|
There are hundreds of attractions in London for people of all ages. The city's 33 boroughs stretch over 600 square miles. The city has nearly 20,000 licensed taxis, double-decker buses and other public transports, plus the tube to move around. More than 200 languages are spoken here, encompassing cuisine from more than 70 countries in over 6,000 restaurants and 5,000 pubs and bars. The city also has more than 30 gardens, 123 historical buildings, over 200 museums, 600 cinema screens and 108 music halls. Besides, there are 95 golf courses, 2,000 tennis courts, seven ice rinks, and six race courses. It is the largest city in Europe.
Some of the major tourist spots of London are as follows.
Bank of England Museum :
The bank's history dates back to 1694 and is considered as the nation's central bank. The bank has gold bars from ancient times. The bank was once attacked by a mob in 1780. It introduced paper money in 1797. Some of the well-known customers include George Washington and the Duchess of Marlborough.
Banqueting House :
It is well known the world over for its Rubens ceiling paintings. It was designed by Inigo Jones and commissioned by James I in 1619.
London Eye, which is dubbed as one of the most popular tourist attractions, is a mega structure made of 32 high-tech wheels with each having the capacity of accommodating 25 passengers. It rotates in such a way that all the people seated inside always remain upright as the wheel rotates.
British Museum :
British Museum, one of the world's oldest museum, was founded in 1753. British Museum is famous the world over for its collection of Assyrian treasures, Egyptian mummies, sculptures from the Parthenon, the Rosetta Stone and the Portland Vase. The Great Court was opened in 2000 and has 12 of the museum's most important exhibits.
Buckingham Palace is the residence of Queen Elizabeth II. It was first opened to people in 1993 to finance Windsor Castle repairs. The Edwardian façade palace dates to the early 19th century. Over 6,000 visitors per day tour 19 state rooms, including the Throne Room, Picture Gallery and Ballroom used for investitures and banquets. At the Royal Mews, the Queen's horses and carriages, including the Coronation Coach, are kept.
Cabinet War Rooms :
An underground chamber used by Sir Winston Churchill, his cabinet and the chiefs of staff during WWII air raids. Displays include the Map Room, Trans-Atlantic Telephone Room, and Map Room. To add to the glamour, Churchill's bedroom, private kitchen and dining room were added to the tour in 2003.
Camden Markets :
It draws some 500,000 people per week. The market specialises in alternative fashion, vintage and emerging designers, furnishings, and array of diverse restaurants, bars, and stalls.
Clarence House is the official residence of the Prince of Wales. It was thrown open to the public in 2003 from Aug. 16 through Oct. 17 with plans for future public access at intervals. It was earlier the London home of the Queen Mother until her death in 2002. Much of the Queen Mother's collection of art and furniture remain, with examples of Faberge, English porcelain and silver, and works by John Piper.
Downing House :
Nobody need a introduction to this house. It is the official residence for the Prime Minister (no. 10) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (no. 11).
London Zoo has over 12,000 animals. It is slowly allowing visitors to get closer to 650 species of animal. Some of them are Meet the Monkeys, Butterfly Paradise and Into Africa.
There are thousands of world-class attractions in London. One can enjoy British cuisine at a mouth-watering food fair or get their hip-shaking at at a Caribbean carnival, or may even take a tour to historic castles.
London Eye :
The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is an observation wheel in the city. It stands at 135 metres (443 ft) high on the western end of Jubilee Gardens, located on the South Bank of the River Thames. Each of the 32 capsules holds approximately 25 people. It was designed by David Marks, Julia Barfield, Malcolm Cook, Mark Sparrowhawk, Steven Chilton, Frank Anatole and Nic Bailey. The wheel rotates rotates at 26 cm (10 in) per second (about 0.9 km/h (0.5mph) so that one revolution takes about 30 minutes. The wheel does not usually stop to take on passengers: the rotation rate is so slow that they can easily walk on and off the moving capsules at ground level.
London Eye was inaugurated by British Prime Minister Tony Blair on December 31, 1999. It was open to public in March 2000 due to technical problems. Since its opening, the Eye, operated by Merlin Entertainments but sponsored by British Airways, has become a major landmark and tourist attraction.
LONDON EYE RIVER CRUISE :
The London Eye River Cruise is a 40 minute journey that takes one to St Paul's Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, HMS Belfast, Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge. The features of the tour include live commentary and a souvenir guide map. It is suitable in all weather as the boat has both covered and sun deck seating.
LONDON EYE HOTELS :
Some of the prominene hotels near London Eye are Novotel London Waterloo (located on the South Bank of the Thames opposite Lambeth Palace, close to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament). London Marriott Hotel County Hall(Situated on London's South Bank opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament), Days Hotel Waterloo (Situated close to the Imperial War Museum the Days Hotel Waterloo provides an excellent base for exploring London), The Mad Hatter (situated a few minutes' walk from London's South Bank between the Tate Modern Gallery and the London Eye, with the 'Euro star' Terminal at Waterloo nearby) The landmark Strand Palace Hotel( lies in the heart of Theatreland, adjacent to Covent Garden and just a short walk from Trafalgar Square), The Savoy (perfectly placed for the theatres and shopping of Covent Garden and close to the City of London) to name a few.
London Map :
London map is a very important tool during a visit to this great city. It shows many of the sights, attractions and places of interests. There are markers showing the locations of over 100 fully 360° panoramas that have been taken around London. This collection of panoramas provides virtual tours of London.
| 
