By Jill Harness
Tourism Attractions in London
London is one of the biggest cities in the world with an extensive and interesting history. That being said, it can be an intimidating place to visit. Where to go and what to see are the top two questions on any visitor's mind when they get ready to hit the streets of this major metropolitan city. It's crucial to make at least a few popular tourist stops when you visit London or else you'll really be wasting a great opportunity.
The Tower of London
The tower by http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilsingapore/
The tower is one of the most famous attractions in the entire city. It not only has a rich history, including housing a number of famed prisoners and serving as the location for the execution of many of them, it also hosts the crowned jewels. Tours are performed in every major language by the well-known Beef Eater guards who are very well versed on English history.
London
EC3N 4AB
England
0844 482 7777
www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon/
Buckingham Palace
The palace by http://www.flickr.com/photos/richlewis/
Buckingham Palace has been the official royal housing of the British Monarchs since 1837. It features one of the best private art collections in the world. It is not always open to the public, but when it is, visitors are encouraged to book any number of tours throughout the mansion, including statehouse tours, viewings of the queen's private galleries and more.
Buckingham Palace Road
London, (Pall Mall), London, SW1V, United Kingdom
+44 20 7930 4832
www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalResidences/BuckinghamPalace/BuckinghamPalace.aspx
Ticket Sales and Information Office
The Official Residences of The Queen
London SW1A 1AA
+44 (0)20 7766 7300
bookinginfo@royalcollection.org.uk
www.rceltickets.com/eventlist.asp?ProID=NET
St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul's Cathedral by http://www.flickr.com/photos/vgm8383/
Like all major cathedrals in Europe, St. Paul's Cathedral is full of history and interest. This particular church was the venue of the wedding between Princess Diana and Prince Charles and the funeral of Winston Churchill. Interestingly, the church lies home to the largest bell in England. It was recently reopened after four years of renovation.
High St, Dundee, DD1,
London
EC4M 8AD
020 7236 4128
visits@stpaulscathedral.org.uk
www.stpauls.co.uk/
The London Eye
The eye by http://www.flickr.com/photos/night86mare
It may be little more than a giant Ferris wheel, but it certainly has the best view of just about any Ferris wheel on Earth. From the London Eye, you can see practically all of London, particularly Big Ben, which is just across the river from this attraction.
Westminster Bridge Rd
London, SE1
0870 5000600
customer.services@londoneye.com
www.londoneye.com
Museums
The British Museum by http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/
London has a huge selection of museums including classic art museums, modern art museums, history museums and science museums. Many of these places are completely free, making them an even better attraction for visitors. Two of the most popular museums here are the National Gallery and the British Museum.
The National Museum
Trafalgar Square,
London WC2N 5DN
England
44 (0)20 7747 2885
www.nationalgallery.org.uk/
The British Museum
Great Russell St,
London, WC1B 3DG,
United Kingdom
44 20 73238299
www.britishmuseum.org
Big Ben
Big Ben by http://www.flickr.com/photos/me_haridas/
This is another national icon in Britain and is 150 years old. Big Ben is part of the House of Parliament. Interestingly, while most people believe Big Ben is the name of either the tower or the clock, it is actually the name of the bell in the tower. The building is the third-largest free-standing clock tower in the world.
Parliament Square,
London, Bridge Street,
SW1A 2NE, United Kingdom
0870 156 6366
The Tower Bridge
The bridge by http://www.flickr.com/photos/anirudhkoul/
Yet another iconic stop in London, this Victorian bridge is over 100 years old and has some of the most unique architecture of any bridge in the world. The bridge is often mistakenly called the London Bridge, but that title actually belongs to the next bridge up the river.
Tower Hill, The City,
London, EC3N 4AB,
United Kingdom
44 20 7403 3761
About the Author:
Jill Harness has written on a variety of subjects for more than 10 years. Her work has appeared in various print and online publications, including "San Diego City Beat," "Mental Floss," Rue The Day! and Neatorama. Harness has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from San Francisco State University.
Photo Credits:
Classic London by http://www.flickr.com/photos/e01/
