Sights in London
21 places you must not miss during your visit to London:
1.The London Eye. 1The 37-meter Ferris wheel has 32 capsules, with a capacity of up to 25 people in each. A ride on the London Eye takes about 30 minutes, and the ticket costs £18.60. A visit to the English capital is not complete if you haven't taken a picture in front of the Eye and ridden on it. This is a giant Ferris wheel, built in honor of the new millennium, which has become one of the city's symbols over the years.
2. "Oxford Street" is not only the top shopping spot in London, but also the busiest shopping street in Europe. It has 300 stores and is visited by over 500,000 people every day. There are stores for every taste, and depending on your budget, you will surely find something
3. "Baker Street", known mostly as the street where scandal-seeking detective Arthur Conan Doyle made Sherlock Holmes live. Today you can find the Sherlock Holmes Museum there. Madame Tussauds Museum is just around the corner.
4. Westminster Abbey. It is the more famous name for the Church of St. Peter in Westminster. It is a large Gothic church located west of the Palace of Westminster. This is the traditional site for coronations and burials of English, and later British, monarchs.
5. Regent's Park or The Regent's Park. Regent's Park is one of the royal parks. It is located in the northern part of central London. The park has an outer ring-like road called the "Outer Circle" and an inner ring-like road called the "Inner Circle".
6. Trafalgar Square.Trafalgar Square is a square in central London. Located in the heart of London, it is one of the most famous squares in London, Great Britain, and the whole world. In the center of the square is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues.
7. Victoria and Albert Museum. It is famous for its collections of almost everything – from Islamic art to interesting clothing by Vivienne Westwood. 3,000 years of human history in objects of design, interior, and decorative-applied arts. Ceramics and jewelry, paintings and furniture, clothes and books – the Victoria and Albert Museum houses exhibits from most cultures around the world. You will be impressed.
8. The Palace of Westminster with Parliament. The Palace of Westminster, which houses the Houses of Parliament, is a neo-Gothic architectural masterpiece that is sure to impress you. It was built by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin in 1840. Together with the clock tower, St. Stephen's Tower, and Big Ben, they represent one of the best-known symbols of London.
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9. The British Museum. The British Museum is considered one of the largest and most interesting museums in the world. It attracts over six million visitors every year. Some of the "stars" of the exhibits are the Assyrian treasures, the Egyptian mummies, and the remarkable reading room. It preserves human history and culture from 2 million years back in time. Its collections span periods from antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. The museum has 10 departments (prehistoric, Egyptian, Greek, Romano-British, medieval, Renaissance, oriental, numismatic, etc.) and the British Library.
10. Hyde Park, Kensington – If the weather is nice, you can take a walk in the park and see the residence of Princess Diana, and now also the home of the little heir to the throne, George.
11. The Natural History Museum. The museum's collection contains over 70 million specimens collected over the past 400 years! From ancient fossils, dinosaur bones, and a dodo skeleton, to a Neanderthal skull and meteorites from Mars.
12. Royal Observatory Greenwich – Located on top of a hill in the park above the National Maritime Museum. Here is the Flamsteed House, designed by the renowned Christopher Wren – home of John Flamsteed for over 40 years. Now it is a clock museum. Here is the "prime" meridian, determined in 1884, where one can step with one foot in the western and the other in the eastern hemisphere of the Earth. Previously, access to the meridian line was free, but now a £7 ticket is required
13. Tower Bridge. Tower Bridge is a bridge that is a combination of a bascule and suspension bridge. It is located over the River Thames and is close to the Tower of London, from which it gets its name. It consists of two towers connected by two high-level walkways. Their purpose is to withstand the horizontal forces to which the bridge is subjected. The construction of the bridge began in 1886 and took a total of 8 years. It was officially opened on June 30, 1894, by the Prince of Wales – the future King Edward VII – and his wife, Alexandra of Denmark. The total length of the bridge is 244m, and its towers are 65m high.
14. The Tower of London. Its construction began in 1078 during the reign of William the Conqueror. Today, the Tower of London is one of the most famous fortress buildings in the world. Here you will have the opportunity to see the priceless Crown Jewels, a medieval palace, and the infamous Bloody Tower. Admission is about 20 pounds, slightly cheaper if you book your ticket online.
15. Buckingham Palace . Buckingham Palace has been the home of the royal family from 1837 until its opening to visitors in 1993. The state rooms are furnished with exquisite and valuable items – paintings, sculptures, and some of the best English and French furniture. Enjoy a walk through the palace gardens – 39 acres of beauty located in front of the palace and a 19th-century lake. It is open for visits only in the summer, but don't miss it even if you don't intend to go inside. After all, it is a top attraction in London.
16. Changing of the Guard. Another attraction that every tourist aims to tick off in London. The show is truly impressive and spectacular. The ceremonies take place in three locations. Buckingham Palace is the most popular of them. The changing of the guard here starts at 11:30, but if you want to see something and take good photos, it's better to arrive at least an hour earlier. The second ceremony takes place in front of Windsor Castle, 35 km from central London (at 11 a.m. every day from April to July). The third changing of the guard takes place every day at 11 a.m. (Sunday at 10:00) in front of Horse Guards Building. Up-to-date schedules and dates for the ceremonies can be found on the British Monarchy website (yes, there is such a website).
17. The Wallace Collection. A wonderful collection of paintings, sculptures, arms, furniture. For several centuries, these masterpieces were carefully and tastefully selected by the Earls of Hartford until the widow of the last of them, Richard Wallace, bequeathed the collection to the British nation. The Wallace Collection has many masterpieces, including canvases by Rubens and Titian. When visiting the museum, with a collection modest by London standards (a total of 5 thousand exhibits), it is not a bad idea to set aside at least 2-3 hours.
18. The British Film Institute. The British Film Institute (BFI) constantly hosts interesting exhibitions and events. Almost all of them are paid, but its main treasure – the Mediatheque – can be explored for free. The Mediatheque houses an unimaginable amount of archival video recordings, films, and television shows. For example, here you can see a recording of the London Olympics: not the one from 2012, but an "old-school" one from 1908. You can also browse the archive of BBC news from 50 years ago. Bring an ID with your date of birth, you might be asked for it at the entrance.
19. Boat trip on the Thames. Besides being the longest river in England flowing into the North Sea, the Thames has long been a historical river in many ways. There are many companies offering river cruises that run every 30 minutes and pass key locations and sights. Some operate at night, so you can see the city while having dinner or drinking your afternoon tea.
20. Shoreditch – one of the trendiest neighborhoods in London, a place where students and young people mainly gather. If you feel like going out somewhere, or just want to unwind in good company, this is your place.
21. Camden. This is one of the most famous neighborhoods, renowned for its alternative culture. It is literally a madhouse of colorful people, punks, rockers, tourists... Besides interesting and mildly put strange people, here you will find various tattoo shops, international cuisine, and many art markets. A place that should not be missed.