London

Places to stay in London

With the Olympics coming to the city in 2012 many improvements and additions are being made to ensure that visitors will have easy access to all the competing events. Heathrow Airport, which lies to the west of London, is the busiest airport in the World when judged by international passenger numbers. There is a fast rail link, Heathrow Express, which links the airport with London terminating at Paddington Station – the trip takes roughly 15minutes non-stop.

Once you are in London there is a choice of tube, bus, taxi or good old-fashioned walking to get around the many attractions. If you do elect to use the tube then look out for the Oyster Cards which you can purchase at many outlets. These cards offer the cheapest way of getting around on the tube – of course a tube map is essential.

London is well equipped with open spaces and there are many public parks where you can sit and relax and enjoy a picnic. The most famous park is probably Hyde Park with its Serpentine Lake but there is also St.James Park with its Pelicans and Regents Park which is home to a Zoo. During the summer season Hyde Park hosts a number of big concerts which are hugely popular. Names such as The Police, Queen, Rolling Stones have played here and recently the Nelson Mandela concert took place here celebrating his birthday and raising money for charity.

In March 2000 the London Eye opened, the largest ferris wheel in Europe, and has now carried over 30million paying passengers. The attraction dominates the skyline and provides a fantastic view of London both during the day and at night. Of course London is famous for its history and pomp and ceremony.

A visit to the Tower of London which was originally built in the 11th century and sits on the banks of the Thames is well worth a visit. This is also where the crown jewels are kept. While you are here you have a magnificent view of Tower Bridge which crosses the Thames and if you are lucky you may see it raised to let a big ship through.  Another striking landmark is St.Pauls Cathedral. This magnificent cathedral is beautiful inside and if you are feeling energetic you can climb to the very top of the dome and catch fantastic views of London on a clear day.

Another popular tourist attraction is Covent Garden which has great shopping, street entertainers and many popular restaurants, bars and cafes. In the centre of Covent Garden is the famous Piazza where you can sit and watch the world go by. It’s a perfect place to eat or have a drink before visiting one of the many theatres that are situated in this area.

Trafalgar Square situated in the heart of London has been transformed over the past few years and is now pedestrian friendly. There are magnificent fountains and huge statues of impressive lions. The square is hugely popular especially during Christmas and New Year celebrations. Now that the square has been cleared of the pigeons that used to live here it is widely used for events and filming.  From Trafalgar Square there is a very pleasant walk down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace or down Whitehall towards Parliament Square. 

Oxford Street, which runs from St.Giles Circus to Marble Arch, is the busiest shopping street in Europe with over 300 shops covering a distance of about 1.5 miles. The street is best accessed by tube at either Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch or Bond Street. Unfortunately the street is not pedestrianised and suffers from too many buses and taxis going down the street hopefully in years to come this will change. At Christmas the street is decorated with lights which are turned on by a famous personality each year in front of huge crowds.  A good place to eat in the summer along here is St.Christophers Place which is just off Oxford Street. There are a number of good restaurants here where you can sit outside.

The River Thames flows through the centre of London and provides a unique way of seeing many of the sights of London. There are a number of tourist boats which offer trips where you can hop on and hop off. It’s a great way of seeing sights such as Canary Wharf and the Houses of Parliament. Many of the skippers provide excellent commentary along the trip incorporating the typical English humour.