| Cool Britannia. London is the city that lives | | | | |
| and breathes its historical past, yet its | | | | Museum of London at The Barbican |
| vibrant pulse sets the trends that the world | | | | |
| watches. In culture, fashion, music, | | | | London was a Roman city. This museum traces |
| architecture and the arts, ideas, no where | | | | the growth of London from prehistoric times |
| else is like the London. Constantly-evolving, | | | | up to the present day, using a combination of |
| always entertaining, it's the city that | | | | models, artefacts and reconstruction. There |
| should be right at the top of your must-see | | | | is also an impressive Roman interior, with |
| list. | | | | its original mosaic pavement, a collection of |
| | | | jewels dating from 1560 to 1640 and an |
| However, London can be expensive, a real | | | | illuminated model of the 1666 fire of London. |
| shock to your wallet. If you're looking for | | | | |
| good value accommodation, web sites such as | | | | Look for historic Blue Plaques |
| have dozens of hotel choices including | | | | |
| serviced apartments in all the popular | | | | If you spend a little time in London, you'll |
| districts. Check it out. | | | | spot small Blue Plaques on the facades of |
| | | | shops and houses. Some of these buildings are |
| But there is an upside to the expense of | | | | grand and imposing, others look remarkably |
| London. The capital offers not just dozens, | | | | ordinary. The connection? A famous (or |
| but hundreds of free attractions and sights. | | | | infamous) person lived or worked there at |
| From museums to art galleries, historic parks | | | | some time in the past. |
| to scenic walks, they won't cost you a cent. | | | | |
| | | | Actors, authors, politicians, painters, |
| Buckingham Palace. The Changing of The Guard | | | | scientists, sportsmen, campaigners and |
| | | | reformers - people from different countries, |
| A rousing military march marks the start of | | | | cultures and backgrounds - have all been |
| one of the oldest and most famous London | | | | commemorated in this way. You can see where |
| sights, full of pomp, color and that famous | | | | Dylan Thomas, Charles Dickens, John F. |
| British stiff upper lip. It's the Changing of | | | | Kennedy lived and where Karl Marx stayed. The |
| The Guard. This royal ceremony is conducted | | | | borough with the most plaques is Kensington |
| outside Buckingham Palace each morning at | | | | and Chelsea with 180. The biggest category is |
| 11.30am and lasts about 45 minutes. The | | | | Writers with 180 recorded. |
| Queen's Guard usually consists of Foot Guards | | | | |
| in full-dress uniform, wearing bold red | | | | Personal favorites: plaques for composer |
| tunics and bearskins. A New Guard exchanges | | | | George Frideric Handel and guitarist Jimi |
| duty with the Old, accompanied by a band | | | | Hendrix stand side-by-side on 25 and 23 Brook |
| playing music. This ranges from the | | | | Street, in Mayfair. Despite being a fictional |
| traditional to the trendy, and even songs | | | | character, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock |
| from West End shows. | | | | Holmes has a plaque on the supposed site of |
| | | | 221B Baker Street. |
| Park yourself for free. | | | | |
| | | | To market, to market! London is full of |
| London is a very green city sprinkled with | | | | bargains |
| delightful parks. At 350 acres, Hyde Park is | | | | |
| one of the largest open spaces and makes up | | | | Just about every part of London has a street |
| one of the four Royal parks, the others are | | | | market of some type. Portobello Rd, west of |
| St James's Park, Green Park and Regent's | | | | Marble Arch, (featured in "Notting Hill" the |
| Park. | | | | popular movie with Hugh Grant and Julia |
| | | | Roberts) is home to marvellous antiques, |
| Head out to Hampstead Heath. | | | | jewellery, coins, clothes, bric-a-brac, food |
| | | | and general merchandise. (The antique market |
| Take the subway (the Tube) to trendy | | | | opens every Saturday. The general market |
| Hampstead, it's just four miles (6.4km) from | | | | usually runs 6 days a week.) |
| central London. Hampstead is full of quaint | | | | |
| leafy streets, charming boutiques and smart | | | | Go alternative. Camden Markets |
| cafes. If you're into celebrity-spotting, you | | | | |
| might even see some familiar show biz faces | | | | Alternative, funky, goth or punk...fashion |
| and fashion models as you relax with a quiet | | | | lives in Camden. Camden Town, a few miles |
| latte. Hampstead is also home to the Heath, a | | | | from central London, is where to go bargain |
| huge area of grass and woodland, covering 791 | | | | spotting, especially for original fashion. |
| acres with sweeping views across London. | | | | Camden Lock Market, by the canal, was the |
| Perfect for lazy afternoons and picnics, the | | | | original craft market, established in 1974, |
| Heath is a great place to exercise. Play | | | | but over time, the market scene has gown and |
| tennis, go running, outdoor swimming or why | | | | now offers a much wider spectrum of goods. |
| not try your hand at cricket, a bit like | | | | Walk the mile between Camden Town and Chalk |
| baseball, only gentler. | | | | Farm Underground stations, and you can stop, |
| | | | and shop in all the markets of Camden. |
| See Kenwood House free | | | | There's also a lot to enjoy in this lively |
| | | | area...restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, |
| The 18th century mansion, Kenwood House sits | | | | theatres and cinemas. |
| elegantly on a hill in Hampstead. It was | | | | |
| remodelled for Lord Mansfield by the great | | | | Covent Garden. The home of speciality |
| Robert Adam. Among its splendid interiors | | | | shopping in London |
| hangs the wonderful Iveagh Bequest of | | | | |
| paintings, including masterpieces by Vermeer, | | | | For more than 150 years, Covent Garden was |
| Rembrandt, Turner, Reynolds and Gainsborough. | | | | London's largest fruit, vegetable and flower |
| | | | market, covering 30 acres. In the 1970s, the |
| Visit your past and future free | | | | market relocated south of the river. In 1980, |
| | | | after careful restoration, Covent Garden |
| London has amazing museums, many of them are | | | | re-opened as London's first and best |
| free. Probably the most famous is The British | | | | speciality shopping destination. |
| Museum at Great Russell Street. Among the | | | | |
| objects on display are the Rosetta Stone and | | | | Today, almost one million people visit the |
| the Elgin Marbles. Founded by an Act of | | | | famous Market every week from all parts of |
| Parliament in 1753, the British Museum was | | | | the world. This is a very special |
| the first national public museum in the world | | | | retail-therapy experience with everything |
| - and the first to belong to a nation rather | | | | from leading fashion and stunning gifts to |
| than a monarch or private patron. | | | | unique toys and games. |
| | | | |
| The Natural History Museum, South Kensington | | | | Get arty. The National Gallery, Trafalgar |
| | | | Square |
| This is the UK's national museum of natural | | | | |
| history and a centre of scientific excellence | | | | After you've fed the pigeons and taken shots |
| in taxonomy and biodiversity. A wonderful way | | | | of Nelson's Column, visit The National |
| to spend a few hours exploring and enjoying | | | | Gallery, home to over 2,300 pictures dating |
| the wonders of nature. | | | | from 1250. The collection includes all the |
| | | | major European schools of painting and |
| Imperial War Museum | | | | masterpieces by many great artists. Access to |
| | | | the permanent collection of paintings is |
| The Imperial War Museum is unique in its | | | | free. |
| coverage of conflicts, especially those | | | | |
| involving Britain and the Commonwealth, from | | | | The Tate Modern, it's free if you are |
| the First World War to the present day. | | | | |
| Exhibits range from tanks and aircraft to | | | | On the South Bank of the Thames, this former |
| photographs and personal letters; film and | | | | power station has been superbly converted |
| sound recordings and 20th century paintings. | | | | into the World's biggest collection of Modern |
| | | | Art. The two huge floors cover the complete |
| Royal Air Force Museum Hendon | | | | century. Stark, modern, intriguing - and |
| | | | often a little crazy. It will get your brain |
| Take the train, subway or bus out to North | | | | ticking over with a new appreciation for |
| London to this amazing museum of flight. The | | | | modern artistic expression. |
| Royal Air Force Museum Hendon is situated on | | | | |
| the historic site of the original London | | | | This list is just the tip of the proverbial |
| Aerodrome and you can see over 80 aircraft | | | | iceberg. What else can you find to do, see |
| from around the world, along with short film | | | | and enjoy in London without dipping into your |
| clips and interesting exhibition areas. | | | | wallet? My guess is, lots. |