London Things to Do Tips by seamandrew

When visiting London, a visit to the majestic Buckingham Palace is a must. The architecture of the palace and the Queen Victoria Memorial is so regal and elegant. Adding to the beauty of Buckingham Palace are the surrounding Palace Gardens, Green Park, and St. James's Park. The changing of the guards is a spectacle which attracts hordes of tourists but it is also worth watching.

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Directions: You must look at a map of London and look for the three parks mentioned above. The Palace is right in the middle of the three.

This has to be one of London's number one tourist must see's. You really have to like this stuff to put up with the large crowds in order to see it. This event occurs daily in summer and on alternate days during the colder winter months. The time is usually around 11:30 am but make sure to get there at least an hour in advance to get a good spot. I would try to get on the Queen Victoria Memorial side facing the palace. This way you can see into the courtyard, and you can see the replacement gaurds come in from the various streets.

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Directions: Memorial Gardens at Buckingham Palance

The Tower Bridge was built in 1894 to address a serious traffic issue when getting across the Thames. The engineering used to build this bridge is fabulous. While the drawbridge is now operated electronically, the old engines that drove the steam and hydraulic gears that used to open the bridge are still available for the public to see. Also amazing is the view of London from the elevated pedestrian crosswalks. These were built up high so that pedestrians were never hindered from crossing the Thames. It is a gorgeous bridge and also on of London's top tourist sites.

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Directions: Near the Tower of London.

St. James's Park is one of the beautiful gardens surrounding Buckingham Palace. It was by far my favorite of the three. The locals must really enjoy this park during the summer. It is just beautiful. Be sure to bring some bread for the ducks, geese, coots, and pigeons and some nuts for the squirrels which amazingly have no fear of people.
St. James's Park also offers a spectacular view of Buckingham Palace. See the picture on my London page.

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Directions: Just east of Buckingham Palace

This stunning structure is located just southeast of Buckingham Palace. The abbey serves as the crowning place of kings & queens in England. It also serves as their burial site. If my history is correct, it was built in a Norman French style and then rebuilt in the 18th century by Wren.

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Directions: Just south of Broad Sanctuary Square

This little green area on the grounds of Westminster Abbey is a little oasis in itself. We found some kids learning soccer (Football) techniques with an instructor. It was quite an authentic experience of London.

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Directions: On the Westminster Abbey grounds.

This one is sort of self explanatory. This building serves to house the parliamentary body of England. It was constructed in a Victorian Gothic style (except for the medieval Westminster Hall). Westminster Hall is touted to be the "finest timber roofed building in Europe." It even survived a fire in 1834. It serves as a law court. You can see more pics in my travelogue.

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Directions: On the Thames river near the Westminster Bridge

The Sunken 'Dutch' Gardens had to be my favorite part of Hyde Park. Well technically it's Kensignton Gardens at this point. It is one of various "attractions," for lack of a better word, surrounding Kensington Palace, but it seemed like such a peaceful place.

From it's surrounding walk, glimpses of the lily pool are framed between bleached lime trees. If you're lucky, you will see a Grey Heron looking for the occasional frog meal in the lily pond. If you look closely at my picture, you can see it standing to the left of the left-most fountain.

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Directions: Near the public entrance to Kensington Palace.

Another major tourist attraction in London is Big Ben. One of the largest clocks you will ever see. It is quite beautiful. It is worth the visit.

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Directions: At the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Hall

The London Eye is one of the largest Ferris wheels you will ever see. It was created during the Millenium celebrations (built in 1999) and has a lifespan of 5 years. It has become so popular though that London is leaning on keeping it permanently. It's open from 9:30 am to 8:00 pm. It's a 30 minute ride. It was sponsered by British Airways. It offers a spectacular view of London.

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Directions: On the Thames river across from the London Aquarium, County Hall, and Jubilee Gardens.
Website: http://www.londoneye.com/