Top Ten Things in London

London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, with some of the most distinct cultures. Below are the top interesting places to visit in the city that’ll make your visit memorable.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has been the home of the British Royal Family since 1837, with 775 rooms and the biggest private garden in London. The Palace is open for tour in the summer and specific dates during the winter and spring. Touring the Queen’s Palace will grant you access to 19 State Rooms where the queen and members of the royal family host guests for ceremonial and official affairs.

Tourists can also witness the colorful, free display of pomp, and precision marching; The Changing of the Guard.

The Tower of London

The tower of London comprises multiple towers, the public can explore 12. If you are fascinated with the history of the queen, don’t miss the famous crown jewels exhibition. If you have more than enough time to spend here, take an entertaining tour led by the tower guards, you’ll be entertained with tales of the tower’s past. You should also visit the White Tower, there’s a 350-year-old exhibition, Line of Kings. The tower also features artifacts from Henry VIII, Charles I, and James II.

London Museums

The city of London has lots of free museums tourists can visit. The British Museum, with some of the finest collection of antiques and artifacts on display. There’s also the Victoria Albert Museum, which includes the Natural History Museum and Science Museum. V&A boasts of exhibits like ceramics and glass, textiles and costumes, jewelry, ironwork, sculpture, and prints. The Natural History Museum has a huge Romanesque façade, with many of the museum’s original exhibits still on display centuries later. However, museum visits are not something you’d want to rush due to their large landmass. It’s better to plan which section you’d like to see.

Portobello Road Market

In the beautiful Notting Hill area, the market stretches down the long Portobello Road with over 1000 merchants of all kinds. Vendors sell all kinds of common flea market items like; antiques, art, jewelry, clothing, food, and English items. Visitors willing to spend time around can find a wellie shop, tons of vintage tea sets, and decent London souvenirs.

Hyde Park

This is one of the largest and most famous parks in London. The park features several memorial aspects, and two bodies of water, where you can go paddle-boating, and see several swans. If you’re looking to relax from the rush of the city, Hyde Park’s transient foot and bike paths with flourishing floras all around is the best atmosphere for you.

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly circus is normally compared to the New York Times Square. It is the place where five busy roads meet, and the core of London’s hustle and bustle. A visit to Piccadilly is highly recommended for its wide array of restaurants, shops, and nightlife spots. It is even better to visit at night when the neon lights of the billboards reflect off the Edwardian-era buildings and the Eros statue.

National Gallery

London’s National Gallery can be found in Trafalgar Square. It features a range of Western European painting from the 13th to 19th centuries. It also includes masterpieces like Botticelli’s Venus and Mars, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, and The Water-Lily Pond by Monet. The Gallery provides audio tours and maps designed especially for children, some of which come with an additional fee.

Westminster Abbey

Officially known as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter in Westminster, it has the highest Gothic nave in England with 102 feet. Westminster Abbey grants you a peek into the rich history of the city with its Gothic architecture. Tourists can catch sight of over 600 memorials in the Nave, along with the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior; Poet’s Corner in the Transepts.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is a must-see London architectural spectacle. The bridge features moveable roadways that lift when large ships need to pass through. Also, elevated sidewalks visitors get an excellent view of the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral’s iconic dome, and one of the recent improvements to London’s skyline; The Shard Visitors that are interested in seeing the city from a higher level of about 137 feet can take a tour of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. You will be taken to the top of the bridge, equipped with a glass floor, and also to the bridge’s engine rooms at the bottom.

Churchill War Rooms

With its maze-like corridors, this is the underground bunker that Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his war cabinet used to protect themselves from bomb raids and plot their steps during World War II. It is one of the most interesting of London’s historic sites.

Conclusion

As a tourist, the smart thing to do is to book ahead. Especially for ever-busy sites like Westminster Abbey and Tower Bridge. To save yourself the stress and having to wait in line. It’s probably part of the tourist experience, but then you could spend that time touring.