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 London
Location: London, England, UK
Population: 7,172,000
Tourist Information Office: Britain Visitor Centre, 1 Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, London, SW1Y 4XT
Shopping: Oxford Street, the most popular shopping street in London, is one and a half miles end to end. Oxford Street is best known for Selfridges and the other big department stores which are all found in the section from Marble Arch to Oxford Circus, along with most of the high street brand names.
Regent Street forms a neat dividing line between swanky Mayfair to the West and trendy Soho to the East. The main shopping section of the street lies between Oxford Circus to the north, and Piccadilly Circus to the south - a distance of about 3/4 of a mile. The shops here can all appear rather uniform due to the regulations that they must blend in with the elegant architecture of the street.
Bond Street
is home to the most elegant and expensive shops in London. Designer clothing such as Gucci and Versace; perfume; art and antiques; and more Royal Warrant holders (suppliers to the royal family) than anywhere else in London can be found here.
Soho and Chinatown with all the bars and restaurants, Soho attracts a capacity crowd after work and especially on Friday and Saturday nights. During the day Soho is more about coffee bars and cafes rather than the sex shops for which the area was once known.
Old Compton Street is the 'High Street' and also London's most prominent gay area.
The area near Leicester Square is London's Chinatown.
In general, Tottenham Court Road divides neatly into electronics retailers in the southern half (Oxford Street end), and home furnishing retailers in the northern half (Warren Street end). Nearby Charlotte Street is popular for its good collection of restaurants.
Nightlife: From some of Europe's liveliest nightclubs right through to stylish bars and traditional old London pubs. Night-time hotspots can be found across the capital, although there is a particular concentration in the West End, where Soho is still the coolest place to drink. Soho is also the best place for gay bars and clubs. Two particularly hip areas in which to drink are the perennially cool Notting Hill/Ladbroke Grove area in the West and the now very up-and-come Old Street/Shoreditch area in the East. Many local areas, such as Camden and Angel in the north, Brixton and Clapham in the south, have great local pubs and bars and remain the areas where the best of the well-established gastropubs can be found.
Eating Out: The glory of eating in London is that almost every cuisine in the world is represented, from quality Italian cooking, Chinese in Soho and curry almost everywhere. Restaurants are constantly changing so either a good eye for a restaurant or a guidebook are essential. If your looking for something reasonably cheap try a pub meal or a sandwich bar.
Soho is home to a well established Chinese community and offers many Chinese restaurants and food shops. Almost every suburban high street in London boasts at least one curry house, but if you are in Central London, they form a much smaller percentage of the restaurants.
Almost every street in Central London has a pub somewhere. You are most likely to find traditional old style English food in a pub at reasonable prices.
Attractions: Huge, multicultural and cosmopolitan, London's 33 boroughs stretch over 600 square miles. To help you get around there are around 20,000 licensed taxis, double-decker buses, and the Underground tube for getting around. Almost every part of London has something to see or do, listed below are just a few of the hundreds of attractions on offer:
Bank of England Museum
Also known as the "Old Lady of Threadneedle Street Museum" the Bank of England Museum tracks the bank's history from 1694 to its current role as the Nation's Central Bank. Gold bars date from ancient times, and pikes and muskets used to defend the bank are also on display. History includes a mob attack on the Bank during the Gordon riots in 1780, and the introduction of paper money in 1797.
British Airways London Eye
The London Eye is a Big Wheel with 32 high-tech, glassed-in carriages, each accommodating up to 25 passengers, rotating upward and around with continuous piped-in commentary. Each air-conditioned carriage rotates on a device designed to keep everyone upright as the wheel slowly revolves. On a clear day, the panorama can stretch as far as Heathrow Airport and Windsor Castle. By night, London's landmarks are floodlit against the darkness, showcasing the Gothic houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Tate Museum, and Tower Bridge along with stretches of the Thames.
Buckingham Palace
 Residence of Queen Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace first opened to the public in 1993 to finance Windsor Castle repairs. The Edwardian façade palace dates to the early 19th century. In summer, nearly 6,000 visitors per day tour 19 state rooms, including the Throne Room, Picture Gallery and Ballroom (the largest room in the Palace) used for investitures and banquets. The extended visitor route includes a walk through the south side of the Palace garden. At the Royal Mews, the Queen's horses and carriages, including the Coronation Coach, are displayed. The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace is a permanent space dedicated to changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection art and treasures.
Cabinet War Rooms
Sir Winston Churchill, his cabinet and the chiefs of staff used this underground complex during World War II air raids. Displays include the Map Room, Trans-Atlantic Telephone Room, and Map Room, and in 2003, Churchill's bedroom, private kitchen and dining room were added to the tour. An audio guide includes first-hand accounts of life in the War Rooms.
Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Fountain
The Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park was unveiled in July, 2004 with both the late Diana's family and the royal family including Queen Elizabeth II present, the memorial to the late Princess of Wales is designed by American architect Karen Gustafson. The oval fountain of 545 blocks of Cornish granite - a ring of water likened to a miniature race course near the Serpentine Bridge -- has water flowing down both sides for both agitated and calming effects.
Downing StreetThis world renowned address is home to the official residence for the Prime Minister (No. 10) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (No. 11).
Kensington Palace
This Jacobean building, enlarged by William and Mary in 1702, became the residence of Queen Anne, King George I and King George II. Queen Victoria was born here and remained in residence until she was 18. Parts of the palace remain a private residence for members of today's Royal Family. Kensington's best known resident in recent years was Diana, Princess of Wales, who occupied apartments in the north-west part of the Palace from 1981 to 1997. The State Apartments and the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, including dresses worn by Queen Elizabeth II and Diana, are open to the public.
London Zoo
More than 12,000 animals from Asian lions to sloth bears are on display at this zoo in the heart of majestic Regent's Park, boasting gardens, fine art and notable architecture. At the "Animals in Action" section, animals show off their skills by flying, leaping and climbing.
Parliament
Constructed between 1675 and 1710, this magnificent structure stands on the site of two previous cathedrals dating to 604. The whispering gallery in the main dome is so named because a whisper can be heard anywhere within the dome by pressing an ear to the wall. Open each summer, visits are by guided tour starting at Victoria Tower, proceeding through the Robing Room, Royal Gallery, Chambers of the House of Lords and House of Commons, Central Lobby, St. Stephen's Chapel and Westminster Hall. Westminster, with an exhibition of cartoons, and the Parliamentary gift shop can be visited free of charge via the St. Stephen's entrance.
Tower of London
According to Shakespeare, Edward IV's young princes and heirs were killed here by their wicked uncle, Richard III. In 1066, William the Conqueror erected the first wooden fort on this site, replaced by a stone keep, later known as the White Tower. Begun in 1078, the tower of London is one of the world's most famous fortified complexes constructed over several centuries. It provided Royal families with a residence for more than five centuries, and was a prison for other Royal figures, including Lady Jane Grey. The Tower housed the Royal Mint until 1810. Armor worn by Henry VIII remains. The Tower is the storehouse of the Crown Jewels and regalia, as it has been for nearly 700 years. Also on view are the Medieval Palace, the infamous Bloody Tower, and over 90 inscriptions made by prisoners in the Beauchamp Tower. The Martin Tower has free guided tours, and the Crowns and Diamonds Exhibition.
Westminster Abbey
One of the world's most visited churches, Westminster Abbey is the scene of coronations, marriages and
burials of British monarchs. Visitors can see the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, Royal Tombs and the Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, and the
Coronation Chair. Local
Transport: Local transport links are excellent throughout the City with taxis and buses passing most areas at regular intervals. London Underground covers the majority of the major attractions and is excellent value for money. Most areas are well served by mainline trains.
Accommodation:
As you would expect from a Capital City, London features a wide variety of
hotels from Five Star Hotels through to Budget hotels and Guest House
Accommodation. Various self catering establishments can be found
throughout the City.
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