London, England
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Destination Guide |
Europe > United Kingdom
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As Europe’s largest city, London is host to more
than 25 millions visitors a year; yet, it is
never too crowded to be enjoyable. There is
always time for tea and a leisurely stroll
through London’s famous parks and boroughs.
Popular destinations abound, including theatres,
concert halls, shops, restaurants, sports
venues, world famous landmarks and hundreds of
restaurants with cuisine from around the world.
Along with the pageantry at Buckingham Palace,
Whitehall and the Tower, London always has
something more to offer visitors. Festivals and
musical, theatrical and sporting events occur
year-round
Some 7 million Londoners live in this mammoth
metropolis, a parcel of land that covers more
609 square miles. Actually, The City Center of
London proper is just 1 mile square, but the
rest of the city is made up of separate
villages, boroughs, and corporations that add to
its historical significance and its charm.
This cosmopolitan city has everything from
Bengali markets to Belgian restaurants to
hand-penned Beatles lyrics at the British
Library. London offers the best of British food,
fashion and cultural pursuits, but its
multicultural population gives it an
international flair, as well. Nearly 40 ethnic
groups with populations of 10,000 or more call
London home. Together with a multitude of
visitors from around the globe, they give the
city its vibrant mix of languages, dress,
festivals and lively street life.
At one point in history, London was the largest
city in the world. While it has relinquished
that title, London still remains at the
forefront of the world’s great cities.
London’s celebration of its dazzling history
combines with its 21st Century hospitality to
engage and entertain visitors from around the
world.
From the arts to sports; from fashion to film to
finance, London offers the world traveler a
multitude of options...the only problem is
choosing what to see first!
Family activities hold a top priority in London.
A fondness for children is reflected in the wide
variety of attractions that will appeal to any
youngster. Among these are zoos, rides,
arcades, museums, theatres and music
attractions, to name a few.
Millions of visitors from around the globe can
attest to the continuing popularity of shopping
at Harrods, visiting the Tower of London, seeing
London Bridge, and touring Buckingham Palace and
the Parliament building. Relive the
glories of the vast expanse of the British
Empire, while enjoying the animals native to
those regions at the London Zoo. Stroll through
the British Museum and marvel at some of its 6
million exhibited items. Tour Westminster
Abbey and the Royal Parks and gardens.
Evenings begin with dinners at fabulous
restaurants found in dozens of ethnic
neighborhoods across London and continue with an
evening at the theatre or the London Symphony
and perhaps a late evening stop in a
neighborhood pub for a snack and a local brew
before the last bell sounds.
Numerous guided and self-guided tours emanate
from London to the surrounding countryside,
serving destinations such as Greenwich
Observatory, Stratford-on-Avon and farther on to
western England, Scotland and Wales. Many
visitors also plan a quick round-trip on the
"Chunnel", the undersea tube connecting England
with France. No visit to London would be
complete without a ride on the famous
"double-decker" buses.
The Princess Diana Memorial Walk charts a 7-mile
path that links a number of London's parks. It
begins in Kensington Gardens and continues
through Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James'
Park, taking in Spencer House and Buckingham
Palace along the way.
It would take a lifetime to see everything that
London has to offer. Perhaps that is why so many
visitors regard each trip to London as a "once
in a lifetime experience" and return often to
continue their explorations of its many facets.
Once you visit this "Queen of all cities", you
may agree!
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