My Three Favourite Things to do when in London
There is something for everyone to see and do in the capital city of England - London. London is home to over 300 museums and 200 galleries. There is never a shortage of events to entice the visitor.
London Heathrow Airport has many international flights arriving and departing so it makes it easy to get here from almost anywhere. London offers a variety of transportation options. Using public transport in London is easy and can be the easiest and cheapest way to get around. London has hundreds of things to do and a multitude of great places to visit. Below are three of the best things to see and do when visiting London.
Buckingham Palace - Buckingham Palace is one of England’s most famous palaces and is the official home of Queen Elizabeth II. The State Rooms are open to the public in summer. Buckingham Palace was acquired by King George III for Queen Charlotte, and has a long and colourful history.
It was George IV who turned the house into a palace. In 1837, Queen Victoria was the first monarch to reside in Buckingham Palace. The State Rooms are still used by the current Royal Family for entertaining and receiving guests during ceremonies and other occasions. Some of the finest English and French furniture in the world can be found in the lavishly decorated rooms. The walls are adorned with paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Poussin. You can also tour the 29 acre gardens and they also have annual exhibitions. You really must see this if you are visiting London.
The British Museum - The British Museum is world renowned for its collection of objects exploring the history and culture of man. Over seven million objects are housed within its walls. The museum was founded in 1753 and houses exhibits which range from prehistoric to modern. Famous pieces include the Portland Vase, the Parthenon Sculptures and the Rosetta Stone.
It has a world renowned Egyptian collection of mummies and there is a special tomb like room dedicated to the life of the wealthy Egyptian, Negamun. Other areas of interest in the museum include Watches and Clocks, Medieval Europe and the Percival David collection of Chinese Art, which is well worth a visit. The glass-domed Great Court is the museum’s central hub. It is the largest covered public square in Europe and was designed by Lord Norman Foster. You could spend days inside and still not see everything.
The London Eye - The modern icon that is the London Eye - also called the Millennium Wheel - is a must see when visiting London. “Boarding a flight” on the London Eye will give you an entirely different perspective on this amazing city. At 135 metres, this riverside wheel is both impressive and imposing. Through the glass pods you get a 360 degree vie of London. You can see for twenty-five miles in all directions on a clear day.
As well as getting a birds-eye view of London’s sights, such as Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and Canary Wharf, on a clear day you can see as far as Windsor Castle. In half an hour it makes just one full revolution. This is a very popular attraction and you can expect long queues for booking tickets and waiting to board the flight. You can book online if you want to save yourself some time. Depending on your needs, you can find a variety of packages on offer. If your budget allows, beat the queues by buying a Fast Track ticket which lets you check in 15 minutes beforehand. If the fancy takes you it’s possible to have a glass of champagne or a personal London guide. This is the only way to get a panoramic view of this historic city.
One visit to London is not normally enough for anyone. You can easily get around this vast historic city by taxi cab if you have the budget!London has minicab operators which are both licensed and unlicensed. Like New York, London is know for its familiar taxi-cabs - here they are black rather than yellow and are called Hackney cabs. These are all licensed and it is better to use these that the often less reputable “minicab” taxis.
If public transport or taxis are not your preferred option, you can easily hire a car from any of London’s airports. At both these airports you will find excellent motorist facilities including self-drive car hire or chauffeur driven vehicles for hire.
When hiring a car, be sure to read the rental agreement fully so that you know exactly what you will be covered for in the event of an accident, particularly any excess charges which you may be liable for. Other specialist insurance products such as gap insurance, car warranties and breakdown insurance will generally be taken care of by the hire car company so you do not need to worry about these things. Do however make sure to ask for details as to what you should do if you experience a breakdown and at all costs make sure that cover is for a 24-hour breakdown service! Be careful of agreeing to additional insurance products such as key or windscreen insurance as these will give you added peace of mind but will probably cost you more. Don’t sign before you have read the document carefully first! It’s often better to stick with a larger car hire firm such as Hertz, Budget or Avis.
The public transport system is excellent in the UK, and this could be a better alternative for you you to get to your hotel or B&B. London’s many major railway stations provide regular links to cities and towns all over Britain, including several trains every hour to Brighton, or “London-by-the-Sea” as it has often been called.
London is a beautiful place to visit no matter the time of year. You will always find something exciting to do whether it is seeing the sights during the day or hitting all of the hot London clubs at night. As the famous Samuel Johnson quotation goes:
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”.
This short city review was brought to you by London’s’ Most Popular Online GAP Insurance and Car Warranty Supplier the Click4Group.
Mail this post
Tags: Car hire, gap insurance, public transport, taxis, tourist attractions, travel, visiting London