do to relieve the boredom, and that’s when problems can appear.

It’s perhaps fair to say that most seaside resorts, especially those in Southern Europe and North Africa, are a little off the beaten track. They may be home to a superb beach with row after row of sunbeds, and perhaps a collection of welcoming bars and restaurants, but they don’t have much else to keep the bored tourist interested.

Making the right choice

Most city break holidays offer a stunning collection of iconic landmarks, historic buildings and famous attractions, and most visitors find they run out of time before they get to see all the things they wanted to. Therefore, the major drawback about such trips is that they are often tiring and a little too hectic to be properly enjoyed.

To use an example, London attracts millions of tourists every year, and many of them manage to cram in visits to the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye and Westminster Abbey. However, they may miss out on seeing Tower Bridge, the Science Museum, Wembley Stadium and the famous art gallery the Tate Modern.

Those travellers who can afford to do so actually enjoy a summer holiday and a city break every year, but of course there are millions who are unable to do this. Therefore, in some households a decision has to be taken at the beginning of the year about whether to head to the sunny beaches or to a historic capital city.

For budget travellers it’s possible to seek out the bargains in order to stretch the holiday cash further. By looking for special deals on the worldwide web, a significant sum of money can be saved, and you never know it could lead to the ability to enjoy both types of vacation in the coming year.

David Showell lives in England and has visited several countries all over the world. He knows he only has to click here for the best car hire deals when on holiday.

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Millions around the world watched on TV on April 29 when Kate Middleton made her way from The Goring (one of the most luxurious London Hotels) to the Abbey to marry Prince William. That historic day will have increased interest in visiting the building. Westminster Abbey has in fact been used for coronations and other royal occasions for centuries, so William and Kate were continuing a rich tradition.

Westminster Abbey was founded some time before AD624, and housed a community of Benedictine monks for its first few years. The present church was built in 1245 by Henry III, who was later buried there. The Abbey stood to be destroyed during the reign of Henry VII, for that fate befell most abbeys in his time. But he decided to grant it cathedral status, and spare it from being pulled down. Again in the 17th century it came under threat when it suffered damage at the hands of Puritans, but it survived mostly intact. Around 100 years later, the Abbey’s two western towers were built to a Gothic Revival design. It’s the history surrounding that makes it so unique and special, something even the finest of Dubai Hotels can re-create.

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It is an important religious building, also known as The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which saw parts of the King James Bible and the New Testament translated, as well as, more recently, the New English Bible.

Westminster Abbey has been used for the weddings of most of the royal family in recent times, the exception being Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, married the Duke of Edinburgh at the Abbey in 1947. And it was only appropriate that Prince William, now the Duke of Cambridge, chose the Abbey to host his wedding this year.

Westminster Abbey has also been known as one of the sights of London for its use as the burial place of most of the Kings and Queens of England. Besides royalty, many of England’s finest poets are buried here, including William Blake, Lord Byron, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats, John Milton and Alfred Lord Tennyson. The Princess of Wales’ funeral was held there on September 6, 1997, watched by a huge TV audience around the world.

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The name of this largest public space in London come from the sea Battle of Trafalgar, where on 21 October 1805 the legendary Admiral Horatio Nelson won the battle over the French fleet. In the middle of Trafalgar Square you can find Nelson’s Column, which is surrounded by fountains and four huge bronze statues of lions. At the top of the pillar there is a statue of Lord Nelson, who commanded the British navy at the Battle of Trafalgar.

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On the north side there is the National Gallery. South of it is the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. At each corner of Trafalgar Square there is a plinth with statues of George IV, Henry Havelock, and Sir Charles James Napier. The fourth plinth has temporary exhibitions.

Trafalgar Square is also famous as the home of hundreds of pigeons which were feeding by the inhabitants of London for centuries. But few years ago it was forbidden, because birds droppings damaged the local sights. Another tradition which became a familiar is the ritual with preparing the Christmas tree. It is imported from Oslo, Norway, who send it each year as a gift to help the Nordic country during the World War II.

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But where should you go and what should not be missed? There is so much to do you can’t cram it into one trip. Well to help you along here are my top five recommendations.

1) Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 1837 and is the current residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Though much of it remains private the state rooms are open to public view during the summer season. It will also play host to the Royal family during the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, where they will stand on the balcony and wave to well wishers immediately after their wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by shining.darkness

Read more about Buckingham Palace here.

2) The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster Abbey, as it is also known, is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English monarchs. It is a place steeped in history and one that is well worth a visit – though don’t forget it is closed to the public when hosting special events so don’t try and sneak in to see Will and Kate tie the knot!

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Hyougushi

Read more about Westminster Abbey here.

3) The Tower Of London and Tower Bridge
Another one of the City’s iconic buildings find out all about London’s grizzly past (and watch out for ghosts!) at the Tower Of London and the nearby Tower Bridge. The Tower was founded by King William the Conqueror in 11th Century and has served as, among others, a royal palace, fortress, prison and place of execution. The crown Jewels are also stored here and the ghost of Anne Boleyn, beheaded in 1536 for treason against King Henry VIII, is said to walk around the tower carrying her head under her arm.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Edwin Lee

4) London Eye
If you are lucky, and get to the wheel during a clear day you can see up to 50 kilometres far. It provides you a great view of Westminster and Buckingham Palace. This attraction is very popular among tourists, so during the visit you should count with the long queues, but also a strong inspection of you and your bag.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Martie Swart

You can read more about London Eye here.

5) Wembley Stadium
Ok, football may not be for everyone but if you are a sports fan the Wembley Stadium – the home of English football – should not be missed. The iconic twin towers were demolished in 2000 along with the rest of the aging stadium and have been replaced with a state-of-the-art 90,000 capacity arena. There is though a museum detailing the history of the ground and English football in general, well worth it.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Martin Pettitt

6) Endless Museums – for free
Even if you saved cash by booking your accommodation at Hotels.com and were savvy with your tourist cash. If your wallet is still a little light then don’t fret, there are endless other things that can be done for free. Not least London’s excellent collection of Museums such as the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, Tate Modern and the National Gallery – all with free entry. There are also endless parks and green spaces dotted across the city if you are lucky and visit London on those rarest of days – hot and sunny!

7) Trafalgar Square & Nelson’s Column
Trafalgar Square is located in Westminster and commemorates the victory in the Battle of Trafalgar, which took place in 1805. In the middle of Trafalgar Square stands Nelson’s Column, which is surrounded by fountains and four huge bronze statues of lions. Trafalgar Square is the vibrant heart of London and the best starting point for exploration of its central part.

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London, England, UK by Tim Morris

The city of London is perhaps one of the most visited places in the whole of the UK. Each year millions of people make their way to this ancient city to see the sites and experience the culture.

Within the city of London, you will find several World Heritage Sites which includes the Tower of London, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Westminster Abbey, the Palace of Westminster, St. Margaret’s Church as well as the settlement of Greenwich which is home to the Royal Observatory.

There are more than 300 different languages commonly spoken within the city as it is home to more than seven and a half million residents; many of which come from ever corner of the globe. The metropolitan area that surrounds London is home to more than fourteen million residents.

Palace of Westminster, London, England, UK by Jim Trodel

The city of London is also home to the world’s oldest underground railway system, the London Underground. This rail system will get you all over the city. While not many tourists take the Underground, the experience is nonetheless an exciting one.

Countless people make their way to the Buckingham Palace in order to watch the Changing of the Guard. They also try their best to make the guard smile or make any kind of movements at all. There is so much to see in and around the Palace that many people spend a good portion of their day in the area.

Near by you will find the House of Parliament, Big Ben, the Tower Bridge as well as the Tower of London. Countless people make their way to the British Museum and spend the entire day looking through the collections housed within. Then there is the Princess Diana’s memorial that also gets many regular visitors.

Tower Bridge, London, England, UK by Robert Brown

One of the more recent attractions in the city is that of the London Eye. Built for the new millennium, the London Eye is an amazing ferris wheel that takes you up, higher than most of the buildings in the city. From the top you can see for kilometers in every direction.

There is literally so much to see and do in the city of London, that one could spend an entire month on vacation within the city and only see a small portion of what the largest city in the European Union has to offer.

How to get to London

England is one of the most visited European countries and so it is London. There are several major airports around the city, serviced by perhaps all airlines that can be seen in Europe, from the most luxury up to those low-cost airlines offering cheap flights to London.

A quick guide to London’s airports

Heathrow

London’s largest and most modern airport is London Heathrow, which is located in the south-western part of the city. It is one of the busiest airports in Europe in general. London Heathrow has five terminals and two runways. Among the most important advantages of this airport is its location – it is easily accessible from the city centre, by numerous public transport services:

You can find more about the London Heathrow on heathrowairport.com.

Gatwick

A few miles south of London, there is another large airport, Gatwick, which also provides flights to the whole world. Transport to central London is available in either a bus or train service. Of course it is possible to use the taxi as well.
Find more info on gatwickairport.com

London Stansted

London Stansted is currently London’s third busiest airport. It is located about 40 km north of London and is considered a base of low-cost airlines like Ryanair, Easyjet and others. Directly under the airport hall is the train station from where you can get to London, Cambridge and the Midlands. Stansted Express is the fasted way how to get to London and the price for return ticket is £32.80 (46 minutes), but you can use cheaper bus transport service from £6 for one way ticket.
Find more info on stanstedairport.com.

Luton

Luton is one of the smaller airports. Today it is already used by some cheaper airlines. Located about 50 kilometres south-east of London you can reach the city centre by regular bus or train services as well.
Find more info on london-luton.co.uk

London City Airport

Another airport in London is London City Airport. This is situated very close to the city centre. London City Airport, however, is the airport that is mainly used by private business clients. Regular flights are not arriving to this airport so you will probably never get there. Or… have you already been there?

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