London is an enormous city. It is divided into thirty-two boroughs, although information on this page is divided between districts, inner boroughs and outer boroughs of the city.
London is an enormous city. It is divided into thirty-two boroughs, although information on this page is divided between districts, inner boroughs and outer boroughs of the city. These district and borough articles contain sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife, and accommodation listings — consider printing them all.
Noisy, vibrant and truly multicultural, London is a megalopolis of people, ideas and frenetic energy. The capital and largest city of both England and of the United Kingdom, it is also the largest city in Western Europe and the European Union. Most residents of Greater London are very proud of their capital, the multiculturalism of the city, and their membership of the European Union, despite 52% of the UK population as a whole who voted in a recent referendum choosing to leave the EU. It is unclear what the outcome of the referendum will be in London.
10:00am-12:30pm : National Gallery
National Gallery houses one of the world's best collections of western European art. You can find larger collections at other galleries, but the roughly 2,300 paintings here comprehensively cover major art movements from the 13th to the 19th centuries. You'll encounter numerous important works, such as Hans Holbein's The Ambassadors, Van Gogh's Sunflowers, and Constable's The Haywain. Take a floor plan as soon as you enter the gallery, and consider picking up a free audio guide that explains the significance of the works you'll see. A handful of different themes are available, including the Collection Tour, which provides commentary on more than 1,000 works, and a 60-minute tour of the highlights. The British public owns the art in the permanent exhibit, so admission is free. Temporary exhibits, however, have fees. The gallery also offers three venues for food and drink.
1:00pm-3:00pm : Covent Garden
Head to Covent Garden for one of London's liveliest street scenes. A former covered vegetable garden, the area now offers a collection of cafes, restaurants, and shops. You'll find a global range of cuisines, from Japanese and Indian to French and British, and diverse shops offering various clothing styles, art, gourmet foodstuffs, and much more. Even if you're not hungry or interested in shopping, you can still find plenty of entertainment from the street performers. Watch magicians execute their tricks as buskers' songs fill the air. Before heading off, be sure to snap a few photos of the Royal Opera House's detailed facade. Theatergoers fill the area in the evening, but you'll likely find it bustling no matter when you visit.
3:30pm-4:30pm : St. Paul's Cathedral
With its massive dome punctuating the London skyline, St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the city's most distinct sights. Both visually and ceremonially significant, the cathedral has hosted the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Climb to the top of the dome, pausing in the Whispering Gallery to hear murmurs from 30 m (100 ft) away, before walking up 271 more steps for panoramic views of London from the Golden Gallery. Head down to the crypt to view the tombs of national heroes, such as Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. Learn about the cathedral's history in Oculus, a 270-degree film exhibit. For more information about the venue's detailed mosaics, paintings, and architecture, take a guided tour or pick up a touchscreen multimedia guide at the entrance. After touring the cathedral, you can enjoy traditional English tea in the Restaurant at St. Paul’s.
5:00pm-5:30pm : Big Ben
If you could only choose one icon to represent Great Britain, Big Ben would have to merit strong consideration. The name commonly describes the clock tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, but the title originally went to the bell inside the tower. The official name of the tower is Elizabeth Tower. UK residents can take a tour of the tower, going all the way to the top for spectacular views of London. If you're a foreign visitor, you'll have to be content with snapping photos from the ground. The clock tower is photogenic at any time of day, but even more so when it's lit up at dusk.
10:00am-11:00pm : Houses of Parliament
See British democracy in action at Houses of Parliament. During the week, all British residents and overseas visitors can watch legislators debating for free. If your visit falls on a Saturday, or during the summer recess, you'll be able to take a guided tour of the building. The tours are comprehensive, starting in the Queen’s Robing Room, moving through chambers for debating and voting, and finishing in medieval Westminster Hall. Along the way, you'll encounter grandly appointed spaces and collect knowledge about British parliamentary procedure. UK residents can also tour Elizabeth Tower, but foreign visitors cannot.
11:30am-1:00pm : Westminster Abbey
Ever since William the Conqueror's coronation here in 1066, Westminster Abbey has remained one of England's most important religious and ceremonial sites. Every English and British monarch after William also received his or her crown here. More than 600 monuments and memorials in the abbey honor famous Britons. The current building is over 700 years old. Note the many intricate details, including stained-glass windows, tapestries, monumental sculptures, and flying buttresses. Spend extra time in Poets' Corner, where poets and writers such as Rudyard Kipling and Charles Dickens are buried. After you finish walking around the abbey, head down to its museum. The oldest part of the complex, it contains many royal and religious artifacts and displays wax effigies of past monarchs. You can use a complimentary audio guide you or hire a verger (a layperson providing services to the church) as a guide for a small extra fee, an option which can provide rich context to your visit.
1:30pm-2:00pm : Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art
The Parasol Unit Foundation for Contemporary Art is an educational charity and a not-for-profit contemporary art gallery based in London. Established in 2004, the foundation is housed in a converted warehouse over two floors in a building that was renovated to a design concept by the Italian architect, Claudio Silvestrin. The gallery comprises roughly 5,000 sq ft (460 m2) of exhibition space. Parasol Unit was established by its director and curator, Ziba Ardalan. A graduate in the History of Art from Columbia University New York, Ardalan worked as Guest Curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She guest curated the exhibition 'Winslow Homer and the New England Coast' at the Whitney's Stamford, Ct. Branch (1984). Ardalan became the first Director/Curator of New York City's Swiss Institute in 1987, before moving to Zurich, Switzerland, and then relocating to UK and founding Parasol Unit. She has curated numerous exhibitions and has also lectured and written about art. Prior to her career in art, Ardalan obtained a Ph.D. in physical chemistry.
3:30pm-5:30pm : Rebellion Beer Co. Ltd
Marlow based microbrewery producing a range of quality fresh and bottled beers. Brewery shop open Mon to Sat 8am to 7pm selling beer, wine, cider and local produce. Our draught range made up of 3 full time, 4 seasonal and monthly specials with full time and special bottled beers too. Monthly social nights. Membership Club and regular wine tastings...
11:00am-1:00pm : The Lanes
A quaint city neighborhood of narrow alleyways, small boutiques, and cozy restaurants, The Lanes is widely regarded as a shopper’s paradise. This historic district, once the heart of a fishing town, hosts an eclectic mix of shops, tiny cafes, and lively bars. Buskers add a musical note to the scene as visitors from all corners of the globe explore this maze of twisting lanes, which follow the pattern of the old fishing town’s streets. Spend a lazy day here searching for one-of-a-kind gifts. Enjoy a meal and a drink at one of the area’s pubs, always teeming with friendly locals, and hosting regular musical events.
1:00pm-1:30pm : Gustamps
Located in the heart of Brighton, Gustamps is a real gem for philatelists. The friendly and informative owners will be glad to show you the most interesting pieces in their collection--from exotic Middle Eastern and East African stamps to the ones depicting pop icons Beatles and Marilyn Monroe. Discounts and free samples encourage you to start collecting. If you have a collection of stamps that needs to be appraised, this is also the right place to go to.
2:00pm-4:00pm : Chutima Therapy
11:30am-1:30pm : East Sussex Falconry
Why not give that special someone a once in a lifetime experience. East Sussex Falconry has a stunning range of birds of prey including Harris Hawks, Kestrel, Barn Owl and a Lanner Falcon and you can experience what it is like to handle and fly these beautiful birds.
2:30pm-4:30pm : Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
Explore the large number of unusual plants and animals that have earned Rye Harbour Nature Reserve the status of Site of Special Scientific Interest. Learn about the park's biological and geological characteristics, like the shingle, saltmarsh, and intertidal mud habitats. Follow numerous paths and spot rare wildlife and growth. Birdwatchers will love identifying egrets, sandpipers, juvenile goldfinch, and many more species. Feel free to take your dog, as long as the pup is leashed and cleaned up after. Consider avoiding the reserve on windy days as there is little protection from the elements.
10:00am-11:30am : Piccadilly Circus
Known for its illuminated advertising, Piccadilly Circus is an iconic London area that is home to some of the city's most popular sites. Take the Underground to the Piccadilly Circus station and take your pick of attractions: Criterion Theatre, London Pavilion, Chinawhite club, and numerous department stores, clubs, bars, and restaurants. Be sure to visit the Shaftesbury Monument Memorial Fountain, erected in 1892, to pay homage to the philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury.
12:00pm-2:00pm : Harrods
Whether you leave with full shopping bags or just an eyeful, you'll likely find Harrods entertaining. Europe's largest department store has over 90,000 sq m (1 million sq ft) of retail space, backing up its motto of Omnia Omnibus Ubique--All Things for All People, Everywhere. Browse 330 departments of clothing, accessories, shoes, cosmetics, and housewares. Wander through food halls full of unusual produce and meats or sit down for a meal at one of the eateries. Teas from the food halls make ideal lightweight gifts for friends and family back home.
2:30pm-5:30pm : Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum houses one of the world's largest collections of natural history specimens. Here you can see 70 million specimens in the fields of botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology, and zoology. The vast collection makes it impossible to view everything on one visit, so consider a few of the highlights. You can choose from dinosaur skeletons, fossils, taxidermied specimens of large mammals, and artwork featuring exotic animals, among many other displays. Whichever exhibits you put on your list, make sure to include Treasures. This exhibit features specimens that the museum selected from its exhaustive collection for their scientific, historical, aesthetic, and cultural importance. You can visit permanent exhibits for free, but temporary exhibits have an associated fee.
11:00am-12:30pm : Skizone
1:00pm-2:30pm : Pennybridge Farm Alpacas
3:30pm-5:00pm : Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with a nave that's one of the longest in all of Europe. The blend of Norman and Gothic architecture is a sight to behold. Underneath the ornate arches, a collection of memorials and artwork spans centuries. The haphazard appearance of the stained glass in the west window is a result of the destruction wrought by Oliver Cromwell's forces during the English Civil War. In 1660, the broken glass was gathered up and rearranged randomly. Look for the flooded crypt, where a statue called Sound II looks as if it is floating on top of the water. Note the Russian Orthodox influence of the St. Smithun's Memorial, designed by Sergei Fyodorov.
10:00am-12:30pm : Tower of London
Explore one of the world's most famous castles and immerse yourself in British history at Tower of London. William the Conqueror originally built the castle in 1066, and today it stands perfectly preserved on the north bank of the River Thames. Start your visit in the White Tower. Frequently mentioned in Shakespeare's plays, the main tower features smaller projecting corner towers that lend it a distinctive medieval appearance. Inside, you'll encounter the 11th-century Chapel of St. John the Evangelist and the Royal Armouries collection of medieval weapons. Next, head for the crown jewels exhibit, which houses 23,578 royal gems. Here you can discover how the British coronation ceremony employs specific jewels--such as the Coronation Spoon--and the symbolism of each item. The tower includes a handful of other notable exhibits, including one showing how prisoners were kept and another detailing the history of the Royal Mint. The price of your ticket includes a free tour with a Beefeater, a retired sergeant major from the British Army, so make sure you take this opportunity to hear entertaining stories from the site's history. Each evening you can watch the 800-year-old Ceremony of the Keys, when guards lock the site. If you visit in winter, you can ice-skate on the moat.
1:30pm-4:00pm : Active360
Glide along the Thames with Active360, a standup paddleboarding school and equipment rental outfit. Enjoy the slow flow of the historic river, perfectly contrasting the city bustle just a few yards from its banks. Learn how to keep your balance and explore local waterways, arched brick bridges, and docks. Check out some narrow boats and boathouses along the way. Paddleboarding locations include Kew Bridge, Paddington, Putney, and Brentford Lock.
4:30pm-6:00pm : Coca-Cola London Eye
Few, if any, Ferris wheels offer the kind of views that Coca-Cola London Eye does. At a height of 135 m (443 ft), this is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe and one of the tallest in the world. Ever since its completion in 1999, the Eye has provided one of the highest vantage points in London. On a clear day, you can see across London, with the Thames River, Big Ben, and Parliament sitting directly below you. Each of the 32 sealed, air-conditioned ovoid capsule can hold up to 25 passengers, though you can also reserve an entire capsule for yourself and your companions for an extra fee. Purchase your tickets online to save on the price of admission and to avoid waiting in line when you arrive. Try not to book too far ahead, though, because there's no guaranteeing the sun will shine on your chosen date.
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