London. One of the most significant cities in the world, the great pride of British. A city filled with important symbols of England, recognizable around the globe. Millions of tourists visiting world-class art galleries, museums and theaters testify to the extraordinary popularity of this incomparable metropolis. Everyone knows that London can claim the title of the capital of the Earth and the most important political, cultural and scientific center. It's one big city organism, with dozens of languages spoken on the streets, guests from all over the world entertain in hundreds of clubs, and a cosmopolitan vibe that infects tourists who visit the city on multi-day trips. London has many features that make you feel at home.
Tourists are mesmerized by the elegance of the streets and the sea of sights flooding even the most remote quarters. All elements merge into an inseparable whole, which is such a fascinating world for the tourist that even in dreams of travel, he always wants to return to the ideal of elegance, hidden pleasures, magical places, breathtaking monuments and numerous parks that do not let you get bored. Discovering this city step by step is pure pleasure.
Long before the trip, many tourists book a car in the UK online to get a favorable rental rate, see more attractions and not depend on tour groups. In London, the cost of renting a compact class car starts from 23 euros per day; if you rent for a longer period, you can get a discount.
London covers several definitions related to administration, the largest financial center in the world, the largest stock exchange in Europe, a media center and the historic counties of Middlesex, Kent, Surrey, Essex and Hertfordshire. More than thirty boroughs of London cover more than 600 square miles along Thames River, which crosses the city from southwest to east. Officially, over 8 million people live in London, of which a significant percentage of the population is from Asian, African, Caribbean and other European countries, which increases the scale of the population, together with adjacent cities, to more than 20 million inhabitants. London is primarily associated with double-decker city buses, red telephone boxes, Big Ben, the royal guard in huge caps.
There is no place in London that can be considered an unambiguous attraction, so whether you are visiting the city individually or as part of an organized tour, routes take on a wide variety of configurations. Each place is associated with some important historical event or an outstanding person. Important information for tourists is the absence of entry fees to most museums and galleries.
The heart of London and its financial district is the City, also known as Square Mile. On the site where the office buildings stand now, Roman Londinium was built in ancient times, as evidenced by the relics of the amphitheater, provided to visitors in the Guildhall Art Gallery.
There are dozens of beautiful temples in the area (including the Temple Church with its unique rotunda, famous for the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code), but a must-see on every trip is St. Paul's Cathedral, a London baroque icon completed in 1711. , with a huge monumental dome, reminiscent of St. Peter Basilica in Rome. The colossal structure offers beautiful viewing galleries carrying thousands of tons of stone and lead, a huge interior with numerous monuments, tombstones and crypts, and a number of sacred treasures that amaze with their richness.
Another great attraction of the City is the Tower of London - a former prison and a symbol of harsh punishments. Evidence of centuries of history is the White Tower, towering in the middle of the courtyard, the "Traitors' Gate" from the Thames, the Bloody Prisoner's Tower or St. John Chapel. By the way, this is the oldest temple in London. However, the most important place is the chambers of the Waterloo barracks with royal insignia and real treasures from the 17th century.
The fortress is looked after by characteristic guards, nicknamed "The Yeoman Overseer", who also willingly pose for everyone. The greatest symbol of the Tower are the ravens, which, according to legend, will linger on the walls of the fortress as long as the British Empire exists. Resting on the benches in front of the Tower, you can also admire the ships sailing along Thames, and the most famous London bridge - Tower Bridge, erected in 1894 and distinguished by its famous silhouette with two powerful towers and raised spans.
Tourists should by no means exclude the area called Westminster. All the most important ceremonies take place in the political heart of the country, and the towers of the residence of the British Parliament - the Houses of Parliament - one of the most majestic buildings in London, amaze with their open spaces, neo-Gothic architecture. The complex includes another symbol of great London - the famous Big Ben, which has been measuring time for the British since 1859, and also decorating the entire building Jewel Tower, reflected in the waters of Thames. In the shadow of Parliament, there is another famous monument - Westminster Abbey. This is the most beautiful and largest Gothic church in London. She witnessed the coronation of British kings. There are so many treasures inside the temple that it will take a considerable amount of time to see the sights.
An equally important temple is Westminster Cathedral - a huge temple of the late XIX century, whose orange bricks, high tower and neo-Byzantine form do not at all correspond to London buildings, but are willingly visited by tourists because of their unique character.
On foot from Parliament, you can very quickly reach the former suburbs of medieval London - James Park and James Square, a favorite of the royal aristocracy. Next to gentlemen's clubs and luxury hotels, another symbol of the city rises - Buckingham Palace - the permanent residence of the British Queen, built in 1702 for the Duke of Buckingham.
Although the silhouette of the palace itself does not belong to the building masterpieces, tourists always gather under it, who can visit the red and gold Great Hall, the Royal Gallery with paintings by outstanding painters or the Royal Mews stable with the golden carriage of King George III. When visiting the palace, it is worth taking a camera with you to photograph the solemn changing of the guard in red uniforms and black caps, which, depending on the season, takes place every day or on even days, always at 11:30.
Connecting several never empty streets, Trafalgar Square competes for the title of city center. There are always a lot of tourists in the National Gallery, and Londoners invariably celebrate the New Year in this place. Everyone takes pictures of the tall Nelson Column, guarded by four huge lions, the equestrian statue of Charles I and the fountains, from which a cool breeze blows on hot days.
Next, you should follow Whitehall Avenue towards the Thames, to a place where the most important government institutions are gathered. You can then return to the Houses of Parliament or cross Westminster Bridge or take a ride on the world's largest Ferris wheel, the London Eye, built to commemorate the end of the 20th century and capable of seating several hundred people.Piccadilly Circus. Here you can discover the multicultural atmosphere of the bustling crowd, the urban charm and the attractiveness of the city.
Designed in 1812, this quaint urban space is best known for its large advertising that obscured one of the buildings for years, and the winged fountain depicting the Angel of Christian Mercy, under which tourists and London bohemia always sit on the stairs. It's also worth strolling through the nearby streets full of gorgeous tenements, exclusive shops and pubs perfect for afternoon tea. Also, be sure to take a double-decker bus and drive through the old, crowded, representative suburbs of Mayfair and Marylebone. For example, you should pay attention to Oxford Street, which is the most dynamic in commercial terms, and Bond Street, which is one of the most exclusive streets in London. There is also the opportunity to experience the thrill of Baker Street, where the fictional character of Arthur Conan Doyle's novels and crime stories, Sherlock Holmes, walked.
An amazing corner of London is Soho, where you can catch the London bug and get to know the quintessence of narrow streets and squares (for example, Leicester Square, which is crowded around every weekend by music fans), as well as Chinatown, which is sharply reminiscent of Hong Kong.Many shops and restaurants for tourists can also be found in the area called "Covent Garden", which is always full of buskers, mimes and self-proclaimed entertainers.There are also interesting areas on the other side of the Thames: Lambeth and Southwark, where hiking trails are marked. There are many interesting buildings (for example, the building of the former City Hall County Hall) and attractions such as: the London Aquarium, several important galleries and a number of buildings with commercial and restaurant premises.
Each of the other districts has a unique zest and individuality. Kensington has a palace where Princess Diana lived, Knightsbridge has a reputation as the most snobbish district, adorned with the famous Harods department store, Notting Hill is famous for the film of the same name and numerous street carnivals, Docklands has a complex of skyscrapers built on the site of former port docks, and in Greenwich you can cross the conditional border between the two hemispheres of the Earth, i.e. illusory prime meridian, from which time coordinates around the globe are measured. Many excursions also include the national football treasure Wembley, the Arena Millennium Dome and the Royal Botanic Gardens with tropical aquarium and conservatory at Kew Gardens.
Many tourists travel to London to take a closer look at the local galleries and museums, which are temples of world art and culture. It is impossible to list them all, but it is worth knowing that the most visited and even adored are:
- The National Gallery with world-class paintings created by outstanding artists;
- the National Portrait Gallery, representing the pictorial and photographic pantheon of portraits of prominent personalities;
- Tate Britain, with collections of British art (painting and sculpture) from the 16th century to the present day;
- Madame Tussauds Wax Museum - an amazing collection of wax images of famous personalities from around the world;
- The British Museum is one of the world's largest museums of ancient history from all over the world;
- the Imperial War Museum, dedicated to the armed forces of different periods;
- Tate Modern Gallery with the richest collection of contemporary art in the world;
- The Victoria and Albert Museum is the world's largest museum of applied arts and crafts,
- the Museum of Natural History, which fascinates with collections from various fields of science.
- The Museum of Death (London Dungeon) is also interesting, where you can: see expositions dedicated to the death penalty, learn more about Jack the Ripper, cross the “river of death” and survive the virtual great fire of 1666. There are many more such world-class objects, so if someone likes to walk around the museum halls, he should prepare a separate map with selected institutions in advance.
The same applies to London parks, the total area of which is amazing, and the expanses immersed in greenery guarantee many attractions and good rest after a dizzying sightseeing of the city. The heritage of the park dates back to the 17th century and is the result of great concepts that were later replicated in many parts of the world. Hyde Park is best known for its slightly overrated "nook" for free expression and thought. In the park, you can sit on the smooth grass, take a boat ride on the pond, or relax on a sun lounger. The famous Royal Albert Hall is located next to Kensington Gardens, Holland Park is surrounded by beautiful Victorian houses with an open-air theater in the center. In Berkeley Square - gardens you can admire wonderful sculptures, and St. Peter's Cathedral is a favorite place for tourists to walk. James Park is located near Buckingham Palace. However, just look at a map of London to see that there are many more green areas, and if someone is tired of visiting the museum halls, he can always sit on a bench and think about the plan for the next day.
It is also possible to see London from the river level, as many cruise ships ply the Thames to visit the most important sights.Visiting London at night is also inspiring, as the capital is unrivaled in terms of the number of pubs, music clubs, concert halls and nightclubs of various classes located in almost every corner of the city. The offer of one capital city is so rich that it can satisfy the needs of many medium-sized countries and deserves to be called "number one" in the world.