London is one city where you can go back again and again, and the city will never fail to amaze you! Every time you visit, you will find some things you missed out on last time! So in this article, we bring to you the few things you must do when you visit the city of Big Ben!
1. Watch Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
This pompous march is worth a watch! Practiced for decades now, Changing of the Guard is the daily ceremony where one set of guards hands over the responsibility of Buckingham Palace and the Queen to the next set of guards.
All this is done with a spectacular march and a band performance. It also takes place at St James Palace, but it is much smaller over there. The weather, however, may play spoilsport, so it is better if you aim for this in the summer.
Location: Buckingham Palace, Westminster, London SW1A 1AA, United Kingdom
Price: It is free to watch.
2. Take a walk in Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square
These two age-old squares are famous throughout the world and are an important part of London tourism. They serve as the unofficial entrance to Soho- the hub of the rich and famous! The theatres and all the fancy pubs, clubs and restaurants are housed there. But Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square hold their own ground.
Trafalgar has a massive granite column called Nelson’s column, which overlooks the marble fountains of the square. And Piccadilly Circus houses the statue of the winged God Eros with a bow as if looking indignantly at the traffic at the intersection of the four roads!
Location: Regent Street, The Haymarket, Shaftesbury Avenue, and Country Street.
Price: There is no fee for entrance.
3. Take a stroll through Hyde Park
The European twin to New York’s Central Park, this open space is vibrant and tranquil at the same time! This 350-acre park in London city houses a tiny man-made lake by the name of Serpentine- which serves the purposes of both boating and swimming.
The park also has a famous Speaker’s Corner- where one and all can speak their mind. It is also the address of the house of the first Duke of Wellington. Once you are done seeing all these places, you could walk around in the pleasant weather or perch onto a bench with a snack to have the best experience of London tourism!
Location: Central London
Price: It has no entrance fee.
Timings: 5 am to 12 am on all days of the week.
4. Take a ride on a London Eye capsule
This is one of the best places to explore in London city to feel like being on the top of the world. The London Eye itself is an iconic tourist destination of the city. But riding on this world-famous giant wheel is another story altogether! You get into one of the 32 capsules, and you can get a panoramic view of the city of London!
Location: The Queen’s Walk, Bishop’s, London SE1 7 PB, United Kingdom
Price:
- £ 36 for adults (16 and above)
- £ 27 for children (3 to 15 years of age)
Timings:
- Monday to Friday: 11 am to 6 pm
5. Shop in Covent Garden
Previously a flower market, Covent Garden now has shops selling pretty much everything under the sun, and it has become an important landmark of London tourism! You can buy authentic fabric, handmade art, gadgets, and even souvenirs like mugs and keyrings!
It has quite a few halls and arcades, all lined neatly with shops from end to end, each with a different fare. On top of this, it also has hipster cafes and restaurants, all of which serve different kinds of food and beverages- so the shoppers can take a bit of a break! This also marks the entrance to the shopping district and from here you can walk to Central Square, Neil’s Yard, and Seven Dials.
Location: Central London, bordered by Leicester Square
Price: No entrance fee
Timings:
- Monday to Saturday: 10 am to 8 pm.
- Sunday: 11 am to 6 pm
6. Tour the British Museum
Housing over 8 million artifacts and objects, this
museum in London city will have something for you, no matter what era and branch of history you prefer! In case you do not know much, you can opt for the audio tour wherein you will be given a guidebook and a headset as you make your way through the massive museum. You will also be educated with trivia about all the objects housed within the museum.
Location: Great Russell Street, London WC1, United Kingdom
Price: Free entrance. But if you want a guided tour, they start from 14 pounds. The audio tour costs 7 pounds.
Timings: 10 am to 5:30 pm on all days except Fridays. Open till 8:30 pm on Fridays.
7. Catch a show at the West End Theatre district
Watching a show at the West End Theatre is one of the best things to do in London city! It has an eclectic mix of old and new productions, Shakespeare and original. Rest assured, this will be the finest theatre you watch in the country!
Location: Leicester Square
Price: Depends on the show you want to catch.
Timings: It depends on the show you want to catch. Ticket booths are operated between 10 am and 7 pm.
8. Visit the Victoria and Albert Museum
Created by Prince Albert when he was the consort, the
Victoria and Albert Museum houses works of art, paintings, jewelry, architectural samples, and scientific objects. The work displayed here traverses different time periods and different continents, making it an important part of London tourism.
To make it easier, they are categorized well and housed according to category. The museum had recently organized an exhibition on worldwide favorite cartoon Winnie the Pooh!
Location: South Kensington
Price: Entrance to the museum is free, but the exhibitions have admission fees.
