Visit London Attractions

Though one of the most popular tourist attractions in London, Buckingham Palace is still the official residence of Britain's monarchy, as it has been since Queen Victoria's designation in 1837.

Much of the building was constructed as early as 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. Buckingham House (as it was then known) was purchased in 1762 by George III, who used it as a private residence. Over the following 75 years the house was expanded to form three wings around a central courtyard.

When Queen Victoria discovered the lack of several 'necessary' rooms - such as a formal ballroom, a nursery, visitor's bedrooms and others - major additions were undertaken, including adding an entire wing to form a quadrangle. The Marble Arch was moved to Hyde Park, where it still resides near Speaker's Corner. With the refacing using Portland stone in 1913, the palace received its last major change.

Still actively used as both residence and offices, over 50,000 guests and invited diplomats visit per year who interact with over 400 individuals for whom this is 'the office'. Nevertheless, several parts of the palace are open to the public.

During August and September, the West Wing admits visitors who can view the State Rooms. At other times of the year, various parts are open, where tourists can view spectacular jewels, dressing gowns, furniture and the building itself.

The Queen's Gallery near the Royal Mews (stables and, later, a garage) is open year-round and has an ever changing display of objects owned by 'the British nation'. Here you can see original paintings by Rubens, Vermeer, Canaletto and other great artists.

The Royal Mews are also open to the public, where you can see 30 horses and the golden State Coach. The four-ton coach, pulled by eight horses, is used for coronations and other state functions.

Outside, the 40-acre garden presents a peaceful walk full of well-tended flowers and shrubs and a superb view of the lake.

Of course, the major attraction outside is the 'Changing of the Guard', or as it's more formally known: the Guard Mounting. Household Troops have guarded the Sovereign since 1660, but today the task is carried out at Buckingham by soldiers drawn mostly from the regiments of the Foot Guards.

A Guards' band plays a traditional military march as one set of guards replaces the other. When the Queen is in residence, four sentries stand at the front of the building. While she's away, the contingent is reduced to two.

In their traditional red tunic and bearskins, with the distinctive helmet, the guards are highly trained to avoid interacting with the many visitors who try to distract them. Occasionally, other Commonwealth units participate in guard duty, as do the Scots Guards and the Brigade of Gurkhas.

The Guard Mounting ceremony is performed at 11:30 am and lasts for about 45 minutes, though it's skipped sometimes owing to inclement weather. The Palace location is easily accessible by the tube (the London Underground subway system). Green Park is to the north of Buckingham Palace, Victoria Station and St. James Park stations are to the south.

For three hundred years St Paul's Cathedral has served as one of the enduring symbols of London, a role it richly deserves. Completed in 1708, Sir Christopher Wren's masterwork is recognized the world over by its large dome and classical architecture.

The fame of the dome is particularly ironic since the plans, third in succession after two rejected models, didn't call for one. Wren took advantage of a clause in the commission permitting him to make 'ornamental' changes.

And, in effect, the large dome - visible from several parts of London far away - is just an ornament. In the interior is a much smaller dome directly underneath and between the two a large cone-shaped structure supporting the 850-ton lantern.

Outside, astride the large dome are two towers and an extraordinary classical facade. Though it forms the entrance, the view is less familiar since photographs typically concentrate on the famous dome, which lies on the other side. The west side offers an especially good view. From here, visitors can take in the columns and the clock tower.

Whether viewing from outside or in, though, there are several outstanding features and dozens of smaller ones of interest.

One of the more popular interior features is the Whispering Gallery. The result of the way sound waves move within an arched structure, a person can stand at one corner and whisper and be heard far away. It can be reached by a muscular climb up 259 spiral steps. Most find the effort well repaid.

Someone standing far away beneath the opposite side of an arch can still hear plainly what was said. There are often several pairs trying this at once, though. The sound is clearest if you can find a time when no one else is testing the effect.

But the main interest lies less with physics and more with art. One example is the 20-foot oak model representing Wren's second major attempt at gaining approval for a design. Another is the large pipe organ, commissioned in 1694 and still functional.

Several other functional, yet artistic, elements are around the cathedral. One, Wren's memorial, contains an epitaph from his son. It reads, translated from the Latin: 'Reader, if you seek his monument, look around.'

Many other plaques, carvings, statues and other memorials to the powerful and famous of London's past are within the cathedral: in the south transept Admiral Nelson, in the north aisle the Duke of Wellington.

There's also a memorial in the south choir aisle of the poet John Donne, Dean of St. Paul's before the current building was erected. The disastrous London fire of 1666, destroyed the original. Almost ten years elapsed before construction was begun, followed by more than another 30 until completion. That gives some idea of how construction projects were carried out 300 years ago.

Undergoing a £40 million ($71 million) restoration to celebrate it's 300-year anniversary, many of the building's surfaces have been cleaned and restored. Now is an especially good time to pay a visit.

The Cathedral is easy to spot and also easy to reach via the London Underground, i.e. 'the tube' or subway. Exit at St Paul's station.

Kensington Palace has been home to royalty from long before Queen Victoria's birth there in 1819 to Princess Diana's residence until her death to today.

Still in use as a working Royal Residence, there are nonetheless many areas open to public viewing - and have been since Queen Victoria opened the State Apartments to the public in 1899.

The Red Saloon, for example, on the Garden Floor was the location of Queen Victoria's first Privy Council in June, 1837 and has been restored to its original appearance.

The Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection is an exhibit of gowns worn by various royal personages from the 18th century to the present. Even the Hats and Handbags are on display at the Palace, showing over seventy hats belonging to Queen Elizabeth II.

Nearby are the King's Apartments with several paintings and other works of art from the Royal Collection.

In contrast to the splendor of the King's Apartments, and discreetly far away, are the subdued Queen's Apartments. Built and furnished for Queen Mary II in the mid-17th century. There are several 'family portraits' and many original furnishings.

The Victorian Rooms are accessible, including Victoria's bedroom where she first learned of her accession to the throne. The rooms are furnished with many of Victoria's and Albert's personal effects.

First constructed for the Earl of Nottingham in 1661, the interior of the palace isn't the only impressive sight. Outside are the extensive and varied Kensington Gardens with a number of things to do and see.

Designed and landscaped under the watchful eye of George II's wife, Queen Caroline, the expansive gardens adjoin Kensington Palace and Hyde Park. Combined, the Gardens and Hyde Park total 637 acres.

Serpentine Lake forms one of the many attractions, equally popular with boaters and birds. Winding around, it's over a mile around, fed by an underground river. In addition, there's the Round Pond for feeding ducks and sailing model boats.

On the banks of the Serpentine the gardens contain an oft-visited bronze sculpture of Peter Pan, cast in 1912. There's also an Elfin Oak, almost as old, ornately carved with elves and fairytale creatures. Outside the entrance is a sculpture of the late Queen Victoria, made by her daughter.

There are elaborate Italianate fountains and dozens of quiet paths. But there are also areas for kite flying and rollerblading. At the southeast corner is Wellington's Arch, leading to Green Park (next to Buckingham Palace).

A recent addition is the memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales. A large, granite-block structure, it remains very popular several years after her death. The area is often festooned with flowers.

After you've tired yourself out, be sure to visit the Albert Hall, completed in 1871 as a memorial to the Queen's consort. The oval hall has an impressive iron and glass domed roof. The 5,000 seat theater holds regular concerts and is a must-see.

The palace and gardens are easily accessible via the tube (the London Underground subway system). Exit at High Street Kensington.

Few prisons can claim to be as popular as the Tower of London, an attraction - unpleasant for some - for over 900 years. Its twenty towers are filled with an ancient tradition of royal blood, armor and jewels and the history to match.

The central structure began as a fort - used by the original builder William the Conqueror who completed the first tower around 1100 AD. At its completion it was the tallest building in London. Henry III had it whitewashed in the 13th century and the name, White Tower, has stuck.

Later it evolved into a prison, used by Henry VII (and many others). Still later - and continuing to this day - it has acted as a repository for the extensive collection of crown jewels. Henry VII, nearly always short of money, had few jewels to store.

But the stone complex, near the Tower Bridge alongside the River Thames, has also been used at various times to house the Royal Mint, the Public Records, the Royal Menagerie (later to form the starting point of the London Zoo) and an observatory (built in 1675).

Since Henry VII appointed them in 1485, the Tower has been guarded by the Yeoman Warders - popularly known as 'Beefeaters', with their distinctive red costumes. The function is now performed by retired military personnel.

The spiral staircase running up the interior is the only path up and it leads to the Royal Armouries - Britain's national museum of arms and armor, with 40,000 pieces on display. Beginning public display during the reign of Charles II, the armory is Britain's oldest public museum.

Other buildings were added through the centuries, including the Middle Tower, the Byward Tower, Garden (Bloody) Tower, and Traitor's Gate across the moat. The moat, fortunately, was drained around the time of the last tower built (in 1843).

Through the centuries the prison has had several famous - usually royal - tenants, including Anne Boleyn (Henry VIII's second wife), the famed 'little princes' (alleged victims of Richard III), and Sir Walter Raleigh. All that murderous history can be seen in the racks and other torture devices still on display, not to mention the still bloody stones here and there.

The centerpiece of interest for most visitors is, without question, the Crown Jewels housed in the Jewel House, Waterloo Block. Here are dozens of crowns, jeweled scabbards, and an array of emerald and ruby studded collars, necklaces and the like.

There are several famous large stones housed here including the Cullinan II, set in the Imperial State Crown used for Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838. Not to be outshone, there's also the equally famous Kohinoor ("Mountain of Light"), over 200 carats.

But, the centerpiece of the jewels collection is the 530-carat Star of Africa. This egg-sized diamond was cut down from the much larger Cullinan, originally over 3,000 carats, extracted from a South African mine at the beginning of the 20th century.

For those with the time, who plan ahead, there's one attraction here that's held after closing: The Ceremony of the Keys. Held nightly between 9:30 and 10:00 the ritual has been performed without interruption for 700 years. Now that's tradition.

Much of London, for the tourist anyway, is historical. Ancient buildings and centuries old monuments. Palaces and works of art from the ages. But not Harrods. Harrods, even while its origins are from over 150 years ago, is as up-to-date as the latest computer.

The world's greatest department store was established on its current site in 1849 by Charles Henry Harrod, a wholesale grocer. Harrod's son Charles Digby rapidly grew the business and by 1880 employed 100 staff.

Never one to be bowed by setbacks, not even a devastating fire in 1883, Harrods went on to make all its Christmas deliveries in that year and many since. Whether flying fresh fish to Alfred Hitchcock or embalming Sigmund Freud's body, the store that promises 'Everything to Everybody Everywhere' never fails to deliver.

Much of the architectural additions - including terracotta tiles and Art Nouveau windows topped with a baroque dome - can still be seen by a careful observer. What you won't see is the original Winnie-the-Pooh. A.A. Milne took that home for his son, Christopher Robin.

Throughout the decades Harrods has housed a funeral service, a lending library, and even sold airplanes and elephants. Today, the selection is possibly larger. The expansion began when the Fayed family acquired the House of Fraser Group (and thereby Harrods) for £615 million ($1.1 billion) in 1985. Another £300 million investment for refurbishment has brought the department store to its current peak.

For those looking not merely to buy - but to experience - on any given day you may find opera singers performing at the top of the Egyptian Escalators or a future star serving at one of the counters. Pierce Brosnan once worked in the Pharmacy and the original Darth Vader was a fitness consultant in the sports department.

While your 'assistant' is booking theater tickets, have a facial in the salon or relax at the Irish spa. When you're done, visit Donatella Versace discussing a new perfume.

But for those who do want to shop... Wow!

In these seven floors, once housing the world's first escalator, can be found 4.5 acres of... well, everything. And thanks to the 12,000 lightbulbs you'll have no difficulty seeing it. Even if all you want is a humble drink of cool water, you can have a sip drawn from one of the under-the-site artesian wells. (The deepest is 489 ft, 149 m).

Here you can purchase any of over 300 varieties of cheese or have a unique chocolate drink, such as an Italian 'suckao' available from the Chocolate Bar. You could even purchase your own custom-made Madame Tussaud's waxwork - for a mere £250,000 ($442,000). If you're on a budget, you can bid for the £20,000 ($35,000) 24-karat gold Lindt bunny.

On the way out, since you haven't any money left, take a look at the extraordinary chandeliers or the specialized jewelry. But be sure to bring your ear plugs and elbow pads. Harrods is full not only of a million square feet of merchandise, but hordes of shoppers and visitors from all over the world.

Harrods is easily accessible via the tube (the London Underground subway system). Exit at the Knightsbridge station.

Church, burial ground, coronation site and much more, Westminster Abbey continues to attract visitors over 900 years after its founding.

In many respects the architecture is common. There's the traditional cross-shaped floor plan with a nave, north and south transepts and several round side areas. But both its execution and use raise The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster (the official name) to among the highest examples of church construction.

For, here lie buried kings and poets, scientists and philosophers who have themselves raised humankind to the highest levels. Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell (discoverer of electromagnetic theory, which later lead to radio and TV), Chaucer and Kipling, Dr. Samuel Johnson (creator of the first English dictionary) and many other justly famous names are interred here.

Here lie many of the kings of English history. Henry III, for example, who reigned from the age of nine for 56 years, is buried in the Abbey. Much of the current structure owes its origins to his efforts.

New discoveries are still being made within its walls. As recently as 2005 the burial tomb of its founder, Edward the Confessor (Edward I) was discovered beneath a 1268 AD Cosmati mosaic. A number of other royal tombs dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries were also found using ground penetrating radar.

But far from being merely about the dead, here the centuries of history come alive. Still an active church, Westminster Abbey is the site of services and events for all denominations. Used for every coronation since William the Conqueror's in 1066, pageantry combines with austerity to create an atmosphere of grandeur.

That grandeur can be seen in the enormous vaulted ceilings, typical of early Gothic design. But the artistic grandeur combines with technological brilliance. Just as one example, the support arches are not the ornate visible ones, but are actually enclosed within the thick stone roof.

The art housed by the Abbey makes the site worth visiting. Inside the west entrance is a portrait of Richard II, painted in 1390, making it one of the oldest known contemporary portraits of a British monarch.

There are several outstanding monuments in the nave, including those depicting Winston Churchill and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior of WWI. This last was the last full-body interment in the abbey. Only containers of ashes are allowed now.

From the cloister, walk to the octagonal Chapter House near Poet's Corner, one of the earliest constructed sections, built at the time of Henry III. Here you can see the mixture of architectural styles forming the Abbey, as the result of additions made over the centuries.

Stroll over to the south transept to view the original rose window with its nearby rare medieval sculpture. Three dimensional art was often considered sinful during the period.

Then stand near the center where the various architectural elements join and take in a 360 degree view. Almost 1,000 years of history in a brief glance, still alive and still being made.

The Abbey is easily reached by the tube (the London Underground subway system). Exit at the St James Park stop.