City Break in Lovely London!
To get a good look at the city, we decided to take a tour on the London sightseeing bus. This was an excellent way to see London, as you can hop on and off at various tourist attractions. It was also great value, as the tickets we purchased were valid for six months.
While in London, we visited the following attractions:
The London Eye is a major feature of the London skyline. It has 32 capsules, each holding up to 25 people, and the full journey takes approximately 30 minutes.
Madame Tussauds is a lifelike wax museum where you can come face to face with many rich and famous celebrities on the red carpet. These include Sean Connery, David Beckham, members of the Royal Family, Madonna and Lewis Hamilton, to name but a few. Needless to say, I took plenty of photos with my favourite celebrities.
The Tower of London has more than 900 years of history and has served as a royal palace, prison, place of execution and jewel house.
Trafalgar Square is a great place for families and a popular meeting point. Here, you can watch street entertainment and enjoy the lively atmosphere.
Big Ben, also known as the Clock Tower, stands beside the Houses of Parliament. A light above the clock is illuminated to let the public know when Parliament is in session.
Outside Buckingham Palace, you can experience a free display of British pomp and ceremony by watching the Changing of the Guard at selected times.
Kensington Gardens covers 100 acres and is home to Kensington Palace, which was once the home of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Covent Garden is an excellent place to meet up with people. There are plenty of restaurants and cafés in the area, along with free street entertainment.
Hyde Park covers 350 acres and features beautiful trees, landscaped flower gardens and a large lake. It is an excellent open space for children and families, with a playground, tennis courts, cycling areas and a horse-riding track. A visit to Hyde Park is a must, as it can make you feel as though you are no longer in the centre of London.
We also went to see *Mamma Mia!* at the Novello Theatre, which was absolutely fantastic and a must when visiting London.
There is an excellent choice of shopping areas throughout the city. Oxford Street is great for high-street shopping and is home to stores such as Selfridges. Oxford Circus has shops including Nike Town and Topshop, while Knightsbridge is known for luxury shopping, including the famous Harrods, with seven floors to explore, and Harvey Nichols. Sloane Street is another popular area for designer shops such as Gucci and Armani.
Camden Town is well known for its nightlife and markets. Borough Market is also a must-visit and is open to the public from Thursday to Saturday. This excellent food market is more than 2,000 years old and is covered, meaning you can enjoy it regardless of the weather.
Portobello Road is a great area for antique shopping and picking up London memorabilia. It is also where parts of the film *Notting Hill* were filmed.
There is a wide variety of restaurants in London to suit every taste. The most memorable meal we had was at Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Restaurant on King’s Road, near Kensington Tube Station. The food was excellent and very affordable, while the staff were friendly and helpful.
I would definitely recommend London for either a romantic break or a family holiday, as the city has so much to offer.
