posted by Traveller on Aug 3

London Flights : The City of London is the business centre of London. Large financial centres are located here. Hence, many professionals such as bankers, brokers, traders and lawyers come here to work every day. Besides, being a financial hub, the City of London has quite a number of popular tourist attractions which draw tremendous huge crowds of tourists annually. These attractions include historical buildings, museums, art galleries, historical markets, monuments and churches. Some of the very popular attractions are described below.

St Paul Cathedral is one of the most famous cathedrals in London. Many visitors find the cathedral an awe-inspiring attraction. Its massive dome, with a height of 110m, is one of the largest domes in the world. The building has a beautiful “tranquil” look from the outside while the interior has a grand majestic appearance. Due to its magnificent interior, this cathedral is usually used for grand ceremonial events. For example, it was used previously for the funeral of Winston Churchill and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. The Whispering Gallery has especially good acoustics that a whisper can create echo around the room.

The Monument is a special column specifically designed to commemorate the Great Fire of London. As explained by the inscription at the base of the column, the fire actually broke out in Pudding Lane, about 62m away, which is also the height of the column. The gilded bronze urn at the summit symbolises the flames of the fire. There are 311 steps leading to a viewing platform, which is below the bronze urn. The views from the platform are stunning.

Since its completion in 1894, the Tower Bridge has been one of the most famous landmarks of London. When it was constructed, the Bridge was regarded as one of the engineering wonders of the world. The roadway, operated by a special mechanism system, can be raised for large ships to pass through or during special occasions. The bridge housed the Tower Bridge Exhibition which shows displays on the history of the bridge and how the bridge was constructed. There are about 300 stairs to the top of the towers. 

A great tourist attraction, the Tower of London is often crowded with queues on the inside as well as the outside. From the time when the Crown Jewels and the collection of armour were shown to the public, the Tower of London has become a popular attraction for tourists around the world. Most of tourists are drawn to the exceptional displays of the Crown Jewels and the armour, which reflects royal wealth and power. The Crown Jewels consists of the regalia of crowns, sceptres, orbs and swords used at coronations and state occasions.

The oldest surviving building of the Tower of London is the White Tower. It was completed around 1100 and had served as an armoury for many years. Around the 1990s, many of the exhibits in the White Tower were moved to other museums. The remaining exhibits consist of those that are related to the Tower itself.

As described above, St Paul Cathedral, the Monument, Tower Bridge and Tower of London are great tourist attractions. It is worthwhile to visit these interesting places. You can learn a lot from the amazing historical background and appreciate the remarkable architecture of these buildings. 

Copyright : Rose Mary

posted by Traveller on Jul 22

London Flights : The south bank of the river from Westminster to Tower Bridge can claim to be one of the capital’s great success stories. Previously, this region was an area of wharves and factories which was much damaged by bombing during World War II. Currently, it is valued as an important part of London’s river frontage. The area is usually crowded during afternoons and evening. Some of the highlights here are described below.

The County Hall housed the London Aquarium, art galleries and a leisure complex. The London Aquarium is one of Europe’s largest aquariums and has about 350 species from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The displays are arranged based on their geographical origin. There is a touch pool with large stingrays in it and the children have the chance of stroking a stingray.

The London Eye is the world’s largest observation wheel. Since its erection in 2000, it has become the city’s most popular landmarks. With thirty two capsules, each holding about 25 passengers, the London Eye provides its passengers a wonderful view of London. It is about 135m high and the whole ride takes about 230 minutes. As the wheel moves very slowly, you can have plenty of time identifying the sights as it moves along. Each capsule has plenty of space for passengers to walk about comfortably. Taking a ride in this wheel has proved to be a wonderful experience for many. In fact, many people regarded this attraction as a symbol of London.

The Florence Nightingale Museum is located near the entrance of the new St Thomas Hospital. This museum gives a wonderful insight of Florence Nightingale’s career and life history. Florence Nightingale, who nursed the wounded soldiers of the Crimea War (1853-56), also founded Britain’s first school of nursing at the Old St Thomas’ Hospital. The displays in the museum include her original documents and personal memorabilia. The famous lamp that earned her the nickname ‘the Lady of the Lamp’ is on display.

The Royal National Theatre was opened in 1976 and has three auditoriums. This theatre holds interesting plays from classics to modern ones. There are back stage tours available which provides insights of the working world of actors, lighting technicians and stage managers. There are sometimes free evening concerts in the foyer.

The Museum of Garden History, which is housed in the restored church of St Mary of Lambeth Palace, is the world’s first museum of garden history. This museum showcases the history of gardening in Britain. It also holds exhibitions, events, workshops and educational talks. There is a shop selling items related to gardening in the museum.

As described above, South bank in London has some wonderful attractions. The London Aquarium, Florence Nightingale Museum and Royal National Theatre are interesting places to visit, whilst the London Eye gives you a great experience. You will be able to acquire knowledge and insights from these places. Hence, if you choose to visit this place, you can look forward to an enjoyable tour and a learning experience.

Copyright : Rose Mary

posted by Traveller on Jul 19

London Flights : Soho London is one of London’s most cultural districts. In this place, you can find French churches, Italian cafes, Chinatown, etc. The first immigrants of this place were from France. From the end of 20th century, Soho London is well known as a centre for entertainment.  Both tourists and locals liked the entertainment pubs, restaurants and cafes here. Soho London is also popular as a Chinatown.

The busiest times in Soho are during lunch and after work hours. Soho has become the heart of London’s nightlife where people meet after work in the trendy pubs and restaurants. Regarded as the media hub, the film, TV and video industry is the main focus here. There are many film, advertising and design companies located here.

By exploring the Old Compton Street, you will be surprised to learn that many great artists, writers and musicians had lived here in the past. There are some fascinating shops here. In fact, the shops and cafes in this area revealed the variety of people who have occupied this place many years ago. One of Soho’s oldest shops, the Algerian Coffee Store, sells superb coffee producing the best aromas. The café, Patisserie Valerie, sells delicious pastries whilst Maison Bertaux is well known for its tasty croissants and cakes. Located near Old Compton Street, the Palace Theatre is popular with visitors and has held many wonderful musicals. It is a fine building which is decorated with beautiful interior furnishings. Ronnie Scott, which is opened in 1959, had many popular jazz performances held here.

The Chinatown is located south of Shaftesbury Avenue and west of Charing Cross Road. London’s original Chinatown is located near Limehouse in East London. As the number of immigrants increased in the 1950s, many of them moved to Soho. They resided along Gerrard and Lisle Streets because of the cheap rents here. In Chinatown, there are many restaurants and shops selling oriental produce. There are also some small shops selling speciality teas. You can get cheap air tickets to Beijing from here. There are three Chinese beautiful arches along Gerrard Street. In end January each year, a bright and colourful street festival is held here to celebrate Chinese New Year.

The Berwick Street Market is considered as the best street market in central London for fresh fruit and vegetables. A market has been located here since the 1840s. The Berwick Street Market is known to provide the best fresh produce as well as the least expensive produce in this region. Along this street, there are also a few interesting shops, cafes and restaurants. At Charing Cross Road, there are many second-hand and new bookshops. Besides large general bookstores, there are small specialist shops selling books on art, sports, etc.

As it turns out, Soho London is an interesting place to visit. It is popular as a Chinatown. With its many pubs, restaurants and cafes, it is also a well known place for entertainment. Many tourists enjoy the tasty food products sold by the shops in Old Compton Street.  Book lovers who visit the place will not want to miss visiting the variety of book shops located at Charing Cross Road. So you see, there are indeed any things to do in Soho London.

Copy Rights : Rose Mary