Great Britain

Located in the London borough of the City of Westminster, Buckingham Palace is the official residence... of Queen Elizabeth II in London. With over 600 rooms divided across three floors around an inner quadrangle, it serves as a place of reception for state guests and as a residence. The Queen’s 13 private rooms are located in the north wing. One can tell whether the Queen is actually at home by looking at the flag: the royal standard is flown when she is in residence, while the Union Flag is raised during her absence. Constructed between 1702 and 1705 by William Wide as a large townhouse for John Sheffield, the Duke of Buckingham, the building was expanded several times over the following years. It was bought by King George III in 1761 to serve as a private retreat. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to use the palace as her official residence in 1837. The prestigious Marble Arch was constructed by architect John Nash at the Queen’s request as an entrance for state guests; the Arch can today be found in Hyde Park. Victoria also arranged for the construction of the east wing with the famous balcony according to plans drawn up by Edward Blore. King Edward VII oversaw a redesign of the palace’s interior in the style of the Belle Époque. Tourists have the opportunity of viewing some of the magnificently decorated state rooms, the huge ballroom, and the garden from the end of July until September. Royal collection masterpieces by Rembrandt and Rubens can also be admired. Interested parties are encouraged to apply in good time, as demand is always huge. The Royal Mews is open to viewing all year long by means of an exhibition. Another popular event is the traditional changing of the guard in front of Buckingham Palace. This takes place every day from May until June and every second day from August until April. more

The popular road junction in London’s West End connects Regent Street with Piccadilly and also serves... as the intersection for several important streets in the city. The triangular area was built in 1819 and partially redesigned at the turn of the 21st century. Piccadilly Circus forms the center of the intersection and is famous for its oversized, illuminating advertising billboards that can now still only be found on the unnamed corner building on Shaftesbury Avenue. Companies such as McDonalds, Samsung and Coca-Cola all use this site to advertise their brands. Another attraction is the Eros fountain, which was originally christened the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain in 1893 and quickly became a popular meeting point for Londoners. The most prominent buildings on Piccadilly Circus can be found next to the billboard-laden corner house, namely the London Pavilion, which houses a shopping centre, and the Criterion Theatre, which contains underground stage areas. more

Do not miss to climb Arthur's Seat, the highest mountain in Holyrood Park, raising southeast of the old... town. A wonderful vulcano landscape, a piece of the Highlands amidst the city district of Edinburgh, entices tourists, locals, hikers and people seeking peace alike. Climbing the 251-meter-high hill calls for a more or less good physique and might take some time (depending on the chosen route, you should plan on hiking around 30 to 90 minutes), but the view is worth the hassle. Whoever wants to take it easy, should start at the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the foot of the mountain. A nice, not too steep hiking path, starts here - only the last part to the peak demands some mountaineer skills. A short, but steep foot path, on the other side, leads from Loch Duddington to the mountain peak. You also have the possibility to reach half of the mountain motorized (please be aware that Sundays all types of vehicles may not use the road). Two further mountain lakes, so called lochs (St. Margret's and Dunsapie Loch), situated pictresquely in the mountain landscape, invite you to take a break on your way up. Whatever route you choose, one thing is for sure: the higher you get, the more impressive the surrounding panorama consisting of city, mountains and finally the ocean and the Highlands, seems to be. Arthur's Seat is especially impressive at dusk, while the setting sun colors the sky, and the city down at the foot is gradually turned into a sea of light. more