If you're going to be visiting London for the first time, you'd be wise to maximize the use of your time in this amazingly vast, divers and historical metropolis by prioritizing. Following are five London attractions which should be must-sees on your list of things to do!
Piccadilly Circus
No, we're not suggesting that you spend some of your precious hours in London under a bigtop. Piccadilly Circus, at the intersection of five of London's major thoroughfares, is the British equivalent of New York's Times Square, with neon-lit glitz to suit. If you want London nightlife, head for Piccadilly Circus, where your fun will be watched over by the roundabout's fountain and statue of the archer now called simply "Eros."
Piccadilly Circus is named for the piccadill collar so popular among gentlemen of the 17th century, and within a block or two of Piccadilly today are some of London's most avant-garde fashion shops. Piccadilly Circus is also within walking distance of several London arcades, the precursors of today's shopping malls.
Trafalgar Square and the London Brass Rubbing Centre
If your trip to London is a family affair, or you simply love to collect unique souvenirs of your travels, a trip to the Crypt at St.-Martin-in-the-Fields Church at Trafalgar Square will be well worth your time. At the Church's Brass Rubbing Center, you can purchase a kit of papers and special waxes, and do your own rubbings of characters straight out of British history, from knights in armor and damsels in distress to Shakespeare himself. If you make a mistake with your rubbing technique, the staff at the Brass Rubbing Centre will be right there to undo the damage!
No matter the time of day, you can have a meal at the Brass Rubbing Centre's café in the Crypt, where you'll be treated to traditional British food at its best from a full English breakfast with a high tea or evening dinner. Your meal will be freshly prepared with ingredients from British suppliers.
The London Telecom Tower
Located on Howland Street in London's West End, the London Telecom tower was formerly the Post Office Tower, and until 1981 was the tallest (at 620 feet) tower in London. It's constructed of steel, concrete, and glass, with a design which is both stylish and highly wind-resistant. It's the heart of Britain's telecommunications network, with numerous enormous satellite dishes visible on its upper stories.
The Changing of the Guards
Christopher Robin and Alice were quite fond of the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, and they weren't alone. The Changing of the Guards is one of London's major tourist draws, seen by countless visitors each year. You should check in advance of your visit to Buckingham Palace to determine if there will be a Changing of the guards on that day. Bring along a camera, because you can have your picture take with a guard whose duty it is to have his photo snapped with visitors.
Big Ben
None of its other landmarks is more recognizable than London's Big Ben. Visible from a distance of several miles, Big Ben looks down n the Houses of Parliament from a height of 316 feet, and was completed in 1859. Its hands are 14 feet in length, while its clock mechanism weighs over five tons. For security reason, however, only UK residents are allowed inside Big Ben's tower.
Three of these attractions are on every London visitor's must-see list, while two if them may be less well-known. But they are just a small sample of the wonders which await you on your London trip, and simply a place to begin!
myroadtotravel was created in late 2007 as way for my wife and I to do what we love most...Travel. We love to share our experiences with others and have recently created our first blog http://www.myroadtotravelblog.com to help us do just that. Through this blog, we offer travel tips, our own personal experiences/adventures and photos from our vacations. Please stop by and give us your feedback and remember, for all your travel booking needs please visit us at http://www.myroadtotravel.com
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