World City Guide

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Before setting off sightseeing, it is wise for visitors to study a London Underground map, to get a feel for the straightforward colour-coded system. Visitors should also bear in mind, however, that many of the Underground stations are very close to each other and many central areas are easily navigable on foot.

Walking the streets of London, or strolling through its parks, one realises that, in a city hailed for its ability to embrace modernity and change, the past is, however, never far away: there are four world heritage sites in London (the Palace of Westminster, the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwhich and Kew Gardens) and some 40,000 listed buildings and structures. Three of Britain's top 10 paying attractions and six of the top ten free ones can be found in London. The London Eye, since it made its appearance on the banks of the Thames to mark the turn of the millennium, has since become the most popular attraction for visitors to the capital.

The tourist heart of London lies mainly on the north bank of the River Thames, with the chunk of flat land between South Kensington in the west to Tower Bridge in the east stuffed full of things to do and see. Starting in the west, there are the three major South Kensington Museums – the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Moving eastwards, the next key attraction is Buckingham Palace, back in vogue after the Jubilee Year in 2002. A short walk away, through St James’s Park, is Westminster, with the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. From here, it is another short walk up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, with the National Gallery and other attractions. This is where the ‘West End’ starts, heading slightly north to Leicester Square – a busy tourist-infested piazza where many Londoners would not be seen dead – connecting up with Piccadilly Circus to the west and Covent Garden to the east, with the stately old British Museum a little further away to the northeast. In the middle of the West End, Theatreland and Chinatown merge into Soho, with its nightlife and new media offices.

Along the river itself, on the north bank is the Tate Britain gallery in the west, followed by Westminster and then the Embankment. Crossing over the River Thames from the Embankment can by done on the new pedestrian Hungerford Bridge. The south bank of the river now has its own throngs of tourists, at the British Airways London Eye and London Aquarium. This side of the river also dominates culturally, with the South Bank Centre and, further east, the Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre. Another pedestrian bridge, Lord Foster’s Millennium Bridge, connects the Tate Modern with St Paul’s Cathedral, back on the north bank. From St Paul’s, it is possible for one to walk through the City of London, reaching the Tower of London further east. Tower Bridge connects this ancient seat of power to City Hall, on the south bank, the new state-of-the-art home of London Mayor Ken Livingstone and the London Assembly, designed by Lord Foster (website: www.london.gov.uk).

Tourist Information
Visit London
Tel: (0906) 133 7799 (24-hour general tourist information).
Email: enquiries@londontouristboard.co.uk
Website: www.visitlondon.com

London’s main tourist information centre is the Britain and London Visitor Centre (BLVC), 1 Lower Regent St, SW1. Opening hours: 0930-1830 Mon, 0900-1830 Tue-Fri and 1000-1600 Sat-Sun. (Jun-Sep, Sat-Sun 1000-1700).

There are various London Tourist Information Centres (TIC) situated throughout the city, including one at Pepys House, 2 Cutty Sark Gardens, Greenwich, SE10 (tel: (0870) 608 2000) open daily 1000-1700; and one at Vinopolis, 1 Bank End, SE1 (tel: (0)20 7357 9168), open Tue-Sun 1000-1800, Mon closed.

City Information Centre
St Paul's Churchyard (opposite St Paul’s Cathedral)
Tel: (020) 7332 1456.
Website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Opening hours: Easter-Sep, daily 0930-1700; Oct-Mar, Mon-Fri 0930-1700, Sat 0930-1230, Sun closed.

Passes
The London Pass (website: www.londonpass.com) allows free access for one child or adult to over 50 attractions (including the London Aquarium, London Zoo, Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Buckingham Palace in summer). The ‘with transport’ option also includes free transport on all London buses, Tubes and trains. The price varies depending on whether or not you take the ‘with transport’ option. A pass for one day costs £23 without transport and £27 with transport; for two days £36 or £47, three days £44 or £60 and six days £62 or £94. Children pay £15 or £17 for one day, £25 or £29 for two days, £29 or £38 for three days and £41 or £52 for six days. Add 17.5% tax to all these prices. The London Pass can be purchased at the airport and tourist information offices around London.