The Inside Guide To London

These three fit well together, as you can walk between them and stretch the pins at the same time. Tower Bridge has a superb view from the upper walkway, which was shut in the early 1900s - as it was rife with prostitution. It took over 70 years to re-open. The Tower of London will be tourist -heavy but it consistently gets the highest feedback rates from visitors. The Monument (to the Great Fire) is another fascinating view, a short walk away. It marks the distance (202ft) from the base to Thomas Farynor's Bakery in Pudding Lane. One of his ovens was the source of the Great Fire in 1666. Oops. Only 6 people died however, and it did put an end to the Great Plague of 1665, which killed over 20,000 Londoners.

On opposite sides of the Thames, these are now popular bedfellows, thanks to the addition of the Millennium Bridge. It's London's newest bridge and exclusively for pedestrian use. In its early life it was something of a wobbler, but they solved that problem and these days it's quite safe.

After visiting St. Paul's (don't forget to visit the galleries in the dome - they're the best part), cross the road and head south over the bridge, to the Tate Modern at Bankside. This was a former Power Station (built by the architect behind Battersea Power Station: Sir Giles Gilbert Scott) which was converted to a modern art gallery (part of the Tate group) in 2000. Its cavernous interior makes it a popular place to hang out and watch the world go by. Check the restaurant upstairs for one of the best views in town.

There's plenty to see nearby, including further east along the Thames: Shakespeare's Globe, Hays Galleria, Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, City Hall and Tower Bridge. Just follow the herd along Thames Walk. It's a traffic-free zone.

More about St. Paul's and the Tate Modern.

Often referred to as the 'Houses of Parliament' this is the seat of government for the United Kingdom, based in Westminster.

London was formed by the merger of two settlements - the ancient Roman city of Londinium (formed over 2,000 years ago) and the city of Westminster. The original Roman settlement was given a formal boundary, which still exists today and is the financial centre of London - often referred to as the 'City' or 'Square Mile'. Westminster grew in stature and size after the construction of several successive abbeys, the current one dating from approximately 1,000 years ago. Westminster Palace was one of the monarch's residences and his advisory council, the Curia Regis, would meet to discuss issues of State. When Henry the VIIIth moved to the larger Palace of Whitehall (very nearby), Parliament (which succeeded the Curia Regis in 1215) stayed at Westminster.

A devastating fire in 1834 destroyed the palace, except for Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower. The Jewel Tower is opposite the Sovereign's Entrance of the palace (the tall bit) and was designed to be tough since it's a stronghold (hence the name). Unlike the Palace at Westminster, it is open to the public.

There was an immediate call for a new Palace to be constructed. With the Independence of the United States and the popularity of neo-classical architecture there (The White House, Capitol Hill) - Charles Barry and Augustus Pugins' design was selected, adopting the Gothic-revivalism style, it was seen as ultra-conservative, to quash any ideas of self-rule in the so-called 'colonies' of the day.

It's spectacular, but extracted the ultimate price from Barry and Pugin. Both died before it's eventual completion - as costs spiralled and the stress of managing the project set in. Pugin was admitted to 'Bedlam' asylum, and although was later released, he died shortly thereafter in his early forties.

The bell (as everyone knows) is called 'Big Ben' and the tower is called 'The Clock Tower' (sometimes the 'Victoria Clock Tower'). The chimes on the hour spell out a tune - from Handel's 'My Redeemer Liveth'. The lyrics are as follows.:

All through this hour,
Lord be my guide;
And by thy power,
no foot shall slide.

Bong, Bong (etc.)

More about Westminster Palace.

The Wallace Collection: situated in Manchester Square, just north of Oxford Street, is probably the best, least-visited gallery in town. You'd be hard-pressed to find more impressive, art, furniture, weapons, armour or decorative interiors, anywhere in the world. It's also common during less busy weekdays, to have a whole room to yourself.

The world-renowned range of fine and decorative arts dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries, is distributed across 25 tastefully arranged galleries. In amongst all the sumptuous mirrors, chandeliers, mantelpieces and the like, are world-renowned masterpieces. Including pieces by Canaletto, Boucher, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, Velásquez, Watteau, Gainsborough, Reynolds and probably the most famous painting in the collection - the Laughing Cavalier - by Franz Hals.

The gallery has a very capable restaurant in the courtyard (covered), so try to set some time on your trip aside for it. It's a short detour from Oxford Street.