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The
ongoing celebration of London’s dazzling history combines with 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!
Some seven
million Londoners live in the greater London area, a parcel of land that covers
more than 609 square miles. Actually, The City Center of London is just 1 mile
square, but fans out into many picturesque villages, boroughs, and corporations
that add to its historical significance and its charm.
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 gardens. Popular destinations
abound, including theatres, concert halls, shops, restaurants, sports venues,
world famous landmarks, and hundreds of restaurants with cuisine from around the
world. Festivals and musical, theatrical, and sporting events occur year round.
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.
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 musical 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 glory days of
the vast expanse of the British Empire, while enjoying the animals native to
those regions at the London Zoo. Spend a day strolling through the British
Museum and marveling 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 night 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 rail service 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.
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Europe 
