England: London

[bjorn]

By anyone's definition, London is one of the world's great cities. You've read or heard about so many of the landmarks, streets and sights in the city that seeing them seems surreal. Whitechapel - the Tower of London; the City - St. Paul's Cathedral and London's business center; Bloomsbury - the British Museum and stomping ground of writers like Virginia Woolf; Covent Garden -funky shops and the London theater district; Westminster and Whitehall - the site of the Tate Gallery, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery; Soho; Mayfair; Knightsbridge - home of Harrods department store; Chelsea; Hyde Park -site of Speaker's Corner, and Kensington Gardens - both green spaces to relax and picnic.

London is packed with a wealth of architecture, a preponderance of history. There is enough to keep you busy every day for at least a month. It's a mistake to think that London is all history and art, though. There are plenty of other things to do. Boating down one of London's two canals, the River Thames or Hyde Park's Serpentine; visiting Kew Gardens, Highgate Cemetery, Hampstead Heath or the London Zoo; watching the activity at the stock exchange or Lloyd's of London; and cheering on England at a tennis, soccer, cricket, or rugby game.

And after you've done all this, you've still only scratched the surface of London.

When to go:
Any time is good to visit London. The shoulder months of April-May and September-October are perhaps the best months to visit though. Off season (Nov-March) is preferable if you are more of an indoor traveler. Summer is the most pleasant time, but also the most crowded.

What to Do:
History/Ruins:
The history of London is woven into its architecture. Huge St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey (where Princess Di got married), the London Bridge, and the Tower of London are just some of the historic sites to see. Even individual streets in London are worthy of a visit. Fleet Street, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Drury Lane, Downing Street (the home of the Prime Minister), and Baker Street, where fictional detective Sherlock Holmes lived and worked at 221-B.

Museums:
There are museums in London to suit every taste. The neoclassical British Museum is one of the world's greatest. The have a range of exhibits, including two Magna Cartas, the Rosetta stone, the Elgin Marbles, Egyptian mummies, and half the treasures of the ancient world. Art lovers will want to explore the Tate Gallery, the National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery.
There are museums in London to suit every taste. The neoclassical British Museum is one of the world's greatest. The have a range of exhibits, including two Magna Cartas, the Rosetta stone, the Elgin Marbles, Egyptian mummies, and half the treasures of the ancient world. Art lovers will want to explore the Tate Gallery, the National Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery.

For those interested in Science, the Museum of Mankind (ethnology), the Science Museum, the Planetarium, and the Natural History Museum (with the very popular animated dinosaur exhibit) will keep you occupied. History buffs will be in heaven at the Museum of London, the National Army Museum, Sir John Sloane's Museum, the London Transport Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Wellington Museum, the Cabinet War Rooms, and the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

For visitors who are less interested in the "greats" and more interested in oddities, there is also plenty to do. Try, for instance, the Guinness World of Records, the London Dungeon, and The Museum of the Moving Image.

Shopping:
Shoppers will want to walk up Regent Street from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Circus (you'll be in the general vicinity of Savile Row and Carnaby and Bond Streets, as well). At Oxford Circus, traditional department stores and trendy boutiques offer all sorts of wares. But even those who have no interest in indulging in a London buying spree will want to stop at Harrods in Knightsbridge to stroll through the Food Halls. In the East End, street markets offer antiques, knickknacks, second hand stuff, and all sorts of cheap merchandise - some real bargains if you are willing to spend the time. Berwick Street, Brick Lane, and Portobello Road each have their own markets with different offerings. Whether you're looking for clothing and exotic foods, household goods and used furniture, or antiques and collectibles, the markets are exciting places to browse.

Food/Culinary Info:
While in England, try a pint of British ale or a traditional English breakfast. Other pub grub might include pasties, ploughman's lunch, or cheese and branston pickle sandwiches. Gourmets have mocked Britain's hearty cuisine of beer and over-boiled vegetables for ages, but in recent years, immigrants from Asia and Africa have spiced up traditional cooking. Indian and Chinese restaurants are everywhere, as well as modern British cuisine, reflecting a variety of influences. You find plenty of innovative and healthy choices in most restaurants. Home to some of the world's most esteemed chefs, London has some wonderful dining options for a range of budgets.

Beach
Brighton is the closest beach, but if it's swimming you are after, head to one of London's many swimming pools or leisure centers, complete with waterslides.

Natural Wonders
The catacombs, cobwebs, and corpses at Kensal Green Cemetery and Highgate Cemetery are worth a look. Kensal Green is the oldest cemetery in London, and is still in use. Highgate, especially the older western section, is a wonderful place to tour elegant Victorian funerary architecture and monuments. The Pet Cemetery on the north side of Kensington Gardens will fascinate you. There you'll find dogs, cats, monkeys, and birds memorialized by their grieving owners.

Boat trips from London to Greenwich are a great way to relax and enjoy a view of the Thames. Walking the parks of London, from Kensington Gardens to Battersea Park and Hampstead Heath give you ample chance to see Londoners at rest - and plenty of dogs and old men. The Museum of Garden History is a worthy stop for the horticulturally-inclined, along with the gardens and huge greenhouses filled with tropical plants and orchids Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, a short Tube ride away in Richmond.

Cultural Comments
The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is performed daily at 11:30am from April through August (every other day for the rest of the year.)

Arts:
In the evening, a trip to the theater is a must. The center of the theater district is Leicester Square (near Covent Garden), but elsewhere in the city, there are lots of interesting repertory theaters and experimental fringe performances. Covent Garden also features some unconventional entertainment, including the Cabaret gallery of mechanical toys and an assortment of street performers. Opera and ballet performances are frequent. The SWET office in Leicester Square offers discounts for same-day performances for plays. If you're buying tickets from an agency (rather than a box office), ask whether a commission is being charged - it may be as high as 20 percent. If it's convenient, visit the theatre itself and inquire about discount tickets (they almost never charge a commission).

Festivals/Events:
Festivals and events happen year round in London. Spring highlights include the Soho Pancake Day Race, the Kite Festival, the Chaucer Festival, and the London Marathon. Summer brings the Chelsea Flower Show, Derby Day, the Royal Ascot, Wimbledon Tennis Championships and the BBC Promenade Concerts. Autumn has Horseman's Sunday, the Punch and Judy Festival, Guy Fawkes Day, and the Lord Mayor's show.

Nightlife/Bars:
There's a obsession with techno and house music at most clubs in London. But dance clubs are not all that London offers. A great comedy scene, plenty of bars, taverns and pubs, cabarets, and live music venues mean that there is always something going on at night.

Gay & Lesbian:
Life is fabulous in gay old London. The club scene is hopping, especially in Soho. For great cabarets there's Islington, Camden, Hampstead - and if you want to stay out all night, don't miss Brixton for dance clubs that don't close before dawn.

Cost:
There are plenty of ways to spend heaps of money in London. There are also a lot of ways to save money. US$45 a day will cover a hostel bed, a travel card and supermarket or fast food meals. US$90 will get you all that plus a night at a club or pub, restaurant meals, transport, museums and other fun stuff. The unit of currency is the pound sterling.

Getting Around:
While it's possible to "walk" London, you'll find that using the Tube (subway) makes it easy to move quickly between any of the sights in central London. Travelcards are a great way to save a few pounds on the Tube. Buses are the best way to actually see London (except during rush hour), and riding a real double-decker public bus is a treat. If you are in a rush, there are also plenty of taxis, with drivers who really know the city.

British Rail covers all of England. National Express buses connect you to all parts of the country. Their Rover Pass cuts costs for frequent travelers. Green Line buses are for Greater London routes. Several companies offer themed walking tours of two to three hours, such as the Jack the Ripper Tour, Ghosts, Ghouls and West End Taverns.

Safety:
London is a big town, so use your common sense. Watch yourself, your stuff, and your surroundings.

Language:
English

Party/Social Scene:
London provides every form of entertainment your heart could desire.

Interest Rating: 4 days would be the minimum time you'd need to experience London. The city is one of the greatest in the world, and can occupy even the most finicky traveler for at least that long.

Other Info:
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