London
The Tate Modern
Tate Britain and National Galleries [preferably 2 x 45 minute visits]. London's public collections are the best in the world.
Hampton Court
One of the best attractions in Europe. A whole succession of monarchs have added to Henry VIII's original palace. A fantastic park (by Capability Brown) and gardens (including the famous maze), Tudor kitchens and one of the last remaining Real Tennis courts. Lots of free (once you've paid the admission) guided tours, some in costume, by people who know and love the place.
The River
Walk along the South Bank from Tower Bridge to Lambeth. The best of London is spread out for you: The Tower of London & Tower Bridge, The Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace (residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury), Shakespeare's Globe theatre, Both Tate Galleries, St Paul's Cathedral, The South Bank Centre, The Temple, The London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Somerset House.
The Houses of Parliament
If you're lucky enough to get in the strangers gallery for Question Time, see the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition snipe at each other across the floor of the house, while MPs jeer or enthuse obsequiously. At other times the debates can be soporific - queue up outside the Parliament building when the MPs are sitting, left for commons, right for Lords. It's worth asking what's being debated. Often later in the evening the debates liven up again.
The Inns of Court
Medieval 'Inns' five in number (Grays, Lincoln's, Inner, Middle, Outer) house lawyers who still use laws going back 1000 years, they reside in glorious buildings and retain arcane manners and modes of dress. They run North to South perpendicular to the river. To qualify as a lawyer in Britain you have to eat 12 meals in an accredited Inn. Also there's the rooms where Prince Henry lived. Take in the amazing John Soane museum on the way.
The Parks
The lungs of London, you can walk from Westminster to Holland Park (look on the tube map) solely in the parks. The view from the bridge in St James Park towards Whitehall is stunning. Regent's has excellent cultivated gardens and the famous zoo, Hyde Park has Speakers' Corner where fanatics rail and preach, St James has the lake and pelicans, Green is Stately and Royal and Kensington Gardens houses the Royal Costume collection. Holland park has the Orangery and an Opera House, as well as the most beautiful youth hostel in the country. This is Walk Two on our itinerary page. You can bathe naked on Hampstead Heath, go fly a kite on Blackheath or visit the deer in Greenwich park.
The City
Home to the Bank of England, Bow Bells, and the few remaining architectural treasures of Samuel Pepys' London. Many nooks and crannies preserve the taste of Victorian London - chop houses unchanged in their menus and habits since the Relief of Mafeking. Home of the Royal Shakespeare Company in London until mid-2002, tThere are many good official guided tours - the tour of City Churches is an award winner.
The Theatre:
It'd be a crime to visit London and not take in a show. Londoners have been passionate about the theatre for centuries not only is the quality high, but the price is low - one third the price of Broadway. Classical Music and Opera is of a similarly high standard and low price. See our Entertainments page for more details. And finally see HERE for details of what to see if you're doing a one-day, two-day, three-day or week long trip.