London is the capital city of England, and as such, it has grown into a truly unique metropolis with hundreds of different attractions. The city of London receives almost two and a half million visitors each year, so what is all the fuss about?
The main reason why London is so popular is that it features something for everyone. No matter what type of holiday you wish to experience, you can find it in this part of the world. Not convinced? Read on to find out the many ways that you can explore and enjoy London.
Seeing The Sights
As a capital city, London is home to many famous landmarks of historical significance. It is here that you will find the House of Parliament, Big Ben, The River Thames, Buckingham Palace, and Nelsons Column. If you want to have a true tourist experience, then you will need to seek out each of these landmarks. However, these monuments are not all found in the same parts of the city.
Fortunately, London has some of the best transport links in the world. You can find almost anything in the city by using The Tube, for example. Both the houses of Parliament and Big Ben are situated on the embankment, and you can easily hop on a train to visit Buckingham Palace in Westminster before finishing at Trafalgar Square to see Nelsons Column. All you need is a day travel pass.
If the tube sounds too claustrophobic, you can always book a taxi or a separate car hire service to get around. Failing that, you also have the option to travel the city in one of London’s iconic red buses. Therefore, you have no excuse not to spend a day in London as a proper tourist.
Nightlife
The younger generations may not see any value in traipsing around the city and looking at old buildings. Instead, the youth of today prefer to hit the town at night. There is no need to hop on a plane to Ibiza to get this experience, though. London has plenty to offer when it comes to nightlife, you just need to know where to go.
The best place to start your evening is in the pubs in Camden. You will find this canal-based borough on the northern line of the tube, and this part of the city is made famous for its music scene. Next head over to Shoreditch to get into some clubs before they get too busy and then move on to the best part of the night by hitting the row of clubs in Soho on the central line. With so many clubs, bars, hotels, and restaurants in these key areas, London can be a great holiday for those who wish to sleep all day and party all night.
Shopping
A calmer experience, shopping is an ideal activity for people visiting a place for the first time. A new location will feature plenty of goods that you cannot find in other parts of the world, so you may want to make the most of the shops when you visit London.
Oxford Street isn’t too far from Soho, and this cobbled street is known across the world as the best place to shop in the capital city. It is full of department stores and designer outlets, and it even has one of the biggest toy stores in the world. But that isn’t the only place to get your shopping fix in London. Shepherds Bush is home to Westfield, a huge shopping mall that features over three hundred shops and eateries. If you want to give your credit card a day out, then a trip to London may be the perfect solution.
Walking
It may sound silly to suggest that you can have a walking holiday in the heart of a busy city, but it is true. Sure, you will rack up the miles by pounding the pavements on a normal day. However, that isn’t what we mean.
London is only a twenty-minute train ride away from Buckinghamshire, a county renowned for its rolling hilltops and rural charm. As such, you can easily take a trip outside the city for a rambling adventure. The Chiltern Hills outside of Aylesbury is a great place for a hike and High Wycombe is a rural town surrounded by nature trails and woodland areas. If you want the best walking holiday possible, you can visit each of these locations and still experience some great nightlife by staying in the heart of London.
Wildlife
As a city, you also wouldn’t expect London to be a place that suited wildlife aficionados. However, the city is actually quite the hub for animal lovers, especially bird watchers.
You see, London is the home of the Peregrine Falcon, the Skylark, and the Common Pipistrelle. You will also get to catch a glimpse of the European Badger and Stag Beetle if you venture out at night-time. You can then share your surprise by showing everyone the images on Adobe Acrobat when you get home. A city may not be the most accommodating place for wildlife, but London isn’t like most cities.
Sports
With football being the most popular sport in the world, you shouldn’t be surprised to find that London is home to some of the biggest and best teams the sport has to offer. FIFA decreed that football, as you know it today, was founded in this part of the world, which is why London teams like Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham routinely get to play in some of the biggest games of the year. If you want to experience some of the se matches, then you will have to travel to London.
Football isn’t the only sport made famous in the city of London. Both cricket and rugby have huge audiences in this city, and let’s not forget that the biggest tennis tournament of the year is held in Wimbledon, a suburb of south London. Sports is part of the beating heart of everyone living in the UK, so you will need to stop off at some of these locations to get the full British experience.
Food
A great reason to travel is to find and taste some of the local food. Since England is such a small country, it is easy for the different regions to ship their local delicacies down to London. Therefore, you can experience a variety of regional foods without leaving the city centre.
You can try your first Yorkshire pudding for lunch and then have some classic fish and chips in the evening. You will also want to try black pudding and toad in the hole when you are visiting this part of the world. The possibilities are endless for foodies who visit London, so make sure you research the best restaurants before you head over to this part of the country.
Conclusion
Most travellers head to the biggest cities because of the variety of activities they offer. However, no other city is as varied as London. If you have a singular goal for your next holiday, then chances are that the city of London can accommodate your needs. Just look at all the options listed above for confirmation of this statement.
