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Tours in London |
Sightseeing Overview
Before setting off sightseeing, it is wise for visitors to study a London Underground map, to get a feel for the straightforward colour-coded system. Visitors should also bear in mind, however, that many of the Underground stations are very close to each other and many central areas are easily navigable on foot.
Walking the streets of London, or strolling through its parks, one realises that, in a city hailed for its ability to embrace modernity and change, the past is, however, never far away: there are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London (the Palace of Westminster, the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwhich and Kew Gardens) and some 40,000 listed buildings and structures.
Three of Britain's top 10 paying attractions and six of the top 10 free ones can be found in London. The London Eye, since it made its appearance on the banks of the Thames to mark the turn of the millennium, has since become the most popular attraction for visitors to the capital.
The tourist heart of London lies mainly on the north bank of the River Thames, with the chunk of flat land between South Kensington in the west to Tower Bridge in the east stuffed full of things to do and see.
Starting in the west, there are the three major South Kensington Museums – the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Moving eastwards, the next key attraction is Buckingham Palace. A short walk away, through St James’s Park, is Westminster, with the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.
From here, it is another short walk up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, with the National Gallery and other attractions. This is where the ‘West End’ starts, heading slightly north to Leicester Square connecting up with Piccadilly Circus to the west and Covent Garden to the east, with the stately old British Museum a little further away to the northeast. In the middle of the West End, Theatreland and Chinatown merge into Soho, with its nightlife and new media offices.
Along the river itself, on the north bank is the Tate Britain gallery in the west, followed by Westminster and then the Embankment. Crossing over the River Thames from the Embankment can be done on the pedestrian Hungerford Bridge.
The south bank of the river now has its own throngs of tourists, at the British Airways London Eye and London Aquarium. This side of the river also dominates culturally, with the South Bank Centre and, further east, the Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre.
Another pedestrian bridge, Lord Foster’s Millennium Bridge, connects the Tate Modern with St Paul’s Cathedral, back on the north bank. From St Paul’s, it is possible for one to walk through the City of London, reaching the Tower of London further east. Tower Bridge connects this ancient seat of power to City Hall, on the south bank, the new state-of-the-art home of London Mayor Ken Livingstone and the London Assembly, designed by Lord Foster.
Walking the streets of London, or strolling through its parks, one realises that, in a city hailed for its ability to embrace modernity and change, the past is, however, never far away: there are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in London (the Palace of Westminster, the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwhich and Kew Gardens) and some 40,000 listed buildings and structures.
Three of Britain's top 10 paying attractions and six of the top 10 free ones can be found in London. The London Eye, since it made its appearance on the banks of the Thames to mark the turn of the millennium, has since become the most popular attraction for visitors to the capital.
The tourist heart of London lies mainly on the north bank of the River Thames, with the chunk of flat land between South Kensington in the west to Tower Bridge in the east stuffed full of things to do and see.
Starting in the west, there are the three major South Kensington Museums – the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Moving eastwards, the next key attraction is Buckingham Palace. A short walk away, through St James’s Park, is Westminster, with the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.
From here, it is another short walk up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, with the National Gallery and other attractions. This is where the ‘West End’ starts, heading slightly north to Leicester Square connecting up with Piccadilly Circus to the west and Covent Garden to the east, with the stately old British Museum a little further away to the northeast. In the middle of the West End, Theatreland and Chinatown merge into Soho, with its nightlife and new media offices.
Along the river itself, on the north bank is the Tate Britain gallery in the west, followed by Westminster and then the Embankment. Crossing over the River Thames from the Embankment can be done on the pedestrian Hungerford Bridge.
The south bank of the river now has its own throngs of tourists, at the British Airways London Eye and London Aquarium. This side of the river also dominates culturally, with the South Bank Centre and, further east, the Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre.
Another pedestrian bridge, Lord Foster’s Millennium Bridge, connects the Tate Modern with St Paul’s Cathedral, back on the north bank. From St Paul’s, it is possible for one to walk through the City of London, reaching the Tower of London further east. Tower Bridge connects this ancient seat of power to City Hall, on the south bank, the new state-of-the-art home of London Mayor Ken Livingstone and the London Assembly, designed by Lord Foster.
Tourist Information
Visit London
Tel: 0906 133 7799 (24-hour general tourist information).
Website: www.visitlondon.com
London’s main tourist information centre is the Britain and London Visitor Centre (BLVC), 1 Lower Regent Street, SW1. Opening hours: 0930-1830 Mon, 0900-1830 Tue-Fri and 1000-1600 Sat-Sun (Jun-Sep, Sat-Sun 1000-1700).
There are various London Tourist Information Centres (TIC) situated throughout the city, including one at Pepys House, 2 Cutty Sark Gardens, Greenwich, SE10 (tel: 0870 608 2000) open daily 1000-1700; and one at Vinopolis, 1 Bank End, SE1 (tel: (020) 7357 9168), open Tue-Sun 1000-1800, Mon closed.
City Information Centre
St Paul’s Churchyard (opposite St Paul’s Cathedral)
Tel: (020) 7332 1456.
Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Opening hours: Easter-Sep, daily 0930-1700; Oct-Mar, Mon-Fri 0930-1700, Sat 0930-1230, Sun closed.
Tel: 0906 133 7799 (24-hour general tourist information).
Website: www.visitlondon.com
London’s main tourist information centre is the Britain and London Visitor Centre (BLVC), 1 Lower Regent Street, SW1. Opening hours: 0930-1830 Mon, 0900-1830 Tue-Fri and 1000-1600 Sat-Sun (Jun-Sep, Sat-Sun 1000-1700).
There are various London Tourist Information Centres (TIC) situated throughout the city, including one at Pepys House, 2 Cutty Sark Gardens, Greenwich, SE10 (tel: 0870 608 2000) open daily 1000-1700; and one at Vinopolis, 1 Bank End, SE1 (tel: (020) 7357 9168), open Tue-Sun 1000-1800, Mon closed.
City Information Centre
St Paul’s Churchyard (opposite St Paul’s Cathedral)
Tel: (020) 7332 1456.
Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Opening hours: Easter-Sep, daily 0930-1700; Oct-Mar, Mon-Fri 0930-1700, Sat 0930-1230, Sun closed.
Passes
The London Pass (website: www.londonpass.com) allows free access to over 50 attractions (including the London Aquarium, London Zoo, Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Buckingham Palace in summer). The ‘with transport’ option also includes transport on all London buses, Tubes and trains. The card is available for one, two, three or six days and can be purchased at the airport and tourist information offices around London. The card is fairly expensive though, so only worth buying if you are planning on doing a lot of sightseeing during your stay in London, or if you are pressed for time (card holder can avoid queues at many of the attractions).
View Our Airport Guides for London:
London Stansted Airport
London Luton Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Gatwick Airport
London City Airport
