Posts Tagged ‘London’

8 reasons why you should visit London

So, maybe you are planning for your 2012 holiday, you’re probably having a look at somewhere with beautiful clear blue water and sandy beaches that go on for miles, or perhaps you are planning the adventure of a lifetime to Macchu Pichu. But stop right there, this year I think you should consider London for your holiday!

I understand that in London you won’t be able to spend two weeks lazing on the sandy beaches of the Thames (you probably wouldn’t want to anyway) and I highly doubt that you’ll be abseiling down the side of Big Ben any time soon, but there are so many reasons that you should visit London, here are my top 8 reasons.

1)      History –

History is probably one of the main reasons that people tend to visit the UK, every street has a story to tell you just need to know where to find it. Why not go to parliament square and have a look at the majestic Houses of Parliament and then look to your right and come face to face with Westminster abbey where many of our Kings and Queens have been crowned and buried. (If you fancy learning a bit more about the famed Abbey then have a look at this great post by Velvet Escape http://bit.ly/zMTBPL )

 2)      Nature –

Being in a city you probably won’t expect to see to many calm and tranquil areas of nature but you can honestly find them in abundance here. In fact almost every street has some sort of greenery area. If you are on Oxford Street in the west end wander down towards Marble Arch and you’ll practically be standing in Hyde Park which is one of the largest parks in London. If you find yourself south of the river then go and spend the day in Battersea Park which is gorgeous throughout all the four seasons! If you’re an animal lover then you won’t be disappointed as each of the parks has loads of creatures big and small to try and spot. Richmond Park is home to red and fallow deer that run free through the park and if you’re on the edge of the city in the south keep an eye out for our resident green parrots!

3)      2012 Olympics –

As you’re probably aware the Olympics will be visiting the city of London (and other spots in the UK) for the third time. If you’re not interested in the Olympics or anything sporty then you’re probably wondering why I’m event bringing it up, but I think it deserves some recognition. With the Olympics comes a whole host of events, such as music concerts! Also other attractions (such as museum exhibitions, London zoo) will probably be offering some very good deals during the Olympics to make the most of the influx of people in the city.

4)      Food –

Like many big cities in the world London is full of different cultures and with culture comes food. You will find so many different eateries in London, you could literally find anything that took your fancy. We tend to have quite a lot of Italian restaurants and also a fair amount of Asian cuisine so if those take your fancy then London might be for you. Not only that but the English do have quite a lot to offer by way of foods as well, sit down and have a delicious roasted Chicken (with all the trimmings of course) on Sunday or have a fry up after a night out on the town on Saturday morning!

5)      Concerts and Events –

This one really depends on the time that you come to London, as well as having the Olympics and the Queens diamond Jubilee this year, we also have a whole host of events that are held on a yearly basis. For example, the Mayors Thames festival is held every year during the summer, nothing hill carnival is held in August and Winter Wonderland is a main feature in London throughout the winter months. We also hold events in the city for certain dates such as Valentine’s Day, Pancake day and St. Patricks day!

As well as all of those events, London is one of the best places to come for music concerts, musicals and shows. We have Earls court and The O2 centre that are frequently used by musicians to hold concerts, again it all depends on the date which you are coming.

6)      Museums and Galleries –

The best part about our museums and galleries… they are all usually free!

Places such as the Tate/ Tate Modern, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, British museum and The national portrait gallery are all free to the public. There are certain exhibitions that you may have to pay an entrance fee for but there is more than enough free things to see that you needn’t worry about that!

7)      Sightseeing tours and walking tours –

I think this has recently become one of the things I love most about London, if you just want a little history and the ability to see a lot in a short amount of time I highly recommend taking a bus tour through the city (These are the two that I personally like – http://bit.ly/fCgSSr and http://bit.ly/8VrMq )

If you fancy a little more exercise then maybe one of the many walking tours is for you, these can range from historical views of the city (such as the jack the ripper walk) to art and photography walks!

8)      Shopping –

What’s a city break without a little shopping, you will never be bored if you’re looking to shop. There are different shops with very different price ranges sitting right next to each other on Oxford Street so I’d send you that way if you were looking for a little shopping extravaganza.

If your looking for cheap and cheerful then you have quite a large range of some of our high street shops including H&M, Primark and New Look and if you fancy something a little more high budget then don’t forget to have a look in Harrods, Selfridges and Hamleys!

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M to O of London

Each week in this segment I’ll be writing an A to Z of things to do and see in London. Ranging from some of the capitals most interesting museum to music venues and markets!

Madame Tussaud’s -

Where is it:

Tussaud’s is right next to Baker Street tube station (Jubilee, Bakerloo, Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith and City lines).

What can you do there:

Madame Tussaud’s is one of the best known attractions worldwide. There are 13 different Madame Tussaud’s situated around the world and the one in London is just as popular as the rest. Madame Tusaud’s is a waxwork museum of some of the world’s most famous people including Barack Obama and Rihanna. I’m sure that there is something here that will interest everyone, maybe you’d like to stand next to The Hulk without fear if making him angry, or you fancy a quick picture with Taylor Lautner!

Opening times and prices:

The opening times for Madame Tussaud’s works by a colour coded key. See this link to check the dates for your visit.

They also do a wide variety of tickets; find the one that suits you best here.

Disabled Access:

There is disabled access throughout the vast majority of the attraction. The only part that is inaccessible is the ride ‘Spirit of London’. Also it’s important to note that Madame Tussaud’s can only take on three wheelchairs at any one time so it’s important to book in advance.

Website:

http://www.madametussauds.com/London/

 

Natural History Museum -

Dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum in London

Where is it:

South Kengsinton is the closest tube line to the National History Museum (It’s on the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines)

What can you do there:

The Natural History museum has to be one of my favourite attractions in London. It’s literally jam packed full of interesting things to look at and it’s actually a great educational tool for children as well as adults. The remade dinosaurs are probably the most iconic thing in the museum and they have exhibitions on all the time so have a look at the website for some more information on those. If you love learning about anything natural then this one is for you.

Opening times and prices:

The Natural History museum is free so it’s great if you’re trying to keep costs down but want to have a great day out!

Monday to Sunday – 10:00 to 17:50pm

Disabled Access:

The Natural History Museum is fully accessible, including toilets and cafes. They also hold talks that are interpreted in sign language; you can find more information on these through their website.

Website:

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/

 

Old Royal Observatory –

Greenwich, London

Where is it: The best way to travel down into Greenwich is to catch the DLR. If you are coming from the centre of London then you should take the DLR from Bank to the Cutty Sark station and from there it is a 25min walk. You could also travel here by train from Maze Hill and Greenwich station.

What can you do there:

If you’re a fan of astronomy or maybe you just fancy something a little different then the Royal Observatory in Greenwich is perfect. The observatory is the only planetarium in London, you can see different shows in the or if you fancy learning a little bit more then you could take one of their 6 week courses!

The Observatory also encompasses the National Maritime Museum from the 27th April they will be opening up an Exhibition called Royal River (for the Queen’s diamond Jubilee), in the exhibition they will be showing the story of the Thames and how it has been used for all these years, David Starkey will be the guest curator so don’t miss out on this one!

Opening times and prices:

  • Maritime Museum – Free
  • Royal Observatory – Free
  • Queens House – Free

You will need to pay to see certain exhibitions including the Royal River one, I will link it at the end of the section.

All three of the attractions in the area are open from 10.00 to 17:00 Monday through Sunday.

Disabled Access:

The majority of the buildings have wheelchair access; there is some restricted access in some of the older parts of the royal observatory. The cafes and newer building are completely accessible.

Website:

http://www.rmg.co.uk/visit/

http://www.rmg.co.uk/visit/times-and-admission/

 

 

All the pictures in this article belong to their respective photographers/artists. If you would like to take a look at their blogs and websites check these links..

http://architecturerevived.blogspot.com/2010/12/madame-tussauds-london-uk.html

http://www.london-attractions.info/greenwich-observatory.htm

http://united-kingdom-travel.blogspot.com/2010/03/natural-history-museum-in-south.html

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J to L of London

Each week in this segment I’ll be writing an A to Z of things to do and see in London. Ranging from some of the capitals most interesting museum to music venues and markets!

Jewel Tower, Westminster, London -

King's Privy Wardrobe

Where is it:

The Jewel tower sits close to the Houses of Parliment, so it’s something you could see whilst visiting some other attractions. Closest tube station is Westminster. Victoria and Charing Cross stations are also very close by.

What can you do there:

The Jewel tower is one of the two remaining pieces of  building that used to be the Palace of Westminster. When it was built it was used to house King Edward III’s treasured jewellery. The tower was also used to hold important documents for the nearby House of Lords. The building now has a small exhibition inside it that tells of the past and present uses for this small but important buliding. As I said above, this attraction is probably best done whilst seeing other things nearby, these could include The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the Thames and Westminster Abbey.

How much does it cost and opening times:

The tower opens on different times each day. To check for your day click the link in the website section.

Adult£3.20
Child£1.90
Concession£2.90

Disabled Access:

There is no information on the website that mentions access for disabled people. However there is a phone number that could be called: 0870 333 1181

Website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/jewel-tower/

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/jewel-tower/visitor-information

Kew Gardens, Richmond, South west London -

The Greenhouse

Where is it:

The closest tube station is Kew Gardens (District Line), you can also take a train from Waterloo to Kew Bridge.

What can you do there:

Kew Gardens is just what it says on the package. It a garden, but don’t be fooled. This garden houses huge greenhouses with humid climates, perfect for the tropical plants. There’s also a Treetop Walkway that sits 18 metres up in the air. Kids will love walking through the trees!

The gardens are huge so there are numerous places to walk around including the Japanese Landscape, Climbers and Creepers play area for children and Sackler crossing.

How much does it cost and opening times:

The gardens open at 9:30

Adults: £13.90

Concessions: £11.90

Children: Free

Disabled Access: There is almost full access to the whole park however, one of the two tree walkways has no access as they are having trouble with the lift.

Website: http://www.kew.org/

 

London Dungeons, London Bridge, London -

The entrance to the London Dungeons

Where is it:

The London Dungeons are nestled practically within the same building as London Bridge tube and train station making it the closest!

(You can often see the live actors taking smoke breaks or grabbing some lunch in the station so keep your eyes peeled)

What can you do there:

The London Dungeons (owned by Merlin entertainment) is an attraction that aims to teach you about the gruesome history of London whilst scaring the life out of you! They used live actors and there are some rides within the building so for those who are a bit squeamish then this one is probably not for you!

How much does it cost and opening times:

 Date
Opening Times
Jan 2 – Feb 10
10.30-17.00
Feb 11 - Feb 19
09.30-18.30
Feb 20 – March 30
10.00-17.00
March 31 – April 15
09.30-19.00
April 16 – June 1
10.00-17.30
June 2 – June 10
09.30-18.30
June 11 – June 29
10.00-17.30
June 30 - July 20
09.30-18.00
July 21 – Sept 2
10.00-18.00
Sept 3 – Oct 26
10.00-17.30
Oct 27 – Nov 4
09.30-19.00
Nov 5 – Dec 29
10.00-17.00

Ticket Prices:

Adult: £24

Child: £18.60

Disabled Access: The dungeons are accessible to disabled visitors however there are some restrictions for certain rides. Also each tour is only able to take two wheelchair users, there are tours every seven minutes.

Website: http://www.the-dungeons.co.uk

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