What to See in London

The Summer Olympic Games of 2012 will be held in London. But there is no reason to wait until 2012, before you visit the city, because today you can find great sights, fantastic shopping and a exciting nightlife. And the food is not the typical English dishes.

The newest (and one of the most interesting) sight is the London Eye. The 135 meter (443 feet) high Ferris wheel can be found between Waterloo and Westminster Bridge. It was originally opened for the millennium new year by Tony Blair. But because of technical problems, the public couldnt use it before March 2000.

The wheel has 32 cabins with room for 25 persons. One rotation takes about half an hour; and it is a very popular attraction. So you can expect queue in the high season; but is worth waiting. From the top there is a great view of the central London including Big Ben and the House of Parliament.

A much older sight is the Tower of London. Its history is 900 years old and very bloody. When the prisoners walked through the Traitors Gate, they shouldnt expect to get out alive. Most of them were killed by torture or rats; or just executed.

Today the fortress is a more peaceful place (except for the other tourists). It is interesting to watch the famous Ceremony of the Keys where the head of the guards hands over the keys to the head of the night watchmen at exactly 9.52 pm.

You can see many interesting places on a Tower of London tour; including the royal apartment and the dungeons. But what most people find most exciting is the Jewel House with the British crown jewels. Here you can see the scepter of the sovereign with the worlds largest diamond Star of Africa.

For more great sights, visit St. Pauls Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Do also take a look at the 106 meter (348 feet) high Big Ben, and go for a walk in Hyde Park. Finish the sightseeing in British Museum, where you find an enormous collection of art.

A must thing to do in London is people watching. In the city you can see everything from punkers with safety pins through their noses and cock's combs to businessmen with bowler hat sand stiff upper lips.

Do you think it is impossible to find great food in London? Well, it is not; and you do not have to eat fish and chips. Both Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver have restaurants in London, so you can find superb food. But it does not have to be expensive. London is a melting pot of multi-ethnic populations, so it is also possible to find cheap and exotic food in many of the international restaurants in the city.

You can also find great shopping in London. A good place to start is the Harrods; the famous department which brags about their ability to provide everything you can think about. In Designers Guild you can find wallpaper and fabric for you home and in Muji, you can buy minimalistic, Japanese design. If you bring kid, they will love you for taking them to the toyshop Hamleys of Regent Street; six story paradise for children.

Article Source: TravelFreeGuides.com

About the Author

Morten Elm is writing about city breaks in London on London Storbyferie. Read more about the sights in London Sevaerdigheder .

by: Morten Elm

Total views: 7 Word Count: 544 Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 Time: 12:03 PM - 0 comments

Publish/Share this article

To use this article on your site click here to get the HTML code |
Remember: The article body, title, author bio and links may not be changed or removed. By publishing this article, you agree to all the terms in our Terms of Service.

Rating: 1.0