Buckingham Palace

King George III bought Buckingham House in 1761 for his wife Queen Charlotte to use as a comfortable family home close to St James's Palace. Buckingham House became known as the Queen's House, and 14 of George III's 15 children were born there. In 1762 work began on remodelling the house to the King's requirements.
George IV, on his accession in 1820, decided to reconstruct the house. Queen Victoria was the first sovereign to take up residence in July 1837.The present Forecourt of the Palace, where Changing the Guard takes place, was formed in 1911, as part of the Victoria Memorial scheme. The gates and railings were also completed in 1911.

Recommended Internet Sites

No visit to London is complete to London without a visit to Covent Garden, a most atmospheric London institution.
In addition to an arts and crafts market, outdoor street performers who would do the Royal Albert Hall proud, perform on the sidewalks for free ( Well there is always a hat passed around at the end!)
Covent Garden's restaurants, bars, shops and street entertainers make it the ideal location for a great day or night out. Covent Garden is world famous for its jugglers, musicians and mime artists.
In the Arts and Crafts Market hall, you will find you will find 120 craftsmen selling their original handmade Arts and Crafts, Ceramics, Knit-wear, Pottery, Silk Screen Printing, Etching, Chinese Art, Hand Painted House Plaques & House Signs, Heraldry, Coats of Arms, Hand Painted Crests & Shields, Board Games, Enameling, Jewellery, Wooden Toys, Goldsmiths, Doll Houses, Silversmiths, Glassware, Hobo Dolls, Calligraphy, Lace-ware, Mohair Sweaters, Cardigans and Coats, Soft Toys and Dolls, Luxury Bathrobes, Wood Turning, Karum game boards and lots more.

Recommended Internet Sites

Covent Gardens' Jubilee Arts and Crafts Market Hall

Covent Garden Life

What is it about Covent Garden?

10 Downing Street

One of the best known Streets in London is Downing Street, named after its builder, Sir George Downing, who was a Cromwellian civil servant. No. 10 with its famous black front door, the backdrop to many historical announcements made by renowned personalities; has been the official residence of Britains Prime Minister since 1732, when King George 11 presented the property to Sir Robert Walpole, Britains first Prime Minister.

Recommended Internet Site

Official No. 10 Downing Street Site

Hampton Court

Henry VIII is probably Hampton Court’s most famous occupant and its first royal owner. All his lavish private rooms were demolished in the early 18th century but the two most magnificent public rooms still survive - the Great Hall and the Chapel Royal, which is still a place of worship today.
King William III’s Apartments are the finest and most important set of Baroque state apartments in the world. They are still furnished with the magnificent furniture and tapestries which graced them in 1700 when they were completed for the King. Today you see them restored after the terrible fire of 1986. An exhibition under the colonnade in Clock Court near the entrance to the King’s Apartments explains the restoration and the function of the state rooms.
There are over 60 acres of gardens to explore at Hampton Court including the Maze, the Great Vine and the newly restored Privy Garden.
The buildings of Hampton Court cover 6 acres and comprise many courtyards and cloisters. One of the greatest pleasures of visiting the palace is strolling around them admiring the harmonious blend of Tudor and Baroque architecture and curiosities such as Henry VIII’s Astronomical Clock and Cardinal Wolsey’s coat of arms in Clock Court.

The Houses of Parliament

The neo-Gothic building includes the House of Commons and the House of Lords, not to mention the infamous Big Ben.
Edward the Confessor had the original palace built in the eleventh century.
Parliamentary government in the United Kingdom is based on a two-chamber system. The House of Lords (the upper House-not elected) and the House of Commons (the lower house-elected at least every 5 years) sit separately and are constituted on entirely different principles. The legislative process involves both Houses - the Commons and the Lords.
All visitors, both UK citizens and overseas visitors can visit the Strangers galleries in both houses to see Parliament at work. Entry is at St. Stephen’s Gate, where you can join a queue for the public galleries, known as Strangers Galleries. Debates in the commons take place on Mon. Tues. and Thurs. from 2-30 pm; Wed. & Fri. from 9-30 am. 
The busiest a to visit the House is during Question Time. To attend Question Time you must book a ticket through your MP or your embassy. Question Time is on Mon.- Thurs. From 2-30pm - 3-30pm. Prime Minister’s Question Time is on Wed. from 3pm - 3-30pm.   The House of Lords sit on Mon. - Wed. From 2-30; On Thurs. From 3pm; If a sitting takes place on Friday it commences at 11am. Both houses close at Christmas, Easter and from August to mid October.

Recommended Internet Sites

Official Web Site of The Parliament

Explore Parliament - excellent resource!

Hyde Park

Henry VIII acquired Hyde Park in 1536.The park covers 630 acres, and includes some of London's most well-known tourist spots.
At Speaker's Corner, you can hear a wide variety of people from Britain and abroad exercising their right to free speech.
The home of Lady Dianna - Kensington Palace- stands at the West side of the park.
The Serpentine Lake is found in the park.

Kew Gardens

At the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, there are 300 acres of beautiful gardens, with six glasshouses to visit including the Evolution House. The Gardens are open daily from 9.30am. Closing time varies according to the time of year, but it's not earlier than 4pm or later than 7.30pm. For exact times call the Gardens on 020 8940 1171.
Admission to the gardens is £5 for adults, £2.50 for children; during the last hour before closing, there is a reduced rate of £3 for all visitors. Kew Gardens are closed 25 December and 1 January.
The nearest Underground station is Kew Gardens and you are also within easy reach of Richmond with its riverside pubs, antique shops, village green and royal park

Recommended Internet Sites

Kew Gardens Official Site

Official Visitor Information

London Eye

The British Airways London Eye - London's Giant Observation Wheel, finally became operational in January 2000. Standing proud in London's Jubilee Gardens, on the South Bank of the River Thames the British Airways London Eye is a focal point of the Nation's celebration of the New Century. The Wheel is the largest of its kind ever to be built, at a height of 135m (450feet) and 1600 tons.

Recommended Internet Sites

Official British Airways Site - with webcam

St.Paul's Cathedral

Sir Christopher Wren designed this wonderful building, which was started 9 years after the medieval St Pauls had been burnt down in the Fire of London. He completed this masterpiece in 1711. It was hailed as the world's first Protestant cathedral and to this day dominates much of the City's skyline.
You can climb up in to the Whispering gallery in the dome, where a whisper at one side carries right round the dome. Then up to the Stone Gallery giving a view over the city, and up to the Golden Gallery at the top of the dome.
The crypt is equally impressive, with the tombs of both Nelson and Wellington.

Recommended Internet Sites

Official Church Site - includes a wealth of information.

Tower Bridge

One of London's most unusual and exciting exhibitions is situated inside the towers and engine rooms of the bridge. Animatronic characters from the bridge's past guide visitors through a series of audio-visual presentations, which tell the story of this world famous London landmark. You will discover why the bridge was needed, how a design was chosen and how the bridge is raised.
One of London's most famous landmarks, the bridge was constructed in the 1890s.
Tower bridge features a road which can be raised to allow tall ships to pass through to the Pool of London and an elevated walkway affording permanent access.
The main attraction of The Tower Bridge Experience has to be the spectacular views over London from the high-level Walkways, 140ft above the River Thames. From this unique viewpoint, visitors can see some of London's most well-known buildings, such as the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral and Canary Wharf.
There are also multi-lingual touch-screen computers on both the East and West Walkways, giving visitors more detailed information about the sites in the surrounding area. To add to visitors' enjoyment, there is also a photographic exhibition on the East Walkway, spanning over 100 years of the bridge's history.

Recommended Internet Sites

Tower Bridge Experience

Explore London Tower Bridge Photo

The Tower Of London

The Tower of London built by William the Conqueror in 1078 to guard the river approach to London. It was restored in 1700, but the original part of the White Tower (so named because Henry III had it whitewashed both inside and out) still stands.
From 1322 onwards the Tower held prisoners suspected of plotting the downfall of the Monarch. Amongst the most famous prisoners held there were Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey, the Earl of Essex and the young princes, Edward V and Richard of York. The last prisoner was the Nazi, Rudolph Hess. He was held  from 17-21 May 1941.
Today, the Tower is probably best known as the home of the Crown Jewels.

Recommended Internet Sites

The Tower Of London

Official Visitor Information

Trafalgar Square

In the center stands Nelson's column, commemorating the battle of Trafalgar.

The National Art Gallery stand on one side of the square.

St Martins In The Fields offers afternoon concerts, and has a coffee shop in a crypt as well as a coffee shop.

Recommended Internet Sites

Panoramic View

The National Gallery

Westminster Abbey

The Abbey's formal title is The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster.
The popular title "Westminster Abbey" continues to be used, even though there have been no monks there since the l6th century.

Recommended Internet Sites

The Official Westminster Abbey Site

Back To London Hotels Main Page