London

From Imakoopedia

This article is about London, England, within the United Kingdom, one of the most famous "world cities". There are several other places by the same name, including London (Ontario).

London is the capital city both of the United Kingdom and of England, the largest country within the United Kingdom. Located on the River Thames in the south-east of the country, the region of Greater London has an official population of around 8 million people, although the figure of over 14 million for London's total metropolitan area more accurately reflects the city's size and importance. London is historically one of the great "world cities" and remains a global capital of culture, fashion and finance.

"London" originally referred only to the once-walled "Square Mile" of the original Roman (and later medieval) city. "London", however, has taken on a much larger meaning, to include all of the vast central part of the modern city, "London" having absorbed many of the surrounding towns and villages over the centuries.

Reflecting the massive size of the metropolis, however, the term "Greater London" embraces central London together with all the outlying suburbs that lie in one continuous urban sprawl within the lower Thames River valley. Though densely populated by New World standards, London nonetheless retains large swathes of green parkland and open space, even within the city centre.

Table of contents

1 Districts 2 Understand 2.1 History 3 Get in 3.1 By plane 3.2 By train 3.3 By bus 4 Get around 4.1 Tube / Underground 4.2 Bus 4.3 Docklands Light Rail 4.4 TravelCard 4.5 Cycling 4.6 Taxi / Cab 4.7 Car 5 See 5.1 Landmarks 5.2 Museums and Galleries 6 Do 6.1 Explore 6.2 Experience 7 Buy 8 Eat 8.1 Restaurants 8.2 Pricing 9 Drink 10 Sleep 11 Stay safe 12 Get out 13 External links

Districts

Greater London consists of 32 local 'boroughs' which, together with the relatively new London mayorality, form the basis for London's local government. Some boroughs are well-known - such as 'Camden' or 'Islington' - others less so, such as 'Hackney' or 'Tower Hamlets'. A traveller's London, however, is best defined by districts that do not always necessarily correspond with the borough boundaries, but rather with functional and cultural districts of varying types and sizes:

• Central London
  • The City of London
  • Westminster
  • West End
    • Soho
    • Covent Garden
    • Oxford Street
    • Leicester Square
    • Chinatown
    • Trafalgar Square
  • Holborn
  • Clerkenwell
  • St James's
  • South Bank
  • Bloomsbury
  • Mayfair
  • Marylebone
• West London
• East London
• North London
• South London
  • Wandsworth
    • Tooting

Understand

History

Settlement has existed on the site of London since well before Roman times with evidence of Bronze Age and Celtic peoples. The Roman city of Londinium however, established just after the Roman conquest of Britannia in 43 CE, formed the basis for the modern city (some isolated Roman period remains are still to be seen within the city). After a short-lived decline that followed the end of Roman rule in 410 CE, London experienced a gradual revival under the Anglo-Saxons and also the Vikings, emerging as a great medieval trading city and eventually replacing Winchester as the English royal capital. This paramount status for London was confirmed by the Normans, who built the Tower of London after the Conquest in 1066 and was crowned King of England in nearby Westminster.

London went from strength to strength and, with the rise of England to first European, then global prominence, the city became a great centre of government, industry and culture. London's long association with the theatre, for example, can be traced back to the English Renaissance (witness the Rose Theatre (http://www.rosetheatre.org.uk/) and Shakespeare's Globe (http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/)) and great playwrights, like Shakespeare, who made London their home.

With the rise of Britain to supreme maritime power in the 18th and 19th centuries, the possessor of the largest global empire, London became an imperial capital, drawing people and influences from around the world to become - for one long period - the largest city in the world. Despite the inevitable decline of the Empire, and considerable suffering during the Second World War (when London was heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe in "the Blitz"), the city remains a top-ranked world city, a global centre of finance, learning and culture.

The Museum of London (http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/), located near the Barbican to the north of the City of London, makes an ideal destination (free admission!) for the traveller who wants to understand the history and ongoing legacy of this great city.

London is easily the largest city in the country, eight times larger than England's 'second' city, Birmingham, and dominates the economic, political and social life of the United Kingdom (much to the annoyance of people in "the provinces" - i.e. everywhere except London). The city is full of excellent bars, theatres, museums, art galleries, and parks. It is also the most culturally and ethnically diverse part of the country, and for a visitor, a nice side-effect of this is the wide range of cuisines available. Samuel Johnson said "When one is tired of London, one is tired of life." Whether you are interested in ancient history or modern art (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/), opera (http://www.royalopera.org/) or underground raves (http://www.sorted.org/london/), London has it all.

England's royal family have, over the centuries, added much to the London scene for today's traveler: the Tower of London (http://www.hrp.org.uk/webcode/tower_home.asp/), Buckingham Palace (http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page555.asp/), Kensington Palace, the Albert Memorial, the Royal Albert Hall, and Westminster Abbey (http://www.westminster-abbey.org/) spring immediately to mind.

London possesses one of the best collections of museums and galleries anywhere in the world. World cultures throughout history are well represented, for example, at the British Museum (http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/).

Londoners are a mixed bunch. On average, they are fairly private and quiet, even surly, but with no malice and a wicked sense of humour. Trying to get onto a packed bus will often involve quite a bit of cursing and pushing. Londoners don't take themselves or other people very seriously, as witnessed in the sport of "Blaine-baiting" which emerged briefly during the magician David Blaine's self-imposed incarceration at Tower Bridge during 2003.

London is easily the most expensive place to buy anything in Britain. Count on spending 30% more in London than in any place in Britain. The exception is much of the 'Home Counties,' the area immediately surrounding London, which are full of wealthy commuters on London salaries.

Get in

By plane

London is served by a total of five airports - getting to and from the airports is made relatively easy by the large number of public transport links that have been put in place over recent years. If transiting through London, be sure to check the arrival and departure airports carefully as the transfer may be quite time-consuming.

• London Heathrow (http://www.baa.co.uk/main/airports/heathrow/) (LHR) is London's largest airport, with services from most places world-wide. To get downtown, the following options exist:

• • By the Heathrow Express (http://www.heathrowexpress.com/) high speed rail link between the airport and London Paddington Station. The service runs every 15 minutes and takes 15 minutes from terminals 1,2&3 or 23 minutes from terminal 4. £13 (single); £25 (return); TravelCards (see below) not valid.
  • By the Piccadilly Line (http://tube.tfl.gov.uk/content/faq/lhr.asp) underground rail line from the airport to stations throughout central London. This takes around 50 minutes for the journey. £4 (single); TravelCards are valid.
  • By taxi, the journey from the airport to central London will take approximately one hour. £46.00-£50.00 (supremely convenient but not great value)
  • By car, the airport is some 17 miles west of central London.

• London Gatwick (http://www.baa.co.uk/main/airports/gatwick/) (LGW) is London's second airport, also serving a large spectrum of places world-wide. To get downtown, the following options exist:
  • By the Gatwick Express (http://www.gatwickexpress.com/) high speed rail link between the airport and London Victoria station. The service runs every 15 minutes and takes 30-35 minutes. Express class £12 (single); £23.50 (return); First Class (includes priority security procedures) £19 single, $38 return. Some other options (including Day Return and Carnet) available. TravelCards not valid. Railcards valid.
  • By other regular National Rail (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/) trains from the Airport rail station to London Victoria and various other stations in central London. To Victoria these run about four times an hour and take 35-40 minutes. £8 (single to Victoria); TravelCards not valid.
  • By National Express (http://www.nationalexpress.com) bus services from the airport to Victoria Coach Station. £6 (single); advance ticketing required; TravelCards not valid.
  • By car, the airport is some 29 miles south of central London.

• London Stansted (http://www.baa.co.uk/main/airports/stansted/) (STN) is currently London's third airport, the base for a large number of budget carriers and flights within Europe and a few inter-continental flights. To get downtown, the following options exist:
  • By the Stansted Express (http://www.stanstedexpress.com/) high speed rail link between the airport and London Liverpool Street Station. The service runs every 15-30 minutes and takes 45 minutes. £14 (single); £24 (return); TravelCards not valid.
  • By the Terravision (http://www.terravision.it/) express bus from the airport to London Green Line Coach Station (see below). The service runs hourly and takes 75 minutes. £9 (single); £14 (return); TravelCards not valid.
  • By car, the airport is some 35 miles north-east of central London.

• London Luton (http://www.london-luton.co.uk/) (LTN) has traditionally been a holiday charter airport, but is now also served by some budget scheduled carriers. To get downtown, the following options exist:
  • By National Rail (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/). This airport does not have a dedicated rail link, but the there is a free shuttle bus from the airport to Luton Airport Parkway Station every few minutes and taking five minutes. From there, trains run four or more times an hour to London St Pancras and London Kings Cross Thameslink stations taking around 30 minutes. £11 (single); TravelCards not valid.
  • By Green Line (http://www.greenline.co.uk/) bus 757 from Luton Airport to London Green Line Coach Station. Buses run every 20 minutes and take 90 minutes. TravelCards not valid.
  • By car, the airport is some 35 miles north of central London.

• London City Airport (http://www.londoncityairport.com/) (LCY) is a commuter airport close to the city's financial district, and specialising in short-haul business flights to other major European cities. To get downtown, the following options exist:
  • By the London City Airport Shuttle bus service to London Liverpool Street Station. This runs every 10-15 minutes and takes 25 minutes. £6 (single); TravelCards not valid.
  • By taxi, the journey will take about half an hour. £20.00-£35.00.
  • By car, the airport is 6 miles east of central London.
  • From 2005 onwards, by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) extension which will connect the airport to the London underground.

By train

London is served by one international rail link, arriving at Waterloo International. These high-speed trains travel through the Channel Tunnel from Paris (2h40m) and Brussels (2h15m) and are run by Eurostar (http://www.eurostar.com/). Book well in advance to secure the best ticket deals. For onward travel Waterloo International is part of the Waterloo station complex (see below) and well served by tube lines, buses and taxis.

London is also well served by trains to/from other parts of the UK. There are no fewer than 12 main line terminal stations, forming a ring around Central London and each serving various parts of the country. Apart from Fenchurch Street, all are served by the tube network. All are served by buses and taxis.

For a detailed profile of each station, visit the Network Rail Stations website (http://www.networkrailstations.co.uk/) and select the appropriate station from the list at left.

In clockwise order the mainline stations are:

• London Paddington, serving the area to the west of London including Reading, Oxford, Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Swansea, Exeter and Plymouth. Paddington is also the downtown terminus of the Heathrow Airport Express service (see above).
• London Marylebone, serving an area to the north-west of London and including services to Birmingham.
• London Euston, serving central and north-west England and western Scotland, including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Carlisle and Glasgow. Also rail and ferry services to/from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
• London St Pancras, serving the East Midlands, including Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Sheffield.
• London Kings Cross, serving north-eastern England and eastern Scotland, including Cambridge, Peterborough, Doncaster, Leeds, Hull, York, Newcastle upon Tyne, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
• London Liverpool Street, serving East Anglia, including Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich. Liverpool is also the downtown terminus of the Stanstead Airport Express service (see above).
• London Fenchurch Street, serving largely commuter towns on the north side of the Thames estuary, including Southend.
• London Bridge, London Cannon Street and London Charing Cross, all serving the area south and south east of London, including Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Dover and Ramsgate.
• London Waterloo, serving the area south-west of London, including Portsmouth, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Salisbury and Exeter.
• London Victoria, serving the area south and south-east of London, including Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Dover and Ramsgate. Victoria is also the downtown terminus of the Gatwick Airport Express service (see above).

There is also one cross-London rail service called Thameslink, from Bedford to Brighton and calling in central London at London Kings Cross, London Thameslink and London Blackfriars.

Train times (to and from any location) can be found on the National Rail Planner (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/planmyjourney/) or by calling 0845-748-4950 from anywhere in the UK.

By bus

Most international and domestic long distance bus services (UK English:coach services) arrive at and depart from a complex of coach stations off Buckingham Palace road close to London Victoria rail station. All services operated by National Express or Eurolines (see below) serve Victoria Coach Station, which actually has separate arrival and departure buildings. Services by other operators may use this station, or the Green Line Coach Station across Buckingham Palace Road. The following are amongst the main coach operators:

• National Express (http://www.nationalexpress.com) is by far the largest domestic coach operator and operates services to London from throughout England, Wales and Scotland. Advanced ticketing is required.
• Eurolines (http://www.eurolines.com/) is an associate company of National Express, and runs coach services to London from various cities in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe. Advanced ticketing is required.
• MegaBus (http://www.megabus.com) operates budget coach services to London (Green Line Coach Station) from several major cities. Tickets must be booked online and fares are demand responsive but can be very cheap (£1.50 if you book far enough in advance).

Get around

London has one of the most comprehensive public transport systems in the world. Despite londoners' constant, and justified, grumbling about it breaking down on a regular basis, public transport is often the best option for getting anywhere in London for visitors and residents alike. Indeed, more than a third of London households do not own a car. Transport for London (TfL) (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/) is the body responsible for London's transport network, predominantly made up of The Underground, Buses, Rail, and Trams.

You can use Transport for London's nifty journey planner http://www.journeyplanner.org to help you plan your journeys around London on public transport.

Tube / Underground

London Underground, best known as The Tube, has trains that criss-cross London in the largest underground rail network anywhere in the world (it was also the first, starting in the 1860s). This mode of transport is usually the fastest way to get from one part of London to the another, the only problems being its relative expense (go for a Travelcard, if you can), and the fact that it can get quite crowded during the "rush hour". Take a bottle of water with you on warm days. Trains run from around 6am to about 1am at night. Tube maps are freely available from any station and most tourist offices.

The Tube is made up of twelve 'lines', each bearing a name and a standard colour on the Tube Map (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/tube_map.shtml). To plan your trip on The Tube, first work out which station is closest to your starting point and which is closest to your destination. Then use the Tube Map to determine which line(s) you will take. You are able to change freely between lines at stations. Since the Tube Map is so well designed it is easy to work out how to get between any two stations, and since each station is clearly signed and announced it is easy to work out when to get off your train. This makes The Tube an easy method of transport even for new visitors to London. However, visitors should be aware that the Underground map is actually a diagram and not a map, making it misleading for determining the relative distance between stations as it makes central stations appear further apart and somewhat out of place. An Underground Map modified with walklines can be found at http://rodcorp.typepad.com/rodcorp/2003/10/london_tube_map.html

During the day the time between trains on any given line is usually between 2 and 5 minutes, meaning you seldom have to wait long for a train.

The Tube system is divided up into several Zones in concentric circles from Zone 1 (central london) out to Zone 6. Fares for using The Tube depend on which zones you are in and how many zones you need to cross. (Most tourist destinations are within zones 1 and 2.) Fares vary from £2 for an adult single trip within Zone 1 (including as many interchanges as you want), or £1.10 for an adult single trip within any other zone, to £3.80 for an adult single trip between Zone 1 and Zone 6. Travelcards offer much better value if you will be making several journeys. Detailed fare information is available at any tube station or from the TfL website.

Bus

London's iconic red buses are recognised the world over, and are a major part of London life. Over 5 million bus trips are made each weekday, and with over 700 different bus routes you are never far from a bus in London.

Buses are generally quicker than taking The Tube for short trips (less than a couple of stops on The Tube), and out of central london you're likely to be closer to a bus stop than a tube station. The difficulty with buses over the tube is knowing when to get off; while tube stations are clearly marked it's more difficult to work out where to get off on a bus. Your best bet is to ask fellow passengers and/or to trace your route on a map. Bus drivers are sometimes helpful and sometimes not, but they're usually too busy to be able to tell you when you've reached your destination.

Bus routes are identified by numbers and sometimes letters, for example the 73 runs between Seven Sisters and Victoria. Buses display their route number in large digits at the front, side, and rear of the bus. Each bus stop has a sign listing the routes that will stop there. Standard bus services run from around 6am in the morning to 12.30am at night. Around midnight the bus network changes to the Night Bus network. Bus routes, numbers and timetable all change with most of the buses radiating out from around the Trafalgar Square area to most outlying parts of Greater London. Night buses are identified by an 'N' at the start of the route number, for example the N73 runs between Walthamstow Central and Victoria. The night bus service is a reliable and often interesting way to get home at night.

Bus journeys are cheaper than taking The Tube, at £1 per trip. However, unlike The Tube single tickets do not allow you to transfer to different buses. Consider purchasing a Travelcard or an Oystercard if you will be making several trips a day, or a Bus Saver booklet of six tickets for £4.20, available at rail stations, tube stations and news agents. Fares are the same for night buses as for regular services.

A one day bus pass can be purchased from local rail and tube stations, and also selected newsagents for the bargain price of £2.50, allowing you to make unlimited bus journeys for a whole day (and night - up till 4.30am the next day on the night bus network) across the whole of Greater London. Travelcards and Oystercards also work on bus services.

A recent introduction to buses in central London is that you must buy your ticket in advance. If the route sign at your bus stop has a yellow background instead of white, which will be the case for most of zone 1, you must purchase your ticket before you board. This means you must either have a Travelcard, a Bus Pass, a Bus Saver ticket, a Pre-Pay Oystercard, or have bought single ticket from a machine at the bus stop. These machines don't provide change, all the more reason to use one of the other options.

The 29 bus is most popular bus (day or night) in London and during the Friday/Saturday late nights between Central London & Wood Green, the N29 runs every 6 mins. The N25 holds the title of 'Longest bus route in London'. It goes a whopping 20 miles from Oxford Circus to Harold Hill... How fascinating(!)

Docklands Light Rail

Docklands Light Rail (DLR) is a rail network operating in east London. It connects with the Underground network at Bank and Tower Gateway. Apart from the trains looking slightly different and running slightly less frequently than The Tube, visitors may as well treat the two systems as the same. The DLR uses the same system of Zones as The Tube, and travelcards are valid on DLR services.

TravelCard

A TravelCard is an all-in-one ticket that allows you travel on the Underground (the Tube), buses, DLR, trams and rail services within set zones. Most travelers, for example would choose to buy a one day TravelCard that allows unlimited travel throughout zones 1-4 (all of central London, plus many outer suburbs like Richmond, Greenwich and Wimbledon) for £4.70 (Feb 2004). Other period travelcards such as a weekend, weekly, monthly and yearly are also available.

In addition to standard cardboard tickets, tickets may also be purchased in the form of an Oystercard. This is a credit-card sized smartcard that stores your ticket information instead of the cardboard ticket. You can purchase a weekly, monthly, or annual ticket on an Oystercard. You can also purchase a Pre-Pay Oystercard, which stores a monetary value on the card. Swiping your Oystercard for journeys around london will automatically deduct the appropriate value from your card. This provides a level of convenience over buying ticket individually, and also gives you a discount on each fare. If you are travelling several times in one day you will probably be best off purchasing a travelcard rather than Pre-Pay. Detailed fare information is available at any tube station or from the TfL website.

Cycling

Thanks to the policies of Ken Livingstone (the current mayor of London), major improvements have been made for cyclists in the city, including many new cycle routes. Free cycle maps detailing these routes can be obtained from your local tube stations or ordered online (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/streets/cycling/cycling-londoncycleguides.shtml). Cyclists cannot ride on the footpath and must observe road rules at all times. Helmets are optional througout the UK. Non-folding bikes can only be taken on limited sections of The Tube network, mostly only on the above-ground sections outside peak hours. Some rail operators allow bicycles outside peak hours also. The London Cycle Campaign (http://www.lcc.org.uk) is an advocacy group for London cyclists and organises regular group rides and events. Critical Mass London (http://come.to/londoncm) meets for regular rides through central london at 6pm on the last friday of each month. Rides start from the southern end of Waterloo Bridge.

Taxi / Cab

London has two types of taxis: the famous black cabs, and mini-cabs. Black Cabs are the only ones licensed to 'tout for business' (ie pick people up off the street), while minicabs are more accurately described as 'private hire vehicles' and need to be pre-booked.

The famous black cabs of London (not always black in these days of heavy advertising!) can be hailed from the kerb or found at one of the many designated taxi ranks. Their yellow 'TAXI' light will be on if they are available. Black cabs charge by distance and by the minute, and have a minimum charge of £2. They are certainly not a cheap transport option, but are an essential experience for any visitor to london. Drivers must take an extensive exam in london's streets to be licensed for a black cab, meaning they can navigate you to almost any london street without reference to a map. It is possible to book black cabs by phone, for a fee, but if you're in central london it will usually be quicker to hail one from the street.

Minicabs are licenced hire vehicles that you need to book by phone or at a minicab office. They generally charge a fixed fare for a journey, best agreed before you get in the car. Minicabs are usually cheaper than black cabs, although not necessarily for short journeys.

Some areas in london are poorly serviced by black cabs, particularly late at night. This has led to a large number of illegal 'mini-cabs' operating - just people with a car looking to make some money. These illegal drivers are unlicensed and sadly they are often unsafe: A number of women are assaulted every week by illegal minicab operators. Best to avoid any mini-cabs touting for business and either take a black cab, book a licensed mini-cab, or take a night bus.

A new convenient taxi-based service is Zingo - call 08700 700 700 and you will be connected direct with the driver of the nearest available black cab anywhere in London to arrange pickup. Normal meter fares apply + £1.60 for booking. http://www.zingotaxi.co.uk/

Car

Motorists should be aware that driving into Central London now incurs a charge! The recently introduced Congestion Charge means travelling into Central London by car now costs £5 during the following periods Monday - Friday, 7am - 6.30pm (excluding public holidays). Failure to pay the charge by 12 midnight the same day incurs a hefty fine of £80 (reduced to £40 for payment within two weeks). More information on this charge and means of payment can be found at http://www.cclondon.com/

Despite the Congestion Charge, London - like any major city - continues to experience traffic snarls. These, of course, are worse weekdays at peak commuting hours, i.e. between 7.30 am - 9 am and 4 pm - 7 pm. At these times public transport (especially the Tube) usually offers the best alternative for speed. Parking during weekdays can also mean considerable expense in parking fees - fees and restrictions are ignored at your peril - the army of traffic wardens issuing fines and clamping vehicles has become a new industry for borough councils.

See

London boasts a vast number of attractions for the traveller. Following is a selection of some of the most popular and noteworthy:

Landmarks

• the London Eye (http://www.londoneye.com/) - a giant wheel by the Thames with magnificent views (http://en.wikipedia.org/upload/9/95/London_Eye_panorama.jpg)
• the Tower of London (http://www.hrp.org.uk/webcode/tower_home.asp) - London's original royal fortress by the Thames, over 900 years old and a World Heritage site
• St Paul's Cathedral (http://www.stpauls.co.uk/)
• Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (http://shakespeares-globe.org/) - Don't be fooled by how hokey it looks on the outside, the inside is much better. If you see a play here, it might be worth spending a little more for a place to sit down...standing in the yard for two and a half hours can take some of the fun out of the experience.
• Tower Bridge (http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/)
• Westminster Abbey (http://www.westminster-abbey.org/) and the Palace of Westminster (http://www.parliament.uk/parliament/guide/palace.htm) - seat of the UK parliament and World Heritage site
• Buckingham Palace (http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page555.asp) - the official London residence of the Queen, just one of several royal palaces in London
• Somerset House (http://www.somerset-house.org.uk/) - this magnificent 18th century building houses the collections of the Courtauld Institute of Art, Gilbert Collection and Hermitage Rooms. You'll also find shops, cafés, a restaurant and the spectacular Fountain Court, scene of public ice-skating in the winter.
• Maritime Greenwich (http://www.greenwichwhs.org.uk/) - home of Greenwich Mean Time, the Cutty Sark (http://www.cuttysark.org.uk) and the Royal Observatory (http://www.nmm.ac.uk). A World Heritage site

Museums and Galleries

• the British Museum (http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/) - one of the world's great museums, a vast repository of the world's cultures
• the National Gallery (http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/) - and the National Portrait Gallery (http://www.npg.org.uk/) just 'round the corner
• the Museum of London (http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/) - a good place to visit to understand the history and development of the city
• the Tate Galleries (http://www.tate.org.uk/home/) - Tate Britain (http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/) and Tate Modern (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/) - showcases of some of the best of British and Modern Art
• the Victoria and Albert Museum (http://www.vam.ac.uk/)
• the Natural History Museum (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/)
• the Science Museum (http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/)
• the Sir John Soane's Museum (http://www.soane.org/)
• the Saatchi Gallery (http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/)
• the National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory Greenwich (http://www.nmm.ac.uk/)

Do

Explore

• Open top bus tours offer a good, albeit somewhat expensive, introduction to the sights of London. Two principal operators tend to dominate the market for this kind of tour: (The Original Tour (http://www.theoriginaltour.com/) and The Big Bus Company (http://www.bigbustours.com/)). Both provide hop-on/hop-off services where you can get off at any attraction and catch the next bus; both provide live commentaries in English and recorded commentaries in other languages (not necessarily on the same buses). Bus tours run every day except Dec 25 8.30am-6pm (earlier in winter). £16-£17 (adults); £8-£9 (children); online booking discounts may be available.
• If you don't feel like splashing out on one of the commercial bus tours, you can make your own bus tour by buying a TravelCard (see 'Get Around' section) and spending some time riding around London on the top deck of standard London Buses. Of course you don't get the open air or the commentary, but the views are very similar. You will likely get lost but that is half the fun; if it worries you go for the commercial tour. Every day except Dec 25/26. £4.30 (offpeak adult); £5.30 (peak adult); £2.60 (children); peak means before 9.30am.
• Go on a London Walking Tour (http://london.walks.com/) - easily the best way to get to grips with different parts of the city. Walks are inexpensive (£5 full) for 2-3 hours of guided walks on a variety of themes: sights, history, ghost walks, etc.
• Take part in The Friday Night Skate (http://www.thefns.com/), or another free organised skate. Experienced marshalls stop traffic while you roll along past the sights and sounds of london.
• Visit one or more of the great Royal Parks (http://www.royalparks.gov.uk/), London's "green lungs" - in the centre, Hyde Park (the largest) and Kensington Gardens, Green Park, St James Park, Regents Park; further afield, Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Greenwich Park and Brompton Cemetery.
• Explore many of London's most interesting buildings during the London Open House Weekend (http://www.londonopenhouse.org/) normally held in Autumn (2004: Sep 18-19). During this weekend several hundred buildings which are not normally open to the public are opened up. See website for details of buildings opening in any given year.
• Shop at one of London's many colorful markets.

Experience

• London Theatre (http://www.londontheatredirect.com/) - go see a musical, play or comedy in London's Theatreland. The weekly Time Out magazine has listings for most plays, concerts, etc.

Buy

One of the world's great metropolises, anything and everything you could possibly want to buy is probably available in London, if you know where to look, and if you can afford it (London is not particularly noted for bargain shopping, owing to high prices and difficult exchange rates - though it can be done with some determination!)

Central London, and especially the West End, has a number of world-famous shopping areas and streets:

• Oxford Street: see all UK high street retailers in one go - including Selfridges [1] (http://www.selfridges.co.uk/) and other department stores
• Bond Street and its neighbours: considered to be UK's fashion heaven
• Soho - for alternative music, clothes and gay merchandise
• Covent Garden - quaint outlets and relatively expensive designer retail
• Knightsbridge: including Harrods [2] (http://www.harrods.com/) the slightly more expensive retailer, and Harvey Nicks [3] (http://www.harveynichols.com/)
• Chelsea - the King's Road is noted for fashion, homewares and kids
• Regent Street: between Oxford and Piccadilly Circuses - includes such gems as Hamleys' [4] (http://www.hamleys.com/), considered to be London's flagship toy store on 7 levels, and (soon) the London Apple Store
• Tottenham Court Road: specialising in interiors and electronics
• Charing Cross Road - for book stores, new, specialised and antiquarian
• Camden - alternative clothing and retail, popular with teenagers and young adults

Central London shops are usually open late at least one night a week, until 7- 8 pm. West End shops (Oxford Street to Covent Garden) stay open until late on Thursdays, while Wednesday evening is late opening for Chelsea and Knightsbridge.

Eat

It is a big task for a visitor to find the right place to eat in London, because there are thousands of places to choose from. London has probably the highest number of fast food outlets in Europe and you can hardly miss them in London (McD has about 24 outleds and BB has at least 53). Sandwich shops are Londons most popular places to buy lunch and you have the choice between ready made sandwiches or you go to one the nice shops where they prepare a very nice sandwich on spot with the ingredients you choose. Some Italian sandwich shops have a very good reputation and you can identify them easily by looking at the long cues at lunchtime.

Restaurants

London has plenty of restaurants with all types of food you could possibly think of. Chinatown has a quite good reputation among Chinese living in London and you find there the obvious food. It is very nice excursion as well. The quality of the food is variable and it depends from which culture you come from to say to which degree. If you come from a fast food background you have got everything you want. Coming from a country with a rich food culture where you enjoy your dinner and a good wine then you have to pay probably the triple price for half of the quality you get at home. It is common that food is prepared in microwaves, at least it taste so and it can land on your table before the drinks have arrived. Ordering a pizza outside of an Italian restaurant will possibly result in having a frozen pizza from the supermarket next door cooked to death (be prepared to find some chips aside as well). Adaptations to the English taste might include that sauces such as Béarnaise taste mainly to vinegar.

Consider a French restaurant instead, though it can happen that the “coq au vin” tastes like a microwaved rubberduck topped up with a sauce that had never seen a good wine from a million miles away. That does not mean that all French restaurants are bad, but some simply don't perform as well as they could.

Tablecloth are not standard in all restaurants. White tablecloths with stains indicate good intentions but low commitment, white & clean tablecloth suggest that you are in an expensive place, table cloth that had been previously changed indicate that you are going to spend a lot of money in due course. Same applies for waiters: attentive and friendly staff is not standard in all restaurants and you are lucky to find some with those properties.

Pricing

Last but not least London is an expensive place in an expensive country. So mind your wallet when going out for dinner. A rough guideline of what you can expect for your money:

• £5 per person: Sandwich Shop, MacDonald or Burger King not being very hungry
• £10-20 per person: Pub
• £15-30 per person: low to medium class restaurant
• £50-100 per person: nice place with white tablecloth at least
• £100 and above: Savoy or Ritz

Prices inevitably get inflated at venues close to major tourist attractions - beware the so-called "tourist traps". Notorious areas for inflated menu prices trading on travellers' gullibility and lack of knowledge are the streets around the British Museum and the Palace of Westminster.

A convenient guide to eating around town can be found at London-Eating.co.uk (http://www.london-eating.co.uk/), but keep in mind that the ratings are written by Londoners who are used to high prices and the restaurants they can find in London.

Some colourful areas to eat in London include:

• Brick Lane -- find many Indian and other Oriental (read: east of Europe) restaurants
• Soho
• Chinatown -- well, the obvious.

Drink

London is home to a great many pubs, bars and nightclubs. You are reminded that London is an expensive place and that your drink is likely to cost you more than its equivalent elsewhere in the U.K. Expect to pay £3 for a pint.

Sleep

London has hundreds of options for accommodations-- from 4 star hotels, through apartments, to historic B&Bs and hostel beds. You can end up paying anything from £20-200 per person, per night. Your budget will have a lot to do with what part of London you will want to stay in. With the excellent Tube available, where you stay won't limit what you see, but be sure to check where the closest tube station is to your hotel.

Some nice, convenient areas to stay in London include:

• Bloomsbury -- relatively quiet area with a wide range of accommodations. Many budget options are located on Argyle St. Note that it can get a little seedy towards and beyond King's Cross station. Cartwright Gardens features a dozen small B&Bs in historic homes.
• London/Kensington -- The Earl's Court area of Kensington has many budget and modest accommodations

In an emergency, should you get stranded in London without anywhere to stay, call the Shelter 24-hour helpline on 0808 800 4444 (Shelter is a UK national charity that provides advice on housing and homelessness).

Stay safe

Like many big cities, London has a variety of social problems, especially begging, drug abuse, theft (especially mobile phones), etc. London, however, manages to make do with a police force that doesn't need to carry guns (yet!), and is generally a safe place for the tourist to visit and walk around. In an emergency, telephone "999".

Get out

• Brighton is a nearby beach resort town, sometimes known as "London-by-Sea". £13 (adult off-peak day return by rail).
• Hampton Court Palace (http://www.hrp.org.uk/) is an historic Royal Palace located on the outskirts of London
• Winchester is former capital of England and an attractive cathedral city with lots to see. The train journey (from London Waterloo) gives good views of the southern English countryside and takes about one hour. £20 (adult off-peak day return by rail).
• Windsor is a nearby Thames-side town with a splendid castle and royal residence. £7 (adult off-peak day return by rail).
• the University cities of Oxford and Cambridge make for ideal days out of London
• Canterbury is the site of the foremost cathedral in England, constructed from the 12th to the 15th century. Entry to the cathedral costs £4, and it's certainly worth doing a guided tour for an additional £3. The famous white cliffs of Dover are only 15 miles further east, easily accessible by train.

External links

• London Tourist Board (http://www.londontouristboard.com/) - the Official Visitor Site for London
• London: the Mayor of London, the London Assembly and the Greater London Authority (http://www.london.gov.uk/) - official website for all the arms of London government
• LondonTheatreDirect.com (http://londontheatredirect.com/) - London theatre tickets and attractions from official agents
• The Open Guide to London (http://london.openguides.org/)
• Historic days out in London (http://members.aol.com/MuseumWeb/dayout.htm)