Visiting London
So you are thinking you might want to visit London at some point or already have a date in mind? You know what places you want to visit in London, the Tower of London, maybe the Houses of Parliament. Or you haven't got that far just yet and want to know what to visit in London.
Ideally a friendly local with time on their hands would meet you in the West End and show you all the sites. Taking you down Dickensian back alleyways through historical London town. Well it could happen. Unfortunately that's not the most likely scenario, and London is a city with so many places to vist, you can be sure you'll either run out of cash or time, or both before you see it all.
Below are a few historical London sites you might want to think about visiting,
but to be honest it's really only scratching the surface. To make the most
of your visit to London you're going to need help. When you've finished checking
out the places below, click on the
Visiting London Planner and
get the help you need to make the most of your visit. And as an added bonus,
you can save an absolute bundle of cash with the special London Visitor passes
now
available.
Enjoy your visit!
| Apsley House | |
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Designed by Robert Adam and built between 1771 and 1778, Apsley House on Hyde
Park Corner is one of the most magnificent of London’s grand houses.
The house is best known as the home of the Duke of Wellington after his retirement
from a dazzling military career that culminated in his historic victory over
Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815.
Wellington enlarged Apsley House during his residency and enriched it with
his magnificent art collection featuring wonderful paintings (including works
from Goya, Rubens and Brueghel), porcelain, silver, sculpture, furniture and
medals many of which were presented to him by grateful sovereigns in recognition
of his military success. |
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Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience | |
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The Winston Churchill Britain At War Experience is an interesting and exciting
museum built for all ages, demonstrating through drama and wartime artefacts
what life was like living in London during the Second World War. Lightshows
and sound effects recreate the Blitz as seen from the point of view of ordinary
Londoners.
This top London museum creates a vivid experience of life during wartime and
provides essential information about the Second World War in general. There
is also an exhibition which allows visitors to enter a BBC radio studio where
you can hear the actual words of influential figures from the period such as
Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler and Franklin D. Roosevelt. |
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Chelsea Physic Garden | |
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Often cited as one of a few 'secret' London gardens, the Chelsea Physic Garden
was founded in 1673 and is still committed to research into ‘the properties,
origins and conservation of over 5000 species'.
The Chelsea Physic Garden offers many exclusive events and openings throughout
the year. London visitors are advised to ring in advance to check the availability
of these events, as most are seasonal. |
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Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms | |
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The Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms are dedicated to the life of
the ‘greatest Briton’, Sir Winston Churchill, and the secret underground
headquarters that were the nerve centre of Britain’s war effort.
The first London museum of its kind, the Churchill Museum covers all ninety
years of Winston Churchill’s life, divided into five chapters: his early
year’s as British Prime Minister starting May 1940; his later years;
his childhood; his early political career and the period famously known as
the ‘Gathering Storm’. |
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Hampton Court Palace | |
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The flamboyant Henry VIII is most associated with this majestic palace, which
he extended and developed after acquiring it in the 1520s. Its many royal occupants
have ensured the palace has fabulous furnishings, tapestries and paintings.
It is set in 60 acres of formal gardens, which include the famous maze and
the Great Vine.
The re-presented Tudor palace plays host every day to a wedding (until 31
Dec. 2009) – not just any wedding but that of Henry VIII to his sixth
wife, Kateryn Parr! Henry VIII: heads and hearts, invites visitors to the lavishly
dressed rooms throughout the Tudor palace, feasting in the Great Hall and debates
in the newly-opened Council Chamber. Whether seeing the palace decked out in
splendour, passing warders in their Tudor inspired uniform, or meeting Henry
and Kateryn ‘at home’ every day, you can revel in this moment of
history that happened at Hampton Court in 1543. |
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HMS Belfast | |
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HMS Belfast was launched in 1938 and served with distinction in both the Second
World War and the Korean War. She is now the only surviving example of the
great fleets of big gun armoured warships built for the Royal Navy in the first
half of the twentieth century. HMS Belfast is moored on the River Thames, with
an idyllic location between London Bridge and Tower Bridge.
On 5 August 1939 HMS Belfast was commissioned into the Royal Navy and just
a month later she was at war. On 21 November 1939, whilst leaving the Firth
of Forth, HMS Belfast was severely damaged by a German magnetic mine, the damage
was so severe that it was almost three years before she was fit for action
again. She continued to serve in active military engagements until 1952, including
participation in the destruction of the battle cruiser Scharnhorst the Normandy
Landings and the Korean War. She remained in service until 1965. |
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London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs | |
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The London Bridge Experience is a two-part tourist attraction situated within
the arches of London Bridge.
Firstly enjoy a fascinating trip back in time as the London Bridge Experience delves through the history of the bridge, from Druids through to Victorians, meeting Vikings, Romans, and some creepy medieval characters along the way. Featuring real life actors, stunning special effects and animations, this is unique interactive adventure really does takes you back in time. Then, if you’re brave enough head into the second attraction The London
Tombs. It’s a terrifying encounter with the un-dead and a blood-curdling
adventure you will never forget. Can you handle it? |
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National Theatre Backstage Tours | |
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The National Theatre is one of the UK’s foremost venues for contemporary
and classic theatre, scene of some the greatest performances of all time from
some of world’s most famous actors and actresses.
With London Pass you can indulge your theatrical tastes and see what goes on behind the scenes with Royal National Theatre Backstage Tours – free to pass holders. Normal adult entry price is £5. Situated on the South Bank close to Royal Festival Hall and the Hayward Gallery,
National Theatre tours run several times a day and last about 75 minutes. Advance
booking is recommended as theatre tour times vary according to rehearsals and
performances. |
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Royal Albert Hall | |
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Opened in 1871 the Royal Albert Hall London is one of the capital’s
most prestigious historic buildings and tourist attractions. It has been the
scene of over 150,000 performances including the celebrated BBC Proms.
Highly trained and knowledgeable guides lead tours of the Royal Albert Hall giving you the inside story of both front-of-house and behind-the-scenes at this magnificent historic building. With up to six tours a day from Friday to Tuesday there’s always a tour to suit you. The Royal Albert Hall recently launched Family tours of the hall. Suitable
for children over seven, these tours are an exciting and informative way to
experience the Albert Hall, London and learn about one of the most famous entertainment
venues in the world – contact the venue for more details. |
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Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour and Exhibition | |
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London sightseeing visitors can enjoy a trip back in time with a visit to
the spectacular Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Situated on London’s Bankside,
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre reconstruction the original building that housed
Shakespeare's theatre in London, an open-air playhouse where the playwright
penned many of his greatest plays.
This modern building is a faithful reconstruction of the Globe, first built
in 1599, and perfectly evokes the atmosphere of Elizabethan London. Resident
storytellers on the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour and Exhibition introduce
visitors to all aspects of the Globe, historical and contemporary, including
Sam Wannamaker's epic struggle to recreate the theatre.
Don't forget to make the most of your visit with the
Visiting London Planner |