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Things To Do in London - How Much Time Do You Have?
The sheer scope and variety of London's historic sights and tourist attractions can be overwhelming. If you had a whole year's vacation you might be able to see about half of what London has to offer. Whatever your tastes and passions, London has it all... from ancient, to classical, to modern, to avant-garde art; historic monuments and architecture; galleries, museums, zoos and gardens; chic shopping, gourmet dining, nightclubs, theater, dance and opera. From the symphony to street buskers - you will find a wondrous variety of things to enlighten and entertain you in England's capital city.

An ever shifting blend of ancient and modern, London has over 200 galleries and 300 museums, and 150 events a day to interest the traveler. Westminster Abbey is the burial place of kings and literary giants, thinkers and scientists. Besides Westminster, London's cathedrals and churches are some of the most spectacular in Europe, particularly noteworthy is Sir Christopher Wren's St. Paul's Cathedral.

For those fascinated by the economic heart of the big city, the equivalent of New York's Wall Street, London's much older financial center is simply known as 'The City'. This hub actually has roots that go back thousands of years, since before money was even invented.

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London has historic Inns galore also dating back a thousand years or more, and many wonderful parks to enjoy... St James Park, Hyde Park, and Regents Park with its famous gardens and even more famous London zoo. Holland Park has an opera house and Japanese gardens, and in addition to gardens, Kensington Gardens has the Royal costume collection.

Speaking of gardens, be sure not to overlook Covent Garden. Not really a garden at all, the area is a spectacular array of theaters, shops and city hot spots where street performers compete with restaurants, bars, boutiques and clubs for your time and attention. Spend a fun evening at the Covent Garden Comedy Club - only £8 Covent Graden is also home to the Royal Opera House where you will have the opportunity to see world class singers, dancers and musicians, directors and designers, for a truly unforgetable evening with the arts.

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Portobello Road, Petticoat Lane, Camden Lock & Borough Market

London is also rightly famous for its outdoor Markets... a lively, eclectic mixing and matching of cultures gathered variously around clothing, antiques, food & produce, books, jewelry and general bric-a-brac. The antique hunting (on Saturdays) along the Portobello Road in Notting Hill is unmatched anywhere. There has been a market on this site since 1837.

Petticoat Lane, originally named as the heart of the rag trade in the East End, has been a Sunday tradition since before Queen Victoria's day.

Camden Lock in North London is one of the newer markets, but also possibly the busiest. With its cobbled courtyard leading onto the Regents Canal it has more than its share of charm and Moroccan bazar atmosphere.

South of the Thames over London Bridge is Borough Market, the successor to a medieval market held on London Bridge since the thirteenth century. It was moved to Borough High Street to relieve congestion on the bridge and you can enjoy a smorgasbord of strange and wonderful foods between 9:00am and 4:00pm on Fridays. If you like your burgers bizarre, you can get an ostrich patty cooked to taste.

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Buckingham Palace

© photographer Clint Scholz; agency Dreamstime.com

Buckingham Palace
Though one of the most popular tourist attractions in London, Buckingham Palace is still the official residence of Britain's monarchy, as it has been since Queen Victoria's designation in 1837. Much of the building was constructed as early as 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. Buckingham House (as it was then known) was purchased in 1762 by George III, who used it as a private residence. In the ensuing 75 years the house was expanded to form three wings around a central courtyard.

Queen Victoria declared that the palace was lacking several 'necessary' rooms: a formal ballroom, a nursery, and guest accommodations, among others. Major additions were undertaken which included an entire wing to form a quadrangle. The Marble Arch was moved to Hyde Park, where it still resides near Speaker's Corner. A complete refacing with Portland stone in 1913 was the palace's last major renovation. Still actively used as both residence and offices, over 50,000 guests and invited diplomats visit per year who interact with over 400 individuals for whom this is 'the office'. Nevertheless, several parts of the palace are open to the public. During August and September, the West Wing admits visitors who can view the State Rooms. At other times of the year, various parts are open, where tourists can view spectacular jewels, gowns, furniture and the building itself.

The Queen's Gallery near the Royal Mews (stables and, later, a garage) is open year-round and has an ever changing display of objects owned by the British nation. Here you can see original paintings by Rubens, Vermeer, Canaletto and other great artists. The Royal Mews is also open to the public, and is home to 30 royal horses and the golden State Coach. The four-ton coach, pulled by eight of the sturdy steeds, is used for coronations and other state functions.

Outside is a 40-acre garden full of well-tended flowers and shrubs and a superb lake. Of course, the major attraction outside is the 'Changing of the Guard', or as it's more formally known: the Guard Mounting. The Household Cavalry has guarded the Sovereign since 1660, but today the task is carried out at Buckingham Palace by soldiers drawn mostly from the regiments of the Foot Guards. A Guards' band plays a traditional military march as one set of guards replaces the other.

When the Queen is in residence, four sentries stand outside the palace. While she's away, the contingent is reduced to two. In their traditional red tunic and distinctive bearskin helmet, the guards are a spectacular sight, and famously trained to avoid interacting with the many visitors who try to distract them. Occasionally, other Commonwealth units participate in guard duty, as do the Scots Guards and the Brigade of Gurkhas. The Changing of the Guard ceremony is performed at 11:30am daily and lasts for about 45 minutes, though it's skipped sometimes in very bad weather. Buckingham Palace is easily accessible by the tube (the London Underground subway system). Green Park is to the north of Buckingham Palace, Victoria Station and St. James Park stations are to the south.
 

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Harrods

Harrods Department Store
Much of London, for the tourist anyway, is historical. It is a city full of ancient buildings and centuries old monuments, palaces and works of art from ages past. But not Harrods. Though its origins date back 150 years, Harrods is as state-of-the-art as your ipod. The world's greatest department store was established on its current site in 1849 by Charles Henry Harrod, a wholesale grocer. Harrod's son Charles Digby rapidly grew the business and by 1880 employed 100 staff. Never one to be defeated by setbacks, not even a devastating fire in 1883, Harrods went on to make all its Christmas deliveries in that year and all the years since. Whether flying fresh fish to Alfred Hitchcock or embalming Sigmund Freud's body, the store that promises 'Everything to Everybody Everywhere' never fails to deliver.

Many architectural additions, including terracotta tiles and Art Nouveau windows topped with a baroque dome, can still be seen by a careful observer. What you won't see is the original Winnie-the-Pooh. A.A. Milne took that home for his son, Christopher Robin. Throughout the decades Harrods has housed a funeral home and a lending library, and has sold everything from airplanes to elephants. These days, Harrods' selection of available goods is undoubtedly unlimited and even more exotic.

The expansion began when the Egyptian Al-Fayed family acquired the House of Fraser Group (and thereby Harrods) for £615 million ($1.1 billion +) in 1985. Another £300 million investment for refurbishment has brought the department store to its current peak. You don't go to Harrods to shop, you go to experience it. On any given day you may find opera singers performing at the top of the Egyptian Escalators or a future star serving at one of the counters. Pierce Brosnan once worked in the Pharmacy and the original Darth Vader was a fitness consultant in the sports department.

While your 'assistant' is booking theater tickets, have a facial in the salon or relax at the Irish spa. When you're done, visit Donatella Versace and try out her new perfume. If you have in fact come to Harrods to shop, be prepared. They have 4.5 acres of merchandise on seven floors which were once connected by the world's first escalator. 12,000 lightbulbs will illuminate your browsing, and if you stop for a drink of water it will be drawn from one of the under-the-site artesian wells. (The deepest is 489 ft, 149 m). You can purchase over 300 varieties of cheese or have a unique chocolate drink, such as an Italian 'suckao' available from the Chocolate Bar.

If your pockets are deeper, you could purchase your own custom-made Madame Tussaud's waxwork - a mere £250,000. If you're on a budget though, you can bid for the £20,000 24-karat gold Lindt bunny. On the way out, since you're all tapped out now, stop and notice the extraordinary chandeliers hanging throughout the store, or visit the specialized jewelry department and imagine where you might wear such things. But be sure to bring your ear plugs and elbow pads. Harrods is full not only of a million square feet of merchandise, but hordes of shoppers and visitors from all over the world. Harrods is easily accessible via the tube (the London Underground subway system). Exit at the Knightsbridge station.

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Hyde Park

© photographer Stephen Finn: agency Dreamstime.com

Hyde Park
Probably most famous for Speaker's Corner, where London's citizens have always had the right to stand atop a soapbox and shout their views to the crowd, there's much more to see and do in Hyde Park than listen to political opinions. The land forming the park was first acquired by Henry VIII from the monks of Westminster Abbey in 1536. Henry and his court used the park for deer hunting.

Rotten Row is the name given to the wide soft horse track that still runs along the Knightsbridge edge of Hyde Park. It was established by William III in the late seventeen hundreds and its name is thought to be a derivation of Route de Roi... (the king's road.) In former times horseback riding through Hyde Park was a popular pastime and you could bring your own pony, or rent one from a nearby stables. Today, increased traffic has made access all but impossible and few people these days can afford to stable a horse (nor would they want to) in the heart of London. Early risers, though, will still see the Household Cavalry who are stabled at the nearby Hyde Park Barracks, exercising their horses along Rotten Row in the early morning.

First made accessible to the public by King James I in the early 17th century, Hyde Park is split by the Serpentine, a river dammed to make an artificial lake. The idea was originated by the wife of King George II, an avid gardener. Boat rides on the lake remain a popular activity.

Perhaps the oldest park in London, these 350 acres (140 hectares) contain peaceful walks through gardens and woods, boats for hire, venues for music concerts and is very nearby several stellar pubs and restaurants. There's even a pet cemetery and during the summer, Sunday concerts are held at the Bandstand.

In the north east corner, at the end of Oxford Street is the famous Marble Arch. The structure was built as a gateway to Buckingham Palace but moved to the park in 1851. Several monuments located in the park are worth a look. The latest tribute is to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The fountain is surrounded by and composed of 545 pieces of Cornish granite and the water flows through a complex design into a calm pool. There are three bridges that cross the water over the heart of the fountain.

Sports abound on the many fields, including tennis (6 courts, with a changing pavilion and cafe), a bowling green, and numerous impromptu soccer games on various meadows all over the park. There's also a children's playground to amuse the younger kids.

Hyde Park lies between Bayswater Road to the north and Knightsbridge to the south, with Park Lane and ritzy Mayfair to the east and Kensington Gardens to the west. The park is easily reached by the tube (the London Underground, the subway system). Exit at the Hyde Park Corner station.
 

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Tower of London
An imposing fortress along the north bank of the River Thames, The Tower of London is actually a complex of several buildings surrounded by massive defensive walls and a moat. Its twenty towers are imbued with an ancient tradition of royal blood spilled, stockpiled armor, and plundered jewels, plus the volatile history to match.

The central tower is the original structure built by William the Conqueror and completed around 1100 AD. At its completion it was the tallest building in London. William and his Norman court no doubt felt much safer inside it, surrounded by conquered London natives, as they were. A century later, Henry III had it whitewashed and its original name, The White Tower, came into being. Over time the fortress grew and, inevitably, became a prison. For several hundred years, the most feared sentence any traitor to the crown could receive was an invitation to spend some time in The Tower.

In its later incarnations The Tower of London became a repository for the extensive collection of crown jewels. It has also been used at various times to house the Royal Mint, the Public Records, the Royal Menagerie (later to form the starting point of the London Zoo) and an observatory (built in 1675).

Since Henry VII first appointed them in 1485, the Tower has been guarded by the Yeoman Warders - popularly known as 'Beefeaters', with their distinctive red costumes. The function is now performed by retired military personnel. In 2007, the first ever woman has joined the ranks of the all male Beefeaters. The kings of England must be spinning in their ancient tombs.

A spiral staircase leads to the Royal Armouries - Britain's national museum of arms and armor, with 40,000 pieces on display. Beginning public display during the reign of Charles II, the armory is Britain's oldest public museum. Other buildings were added through the centuries, including the Middle Tower, the Byward Tower, Garden (Bloody) Tower, and Traitor's Gate across the moat. The moat, fortunately, was drained around the time of the last tower built (in 1843).

Through the centuries The Tower of London has hosted a royal roster of unfortunates who were foolish enough to cross the political forces of their day... John Balliol and David II, Kings of Scotland, Henry VI and his wife Margaret d'Anjou, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, (Henry VIII's wives), Lady Jane Grey , the famed 'little princes' (alleged victims of Richard III), Thomas More, Sir Walter Raleigh and Robert Devereaux. Elizabeth I, briefly, for 2 months, and Sir William de la Pole, a relative of Henry VIII, who was incarcerated there for 37 years. Evidence of the Tower's murderous history can be seen in the racks and numerous other barbarous torture devices still on display in the dungeons.

The centerpiece of interest for most visitors is, without question, the Crown Jewels housed in the Jewel House, Waterloo Block. Here are dozens of crowns, jeweled scabbards, and an array of emerald and ruby studded collars, necklaces and the like. There are several famous large stones housed here including the Cullinan II, set in the Imperial State Crown used for Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838. Not to be outshone, there's also the equally famous Kohinoor ("Mountain of Light"), over 200 carats. But, the centerpiece of the jewels collection is the 530-carat Star of Africa. This egg-sized diamond was cut down from the much larger Cullinan, originally over 3,000 carats, extracted from a South African mine at the beginning of the 20th century.

For those with the time, who plan ahead, there's one attraction here that's held after closing: The Ceremony of the Keys. Held nightly between 9:30 and 10:00 the ritual has been performed without interruption for 700 years. Now that's tradition.
 

Trafalgar Square

© photographer Jeff Gynane; agency Dreamstime.com

Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is the center of London in more ways than one. At its south end lies what used to be Charing Cross, the point from which all distances to London are measured. Long since, the cross erected by Edward I in 1290 as a tribute to his wife, Eleanor, has been replaced by an equestrian statue of Charles I. Trafalgar Square was completed in 1845 and has been a favorite haunt of Londoners and visitors alike ever since.

The large open piazza-style square has always been the site of gatherings and demonstrations, whether the citizens are christmas caroling or voicing political dissidence. This is where Londoners congregate to bring in the New Year, many of them diving into the freezing fountains to celebrate (or sober up).

The centerpiece of Trafalgar Square is the 185-foot Nelson's Column, with the 17-foot statue of Lord Nelson at its summit. The square was originally conceived and designed as a tribute to Nelson's military victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. At the base of the column are four large bronze lions sculpted by Sir Edwin Landseer, sitting atop huge granite plinths. Bronze reliefs at the base of each one depict four of Admiral Nelson's famous battles.

Once home to large flocks of pigeons, the column and other structures have been rejuvenated after a program to radically decrease the bird population. A program not without controversy, as Trafalgar Sqaure's pigeons were popular with Londoners and many of the tourists. I grew up in London in the 1950's and fondly remember the adventure of many a bus ride to Trafalgar Square with my grandmother, to feed the pigeons. It was one of those simple and affordable pleasures that have long since disappeared from our lives.

Trafalgar Square sits at the convergence of several of London's major roadways... Whitehall, The Mall, Charing Cross Road, The Strand, and St. Martin's Lane among them.

The north side of the square is bordered by The National Gallery, one of the world's premier art museums. Along with one of the richest collections of paintings, the building itself is a work of art.

At the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square is St. Martin's-in-the-Fields church. Records have shown a church on this site since 1222, but in 2006, excavations on the site uncovered a grave which is thought to date from 410... Roman Britain. So it is possible that this has been sacred ground for much longer. Henry VIII rebuilt St. Martins-in-the-Fields for London's plague victims... not for altruistic reasons, but to prevent them crossing through his Palace at Whitehall. At that time it was quite literally, out in the fields.

On the south side of Trafalgar Square is Whitehall, where you will find The Cenotaph, the revered monument built in 1919 to memorialize the Armistice after World War I. Armistice Day is commemorated by the British every year by the wearing of a red poppy, symbolizing the poppies of the Somme where the bloodiest battle in world history produced a million casualties. At 11:00am... the hour on Nov 11th, 1918 when fighting ceased, there is an observance of two minutes silence, and wreaths are laid at the Cenotaph by members of the royal family and other dignitaries.

If you visit London during the Christmas season, bundle up and come out to Trafalgar Square for the annual tree lighting ceremony... a night time tradition since 1947. Each year since then, Norway, as an expression of gratitude for British support during WWII - sends a giant spruce or fir to London. The tree is erected and decorated, and the Mayor of Oslo joins the Lord Mayor of Westminster to flip the switch and turn on the lights.

Less than a mile from Trafalgar Square you will find The Churchill Museum, and 10 Downing Street, the home of the Prime Minister since 1732. Dr. Johnson's house (author and creator of the first English dictionary) is about a mile away, as is the British Museum, housing one of the world's largest collections of ancient artifacts.
 

© photographer Mauro Bighin; agency Dreamstime.com

Westminster Abbey
Church, burial ground, coronation site and much more, Westminster Abbey continues to attract visitors over 900 years after its founding. In many respects the architecture is common. There's the traditional cross-shaped floor plan with a nave, north and south transepts and several round side areas. But both its execution and use raise The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster (the official name) to among the highest examples of church construction.

Here lie buried kings and poets, scientists and philosophers who have themselves raised humankind to the highest levels. Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell (discoverer of electromagnetic theory, which later lead to radio and TV), Chaucer and Kipling, Dr. Samuel Johnson (creator of the first English dictionary) and many other justly famous names are interred here.

Henry III, who reigned from the age of nine for 56 years, is buried in the Abbey. Much of the current structure owes its origins to his efforts. New discoveries are still being made within its walls. As recently as 2005 the burial tomb of its founder, Edward the Confessor (Edward I) was discovered beneath a 1268 AD Cosmati mosaic. A number of other royal tombs dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries were also found using ground penetrating radar.

But far from being merely about the dead, here the centuries of history come alive. Still an active church, Westminster Abbey is the site of services and events for all denominations. Used for every coronation since William the Conqueror's in 1066, pageantry combines with austerity to create an atmosphere of grandeur. That grandeur can be seen in the enormous vaulted ceilings, typical of early Gothic design. But the artistic grandeur combines with technological brilliance. Just as one example, the support arches are not the ornate visible ones, but are actually enclosed within the thick stone roof.

The art housed by the Abbey makes the site worth visiting. Inside the west entrance is a portrait of Richard II, painted in 1390, making it one of the oldest known contemporary portraits of a British monarch. There are several outstanding monuments in the nave, including those depicting Winston Churchill and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior of WWI. This last was the last full-body interment in the abbey. Only containers of ashes are allowed now.

From the cloister, walk to the octagonal Chapter House near Poet's Corner, one of the earliest constructed sections, built at the time of Henry III. Here you can see the mixture of architectural styles forming the Abbey, as the result of additions made over the centuries. Stroll over to the south transept to view the original rose window with its nearby rare medieval sculpture, (three dimensional art was often considered sinful during the period.) Then stand near the center where the various architectural elements join and take in a 360 degree view. Behold almost 1,000 years of history.

The Abbey is easily reached by the tube (the London Underground subway system). Exit at the St James Park stop.
 
London Museums

Museums in London are as thick on the ground as leaves in the fall. The Victoria & Albert, named for the famous 19th century queen and her consort, The Natural History and Science museums, and the world-renowned British Museum could each form a day's excursion. But newer attractions are also worthwhile.

The London Eye, built for the millennium celebrations, is the world's largest ferris wheel. The 30-minute ride in a plexi-glass gondola offers stunning views of the Thames and half the city including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square houses over 2,000 works by European masters... Leonardo da Vinci, Jan van Eyck, Hans Holbein, Diego Velasquez, John Constable, Vincent van Gogh and Georges Seurat to name a few. The Tate Modern, opened in 2000, now houses the Tate's collection of contemporary international art, featuring Picasso, Matisse and other famous names of 20th century art.

Explore London 'til your feet are nagging and your heart's content. Then make yourself a promise to return, so you can see the rest.
 

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