London, one of the world's greatest cities, offers visitors a vast array of things to see and do - historic monuments, shopping, festivals, museums, galleries and great entertainment. The city is home to thousands of immigrants and cultural diversity contributes to its vibrant ever-changing atmosphere. Rest assured though that traditional London still exists. From high tea almost anywhere to the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the city still abounds with the culture and the charm of days gone by.
The capital is alive and vibrant with the sounds of Brit-pop and techno at Victorian pubs to experimental theatre on stages built for Shakespearian plays to operas and live concerts. British chefs are re-inventing traditional British food that have been made for generations. Sports lovers will never be short of excitement when they come to London. In the 21st century, London has reinvented itself on a grand scale. From the ultra modern London Eye to the world's most visited modern art gallery, Tate Modern and the staggering scale of the British Museum Great Court, London today stands at the cutting edge in food, fashion, film, music and just about everything else, like it did in the 1960's.
|
Places of Interest: Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace,Tower of London, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, Docklands, Natural History and British Museum, Tower of London, Dali Universe and Kensington Palace.
For the Family: London Eye, London Aquarium, Madame Tussaud's, London Planetarium, Rock Circus, The London Dungeon, London Zoo, The Lion King (musical) and IMAX theatre.
Best Buys: With over 30,000 shops and stores to choose from, as well as a burgeoning reputation in the fashion world, shoppers will not be disappointed. Oxford Street for top chains and international retailers; Bond Street, Kensington High Street, Covent Garden and Knightsbridge (Harrods, Harvey Nichols) for designer shops; street markets at Camden, Portobello Road and Petticoat Lane.
The city's shopping scene has changed dramatically over the last few years. Many of the top department stores, including the world-famous Selfridges, have become fabulous 21st century temples to shopping. Quintessentially British brands have put a new spin on their traditional excellence in tailoring. Then, there's the increasing availability of designer-look fashions at reasonably priced high-street stores all over the city. The flagship Topshop store on Oxford Circus is just one of these fashion meccas, loved by celebrities and fashion journalists alike.
Perhaps the most relaxing way to shop in London is to wander along one of the capital's colourful and fascinating street markets - Camden, Portobello, Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane are just some of the markets worth a visit.
Out and About: Massive choice of theatres, concerts, musicals, movies and opera. Excellent nightlife with clubs, bars, pubs and street entertainment.
Sports and Leisure: Tennis, riding, cricket, jogging, rugby and football.
How to get there: BA flies non-stop to London from Dar as well as Emirates, KLM, Swiss, Qatar, Ethiopian and Kenya airways via their hub. |
