London is an ancient city whose long and fascinating history greets you at every turn. And yet it is contemporary, and both ancient and modern are reflected in the galleries and theatres, museums and monuments, historic buildings and concert halls, pubs and restaurants, amazing shopping and nightlife. Simply stated, London is one of the most interesting places on earth. There is no other place like it with a medley of styles that caters for all tastes in its mixture of the green loveliness of parks and the flashing of neon.
From the Thames, view the great globe of St. Paul's Cathedral, built in the 17th century, and the ramparts of Westminster, home of Parliament since the 1250s. Contrast this with a city with style, fashion, and dining scenes that make headlines around the world. London's chefs are superstars, its fashion designers have conquered Paris and the city's raging after-hours scene is packed with unrivalled entertainment.
The British bobby is alive and well. The tall, red, double-decker buses still lumber from stop to stop. And teatime is still a hallowed part of the day. See the old and the new come together at Buckingham Palace. Line up for the Changing of the Guard, go to the Royal Mews for a look at the Coronation Coach, and don't miss the pageantry of a 'Trooping the Colour'. London is a walker's city and many of the best should be seen on foot. A few examples are St. Paul's Cathedral, the Tower, Park Lane, Kensington, and the National Gallery, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, Shaftsbury Avenue and Soho. Getting around by public transportation is easy and practical. Rail transportation is also the gateway to the rest of the United Kingdom and Europe.
At nighttime London has a tangible spirit of fun abroad on the streets. The world-renowned Royal Opera House has reopened. The Royal Ballet has a permanent home there. Enjoy a production at the English National Opera (ENO) at it's home in the Coliseum or the excellent Old Vic theater offering a mixed calendar of programs.
Most bars are stylish and perfect for sipping martinis and munching hors d'oeuvres. Londoners, however, truly come into their own at their neighborhood pubs. It is still a vital part of British life and there are few better places to meet the natives than in their local habitat.
Places to See & Visit:
ADMIRALTY ARCH, on the southwest corner of Trafalgar Square is part of a ceremonial route to Buckingham Palace.
BRITISH LIBRARY. The library's treasures: Magna Carta, a Gutenberg Bible, Jane Austen's writings, Shakespeare's First Folio, and musical manuscripts by Handel and Sir Paul McCartney. A permanent exhibition of rare stamps.
BRITISH MUSEUM. Contains some of the greatest relics of humankind: the Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, the Sutton Hoo Treasure.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE. There are 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms.
HAMPTON COURT PALACE. Some 20 miles from central London. One of the city's oldest royal palaces set in a fantastic array of ornamental gardens, lakes, and ponds. Best of all is the celebrated maze.
HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. Overlooking the Thames with the Clock Tower - which everyone calls Big Ben.
KENSINGTON PALACE. The home of the late Princess Diana.
MILLENNIUM BRIDGE. This is not just another bridge, but the first pedestrian-only bridge to open in central London in more than century, the last being Tower Bridge in 1894. The bridge connects the old City - St. Paul's Cathedral area - with the Tate Modern art gallery.
NATIONAL GALLERY. Housing Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait, Leonardo da Vinci's Madonna of the Rocks, Vel‡zquez's Rokeby Venus, Constable's Hay Wain, and also including Hogarth, Gainsborough, Stubbs, and Constable.
NO. 10 DOWNING STREET. Along Whitehall, the prime minister's official office.
ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. The symbolic heart of London, is the masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723), completed in 1710 after 35 years of building miraculously (mostly) spared by the World War II bombs.
SIR JOHN SOANE'S MUSEUM. Guaranteed to raise a smile from the most blasŽ tourist. Sir John (1753-1837), architect of the Bank of England, bequeathed his house to the nation on condition that nothing be changed. Everywhere mirrors and colors play tricks with light and space, and split-level floors worthy of a fairground fun house disorient you.
SPEAKERS' CORNER. This corner harbors one of London's most public spectacles. Here, on Sunday afternoons, anyone is welcome to mount a soapbox and declaim upon any topic.
TATE BRITAIN. The gallery house works of British artists from the 16th century to the present day.
TATE MODERN. Opened in May 2000 in the Bankside Power Station.
TOWER OF LONDON. The most dazzling and most famous exhibits are, of course, the Crown Jewels, now housed in the new Jewel House, Waterloo Block.
VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM. The V&A, is a huge museum showcasing the applied arts of all disciplines, all periods, all nationalities, and all tastes and is a wonderful, generous place to get lost in, full of innovation and completely devoid of pretension.
WALLACE COLLECTION. This collection of art and artifacts is important, exciting, under-visited - and free. Includes the works of Rembrandt, Rubens, Gainsborough, Romney, Van Dycks and Canalettos.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY. Nearly all of England's monarchs have been crowned here since William the Conquereror on Christmas Day 1066; most are buried here, too. Besides splendid coronations, it has also seen royal weddings, and more recently, the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Highlights include the Henry VII Chapel, the Chapter House, and the Pyx Chamber, or Chapel of the Pyx as well as The Coronation Chair, which has been briefly graced by nearly every regal posterior.
Many exhibitions are free. Come and experience the Atlantic Limousine, the best way to get to London from the Caribbean.