England's
capital city, London, brims with culture and
is filled with artistic and architectural triumphs.
It is a bustling, growing and varied metropolis
with magical museums, great galleries, gourmet
restaurants, clubs, nightlife and a diverse
range of outstanding theater and music--all
waiting for you, all year round.
London
has three international airports offering direct
flights from the US: Heathrow, Gatwick and
Stansted, which all offer quick and easy transfers
to London. Where
to stay? Choose from luxury international
five-star hotels, more modest guest houses or
private-home stays, "boutique" townhouse
hotels, apartments offering every amenity, or
youth hostels for those on a budget--there's
something for everyone.
Take
a sightseeing
tour or explore on your own--getting
around in London is easy with its system
of buses and trains, and on the London
Underground (The Tube).
London's
Neighborhoods
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Tower
of London
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London
is made up of many varied and quite distinct
districts, all offering a unique selection of
attractions, places to stay and numerous places
to eat: Bankside, stretches from Southwark
Bridge to just beyond Tower Bridge, enhancing
both old and new London. Look out for The
Tower of London, the new Millennium Bridge,
Shakespeare's
Globe Theater, the Tate Modern, Southwark
Cathedral, and plenty of fashionable shops and
restaurants at Hay's Galleria.
Bloomsbury,
the area surrounding the British Museum and
the University of London, was established in
the 18th century and still has strong literary
and academic associations. Camden,
northeast of Regents Canal is home to charming
residential streets also dating from the 18th
century, but don't miss the lively market at
Camden Lock, Camden Town's bars, cafes, pubs
and nightclubs, or the Zoo. Over in the southwest,
Chelsea
is synonymous with the Swinging 60''s. Boasting
a strong artistic and literary history, it's
an attractive residential area with a great
selection of art galleries, high-fashion boutiques,
antique shops and restaurants.
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The
Royal Exchange
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Chinatown,
is a small vibrant area around Gerard Street
with numerous Chinese restaurants and food shops.
The City of London, in the east, is built
on the site of the original Roman settlement
and is now London's financial district--think
Wall Street--currently enjoying a revival of
new modern hotels, restaurants and wine bars,
amidst the older "classics": St Paul's
Cathedral, The Old Bailey and The Bank of England.
The old flower, fruit and vegetable market at
Covent
Garden is no longer there, but in its
place you'll find one of the city's liveliest
areas with stylish shops, restored marketplace,
bars, open-air cafes and street entertainers
in the piazza.
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The
Grennwich Royal Observatory
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The
East End has a vibrant artistic scene, one
of London's hippest districts with contemporary
bars, restaurants, shops and markets. Greenwich,
to the south and east is home to the Meridian
Line, at the Royal Observatory, the National
Maritime Museum and the infamous Dome. In Holborn,
buildings date back to the 15th century. This
is London's legal epicenter. Islington
is traditionally the home to non-conformist,
actors, artists, journalist and politicians.
Knightsbridge
and South Kensington in the west are
among London's most prestigious areas with elegant,
expensive houses, hotels, restaurants and shops:
Harrods, Harvey Nichols and the designer boutiques
along Sloane Street. Huge, impressive museums
are found here: The Natural History, Science,
and Victoria and Albert museums, plus Kensington
Palace and its State Apartments. London Docklands
is the area between the City of London and Greenwich,
an area of major development over the last few
years.
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The
British Airways London Eye
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Mayfair
is the elegant, Georgian, upscale residential
area between Bond Street and Park Lane. It takes
its name from the fairs held here each May in
the 18th century. NottingHill
in west London is famous for its annual August
carnival--a riot of color and rhythm--plus many
new fashionable bars, restaurants and the popular
Portobello Road antique shops and market. Soho
is home to Carnaby Street--the 60's center of
fashion and a great cosmopolitan selection of
restaurants, bars, clubs and other nightlife.
The South Bank offers beautiful riverside
walks, and the world's greatest concert and
theater venues, plus the new British Airways
London Eye.
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The
West End
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The
West End is London''s theater land with
major cinemas, restaurants and main shopping
areas, encompassing the streets around Mayfair,
Westminster, Belgravia, Soho and Covent Garden.
Look out for Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square,
Trafalgar Square with its imposing Nelson's
column, lions and fountains, and, of course,
Changing the Guard at Buckingham
Palace--now open to the public during the
summer. Westminster
is the seat of power, where you'll find The
Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the Westminster's
Abbey and Cathedral, while Whitehall
is the seat of Government and the Prime Minister's
official residence: 10 Downing Street.
