Exploring the most Picturesque & Historic parts of England
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Pictures of London
a Historic City in the county of Greater London
About London
London is one of the World's most exciting, cultural destinations where visitors can walk with history whilst enjoying all that is best of modern day facilities, shops, theatres and restaurants.This is a city of contrasts where you can witness Pomp and Circumstance as the Queen glides through the gates of Buckingham Palace in the splendid Irish state coach to follow the grand processional route of the Mall, Horse-guards Arch, and on into Whitehall for the state opening of Parliament. Or you can wander amongst the green lung's of London's Royal Park's, which centuries ago were the former hunting ground of Monarchs. These themselves attract over 30 million tourists each year, they start with St.James's Park and lead past the palace to join with Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The deer and horses have long since gone, giving way to lush flower and water-filled expanses of tranquillity where weary office workers and travellers can rest.
London is a sprawling conurbation combining two cities, each with distinctly different beginnings, and separate roles, characters and styles. The City of London is the crowded centre of Britain's trade and finance; Westminster is the home of Court, government, high society, churches, and houses full of treasure. Linking both is the River Thames, England's greatest water thoroughfare, which has played a continuous role in the building of the city, borne silent witness to so much history and is the reason why the capital is where it is.
By day visitors can shop in a metropolis offering a huge mix of retail outlets ranging from Harrods to Asprey's, Designer Boutiques to Marks and Spencer, fruit shops, multi-cultural delicatessens, tobacconists and chocolate shops. Visitors can take in any one of a number of lively markets, many of which began in medieval times. London is justifiably proud of its markets, each is unique, with its own character, flavour and specialisation - such as Columbia Road Flower Market open every Sunday morning. This is somewhat off the beaten track but is worth the effort it takes to get there - for late risers there are plenty of places to have brunch! Others include the world renowned Covent Garden, Camden, Greenwich, Portobello Road, Petticoat Lane and Bermondsey Antique Market-certainly the place to go to grab a bargain. Travelling around is easy, you simply hail any one of the thousands of famous Black Cabs, or board a bright red double-decker bus. The under-ground offers a network of tubes, ideal for getting quickly from one area to another.
If it is the cultural experience you want, then after seeing London's great architectural gems, you can take you choice of over 200 museums and art galleries, or visit Madame Tussaud's, Kew Gardens, and the Royal Courts of Justice. London has some of the finest theatrical venues in the world, with a theatre-land unsurpassed by any other country. Theatre's range from the Drury Lane Theatre dating from 1812 to the Barbican which opened its doors in 1982, included too is Nash's famous Haymarket Theatre of 1821. In all London offers 40 theatres showing plays, musicals, ballet and opera, leaving visitors completely spoilt for choice.
After-noon tea is a quintessential English tradition that no visitor to London should miss. One of life's "must do's" is to drop in to either Brown's Hotel or the Ritz to enjoy after-noon tea served in the most elegant of English surroundings. Another unforgettable experience is to view London from the dizzy heights of the London Eye, on a clear day the vista can stretch as far as Heathrow Airport and Windsor Castle. Sporting enthusiasts have Wimbledon, Wembley, and even a golf course or two can be found within easy reach of the city centre.
London by night is an amazing experience, pubs on every corner, great buildings and bridges lit up against the night-time sky, add this to numerous clubs and restaurants serving cuisines of more than 70 countries, and this will leave you in no doubt that London has a cafe society second to none, beating that to be found in any other European capital.
In London the romance of the past is everywhere but it blends very well with the present. It is a cherished place where you are overwhelmed by its sheer scale, and yet pleasantly surprised by the warmth of its welcome. A century ago London was the largest and gayest capital city in the world, today it remains a vibrant multi-cultural city of romance that is the most historic and remarkable capital in all of Europe.
Planning a visit to London?
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Interesting & Historical Facts about London
There are 3 small rooms inside the Marble Arch which were used as a police station until 1950.
The tallest building in London is the Canaray Wharf Tower
The name Big Ben is not the name of the clock tower itself, but the name of the Great Bell inside the tower.
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Nearby towns & villages..
Piccadilly (18 Pictures)
in the county of Greater London
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Westminster (131 Pictures)
in the county of Greater London
(0.8 miles, 1.2 km of London)Of all the jewels in the City of Westminster, none shines more brightly than Westminster Abbey, stunning setting for the coronation of almost every English monarch since William the Conqueror was crowned there in 1066...
Mayfair (33 Pictures)
in the county of Greater London
(1.0 miles, 1.6 km of London)Mayfair has it all, it is the haunt of the rich and famous, with elegant houses and apartment buildings that are the sole province of the wealthy...
Marylebone (6 Pictures)
in the county of Greater London
(1.2 miles, 2.0 km, direction NW of London)Marylebone is one of London's more affluent area's, it is home mostly to the well to do, and yet only a couple of centuries ago a large workhouse was built here to give shelter to the poor and homeless, often foundlings were discovered on the workhouse doorstep...
St Pancras (44 Pictures)
in the county of Greater London
(1.3 miles, 2.0 km, direction N of London)The name of the area is taken from the boy martyred in AD 304. Pancras was the orphaned Christian son of a Phrygian nobleman who was brought up at the court of the Emperor in Rome...
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Nearby attractions..
National Gallery London (14 Pictures)
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Trafalgar Square (118 Pictures)
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Admiralty Arch (11 Pictures)
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Cleopatra's Needle, London (6 Pictures)
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Royal Opera House (4 Pictures)
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Somerset House (12 Pictures)
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London Eye (260 Pictures)
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All attractions in London
All attractions in Greater London
Complete A to Z of attractions in England
Hotels & Accommodation in London
London Hotels London Cottages London Bed & Breakfast
Uber London Trafalgar Apartments
London, Greater London, England (0.1 miles, 0.2 km)
Within 5 minutes’ walk of iconic London landmarks including The National Gallery, Leicester Square and the English National Opera, Uber London Trafalgar Apartments provides contemporary accommodatio...
More info and book online.. Price from £179.00
Covent Garden Apartments
London, Greater London, England (0.1 miles, 0.2 km)
Situated just a few metres from Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden Apartments offer self-catering accommodation in Central London. The property is 100 metres from Charing Cross and 200 metres from Embank...
More info and book online.. Price from £195.00
LSE Northumberland House
London, Greater London, England (0.1 miles, 0.2 km)
Situated 3 minutes’ walk from Trafalgar Square, LSE Northumberland House is set in a Grade II listed building and offers shared self-catering kitchens and a laundrette....
More info and book online.. Price from £80.00
Buckingham Snug
London, Greater London, England (0.1 miles, 0.2 km)
Buckingham Snug offers accommodation in London, 300 metres from Trafalgar Square and 300 metres from Savoy Theatre. The apartment is 400 metres from Lyceum Theatre. Free WiFi is provided throughout th...
More info and book online.. Price from £532.00
Private Apartment - Trafalgar Square - The Mall
London, Greater London, England (0.1 miles, 0.2 km)
Private Apartment - Trafalgar Square - The Mall offers accommodation in London, 100 metres from Trafalgar Square and 500 metres from Prince Of Wales Theatre. The unit is 600 metres from Piccadilly Cir...
More info and book online.. Price from £275.00
Library
London, Greater London, England (0.1 miles, 0.2 km)
LIBRARY is located just 300 meters from Trafalgar Square. The bedrooms are part of a private members club and offer free WiFi, and guests can enjoy a drink at the bar during operational hours. Every ...
More info and book online.. Price from £145.00
West End One Apartments
London, Greater London, England (0.1 miles, 0.2 km)
Boasting free Wi-Fi throughout, the modern apartments at West End Apartments are situated in the heart of London, 5 minutes’ walk from Piccadilly Circus. The attractions of London’s West End are w...
More info and book online.. Price from £150.00
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Nearby travel help
| Charing Cross Station | (0.0 miles, 0.0 km) |
| Charing Cross Tube Station | (0.1 miles, 0.1 km) |
| Embankment Tube Station | (0.2 miles, 0.3 km) |
| Waterloo Station | (0.8 miles, 1.3 km) |
| M1 Junction 1 | (6.1 miles, 9.8 km, direction NW) |
| M4 Junction 1 | (6.9 miles, 11.0 km, direction W) |
| London City Airport | (8.0 miles, 12.9 km, direction E) |
| London Heathrow Airport | (14.2 miles, 22.8 km, direction W) |
Random England fact:
The water table beneath Salisbury Cathedral is only four feet below the surface.
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