London Things to Do Tips by Sjalen

A must amongst London sights even if it is definately not the most beautiful English gothic church building (I prefer Durham or Lincoln cathedrals). What is worth seeing here is very much the inside features including royal tombs and memorials to cultural people (even Swedish singer Jenny Lind which pleases us Swedes enormously) and politicians. Almost all royal coronations have taken place here as well as many other royal events. There has been a church on the site for longer but what you see today is from the 13th to 16th century even if the adjacent monastery was closed at the time of the reformation. A popular site in the abbey is the Unknown Soldier's Grave and I imagine that the Abbey is popular with fans of the Da Vinci Code too today.

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Phone: 0 20 7654 4900
Address: Deans Yard, SW1
Directions: St James's Park tube
Website: http://www.westminster-abbey.org

Avoiding the political discussions between Greece and Britain over the Elgin marbles taken from Athens (there is even a statement about that on the Greek department's page below), this is one of my favourite museums in the world. There aren't enough pages here to describe all the wonders of the world you can see here but my favourites have to be the mummified cats in the Egypt section where I always seem to end up :) But that is also the reason why I never seem to finish with all the other museum treasures and there are rooms where I have never set foot as just the Greek and Roman sections have more than 100 000 artefacts. All those famous excavations in the Middle East have given finds from for instance the Royal toms in Ur (yes, the city you read about as a child!), and Agatha Christie and her archaeologist husband found things in the Middle East which are also here. Should you want to visit Asia, that's also here, with lots of exhibits from Japan, China and more unusual areas along the Silk Road. Religious items from Pacific islands, traditions from the old Central American cultures...there seems no end to it. Add to that a bit of British archaeology from times Roman and Medieval, and you see why you have to plan your visit carefully unless you have a week. Whatever you do, don't miss the famous and fascinating Rosetta Stone.

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Phone: 0 20 7323 8299
Address: Great Russell Street, WC1
Directions: Bloomsbury in central London (tube to Russell Square)
Website: http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/

For me, Greenwich is a bit of an oasis where I come to escape the worst traffic fumes and instead, look at life along the river. You can take a boat to or from it and see a lot of London on the way and once you get there you can enjoy the World 0 meridian at the observatory (otherwise quite a technical affair) or just stroll in the park. You can also visit one of my favourite museums: the Royal Naval Museum (see separate tip). A visit to the fastest tea clipper of its time, the Cutty Sark, is also possible as is a visit to the covered market with its bits and bobs. Another way to get here is by railway through the Docklands and then a walk through the tunnel below the Thames, or staying on the DLR all the way to the Cutty Sark stop. From ultra-modern to 19th century in just a few minutes!

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Address: Greenwich, SE10
Directions: Cutty Sark DLR

This is one of my favourite museums in London, simply because Britain is and long has been a strong seafaring nation and a lot of it started here at Greenwich. Here you will find so many interesting things on British history since it has happened at sea, not least a prime exhibit in the form of Nelson's own blood stained trousers from the Battle of Trafalgar! :))) Lots of items from other famous battles (including Falklands) and expeditions can be seen as well as ship models and an exhibition on the slave trade and the importance of navigation. The museum shop has an excellent collection of books on maritime things and gadgets found on ships. The museum also runs the Observatory up the hill where you can see the famous World "0" Meridian and lots of navigational and astronomical instruments. That I personally find boring since I don't follow the mathematics as much as I'd like, but it is nevertheless moving to be at the Epicentre of the World :) You can also visit nearby Queen's House which Inigo Jones designed for James I's Queen Anne in the grounds of the old Tudor palace, and which has been further decorated since then. I have not yet visited so on that I cannot give a personal account but it is known for painted ceilings and other art works.

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Address: Greenwich, SE10
Directions: DLR through the Docklands to the stop Cutty Sark.
Website: http://www.nmm.ac.uk/

One of the most famous art museums in the World, and the original in what is now quite a large Tate family all over Britain. Various controversial exhibitions has been held here throughout its history and there is always something new going on so check the website below. Its permanent collection holds a huge amount of famous Turner paintings and many Constable gems as well as Francis Bacon and much more.

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Phone: +44 20 7887 8000
Address: Millbank, SW1
Directions: Pimlico tube
Website: http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/default.htm

London's major contemporary art museum is big and you should get here early to avoid queues during popular exhibitions. If you do, you will be rewarded by a place where you can learn that even if you thought you didn't really like art there is something for you. As it is housed in a disused power station along the river it is absolutely huge and you can study the website below to plan your visit and see if you want to see a lot of the permanent stuff or focus on the often very media-hyped but fun exhibitions.

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Phone: +44 20 7887 8000
Address: Bankside, SE1
Directions: Southwark or Blackfriars tubes
Website: http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/

I went here when I lived in London, long before I was a VT member, so there is no photo, but this is in fact one of my favourite London museums simply because it tells the story of the city itself! From the days long before there was even a city here, and scatterings of people lived along the Thames, to Roman "Londinium" and onto the Medieval city and then the Great fire of London in 1666, followed by the sprawl of London into the city centre we know today in the 18th century when villages such as Knightsbridge ended up belonging to London. You get to know more about famous Londoners such as Samuel Pepys and Christopher Wren and well...put at least half a day aside to it if you love London like I do. Inside the museum you also get a good view of what is left of London's Roman defense wall (hence the museum address!).

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Address: London Wall
Directions: Underground to Barbican station.
Website: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk

When in London, a market is a must and Camden Lock is my personal favourite. In fact, it is one of my favourite sights in all London and no trip is complete without a visit to it. Why? Because it's full of people with their own personalities and suitable things for sale and it is also along the Regents Canal with its narrowboats. The Camden Market part begins as you exit the tube station at Camden and has grown and grown to include several streets. Then you reach Camden Lock, cross the canal and find yourself in the best part which today is open not only weekends (but they are still the best) and which has a mix of new arty stuff and gifts, music, trendy clothes, vintage items and other things you just never knew you needed but have always looked for :))) Because of its alternative style it also has lots and lots of cheap eateries for low budgets. PS. As with all markets, beware of pickpockets so you will enjoy your day.

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Address: Camden Lock
Directions: Camden Town and Chalk Farm tubes.
Website: http://www.camdenlock.net/

Sounds like a pompous empire glory thing and in a way it maybe is, but it is so much more. This shows you the horrors of war too, and also gives you a fair bit of British history if you're a buff. The museum experts are frequently enlisted to help UK television companies with historic and war technical material. Some exhibitions are OK for young children whilst others (such as the one on the holocaust) are certainly not so if you plan a visit with the kids it is worth checking the website to plan your day better.

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Phone: +44 (0)207 416 5320 / 5321
Address: Lambeth Road
Directions: Lambeth North / Waterloo
Website: http://london.iwm.org.uk/

An absolutely great day out is to go to Hampton, beyond Richmond, to visit the famous Hampton Court palace where Henry VIII held court. You can see his apartments and the wonderful Grand Hall as well as the Chapel where he married Catherine Parr. But you can also enjoy the famous Triumphs of Caesar canvases by Andrea Mantegna (15th century) as well as the enormous and fun Tudor Kitchen. When this is done, the Queen's State apartment and the Georgian Rooms awaits you. There truly is something to see for everyone here. The Grand Hall and Tudor Kitchens were my own favourites and as for the eight-year-old, she loved having a go at the famous maze in the gardens. You can go to Hampton village by train from Waterloo and another alternative is to cruise from Westminster Pier in the centre of London - an absolutely wonderful way to get here. Just be prepared that the latter takes up to four hours so that's if you don't want to linger too much at the palace. You can see many more images on my Hampton page.

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Phone: +44 20 8781 9500
Address: East Molesey, KT8 9AU
Directions: Rail from Waterloo to Hampton. Boat from Westminster, Kew or Richmond.
Website: http://www.hrp.org.uk