Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament
The Palace of Westminster contains the Houses of Parliament, part of which is one of the city's most famous landmarks - Big Ben. Big Ben is actually the name of the huge bell, whose tolling tune is instantly recognisable. The most ancient part of the whole palace, Westminster Hall, is 900 years old. After almost total destruction by fire, the rest of the palace was rebuilt in neo-gothic style during the 19th century, to designs by Charles Barry. During late July/August and mid-September/early October, Parliament is in recess and the Summer Opening of the Palace of Westminster takes place. Extensive guided tours are offered for visitors; these last about 75 minutes and include the Royal Robing Rooms, the House of Lords and the House of Commons and Westminster Hall. These are not free and they must be booked in advance (in person or from Keith Prowse ticketing, see below). Visitors who want to watch Parliament at work, rather than tour the palace, can watch from the Strangers' Gallery. When Parliament is in session, there are two long queues (one for the Lords and one for the Commons) outside the palace.

Parliament Square, SW1, London
United Kingdom
Tel: 0844 209 0381.
Web: www.parliament.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0915-1630 or 1315-1630 (depending on schedules).
Admission Fee: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO site: Yes


British Museum
The British Museum, the centrepiece of which is Norman Foster's glass-roofed Great Court, is one of the world's finest museums. Visitors must contend with a mind-boggling six million artefacts from all corners of the globe, plucked (or plundered) by collectors. The awesome scale of the museum means it is essential to select just a few of the 94 galleries for close attention. Highlights include the Rosetta Stone, the Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo treasures and the controversial Parthenon Sculptures, known as the Elgin Marbles, taken from the Parthenon in Athens. A 90-minute 'Highlights' tours is available daily at 1030, 1300 and 1500.

WC1
Great Russell Street
London
United Kingdom
Tel: (020) 7323 8299.
Web: www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1730.
Admission Fee: No.
Disabled Access: Yes


Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, the London home of the Queen, is hugely popular with tourists. They flock to the palace to witness royal pageantry dating back centuries at the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which takes place daily at 1130 from April to July and on alternate days at other times of the year. There is also the rare chance of seeing inside a royal residence (summer only). The building, by John Nash and Edward Blore, was built around the shell of the older of the older Buckingham House, in the 19th century. The rather drab facade was added in 1913. The 19 State Rooms of the palace, including the Throne Room and the Picture Gallery, are only open to the public during August and September, when the Queen moves to her Scottish residence. The refurbished and expanded Queen's Gallery is open to the public throughout the year. It displays a changing exhibition of selected works from the Royal Collection, which covers five centuries' worth of art collecting and treasures, now held in trust by the Queen for the nation. The 17-hectare (42-acre) garden, long hidden from view, is also open to visitors touring the palace.

SW1
Buckingham Palace Road
London
United Kingdom
Tel: (020) 7766 7300.
Web: www.royalcollection.org.uk
Opening hours: State Rooms: Daily 0945-1830 (23 July - 3 Oct).
Admission Fee: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes


Covent Garden
Covent Garden has long been associated with the market trade. For some 300 years, it has hosted traders of all sorts of wares, perhaps most famously the fruit and vegetable market, which was centred in the Piazza. The market is still here, and today, the area is also home to many shops, bars and restaurants. The street performers, and the cheering crowds they attract, give the area a very special atmosphere, and make Covent Garden a must see for all first-time visitors to London. The world famous Royal Opera House can be found here too. A popular museum in the area is the London Transport Museum, which retraces the history and development of the city's transport system.

Covent Garden
Piazza
London
United Kingdom
Web: www.coventgarden.uk.com
Admission Fee: No.
Disabled Access: Yes


London Eye and County Hall
At a towering 135m (444ft), the London Eye is an unmissable sight. It's become London's most popular attraction, which usually means a 'flight' requires booking in advance and often queuing as well. The experience (one revolution of the wheel, lasting approximately 30 minutes) is absolutely worth it - the unparalleled views of London reach as far away as 40km (25 miles). Sitting right next door and directly across the River Thames from the Houses of Parliament is County Hall, the former home of the Greater London Council. The enormous building is home to the London Aquarium, which features over 350 different aquatic species from around the world, and some huge water tanks, and the Dalí Universe, which contains over 500 works of art by the famous surrealist, including the painting Spellbound, which was created specially for the set of the 1945 Hitchcock thriller, and the sofa in the shape of Mae West's lips. County Hall is also home to two hotels, numerous bars and restaurants and a Namco Station, a vast entertainment centre offering video games, 10-pin bowling, bumper cars, a pool hall, as well as a bar and lounge with big TV screens.

Jubilee Gardens, South Bank, SE1, London
United Kingdom
Tel: 0871 781 3000 (booking line).
Web: www.londoneye.com
Opening hours: Daily 1000-2030 (Jan-June, and Sept-Dec); daily 1000-2230 (Jul-Aug).
Admission Fee: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes


St Paul's Cathedral
The dome of St Paul's Cathedral is the third largest in the world and one of the most distinctive features of the London skyline. The present building, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was completed in 1710, on the site of the original cathedral that was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. On the inside of the dome, the Whispering Gallery, named for its incredible acoustics, offers a close-up of the frescoes of the life of St Paul that decorate the interior of the dome. From there, visitors can climb higher, up to two further galleries, which are outdoors and which offer magnificent views across the whole of London. Guided tours are available, book in advance.

EC4
Paternoster Square
London
United Kingdom
Tel: (020) 7246 8350.
Web: www.stpauls.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0830-1600; sightseeing is restricted on Sun and religious holidays.
Admission Fee: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes


Tate Britain
The Gallery of Modern British Art opened in 1897, around the collection of sugar merchant Henry Tate. It now holds an unrivalled collection of British paintings from 1500 to the present day. Much 20th-century art has moved to the Tate Modern, however, some remains on rotation here, from Gaudier Brzeska to Gilbert and George. There is also the 'Art Now' room, which shows a changing contemporary exhibition. The magnificent Turner Bequest is housed in the purpose-built Clore Gallery, with hundreds of Turner paintings on display.

SW1
Millbank
London
United Kingdom
Tel: (020) 7887 8888.
Web: www.tate.org.uk/britain
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800.
Admission Fee: No
Disabled Access: Yes


Tower of London
The infamous royal fortress on Tower Hill, the Tower of London, was begun by William the Conqueror in 1078 and remained a royal residence until the mid-16th century. Today, it houses the priceless Crown Jewels and the Royal Armouries collection. The history of the tower is a catalogue of intrigue and bloodshed - key historical figures, including members of the royal family, were imprisoned, tortured and/or executed here. The nearby Tower Bridge (a prime example of Victorian architecture and engineering) spans the River Thames. Hydraulic machinery, hidden in twin neo-gothic towers, lifts the central section to allow ships in and out of the Pool of London. Visitors can learn about the bridge in the Tower Bridge Exhibition or enjoy the excellent views towards Canary Wharf and the City of London. On the northeast side, the harbour at St Katharine's Dock marks the beginning of the London Docklands, while the warehouses to the south house the stylish Design Museum.

Tower of London, EC3
London
United Kingdom
Tel: (020) 3166 6000.
Web: www.hrp.org.uk
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 0900-1730 and Sun-Mon 1000-1730 (Mar-Oct); Tues-Sat 0900-1630, Sun-Mon 1000-1630 (Nov-Feb).
Admission Fee: Yes
UNESCO site: Yes


Trafalgar Square
Former London Mayor Ken Livingston has made the once-congested and pigeon-infested Trafalgar Square a 'World Square', pedestrianising more of this famous space and banning seed-sellers, in an attempt to stop what he considers a nuisance. Nelson's Column dominates the centre of the square while on the north side, one of the world's greatest galleries, the National Gallery, is to be found. It houses an incredible collection of Western paintings from the 13th to the early 20th century, as well as frequent special exhibitions. Round the corner, the National Portrait Gallery displays the country's famous, infamous and forgotten in the media of oil, watercolour, marble and photography. The Ondaatje Wing includes a lecture theatre and restaurant. Opposite the gallery is the beautiful 18th-century neoclassical church, St Martin-in-the-Fields, which hosts regular concerts and has a cafe in the crypt.

WC2
Trafalgar Square
London
United Kingdom
Admission Fee: No
Disabled Access: Yes


Westminster Abbey
England's most visited religious site, Westminster Abbey is a living monument to British history. Inside there are buried kings, statesmen, warriors, scientists, musicians and poets, including Charles Darwin, Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Mary I, James I and Charles II. Initially the site of a Norman abbey, Henry III built the present building in the 13th century to compete with the great European cathedrals of the time. The abbey has seen the coronation of every English monarch since William the Conqueror, with the exception of Edward V and Edward VIII. The abbey continues to play a crucial role in royal state occasions and was the setting for the coronation of the present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953, as well as the funerals of the late Princess of Wales in 1997 and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 2002.

Westminster Abbey
London
United Kingdom
Tel: (020) 7222 5152.
Web: www.westminster-abbey.org
Opening hours: Mon-Tues, Thurs-Fri 0930-1630, Wed 0930-1900, Sat 0930-1430.
Admission Fee: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO site: Yes


London Dungeon
This horror theme park situated on London's South Bank gives visitors the opportunity to explore the darker side of British and European history. The London Dungeon, which opened in 1975, is a creepy recreation of many of history's most gruesome events. Visitors can go on various themed rides, which are based around historical murders and executions; they can explore the streets of Victorian London that were home to the serial killer Jack the Ripper, relive the Great Fire of London and take a barge down the River Thames to Traitors Gate, where they are sentenced to death by an 18th-century judge. The London Dungeons are patrolled by scary characters, dressed in gruesome costumes, who wait in dark corners and jump out at unsuspecting tourists.



28-34 Tooley Street, SE1, London
United Kingdom
Tel: (020) 7403 7221.
Web: www.thedungeons.com
Opening hours: Daily.
Admission Fee: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes


London's Parks
Together, St James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens stretch from Whitehall to Kensington in the west. St James's Park and Green Park are at the heart of royal London, close to Buckingham Palace, while Hyde Park's Speaker's Corner is the place for soapbox philosophers to harangue passers-by on Sunday mornings. Kensington Gardens contain the delightful Serpentine Gallery, as well as the glittering Albert Memorial and the Memorial Fountain in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. Regent's Park, just north of Oxford Circus, is home to London Zoo, while immediately next door is Primrose Hill, which has a fabulous view and chic village atmosphere. Hampstead Heath boasts acres of natural parkland, the 18th-century Kenwood House, numerous bathing ponds and another fantastic view over the capital. Richmond Park is the largest open space in London, first enclosed as a hunting park by King Charles I in 1637; it still boasts deer. Last, but not least, Greenwich Park is the oldest enclosed royal park. Situated on a hilltop with impressive views across East London, it provides a setting for several historic buildings, including the Old Royal Observatory, the Royal Naval College, the National Maritime Museum and the Queen's House.

Tel: (020) 7298 2000.
Web: www.royalparks.gov.uk
Admission Fee: No
Disabled Access: Yes


Madame Tussauds
Over 400 lifesize wax models of the rich and famous are exhibited in Madame Tussauds. Lifesize replicas of stars of the stage and screen, musicians and monarchs are displayed alongside footballers and politicians. Madame Tussaud was born in Strasbourg in 1761 and after inheriting a wax museum from Philippe Curtius in 1794, moved to London to set up an exhibition on London's Baker Street. Following her death in 1850, her grandsons moved the display to its present location on Marylebone Road. Today, visitors can have their photo taken with the likes of filmstar Marilyn Monroe, Australian popstar Kylie Minogue, footballer David Beckham and even members of the British Royal Family. They can also descend into the Chamber of Horrors to see some of history's most notorious criminals and various torture instruments.



Marylebone Road, London NW1
United Kingdom
Web: www.madametussauds.com/London
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1730.
Admission Fee: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes