The capital of the United
Kingdom, London has a history dating back over two
thousand years and is a center of national and international
commerce, culture and communication. From The Tower
of London to the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral and
The Houses of Parliament, the architecture reflects
influences from the previous centuries. Popular tourist
attractions include Buckingham Palace, the National
Gallery, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum,
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern.
Standing on the banks of the River Thames, the London
Eye provides visitors with a great view of the city.
There is a busy nightlife in London
with many pubs, a wide range of clubs catering to all
musical tastes and some excellent restaurants. The cultural
side of the city ranges from West end theatre to the
street performances at Covent Garden. At the many concert
venues the music ranges from classical through to contemporary.
There are many shops along Oxford Street, Bond Street
and Regents Street such as the world famous Harrods
and Hamleys. The many green spaces range from small
squares to St James, Richmond and Hyde Park, where as
well as enjoying the acres of greenery visitors can
see wildlife such as squirrels and deer.
It is not advisable for tourists to
drive their own or hired cars in central London, as
roads are usually very busy and parking difficult to
find. The main forms of public transport are the underground
tube network and the famous red buses, as well as trains
for journeys to outer London and the suburbs. Daily,
weekly and monthly travel cards can be purchased for
use across the cities transport network and are priced
on a zone basis from one to six, with central London
being zone one. The types of taxis available are Black
cabs, which are reliable but expensive, minicabs, which
though cheaper must be prebooked and illegal minicabs,
which women on their own are advised not to use for
safety reasons. There are many tourist attractions within
walking distance of each other in the center of London
and river boats running along the Thames can be a pleasant
way to travel through the heart of the city. |
