10 best things you must do
London has 101 different things to do, but which are the ten best? We’ve drawn up a list of the 10 best tourist sights and attractions that we think you’ll most enjoy.
#1 – Changing of the Guard
No trip would be complete without seeing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. It starts at 11.30AM in the summer and every other day in the winter. If you arrive early then you can take up a position outside the front gates.
#2 – Whispering Gallery
A trip to St. Paul’s is a must, and so is a go on her ‘Whispering Gallery’. The huge dome rises 259 steps above the mosaic floor and, due to a bizarre acoustic effect, everything said on one side can be equally understood on the other – 107-feet away.
#3 – Boat trip from Greenwich
After spending the day in Greenwich, treat yourself to a boat trip down the Thames. It will take you past the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf, sweeping under Tower Bridge and past St. Paul’s Cathedral, before dropping you off under the shadow of Big Ben.
#4 – See a play at the Globe
Get a taste of Elizabethean London at the Globe Theatre. We suggest that you forgo the seats and take your place as a ‘groundling’, standing underneath the Shakespearean stage. Opening times: 10–6 (Mon–Sat); 10–5 (Sun, May–Dec); Box office, for theatre bookings - 10–6 (Mon–Sat). Cost: Adults £5.00.
#5 – Browse around Harrods
If you buy just one gift in London, make it from Harrods – the world’s greatest department store. People even come from miles away to go home with their dark green carrier bag. Opening times: 10–8 (Mon–Sat); noon–6 (Sun).
#6 – Speaker’s Corner on a Sunday
Speaker’s Corner near Marble Arch is the home of free speech. Anyone can get up and say their stuff, and part of the fun is listening to the hecklers – the best speakers are the ones which have a ready wit to put down the shouts with jokes.
#7 – Afternoon tea at The Ritz
The Ritz Hotel down Piccadilly is one of London’s finest, and a spot of afternoon tea in the Palm Court is a popular London pasttime. But be warned – scrub up and bring your wallet!
#8 – Highgate Cemetery
A guided tour of Hightgate Cemetery is a magical experience. The overgrown tombs and Victorian headstones transport you to a world miles away from the hustle and bustle of London. Opening times: 10–5 (Mon–Fri, Apr–Oct); 11–5 (Sat–Sun, Apr–Oct); 10–4 (Mon–Fri, Nov–Mar); 11–4 (Sat–Sun, Nov–Mar);. Cost: Adults £3.00; Children free (under-16).
#9 – Lunch in Covent Garden
The piazza in Covent Garden is a great place to have lunch. The place that gave birth to the Punch and Judy show now throngs with free street entertainment – musicians, acrobats and daredevil stuntmen.
#10 – Camden Market on a Saturday
London has a whole host of worthy markets – Portobello Road, Borough and Spitalfields to name but a few – but our favourite is Camden on a Saturday. Make sure you check out Stable Market, north of the lock. It’s undercover, darkly atmospheric and has to be seen to be believed. Opening times: 11–6.