Attractions
Madame Tussaud's
Mingle with royalty and celebrities, or at least their wax doubles, in Madame Tussaud’s, the most famous wax museum in the world. More than 400 life-sized wax models fill exhibits like the Spirit of London ride that takes you on a journey through London’s history. You can also visit Tussaud’s Auditorium, which is one of the largest in the world and offers spectacular views of the universe.
Address: Marylebone Road.
Website:www.madame-tussauds.com.
Getting there: Get off at the Baker Street underground station, or take buses 13, 18, 27, 30, 74, 82, 113, 139, 189, 205, 274 and 453.
Hours of operation: Daily, opening times vary.
Admission: Adults - £28.80, Children - £24.60, includes The Chamber and a show in the Auditorium. Save money by booking tickets ahead online or entering later in the day.
The Tower of London
The famous Tower of London is guarded by the Beefeaters, a special band of warders who also give tours. Ravens also call the tower home, and the birds are protected by royal decree since legend proclaims that a great tragedy will strike England if they ever leave. The Tower has been around since the 11th century and now houses the nation’s crown jewels. Nearby you can see London’s famous Tower Bridge landmark.
Address: Tower Hill.
Telephone: (0)844 482 7777.
Website:www.hrp.org.uk
Getting there: Get off at the Tower Hill tube station, or take bus 15, 42, 78 or 100.
Hours of operation: Tuesday to Saturday 9am–5:30pm, Sunday and Monday 10am–5:30pm. Last entry 5pm. Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Admission: Adults - £19.80, Children (under age 16) - £10.45. Discounts and advance booking available.
The Houses of Parliament
Britain’s monarchs lived in The Houses of Parliament for 400 years, after they were built for Edward the Confessor more than 1,000 years ago. They subsequently became England’s administrative centre. A great fire once burned down all the buildings except for Westminster Hall. The current Gothic building with the famous clock tower, incorrectly called Big Ben, was finished in the 1840s. (The clock tower is actually called St. Stephens and Big Ben is the bell inside.) Visitors can’t enter while Parliament is in session.
Address: Westminster.
Telephone: (0)844 847 1672.
Website:www.parliament.uk
Getting there: Get off at the Westminster underground station.
Hours of operation: Tours operate every few minutes during summer recess, usually between August and October. Check the website for times.
Admission: Adults - £15, Discounted - £10.
Tate Modern
Once the Bankside Power Station on the banks of the Thames, the Tate Modern was renovated by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. The building is now Britain’s National Museum of Modern Art and houses an incredible collection of art dating from 1900 to present day. Exhibits represent contemporary artists, as well as artists such as Dalí, Warhol, Matisse and Picasso. For great views of the city, head up to the roof café.
Address: Bankside.
Telephone: (0)20 7887 8888.
Website:www.tate.org.uk.
Getting there: Get off at the Southwark or Blackfriars underground stations. You can also take the bus or the Tate Boat on the Thames.
Hours of operation: Sunday to Thursday 10am–6pm, Friday and Saturday 10am–10pm. Closed 24, 25 and 26 December.
Admission: Free. Donations appreciated.
National Gallery
London’s famous National Gallery is located at Trafalgar Square, where you can explore more than 2,300 paintings created over centuries. The variety of work represents every major European school of painting from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The museum’s location, between London’s West End and East End was intended to bridge the gap between the sides of the city.
Address: Trafalgar Square.
Telephone: (0)20 7747 2885.
Email:information@ng-london.org.uk
Website:www.nationalgallery.org.uk
Getting there: Take the underground to Charing Cross, Leicester Square or Embankment stations. You can also take any one of a number of buses or a train to the Charing Cross rail station.
Hours of operation: Daily, open 10am–6pm. Closes at 9pm on Fridays. Closed 1 January, 24, 25 and 26 December.
Admission: Free. Admission charged for major temporary exhibitions.
British Museum
Visit the famous British Museum and its collection of antiquities, one of the world’s largest. Artifacts on display include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon Frieze and Elgin Marbles. The great court re-opened in 2000 with a glass roof covering the two-acre courtyard.
Address: Great Russell Street.
Telephone: (0)20 7323 8299.
Email:information@britishmuseum.org.
Website:www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Getting there: Russell Square, Holborn or Goodge Street underground stations.
Hours of operation: Saturday to Thursday 10am–5:30pm, Friday 10am–8:30pm. Closed 24, 25 and 26 December, 1 January and Good Friday.
Admission: Free. Some temporary exhibitions have charges.
London Eye
The London Eye is an enormous, 135-metre-tall Ferris wheel that offers spectacular views of the city. The Eye was originally conceived as an entry for a millennium landmark competition by architects David Marks and Julia Barfield. Construction took six years to complete.
Address: Thames South Bank.
Telephone: (0)870 990 8883.
Website:www.londoneye.com.
Getting there: Take the underground to Westminster, Waterloo or Embankment stations. Or take bus 211, 77 or 381.
Hours of operation: Daily, From January to March 10am–8:30pm, from April to June 10am–9pm, from July to August 10am–9:30pm, from September to December 10am–8:30pm. Closed Christmas.
Admission: Adults - £16.74, Children - £9.54. Book in advance online for a discount.
Shakespeare’s Globe
Just 200 metres away from the site of the original, this recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre houses a professional theatre company on the banks of the Thames. As you watch a performance of Hamlet, you can imagine what it was like to sit through the classic play’s premiere. An exhibit next to the theatre displays information about the reconstruction, which cost more than £40 million and took ten years to complete. If you don’t feel like sitting through a show, you can still take a tour of the theatre.
Address: 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside.
Telephone: (0)20 7401 9919 for the box office.
Website:www.shakespearesglobe.org.
Getting there: Take the underground to Mansion House station and walk ten minutes over the Millennium Bridge.
Admission: Adults - £11.50, Children - £7, discounts available. Performance costs vary. You can get cheap standing room tickets.
Buckingham Palace and the Queen’s Gallery
After you watch the traditional changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, head inside for a peek of the State Rooms during the annual summer opening. The Queen keeps her private art collection in the Queen’s Gallery. The royal monarchs have lived at Buckingham Palace since 1837. If the Royal Standard (not to be confused with the Union Flag) is flying, the Queen is at home.
Address: Buckingham Palace Road.
Telephone: (0)20 7766 7300 for the State Rooms or (0)20 7766 7301 for the Queen’s Gallery.
Email:bookinginfo@royalcollection.org.uk
Website:www.royalcollection.org.uk
Getting there: Take the underground to the Green Park station.
Hours of operation: State Rooms – From 23 July to 23 October, 9:30am–6:30pm. Queen’s Gallery – Daily, 10am–5:30pm; From 23 July to 3 October, 9:30am–5:30pm. Closed 10-20 October and 25 and 26 December.
Admission: State Rooms: Adults - £17.50, Children - £10. Queen’s Gallery: Adults - £9, Children - £4.50. Discounts available. Advance booking recommended.
Harrod’s
This seven-floored, extravagant shopping mall is one of the most elite and luxurious in the world. At night it glitters from the thousands of light bulbs covering its façade.
Address: 87-135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge.
Telephone: (0)20 7730 1234.
Website:www.harrods.com
Getting there: Take the underground to Knightsbridge station or bus 14, 19, 22, 52, 74, 137, 414 or C1.
Hours of operation: Monday to Saturday, 10am–8pm, Sunday 12pm–6pm.
Admission: Free.
Camden Market
Camden Market has a vast variety of antiques, food, clothing, bars, and nightspots. And if you don’t feel like shopping, the variety of customers makes for excellent people-watching. The punk scene thrives here and you’ll never lack for something to look at it.
Address: Camden Lock, Chalk Farm Road.
Email:info@camdenmarkets.org
Website:www.camdenmarkets.org
Getting there: Underground to Camden Town and Chalk Farm stations. Camden Town is closed Sunday afternoons. Numerous buses stop here.
Hours of operation: Daily, 10am–6pm.
Admission: Free.
Greenwich
Greenwich is the location of the prime meridian, which indicates the spot where zero degrees latitude is measured. There are plenty of attractions to occupy your time. The famous Cutty Sark clipper ship, food, and arts and crafts at Greenwich Market are great to explore. There’s also Sir Christopher Wren’s Royal Observatory and the National Maritime Museum. Take a break from sightseeing to have picnic lunch at beautiful Greenwich Park.
Telephone: (0)870 608 2000.
Website:www.greenwichengland.com
Getting there: Take the Docklands Light Railway to Greenwich. Or get off at the Cutty Sark underground station or take a Thames boat.
Hours of operation: Greenwich Market – Wednesday to Sunday, 10am–5:30pm; Cutty Sark – Closed until Spring 2012. Monday to Saturday 10am–6pm. Closes at 5pm in winter. Sundays open at 12pm. National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory Greenwich – Daily, 10am–5pm. Closed 24-26 December.
Admission: Cutty Sark: Adults - £4.50, Children - £3.20. National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory and Queen’s Houses are free.
London Dungeon
The London Dungeon explores London’s dark side. Learn about Jack the Ripper’s victims and the great fire of London. The Dungeon’s not for the faint of heart, especially since some exhibits will literally jump out at you.
Address: 28-34 Tooley Street.
Telephone: (0)20 7403 7221.
Website:www.thedungeons.com
Getting there: Take the underground to the London Bridge station.
Hours of operation: Daily, opening times vary. Closed 25 December.
Admission: Adults - £23.52, Children - £17.52, other discounts available.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
The distinctive dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral has been an iconic part of London’s skyline since the late 16th century. Sir Christopher Wren’s cathedral was the fifth cathedral to be built on that spot. The previous cathedral burned down during the Great Fire of London. The crypt is one of the largest in Europe, with more than 200 tombs. Many of important ceremonies, such as Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral and the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, took place here.
Address: St. Paul’s Churchyard.
Telephone: (0)20 7246 8357.
Email:admissions@stpaulscathedral.org.uk
Website:www.stpauls.co.uk
Getting there: Underground to St. Paul’s station.
Hours of operation: Monday to Saturday 8:30am–4pm. Closed during some special services or events.
Admission: Adults - £14.50, Children (ages 6-18) - £5.50, discounts offered for families and groups.
Piccadilly Circus
While not really a tourist attraction, Piccadilly Circus is an intersection of several busy roads surrounded by neon lights and fast-food restaurants. It is, however, a great starting point for any number of London activities. From Piccadilly Circus you have easy access to the West End theater district on Shaftsbury Avenue, Soho, Chinatown and shopping on Regent Street or Bond Street.
Getting there: Underground to Piccadilly Circus station.
Hampton Court Palace
If you’re looking for a great day-trip from London, Hampton Court, one of the most spectacular of all English palaces, is a perfect destination. Once the home of King Henry VIII, the palace was built by Cardinal Wolsey in the early 16th century. Highlights include the Great Hall, King William III’s State Apartments, the largely untouched Tudor Kitchens and the maze entertaining children since its creation in 1705.
Address: East Molesey, Surrey.
Telephone: (0)844 482 7777.
Website:www.hrp.org.uk
Getting there: Train from Waterloo which takes about 25 minutes. Catch a boat from Westminster, Richmond or Kingston to take a scenic trip on the Thames.
Hours of operation: Daily, from 27 March to 29 October, 10am–6pm. From 30 October to 24 March, 10am–4:30pm. Closed 24-26 December. Gardens open daily 7am–dusk.
Admission: Adults - £15.95, Children - £8. Book in advance online for discounted tickets.
