As Europe’s largest city,
London is host to more than 25 millions visitors a year; yet, it is never too
crowded to be enjoyable. There is always time for tea and a leisurely stroll
through London’s famous parks and boroughs. Popular destinations abound,
including theatres, concert halls, shops, restaurants, sports venues, world
famous landmarks and hundreds of restaurants with cuisine from around the world.
Along with
the pageantry at Buckingham Palace, Whitehall and the Tower, London always has
something more to offer visitors. Festivals and musical, theatrical and sporting
events occur year-round
Some 7 million Londoners live
in this mammoth metropolis, a parcel of land that covers more 609 square miles.
Actually, The City Center of London proper is just 1 mile square, but the rest
of the city is made up of separate villages, boroughs, and corporations that add
to its historical significance and its charm.
This cosmopolitan city has
everything from Bengali markets to Belgian restaurants to hand-penned Beatles
lyrics at the British Library. London offers the best of British food, fashion
and cultural pursuits, but its multicultural population gives it an
international flair, as well. Nearly 40 ethnic groups with populations of 10,000
or more call London home. Together with a multitude of visitors from around the
globe, they give the city its vibrant mix of languages, dress, festivals and
lively street life.
At one point in history,
London was the largest city in the world. While it has relinquished that title,
London still remains at the forefront of the world’s great cities. London’s
celebration of its dazzling history combines with its 21st Century hospitality
to engage and entertain visitors from around the world.
From the arts to sports; from
fashion to film to finance, London offers the world traveler a multitude of
options...the only problem is choosing what to see first!
Family activities hold a top
priority in London. A fondness for children is reflected in the wide variety of
attractions that will appeal to any youngster. Among these are zoos, rides,
arcades, museums, theatres and music attractions, to name a few.
Millions of visitors from
around the globe can attest to the continuing popularity of shopping at Harrods,
visiting the Tower of London, seeing London Bridge, and touring Buckingham
Palace and the Parliament building. Relive the glories of the vast expanse of
the British Empire, while enjoying the animals native to those regions at the
London Zoo. Stroll through the British Museum and marvel at some of its 6
million exhibited items. Tour Westminster Abbey and the Royal Parks and
gardens. Evenings begin with dinners at fabulous restaurants found in
dozens of ethnic neighborhoods across London and continue with an evening at the
theatre or the London Symphony and perhaps a late evening stop in a neighborhood
pub for a snack and a local brew before the last bell sounds.
Numerous guided and
self-guided tours emanate from London to the surrounding countryside, serving
destinations such as Greenwich Observatory, Stratford-on-Avon and farther on to
western England, Scotland and Wales. Many visitors also plan a quick round-trip
on the "Chunnel", the undersea tube connecting England with France. No visit to
London would be complete without a ride on the famous "double-decker" buses.
The
Princess Diana Memorial Walk charts a 7-mile path that links a number of
London's parks. It begins in Kensington Gardens and continues through Hyde Park,
Green Park and St. James' Park, taking in Spencer House and Buckingham Palace
along the way.
It would take a lifetime to
see everything that London has to offer. Perhaps that is why so many visitors
regard each trip to London as a "once in a lifetime experience" and return often
to continue their explorations of its many facets. Once you visit this "Queen of
all cities", you may agree!
Worldwide Hotels
