Vacations Blog

London has a history dating back over 2000 years. Anybody visiting Britain must take in the historical sights of the capital to learn more about Britain as a country and the British as a people.

The Romans called it ‘Londinium’ and turned it into a civilized town. Not much remains from Roman occupancy, but the ruins of the Temple of Mithras can be found on Queen Victoria Street and there is an exhibit in the Museum of London. Behind iron grating on Cannon Street is the London Stone, purported to be a Roman marker to judge all distances in the city.

After the Romans left, London faced turbulent times, but Edward the Confessor managed to take Westminster Abbey and turn it into a grand Romanesque building. Later on, Henry III would alter the Abbey and leave London with the stunning building that can be seen today.

Mediaeval London saw the appearance of the Tower of London, originally used as a royal residence then an armory and even a zoo before it became a prison. The oldest church in the city was built in 1123 and St. Bartholomew’s Priory still stands today in West Smithfield. The basis of the Houses of Parliament began in the form of Westminster Hall, so there are plenty of sights from the Middle Ages in London.

Regent’s Park, Hyde Park, Richmond Park and St. James’s Park were established and used by the Tudors as royal hunting grounds. Visitors to the parks appreciate the greenery, but it is nice to think back to their original use. The Tudors also built the Globe Theatre, which sadly burned down during the Great Fire. The building as it stands today is a modern replica.

Inigo Jones stamped his 17th century mark on London with his designs of Covent Garden Piazza and Queen’s Chapel. It is amazing that any of historical London exists after the fire of 1666 and it is thanks to Christopher Wren, who set to work to recreate what was lost, that the city boasts the beautiful St. Paul’s Cathedral and many more churches.

Westminster Bridge, the British Museum and houses such as Syon House and Chiswick House were all born in the Georgian period and George III moved into Buckingham Palace, or Buckingham House as it was then known.

John Nash designed Regent’s Street, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus. The clock tower known as Big Ben was built and the Houses of Parliament were rebuilt in 1834 as Georgian gave way to Victorian.

London continues to change into the 21st century but a day spent walking its streets reveals a whole host of sights and attractions from the Roman to Victorian that have shaped Britain’s capital city.

Read On : London Hotels

London is a city filled with rich history and places to explore. If you are going to be taking a trip to London, then you should consider staying in one of these areas…

The West End – This is London’s theater district, so you will be close to all the great shows as well as some of the best attractions, including the Globe Theater (home to Shakespeare in his day), Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Leicester Square and the London Zoo. The West End is a popular tourist destination with load of vacationers frequenting it. With so much tourist attention the West End is consequently full of hotels to meet your needs and budget. The area the West End occupies is typically classified by the streets that border it: Oxford Street on the north, Regent Street on the west, Kingsway on the east, and ‘The Strand’ on the South.

Bayswater / Paddington – Paddington and Bayswater are also both very attractive destinations. Bayswater is essentially a residential area located near the Paddington district. A lot of the hotels here are converted from older houses and can give a genuine homely atmosphere. You will be able to get around town quite easily from the Bayswater area since there are plenty of subways or trains to take you into the very heart of the city. Speaking of tourist locations, the Notting Hill area of Bayswater received quite a lot of attention thanks to a movie of the same name starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Notting Hill is very posh. If you choose to stay there, you can easily traipse over to the Portobello Road Antique Market and find some great treasures. This is usually held every week on Saturday.

Kensington – If you do not want to be hammered by all the hustle and bustle of city life but you still want to be able to reach it easily, then you should look for a hotel in Kensington. Kensington has many of its own green areas such as parks and gardens, but it is also connected to mass transit so you can go to anywhere you would like. Fans of Princess Diana will also find Kensington Palace, her one-time home, in this area. The atmosphere in the Kensington district is very cosmopolitan and exclusive, and you can experience this first hand if you choose to stay in a Kensington hotel. All of these locations are great if you really want to experience London at its finest.

Westminster – If you like history, then you should consider staying in Westminster. It is home to one of the most recognized buildings in the world – the Palace of Westminster, which serves as the meeting place for the English parliament. The Palace of Westminster is located in Westminster Square. Also located there is the House of Commons, the House of Lords and a tourist favorite, Big Ben. Near to Westminster Square is Buckingham Palace, the place where Queen Elizabeth II lives. One of the amazing sight not to miss is the “Changing of the Guard”, every day just before noon, at Buckingham Palace’s main gate. You can also find Downing Street in this District. This area can easily be traveled to thanks to the various subway and transit systems that frequent it daily so this makes it an ideal spot to stay in when you are in London.

Read On : London Hotels

When I was 16, I got to take a trip to London, England. I can’t even begin to explain how amazing it was. Luckily, I was armed with a camera and a little bit of money, so I was able to walk away not only with some of the greatest memories I have, but also some souvenirs and lots of pictures. I’ve spent years figuring out how I can make my way back there. Even though I had to deal with a missing passport and finding the right kind of electrical adapters, getting to go to London proved to be one of the most inspiring and unforgettable moments of my life.

One of my favorite locations was the Tower of London. I spent a whole day reading about it’s history and seeing first hand what it was like. Probably most well known as a royal prison and place of torture, the Tower of London also served many other uses, from menagerie to stellar observatory. One of the most interesting parts of the Tower of London was seeing it’s famous ravens. The ravens that walk around the Tower have been occupants there for generations. A very old superstition keeps them there, one that says if the ravens leave, the kingdom will fall. The ravens have some of the most royal treatment of the Tower’s inhabitants, with their own personal handler and living quarters.

Big Ben is probably one of the most recognizable monuments in London. As the third largest clock tower in the world, this huge and incredibly beautiful tower is even more breathtaking in real life. It is readily apparent why Big Ben has been represented for generations in films, TV, and books. Standing at the base of the clock tower is a really neat experience. I’ll be the first to admit that I’d rather not get into inner-workings of the government, getting to visit Parliament was really pretty inspiring. Getting to see first-hand how the government of the United Kingdom runs taught me a lot, and I left feeling happy that I decided to go.

Although it’s a little cliche, seeing the Changing of the Guard was a really cool experience as well. I didn’t pick a guard’s nose or try to make him laugh anything, they are armed after all, but I did get pretty close to have my picture taken. There are numerous locations where you can see the guards, including the Tower of London. The various parks and gardens in London make walking anywhere as adventure in itself. Huge ponds full of all kinds of birds, from swans to some funny looking ducks, walk around parks full of beautiful sculptures and breathtaking gardens. Seriously, the gardens are beautiful.

Being a woman, I of course have to mention the London shopping. I visited Camden Market was blown away by the selection. From designer bags to fishnets, Camden Market has something for absolutely everyone. So get a little bit of money, your passport, and your good walking shoes, and get ready to walk away with bags and bags of stuff.

London holds something exciting for everyone in your family. I walked away from the week-long London trip with some amazing memories, and I still dream of getting to go back there someday. If you’ve never been to London, I very highly recommend it. I promise it’s even worth having to locate that missing passport.

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A trip to London, England is full of exciting culture, history, and education. London is a great city for any visitor, offering many important sites. London really has something for everyone, with sites that should interest the whole family. London is a great city with a lot of famous sites, but some in particular need to be visited.

No visit to London is complete without seeing the famous Tower of London. The Tower of London has an interesting history, as it has served as both a home and a prison for nobility.

Another great tourist site in London is St. Paul’s Cathedral. St. Paul’s was originally built in the 17th and 18th centuries. St. Paul’s is located on a hill, helping define London with the cathedral’s iconic dome. St. Paul’s was where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married. This cathedral is not only beautiful outside, but the interior is truly magnificent and will not disappoint.

If you like the royal family, the Windsor Castle is a great place to visit in London. Windsor still houses royalty, as it has for centuries, as the Queen still makes it her permanent place of residence. Located near the Thames, Windsor is the oldest castle people still live in today. This castle was first ordered constructed by William the Conqueror during the 11th century. You should definitely visit Windsor Castle while you’re visiting London.

Of course, you should also take time out to visit Buckingham Palace. The residence of the British Monarch, many important state occasions occur within the grounds of Buckingham Palace. Many great works of art are also housed within the palace, including works by Rembrandt and Vermeer. Buckingham Palace is a great place to visit in London, England.

London, England is a historical city with many attractions to be seen. Even if you only have a limited amount of time in London, make time to see these sites.

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London can be good because there arte so many things to do. A personal favourite is the O2 stadium as it is the best place to see huge artists from around the world so their thing the whole country.This is really only second to Wembley and may not even be second any more.

There are quite a few museums to enjoy in London. The top two have got to be Imperial War Museum and the British Museum.

Holding the crown jewels is just one thing the tower is famous for. Of course it is most famous for housing tortured prisoners of which some are still supposed to call the Tower their home.

Sure London has some of the top places to visit if you are coming to England, from Big Ben to the Waxworks but it also has the busy streets, and the feel of a world capital, which doesn’t tend to feel that good. Is London just somewhere to go on one of those family days out?

London is brilliant for someone coming over to see a bit of Britain’s famous history but show the current beauty of Britain, and that is of course, the countryside.

Wales is a nice place to see the real Britain. Of course cities such as Cardiff are busy but again that is one of Britain’s biggest cities, head just outside for a beautiful countryside stay in a cosey cottage. Wales has many more things to offer such as surfing, diving and golf. The Welsh have certain unique foods to try also. Salt marsh lamb, Welsh black cattle and farmhouse cheeses are just some that you should certainly try.

So if you are thinking about family holidays UK then instead of choosing London, Edinburgh or Dublin, why not give Wales a try?

Many tourists to London, never venture off the tourist path of The Eye, Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, London Bridge. Whilst you must visit these, there are numerous other treasures that one can and should see. One rarely visited area of London is Hammersmith, located  just to the west of central London on the north bank of the River Thames. It is very easy to get to, a few stops on the tube, 10 – 15 minutes, There are a many varied ways to see Hammersmith, by touring on a bus, get the seats on top, you will see more than many tourists. It is well worth getting a London Transport oyster card as this is the cheapest way of visiting London.
Hammersmith is a wonderful place to see the more characteristic life of London. The walk along the Thames has some wonderful pubs, on a summery or bright winter day, you can enjoy your pint sitting outside these Thames pubs watching the boats and people go by.

Just off the Thames walk is the famous Dove Pub, which you can find in an alley of the last part of the old village of Hammersmith. It is definitely the oldest London pub and is believed to have the smallest bar in the world.

Countless famous individuals have lived and frequented the   pubs of Hammersmith. These have included Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway. These renowned individuals have generally had an artistic bent.
Other artistic locals include Gustav Holst who in 1930 composed “Hammersmith”, having lived in nearby Barnes for 40 years. It begins with a haunting musical interpretation of the River Thames meandering underneath Hammersmith Bridge. Whilst in the area Holst composed many works including his famous Planets, whilst a music teacher at St Paul’s Girls’ School.

Other artists who lived in the area include Lily Allen the English pop singer, Bill Bailey the comedian, Sacha Baron Cohen The actor who played Ali G  Borat Sagdiyev from the Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,  and his latest Bruno a flamboyant homosexual Austrian fashion reporter. The S club 7 singer Tina Barrett, the famous Who musician Roger Daltrey, the star of the film and nearby London area – Notting Hill, Hugh Grant and Gary Numan one of the pioneers of electronic music.

Hammersmith is a practical transport centre, with its Broadway, the centre of a number of underground lines and a major bus station, so simple to see other areas. Hammersmith is a mix of commercial and residential proplerties, including hotels that are less expensive than central London.

It is a wonderful area for those with dogs or who like walking. Hammersmith’s pedestrian friendly riverside is a great walk for dogs, you will see many dogs as Hammersmith Pet Sitting dog walkers use this route and local parks. . The local rowing clubs provide a great interest for just stopping and watching. The nearby Funival Gardens is worth a stop and a picnic. Hammersmith’s largest municipal park  Ravenscourt Park is located to the west of the centre. It has ponds, a basketball court, tennis courts and a crèche and you will see the local Hammersmith dog walkers.

The area flourished in the Industrial age which included the large Osram lamp factory at Brook Green,  and the enormous  J. Lyons factory which at its peak employed thirty thousand people and the largest British municipal power station. These have all been subsequently closed as the area has redeveloped from an industrial base to one focused on services and commerce.

Hammersmith is the centre of a number of entertainment venues, which are generally cheaper than the West End, including the Lyric Theatre on Kings Street which dates back to the 19th Century.
There is also the “Hammersmith Apollo” theatre and concert hall. Where many large bands and other acts perform.

For shopping head to King Street, which has many specialist shops, the Town Hall, two hotels and a cinema. You can find other shops in Shepherds Bush Road, Fulham Palace Road and Hammersmith Road.

For those with an artistic bent will be wanting to see the Ark constructed in the nineties by the A4 flyover which is an architecturally-unique office designed by British architect Ralph Erskine and as the name suggests looks like a large boat.
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The capital city of England and Great Britain, London, has vast variety of fascinating visitor attractions, from the very ancient to very recent additions. The majority of the visitor attractions are recognised all over the globe (for instance, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament). Amongst the youngest are the Millennium Bridge, London Aquarium, Millenium Dome and the London Eye.

The Merlin Entertainments London Eye (to give it its full name), is more commonly named, just, the London Eye or,occasionally, the Millenium Wheel (because of the fact that it was constructed for part of the Millenium celebrations). The London Eye was officially opened by the then English PM, Tony Blair, in the evening of December 31 unfortunately there were technical safety problems leading to the public not gaining access until March. At that time it was the world’s largest Ferris wheel having a height of 443 feet.

The enormous wheel is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames in Jubilee Gardens looking down upon the Houses of Parliament below. From within one of the thirty two pods towering over the whole of London you can view a large number of London landmarks, the already mentioned Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey and Hampton Court Palace are just a few, what a fantastically unique way to see nearly all of London and, more thank likely, one of the reasons it is one of the most popular paid for tourist attraction in London.

The London Eye’s first flight is at 10am but the ticket office opens half an hour earlier.  The Eye closes at 9.30 pm between July and August, 8 ‘o clock at night between April and October and at 9 pm for the other months of the year.

Visitors arriving in a car will be pleased to discover that there are three close by car parks. For coach parties there are parking facilities very close to the Eye (Telephone:) +44 (0)870 990 8886) for info.

The best method to get to the London Eye is via the London Underground, just get off at one of the following tube stations; Embankment, Westminster, Charing Cross, or the closest Waterloo. You can also travel by boat, get off at Waterloo Millennium Pier.

Finding bed and breakfast accommodation in London is as simple as popping over to Bing, Google or Yahoo (or any other popular search engine of your choice. Whichever you prefer you are guaranteed to find the perfect accommodation in London because the city must have the most guest houses, hotels and bed and breakfasts than any other. Luxurious accommodation to the cheerful and cheap, huge corporate hotels to the smaller boutique hotels and lots more.

The Russell Square is a sub area of London Bloomsbury within the London Borough of Camden in Central London WC1 area. It is surprising how big the Garden Square is. The Earls and Duke of Bedford’s name was the name given to the Square. Many travellers to London on leisure or on business prefer to stay in hotels in the area. In getting to other major areas and the other parts of London West End from the Russell Square, travellers do not have any problems. Trains run from Russell Squae to Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Green park, Knightsbridge, etc.

There is a good link between Russell Square and the rest of the West End areas of Marble Arch and Oxford Circus where the shopping streets which are famous within the. These shopping streets include Tottenham Court Road, the Bond Street and the Regent Street. The Oxford Street is just 25 minutes away from Russell Square. The Oxfoud street is a very popular shopping Street. Many buses run from The Russell Square to other parts of Central London. However, it is much quick to explore the capital by the underground system but for better sightseeing, the bus is the better option. Russell Square is very close to Euston station and one can make the journey on foot less than 7 minutes.

Bloomsbury itself has many tourist attraction and many of them are very close to the Russell Square area. Just a walking distance away is the British Museum, which can boast of over 7 million items from all Continents. Close to the Russell Square again is the British Library in Bloomsbury. The University College of London found on the Gower Street is another place of interest in the Russell Square area. You will find a lot of restaurants, shops, street performers and many other exciting things in Covent Garden. The Russell Square is close to it and it is the heart of the London West end, they say. Russell Square is close to Charing Cross and Leicester Square.

There is a high concentration of accommdation properties in the area including hotels and bed and breakfast. London hotels ranging from cheap London bed and breakfast and Cheap London b&b to  five star luxury hotels can be found in Russell Square. The Imperial London hotels group provide very competitive 3 star Cheap London hotels accommodation in the area. The names of the hotels are Imperial, Royal National, Tavistock hotel, President Hotel, Bedford hotel and County hotel is the budget hotel among them.