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| Buckingham Palace |
Breakfast: Borough Market. Borough
Market is more than a place to buy and sell food. It’s a unique corner of
London that captures its rich culinary history. A source of quality British and
international produce, Borough Market has a reputation as the country’s most
renowned food market. Start off your day
by eating some of these delicious food items:
- Chelsea Buns (The Flour Station)
- Bakewell Tart (The Flour Station)
- Luxury English Muffins (The Flour Station)
- Toasted Cheese Sandwich (Kappacasein)
- Raclette with Potatoes and Gherkins (Kappacasein)
- Huntsman Pie / Wild Boar Pie (The Ginger Pig)
- Tomato Tarts (Bread Ahead)
- Duck Confit Sandwich (Le Marché du Quartier)
- Custard Tarts (Comptoir Gourmand)
- Jumbo Meringue (Comptoir Gourmand)
- Organic Goat’s Milk Ice Cream (Greedy Goat)
- Ma’amoul (The Arabica Food & Spice Company)
The Shard. Right around from Borough Market is The Shard, a 95-storey skyscraper in London. Its construction began in March 2009 and it opened to the public on February 1, 2013. Standing 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, the Shard is the tallest building in the European Union, and the second-tallest in Europe, after the Mercury City Tower in Moscow. For the best view in town, ascend to The View on Level 72, the highest public level of The Shard. Looking up, you’ll see the shards of glass that form the top of this skyscraper as they disappear upwards into the sky. The View is open from 9 am to 10 pm daily to enable guests to experience the very different cityscapes of day and night. All tickets are dated and timed, so pre-booking is recommended. Nearest Underground Station: London Bridge. Address: 32 London Bridge Street, London, United Kingdom.
Buckingham Palace. Next,
head to Buckingham Palace, the most iconic royal building in the country. Buckingham
Palace is the London residence of Her Majesty The Queen and is one of only a
few working royal palaces left in the world.
The changing of guards at Buckingham Palace takes place every day at
11:30 a.m. from May to July and every other day during other months. To have
the best view, get to the centre of the huge marble piece (the one with Queen
Victoria) at the roundabout before the police cordon off the road. Nearest
Underground Stations: Victoria, St. James’s Park or Green Park.
Westminster Abbey. Less
than a mile east lies Westminster Abbey, which is more a historical site than a
religious site. Since 1066 every royal coronation, with the exception of Edward
V and Edward VIII has taken place in Westminster Abbey. The abbey also serves as the burial ground
for numerous politicians, sovereigns and artists. The abbey is stuffed with
tombs, statues and monuments. Many coffins even stand upright due to the lack
of space. In total approximately 3,300 people are buried in the church and
cloisters. Some of the most famous are Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton and
David Livingstone. Nearest Underground Station: Westminster.
Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament. Only a block away from Westminster Abbey is
the tower of Big Ben, one of London's most famous landmarks. The clock inside
the tower was the world's largest when it was installed in the middle of the
19th century. The name Big Ben actually refers to the clock's hour bell, the
largest of the clock's five bells. The other four are used as quarter bells. The
Palace of Westminster, known also as the Houses of Parliament or just
Westminster, is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
(the House of Lords and the House of Commons) conduct their sittings. It is the
place where laws governing British life are debated and passed. Nearest
Underground Station: Westminster.
Lunch:
Harrods Food Hall. Next,
head west to Harrods to see London’s most famous department store. Harrods is probably the most popular shopping
destination for anyone who has set foot in London. Feast your eyes while strolling along the
store from end to end, from the first floor all the way to the seventh. While
browsing through the luxury watch and opulent perfume halls, don't miss the food
halls. Take a gander at the amazing and sometimes obscure produce and meats all
set in a Wedgewood clad, ornate early turn of the century decor which has
clearly been painstakingly restored. Have your choice of sushi at the bar, or
tuck in to a meal at one of the many eateries on the floor. You don't have to spend eight pounds on a
mini box of wild strawberries to enjoy the experience, although it might be
hard to leave without buying a selection of chocolates or a souvenir tin of
tea. The Harrods food halls are a
reflection of the general opulence of the store, and as strange as it might
seem, you can easily let an hour slip by while admiring the selection. At least one thing to try in the food halls
is a traditional Scotch Egg, which is a brilliant bar snack in which
shelled hard-boiled eggs are wrapped in sausage, covered in breadcrumbs, and
deep-fried. Nearest
Underground Station: Knightsbridge. Address:
87-135 Brompton Road, London, United Kingdom.
Kensington Palace. After lunch, head west towards Kensington
Palace, which has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th
century. Diana, the Princess of Wales, lived at
Kensington Palace from the time of her wedding on July 29, 1981 until her death
on August 31, 1997. Prince William and
wife Kate Middleton are scheduled to move into the palace later in 2013. Some of the highlights at Kensington Palace
are:
- Luminous Lace. This amazing light piece at the centre of the palace is made from almost 4 km of electroluminescent wire and contains nearly 12,000 Swarovski crystals.
- The Gardens. Don’t miss the wiggly walk or the dramatic East front where Princess Louise’s statue of her mother, Queen Victoria, is seated looking out over the park.
· Nearest
Underground Stations: High Street Kensington (10 - 15
minutes walking time to the palace), Queensway (10 - 15 minutes walking time),
or Notting Hill Gate (20 - 25 minutes walking time).
Piccadilly Circus. Next,
head to Piccadilly Circus, a busy square in the heart of London. It is
particularly known for its video display and neon signs mounted on the corner
building on the northern side, as well as the Shaftesbury memorial fountain and
statue of the Greek god Anteros. It is surrounded by several noted buildings,
including the London Pavilion and Criterion Theatre. Nearest
Underground Station: Piccadilly Circus.
Leicester Square. Then
walk to nearby Leicester Square which, at night, is one of the busiest spots in
London. Street performers in Leicester Square entertain the crowds with
anything from an impromptu song to a political rant, tourists pay good money to
have their faces ridiculed by cruel cartoonists and suburban kids stand in line
to dance the night away at the Hippodrome, Equinox or Maximus. Nearest
Underground Station: Leicester Square.
Covent Garden. After
being entertained by street performers, walk to nearby Covent Garden, which is
known for its many open-air cafés, restaurants, pubs, market stalls and shops. The
Covent Garden district is also home to several theaters and the Royal Opera
House. Nearest Underground Station:
Covent Garden.
Dinner: The Rock & Sole Plaice. Next, try some traditional London fish and
chips at a Covent Garden institution, The Rock & Sole Plaice. Not the
cheapest Fish & Chips in town, but the fish is absolutely worth it. If the
weather is good, the place has some lovely outdoor seating where you can enjoy
the generous portions and watch the people walking around Covent Garden at the
same time. If you want to save some pounds, you can also get takeaway in a
traditional fish & chips newspaper cone and stroll around the neighborhood.
Nearest Underground Station: Covent
Garden. Address: 47 Endell Street, London, United Kingdom.
Catch a Show. After
dinner, catch a show in London’s West End, which refers to the entertainment
districts around Leicester Square and Covent Garden. London offers some of the
world's best theatre, from West End musicals to cutting-edge plays. West End theatre, in particular, is usually
considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the
English-speaking world, along with New York's Broadway theatre. Seeing a West
End show is a common tourist activity in London. Nearest
Underground Stations: Leicester Square and Covent Garden.
London Eye. The London
Eye is a giant Ferris wheel situated on the banks of the River Thames. The
entire structure is 135 metres (443 ft) tall and the wheel has a diameter of
120 metres (394 ft). It is the tallest
Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the
United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually. The observation wheel turns slow enough for
people to embark while it is moving. A complete turn takes about 30 minutes.
Thanks to the construction of the glass capsules on the outer side of the rim,
passengers have a great 360° view over London. During the daytime, many famous
landmarks are clearly visible, including Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's
Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. At night, the London Eye illuminates
into different colors and is very beautiful.
Nearest Underground Station: Waterloo.
Tower Bridge. London's
Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. Its
Victorian Gothic style stems from a law that forced the designers to create a
structure that would be in harmony with the nearby Tower of London. At night, the bridge lights up and frames the
brilliance of the structure. Nearest Underground Station: Tower Hill.
