My recommendations of places to visit in London..
St. Paul's Cathedral
The monumental dome of this Cathedral is seen in large parts of London. The Interior is also very impressive just like the tombs of famous people, including the Duke of Wellington and Lord Nelson on the site of the present Cathedral stood before the great fire of 1666 another church. In that fire, the Church was destroyed, like much of the rest of London. Built between 1675 and 1710 a new Cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The large dome is crowned with a golden cross. It’s a wonder the church is still standing because during the German bombing of London nearly everything was wiped out. St. Paul’s Cathedral remained standing.
St. Paul’s Churchyard, London
London Eye
London has the largest Ferris wheel in the world: London Eye. It stands on the South Bank of the Thames, opposite the Parliament buildings. A ride of 30 minutes in this Ferris wheel is not cheap, but you get 135 meters above the ground on a fantastic view of the city.
Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road
Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens
Hyde Park is one of the eight Royal Parks of London. Up to 1536 it was the property of Westminster Abbey, in that year it was bought by Henry VIII who made it up to its hunting ground. Hyde Park is adjacent to the Kensington Gardens. Often those Gardens are confused with Hyde Park. Not so surprising because they were originally part of the park. The Kensington Gardens were created in 1689 when William and Mary moved to Kensington Palace. The two parks are separated by The Serpentine, a lake where people swimming, boating and fishing.
Hyde park, London
Kensington Gardens, London
Buckingham Palace
The residence of the British Queen is only two months a year open to the public. Most people are only looking at the changing of the guard at the main entrance. A beautiful ceremony and free as well. Some people find the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace ‘ too touristy ‘, but those people are missing something!
Granted, the spectacle attracts droves of tourists, but the changing of the guard is a ceremony that began as early as 1837. The Queen then moved from St. James ´ s Palace to Buckingham Palace and a small detachment guards went with her. Today the guards still walk from one to the other Palace. The new guard comes from the Wellington Barracks and take ceremonially ´ ´ the key of the Palace. The old waiting marching off to St. James ´ s Palace. All this under the sounds of a military Orchestra.
Buckingham Palace Road, SW1A 1AA, London
Madame Tussaud's
The first wax museum in the world is not cheap, but very rewarding. Visitors are attracted not only by the celebrities who are immortalized, they would also like to stand ‘ face to face ‘ with murderers.
Marylebone Road. London
Tower of London
The Tower of London is not – as the name would suggest – one Tower, but a complex with a total of 20 towers. It has had different functions. Initially it was a Palace, but it was particularly notorious as a prison. Those condemned to death were publicly beheaded on Tower Hill. Only a few senior people were given the ‘ privilege ‘ to be beheaded in Tower Green. Prominent prisoners were detained in Beauchamp Tower, where on the walls their inscriptions can still be seen.
Tower Hill, London
British Museum
The British Museum is the largest museum in the United Kingdom and it is mathematically infeasible to see everything in one day. The best way to visit this museum is tochoose in advance which departments you want to see. To help you, you can choose one of the three so-called Eye opener guided tours. Led by a guide (free) you’ll see in 50 minutes some of the highlights of the museum.
Great Russell Street, London
The Tower Bridge
The Tower Bridge is one of the most famous buildings of London. The bridge seems to be quite old, but it is not. This bridge was built in Victorian times, but got a Gothic look to the show to fall at the Tower Of London. To the East of the bridge you can see a view of the modern buildings of the Docklands, and to the West of the bridge you can see the historical buildings like the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral and The Monument, but also the modern City Hall.
Tower Bridge Rd, London SE1 2UP
Westminster Abbey
Almost all British monarchs were crowned here (the first was William the conqueror in 1066) and buried. Also the Dutch stadtholder William III and his wife Mary Stuart are buried there. A separate section is dedicated to poets and writers, the poet’s Corner. Charles Dickens is buried here and there are memorial stones dedicated to William Shakespeare and William Blake. The tomb of King Edward is only accessible with a guide. Also there is the tomb of the unknown soldier, where a victim from the first world war is buried. Furthermore, it is the Church where Royal Weddings are carried out. Walk in the footsteps of Princess Diana.
20 Deans Yd, London SW1P 3PA