Days Out in London 

London, England’s Capital City, attracts more than 20 million visitors yearly from all around the globe.  Situated in the South East and only an hour from some stunning coastline, it’s no wonder visitors choose to spend their holidays here.

London has something to offer everyone. Art Galleries, Museums, Amazing Architecture, History, Theatre, Shopping and Fine Food and Wine. This is the city that never sleeps. You can party until dawn, or chill in a quiet haven surrounded by beautiful parks and gardens. London has so much to offer families with attractions that will occupy even the most energetic of children, whilst also offering Gran some culture and History.   

All visits to London are not complete without taking a look at some of the City’s famous landmarks.  These include Big Ben, Nelson’s Column, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge. 

BIG BEN

This has to be one of the world’s famous clocks. Big Ben was designed in 1856 by Charles Barry and took over thirteen years to finish.  It stands at one end of the Houses of Parliament, chimes on the hour, every hour, and even has its own primetime guest appearance on the BBC news when the famous chimes tell the nation it’s 10pm! 

NELSON’S COLUMN

Nelson’s Column stands proudly in the centre Trafalgar Square in celebration of Admiral Nelson’s victory against the French. The square was built during the period of 1829-1841 and Nelson’s Statue is 17 feet tall.  In 1860 four bronze lions were sculpted and erected to mark four of the Admiral’s victorious battles.  These are Cape St Vincent, Copenhagen, Trafalgar and the Battle of the Nile. 

TOWER BRIDGE

This Bridge is such a famous sight, recognized worldwide, but surprisingly it was only constructed just over 100 years ago in 1896. The bridge came about because the population in London was increasing rapidly and so a competition was launched for engineers to design a new bridge.  The winning design was by an engineer called Horace Jones. The bridge itself is 200 feet tall and at night is lit up by over 500 bulbs. 

HOUSES OF PARLIMENT

The Houses of Parliament is also known as the Palace of Westminster. The Oldest surviving part of the building is Westminster Hall that was first built in 1097.  Up until the 1500’s it was residence to Most of England’s Kings.  The Houses of Parliament had its very first meeting in 1295.  The Houses of Parliament are split into two sections, The House of Lords and the House of Commons. 

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

Buckingham Palace was built by the 1st Duke of Buckingham in 1702. This famous palace is Home to Elizabeth 11 and the Duke of Edinburgh. It consists of 661 rooms that include 19 State Rooms, 52 Bedrooms, 188 Staff Bedrooms, 92 Offices and 78 Bathrooms. Only 19 of these rooms are open for viewing by the general public. The State rooms are open from 26th July – 30th September. The Queens Gallery is open yearly and displays exhibitions from the Royal Collections. Entrance Fees to the Queens Gallery are £8.50 per adult and £4.25 per child.    

The changing of the guard is another experience one can enjoy while visiting Buckingham Palace.  The Guards change over at 11.30am every morning and the ceremony takes around 40 minutes.  It is advisable to get there by at least 11am or you will not be able to get close enough to the front to see anything. 

The Royal Mews at the Palace are also well worth a visit. The mews is one of the finest working stables in existence and provides all the road transport for the Royal Family. At the Mews you can see the State vehicles, the Horse Drawn Carriages and the Motor Cars. These are all used for Coronations, State Visits, Royal Weddings, State Opening of Parliament and all other official engagements. The stables are home to the working horses. Sometimes though they may be on duty or having a rest and so the public do not always get to see them. Entrance to the Royal Mews costs £7.50 per adult and £4.80 per child.   

Other major attractions that millions of visitors flock to see at the city include the world famous London Eye, Madam Tussauds, The London Dungeon, The Tower of London and the capitals very own London Zoo.

LONDON EYE

The London Eye, also referred to as the Millennium Wheel, is the world’s tallest observation wheel and stands at 135 metres high. On a clear day it is said one can have a panoramic view of 38 kilometres. The Eye has become a distinct London Landmark since it was constructed in 1999 and is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the whole if the United Kingdom. Prices start from £24 per adult and £13.50 per child.    

MADAM TUSSAUDS

What other opportunity will you get to meet world famous stars all under one roof? Well, at Madam Tussauds legendary wax museum you can even have your photo taken with them! OK, so they don’t say an awful lot, but their likeness to their real counterparts is eerie. This world famous waxworks museum was set up by a French Woman, Marie Tussaud. She created her first ever wax figure in 1777. It is claimed that during the French Revolution she rifled through the dead to find severed heads to help her make her works ‘lifelike.’ She left France in 1802 and set up her first exhibition aptly named ‘Madam Tussaud’s’ and as a result her life’s work lives on. Prices start from £22 per adult and £18.50 per child.    

LONDON ZOO

London Zoo is situated in the beautiful Regent’s Park and homes over 12,000 animals from around 600 different species. The zoo is part of a conservation project which saves many animals from extinction. They are homed in habitats as close to their natural environment as possible. As well as walking around enjoying the animals you can enjoy displays, feeding and keeper talks. There are also interactive exhibits to enjoy such as a monkey walk through experience, a butterfly paradise, a petting centre and a farmyard. Prices start from £18 per adult and £15 per child.    

TOWER OF LONDON

The Tower of London is one of the 812 World Heritage Sites and at over 1000 years old this castle is steeped in history. This amazingly impressive place has been used as a Royal palace and Fortress, a prison, a place of execution and most recently, a place to hold the crown jewels. Inside one can look at armour, jewels, weapons, the Royal Suite and the historically dressed beefeaters. The history that sits within the walls of this enthralling palace is as fascinating as it is gory! Exhibits at the tower include the Crown Jewels, Prisoner’s of the Tower, Torture at the Tower and the ceremony of the Keys. It is advisable to arrive early as the tours can get very busy. Prices start from £17 per adult peak time, and £9 per child peak time.    

THE LONDON DUNGEON

At the London Dungeons you can travel back to our medieval times where live actors, shows, rides and amazing interactive activities will take you on a historical journey that will blow your mind! Everything you witness is based on true historical events. Here at the dungeons you can see firsthand the dark side of the capital as you witness execution, murder, torture and the plague! The London Dungeons also features a scary ride, Extremis – Drop ride to Doom, Jack the Ripper’s London and Labyrinth of the lost- the world’s largest and scariest mirror maze. Not for the faint hearted! Prices start from £15 for both Adults and Children.