London - Sightseeing

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

Big Ben is certainly one of the most famous landmarks in London, although most people are completely... unaware that the name Big Ben does not actually refer to the whole clock tower, but rather just to the largest of its five bells. The chime of this bell is popularly called ‘The Voice of Britain’. The bell’s globally recognised tune is based on a phrase from Handel’s ‘Messiah’. The building as a whole, originally called ‘The Clock Tower’, displays the largest clock in the country: the tower is almost 100 meters tall, the diameter of the clock faces is 8 meters long, and the minute and hour hands are four and three meters long respectively. It looks particularly spectacular at night when both the tower and the clock are illuminated and they radiating light in the darkness. Big Ben is part of the Houses of Parliament, collectively referred to as the Palace of Westminster. The entire building complex is a monument in the new Gothic style and is the meeting place of the two houses of British parliament. more

The white Marble Arch is a monument opposite Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park. It is constructed from... Carrara-marble and was designed by John Nash in 1828 based on the Arch of Constantine in Rome. It was actually intended to serve as an entrance to Buckingham Palace, but was moved to its present location in Hyde Park in 1851. Though it is not known why the monument was moved, it has been speculated that the Head of State’s coaches would have been too large to be able to pass through the Arch. A particular feature of the Marble Arch is the fact that only members of the British royal family and the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery were traditionally allowed to pass through the Arch, a custom which is still upheld today. more

East of Tower Bridge and the post-modern landscape of the Docklands, a long history and the 21st century... are united in this small community on the Thames. Here locals are proud of the idyllic centre with its nice pubs and restaurants but also of the National Maritime Museum (http://www.nmm.ac.uk) - the largest in Britain. Fans of classical architecture will get excited about the elegant ensemble of the Queen's House and the Royal Naval College. A wonderful walk takes you from the Thames and the Cutty Sark clipper ship past the Maritime Museum and the Queen's House through Greenwich Park to the Old Royal Observatory where the meridian is marked - the reference point for measuring time throughout the world. The huge Millennium Dome, now renamed The O2, in North Greenwich is unmissable and is now used as an entertainment and sporting venue. Things get really lively in Greenwich when the Crafts, Central and Antiques markets open at the weekends, attracting countless flea market fans. more

Half-way between Westminster in the west and the banks and stock market in the City, Covent Garden provided... the capital with fresh produce until 1974. When the market relocated, small businesses, cafés, pubs and restaurants moved into the renovated Victorian covered market. The important thing here is to see and be seen. In the summer, jugglers and street musicians entertain the public in the summer, and you will find a mini-performance on one street corner and a one-woman show on another. The attractively designed London Transport Museum tells the story of London's public transport from 1830 onwards (http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk). Take a stroll through the attractive little side streets of Covent Garden, with its tempting shops and places to eat. The area is packed with health food shops, shops selling goods from East Asia, jeans boutiques and trendy restaurants. more

The British Museum, which was founded about 250 years ago thanks to the private initiative of a passionate... collector, today ranks as one of the most important museums in the world. The huge collection includes mummies and artefacts from the Egypt of the Pharaohs, and exquisite works of art from the Near and Middle East, from ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. If you are interested in relics dating back to prehistoric Britain and the days when it was occupied by the Romans, then the British Museum is just the place for you. The famous 200 m (650 ft) long frieze from the Parthenon Temple on the Acropolis in Athens attracts huge numbers of admirers. The museum's other treasures include priceless books such as the Lindisfarne Gospels, a copy of the Magna Carta, and the Sutton Hoo and Mildenhall treasure troves. more

Since the north side of Trafalgar Square was converted into a pedestrian zone, many music and other live... events have taken place here. Sometimes you have to fight your way up the wide steps which lead to the National Gallery. The Neo-Classical building (designed by William Wilkin in the middle of the 19th century) houses one of the most important collections of paintings in the world. Here you can admire works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rubens, Rembrandt, Monet, Cézanne, Van Gogh and many others. Early Renaissance works can be found in the Sainsbury Wing added in 1991. The gallery rooms are quietest on weekday mornings and on Wednesday evenings between 6 pm and 9 pm. The ambitious restaurant "The National Dining Rooms" or the delightful "National Café" are perfect for a taking a breather over lunch or afternoon tea. more

The huge castle right beside the River Thames is one of the British capital's foremost tourist attractions.... Encircled by mighty walls, buildings from different eras are grouped around velvety green lawns. For 900 years the Tower has been bound up with the story of London and of England as a whole. Its heart, the White Tower, was built by William the Conqueror. His successors built additional palaces within the protective confines of the Tower. When later kings took up residence in Westminster, the Tower served as a prison and a place of execution. A brass plate in the inner courtyard marks the place where two of Henry VIII's wives mounted the scaffold. The Beefeaters, guards in traditional uniform, will be happy to tell you about prominent prisoners and unsolved crimes which took place in the Tower. The priceless British Crown Jewels, which can be admired in the Jewels House, contrast in sparkling fashion with the more gruesome side of the Tower of London. Royal crowns heavily embellished with diamonds and precious stones, swords, decorations and royal tableware make a dazzling spectacle. more

Even before the box office hit "Notting Hill" with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, which was shown in cinemas... in 1999, the exuberantly colourful Caribbean carnival with reggae and salsa made this district to the north of Kensington famous. Every year on the last weekend in August people celebrate for all they are worth - the streets of Notting Hill transformed into a huge dance floor. Well-to-do white-collar workers, British West Indians and quirky eccentrics live side by side in this district. Notting Hill has been regarded as London's trendy district for some time now. Pop stars and supermodels get themselves addresses here and meet up in the stylish cafés and trendy bars. Interior designers are opening up cult shops and boutiques of top designers for this rich clientele. The "world's largest antique market" on Portobello Road remains typical of Notting Hill. Here some 2,000 traders sell from their stalls on Saturdays and in the shops from Monday to Saturday. In addition to furniture you can also find jewellery, books, fashion and junk. more

Science is made easy to understand in the Science Museum. Whether it's astronomy, meteorology, navigation... or aviation - the development of research and technology of all kinds of machines is clearly explained here. And it's not just the children who find it exciting to be able to press buttons and turn switches on and off themselves. The fascinating exhibitions include Galileo Galilei's telescope, the first steam locomotive in the world, the first telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, Otto Lilienthal's first glider, models of famous ships and the original Apollo 10 space capsule. The Wellcome Wing shows exhibits from the natural sciences, technology and modern medicine. A covered passageway links the Science Museum to the Natural History Museum and its popular dinosaur collection. If your visit takes a while, you can get your strength back in the self-service café or the family-friendly restaurant. more

This decommissioned power station from 1930 on the south bank of the Thames right next to Shakespeare's... Globe Theatre was converted into a branch of Tate Britain by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron and was opened as the Tate Modern in May 2000. The huge entrance hall (once the turbine room) leads to bright rooms on four floors exhibiting contemporary art from 1900 to the present day, sorted by themes. Artists who have been given their own room include Rebecca Horn, Joseph Beuys, Andy Warhol and Bridget Riley. If you look out of the windows you will see the Millennium Bridge designed by Norman Foster, which connects the south bank to St Paul's Cathedral. A shuttle boat runs every 40 minutes between Tate Modern, the huge wheel of the London Eye past Westminster Bridge and the original gallery, Tate Britain. more

Standing in front of the magnificent parliament building you will clearly sense London's long history.... The former "Palace of Westminster" (destroyed by a fire in 1834, redesigned in Neo-Gothic style by Charles Barry) symbolises historical permanence. The clock tower with the world famous bell Big Ben is one of the most well-known symbols of the British capital. Listening to the turbulent debates in Parliament is just as exciting as a visit to the rooms in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which is possible during the MPs' summer break. The noble external appearance of the building complex is also reflected in the assembly rooms, lobbies and corridors or galleries. more

Kew Gardens - a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003 and particularly magical in spring - a green paradise... just outside London where around 25,000 species of trees and plants from all over the world are nourished and looked after. The walk through the rhododendron copse, the water lily pond and the bamboo garden or one of the guided tours are all wonderful. However, you can also learn all about the Botanical Gardens in comfort by taking a trip on the "Kew Explorer" people mover. The highlights include the Chinese pagoda, the Alpine House with 300 Alpine plants, the Temperate House built in the 19th century by Decimus Burton and the Palm House he also constructed: a tropical jungle with high humidity in which bananas, mangos and papayas thrive spectacularly. more

London's great Anglican cathedral with its magnificent dome is a masterpiece by Sir Christopher Wren... completed in 1710. Sir Winston Churchill was buried here, and this is where Charles and Diana got married. In the side aisles you will find memorials to distinguished warriors, including the Duke of Wellington and Admiral Nelson. The graves of Reynolds, Turner, Constable and Blake can be found in Artist's Corner. Carvings by Grinling Gibbons decorate the choir and organ on which Händel and Mendelssohn played. The ascent from the south-west buttress to the dome galleries is rewarded with a good view of the city. The atmosphere at St Paul's is best experienced at winter evensongs, large services or concerts. The famous choir sings e.g. on Sundays at 11.30 am, and at other times. The Crypt Café at St Paul's is popular for lunch - its vaults give the café a special feel. more

One of the most interesting museums for people of all ages has to be the Natural History Museum. With... its hundreds of exhibits, which start with all sorts of creepy-crawlies, fish, birds and mammals, and move on to towering dinosaur skeletons, the museum is a real must see. A whole day is barely enough time to see all the animals or experience everything to do with man and beast via interactive models. Highlights of the museum include the dinosaur and mammal exhibits, with the blue whale as the particular favorite. How does it feel during an earthquake or when a volcano erupts? This can also be experienced at the museum. A new experience for children is ‘Investigate’, allowing them to try out many things independently. Alongside this are fossil and mineral collections and special exhibitions such as ‘Wildlife Photographer of the year’, which takes place all year round. Entrance to the museum is free (with the exception of special exhibitions). more

Markets in London have a very special atmosphere, but Borough Market, located near London Bridge, manages... to stand out from the rest. For more than ten years, the market has enjoyed the reputation of offering exceptional goods of the highest quality. Traders have always taken up residence in the area around London Bridge, as can be evidenced from records dating back to the year 1014. In 1755, the authorities abolished the market and forbade it from being reopened, something which the citizens of Southwark would not tolerate. The citizens bought a piece of land known as The Triangle for the enormous sum of £6000, and opened a market again. The Triangle is still an integral part of the market today. Hungry stomachs will not be at a loss here for food: fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, fish, delicacies, wine and flowers can all be bought here, to name a few. Even chefs from famous restaurants stock up on fresh goods and particular ingredients here. more

London is one of the grandest cities in the world and wandering through its streets is a new experience... every day. However, the fascination of London can only truly be unlocked by viewing the city from above. Located right in the center of the city on the southern bank of the River Thames, the giant Ferris wheel rises 135 meters from the ground. It was opened in 2000 and is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe. Visitors hover over the city in one of 32 passenger capsules constructed almost entirely from glass. With a speed of 0.26 meters per second, a revolution of the wheel takes around 35 minutes, during which time the wheel never stops, even when wheelchair-bound passengers board. Any potentially long waiting times are compensated for the minute one takes to the capsule. The initial view is of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and is followed by Buckingham Palace. When the capsule reaches its highest point, the skyscrapers on Canary Wharf look like playhouses. With a little luck, one can even see Windsor Castle on a clear day, which is over 40 km away. more

Closely bound up with the history of the Crown, this magnificent church right beside the Houses of Parliament... symbolises historical continuity. It was born of a Benedictine monastery church founded in 1079, a few relics of which still remain. Most British kings have had their coronations, weddings and funerals here, under the high arches of the Gothic nave. The majority of the cultural monument we see today, which has been damaged by fire several times, was constructed between the 13th and 16th centuries. Highlights include the magnificent choir stalls, the gravestone and shrine of Edward the Confessor, the Royal Chapels with Gothic fan vaulting worked in filigree, Poets' Corner with its monuments to famous British writers such as Shakespeare and Keats, and the 13th century Coronation Chair. At the start of the new millennium, a spectacular new lighting system was installed to show off the many treasures to perfection. more

This small area between Oxford Street, Regent Street and Covent Garden is home to a melting pot of different... cultures. Immigrants from France, Italy and Greece opened small grocery stores, where to this day the employees of the film and advertising agencies around the green space of Soho Square do their shopping. The aroma of cappuccino wafts across from Italian bars, and elegant restaurants offer tempting French cuisine. A traditional fruit and vegetable market (Mon-Sat 9 am-6 pm) runs along Berwick Street, where the first exotic fruits were offered for sale in London. London's small Chinatown around Gerrard Street is a truly exotic experience, dotted as it is with Chinese restaurants and shops full of herbs & spices and watercolours, and with its telephone boxes adorned with pagoda-style roofs. Shimmering illuminated advertising hoardings in Piccadilly Circus, jazz sessions in cellar bars, cabaret shows and drag queens, huge discos and cinemas in Leicester Square, gay clubs and theatres - all these are essential ingredients of Soho by night. more

If you are interested in the history of London, then you should visit this museum at the edge of the... financial district and take time to travel through the almost 2,000-year history of the city. A fascinating picture of changes through the centuries unfolds in chronological order - London from its beginnings as a Roman settlement, when the Romans built the first bridge over the Thames - through to the modern centre of the world of finance. Visitors can see Roman coins and wells (excavated in the City of London), street scenes and interiors based on Elizabethan times, an exhibition on the Great Fire of 1666, the fashion of the 18th century, Victorian shop fronts and even a hairdresser's from the 1930s. It's totally enthralling. The end of May 2010 saw the opening of the 20 million pound "Galleries of Modern London" with multimedia exhibitions on the history of London from the Great Fire of 1666 to the World Exposition in 1851. more

Who doesn’t dream of money, bank notes, coins and gold bars? In the Bank of England Museum, one can... see these great treasures up close. The museum tells the story of the Bank of England since its foundation in 1694 to its current role as the central bank of the United Kingdom. Today, the Bank of England is responsible for controlling the currency and stimulating and maintaining financial stability, thus contributing to a healthy economy. In the museum itself, one can marvel at a superb collection of books, important financial documents, prints and paintings, in addition to coins and bank notes. Particularly valuable items include gold bars from the Roman and present time and all kinds of weapons with which the treasures of the bank were defended. Audiovisual computer displays further explain the present role of the bank to visitors. Entrance to the museum is free. more

This museum isn’t just a paradise for children; the V&A Museum of Childhood collection comprises toys... and childhood-related objects from 1600 until today. The expansive collection is considered to be one of the most beautiful and comprehensive assortments of childhood artefacts worldwide. Childrens’ eyes light up when they see the valuable dolls and lovingly furnished dollhouses. While dolls were initially only made from wood and ceramics, a pliable wax-based material at the beginning of the 19th century allowed puppet makers to give the dolls’ faces a realistic look. The dolls made by mothers from all over the world are also fascinating. As befitting their status, Barbie dolls can also be found here. Traditional toys from wood or other materials, the first lego bricks and slinky toys, and the scenery for an almost two hundred year-old puppet theater are also exhibited. Toys for adults and children alike such as the famous Rubik’s Cube take their rightful spot among the exhibits. Of course, the museum is also home to the many teddy bears that took up a special place in the hearts of children once upon a time. more

London's dominant landmark has spanned the Thames since 1894. When the Prince of Wales opened the bascule... bridge, the strong steel construction in Victorian Gothic style was a true wonder of the world. An electronic mechanism has raised the bascules of the bridge for many years and the old steam engines form part of the changing multimedia exhibitions featured in the "The Tower Bridge Exhibition". You can enjoy a spectacular view from the glass walkways on Tower Bridge. The best view of the bridge itself is from the Thames Path in front of the Design Museum. Here the restored warehouses of Butler's Wharf with apartments, restaurants and shops are huddled together around the small square. South of Tower Bridge lies the futuristic City Hall which was designed by Norman Foster for London's local government. more

To the west are Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, both perfect spots for picnics beneath the shade of... old trees in the heart of the metropolis, where you can either gaze into your lover's eyes, watch the ducks, or take the more energetic option and go for a jog. Between them, the two parks provide 253 ha (625 acres) of green space to relax in. On fine summer days the Lido - London's only inner-city open air swimming facility, on the lake in Hyde Park - beckons. Or why not hire a rowing boat for yourself and your friends? At the north-eastern corner of the park, near the triumphal Marble Arch, crowds of curious people gather at Speakers' Corner on Sunday mornings to listen to passionate speeches from those hankering after a better world, religious fanatics and oddballs. Children can work off some of their energy in the imaginatively designed Diana Princess of Wales playground in Kensington Gardens, before you all visit Kensington Palace, where exhibits include items from the Royal Family's wardrobe. more