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Introducing London
Having worked hard to break down the negative stereotypes it has enjoyed over the years, London now assumes the mantle of one of the world’s great cities with ease, crowning itself Napoleon-style by hosting its third Olympic games in 2012. It’s safe to say that London has not exuded so much confidence since the heady days of empire in the late 19th century, even despite the economic crisis that has seen the city’s status as the world’s pre-eminent financial centre take a wobble.
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London has been called a ‘world in one city’ and that’s not just empty rhetoric. The brilliant feat carried off here is that while immigrants, the city’s life blood, continue to flow in and contribute their energy and cultures to the capital’s already spicy melting pot, London nevertheless feels quintessentially British, whether it’s those boxy black cabs, the red double deckers or those grand symbols of Britain – the mother of all parliaments at Westminster, the silhouette of Tower bridge above the muddy Thames or the already world-famous London Eye, barely a decade old.
Don’t miss these essential sights of course, but equally ensure you partake in what really makes London great: a pint and a plate of fish n’ chips by the river, a day in the park or a night out in Soho or Shoreditch. Take a deep breath and prepare to fall in love with the British capital..
Make it happen
Ready to go? These recommended partners make it easy:
- explore London over four days
- day trip to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath
- save time and money with the London Pass
- search for cheap flights to London
- journey across the channel Paris Rail Day Trip from London
Last updated: Oct 22, 2009
Tips & articles
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Get your skates on: holiday-season ice-skating
7 December 2009
This winter, the world is your ice rink! We pick the top spots to get your skates on and glide into...
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Travel trivia: 10 geeky facts from around the globe
7 December 2009
All-surprising stats and fantastical facts, our info nerds’ world tour will have you pointing out the...
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Best of Britain: traditional dishes
30 November 2009
There’s so much more to traditional British food than fry-ups and white bread sarnies. Try these...
London
Recommended things to do & see
- Entertainment (255)
- Restaurants (263)
- Shopping (121)
- Sights (219)
- Hotels & hostels
Our Top Picks For London
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1 Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree
Get festive with carol singing by this huge Norwegian spruce every Monday evening until 22 December
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2 Ice skate at the Tower of London
Get your skates on for the rare opportunity to ice-skate on a moat!
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3 Camp out at the Science Museum
Take the kids camping at the Science Museum. Science Night is packed full of activities for the kids, ending with a sleepover.
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4 Sundays at Spitalfields Market
Sift through the stalls of clothes and accessories from independent designers, find new and vintage homewares, vinyl, old turntables...
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5 Cruise the Thames
From the river, the skyline offers the classics: Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge; and the modern masters: the London Eye, Tate Modern, the Millennium Bridge, City Hall and the 'Gherkin'
Fast Facts about London
- The Great Frost In 1683 the Thames froze solid for eight weeks. A frost fair was held on the ice, with market stalls and buffoonery aplenty.
- Game, set, sweetness More than 27 tonnes of strawberries and 7000L of cream are consumed every year during the two weeks of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.
- London characters - Harold Shand Cockney gangster played by Bob Hoskins in the 1980 film The Long Good Friday. Self-made brute-in-a-suit guvnor type done so well by on-screen Brits.
- London Characters - Ellen Bulfield During WW1, over 18,000 male bus conductors marched off to war. Ellen was one of thousands of women who replaced them and was the very last female 'clippy' to hand back the job at war's end.
- Wild animals of London If lucky you may spy such critters as hedgehogs, stag beetles, slow worms, dormice, great crested newts, badgers, bats and water voles. Rumours of werewolves abound.
Related Groups
Our favourite London Blogs (beta)
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Chilli Cool Sichuan, King’s Cross
Blog: An American in London - 8 December 2009
A few weeks ago, I ate at Sichuan-heavy Ba Shan, where, except for the kung pao chicken, everything I ordered was mediocre and relatively pricey. And then I read this positive review of Chilli Cool Sichuan Restaurant by blogger, Mr. Noodles, who is a regular there, and I knew I’d have to try it [...]
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I Still Love London
Blog: Twenty-Something Travel - 6 December 2009
Even if you’ve only been paying minimal attention the past couple weeks, you can probably tell that I am a huge London person. Our love affair began on my first trip abroad at 15 years old. Later I returned to study Victorian literature there and after graduation I came back to work there. The city [...]
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Coffee of the day: The Troubadour, London – UK
Blog: Nomadic Notes Travel Blog - 4 December 2009
When I’m in London I usually stay around the Earl’s Court/Gloucester Rd area. It’s in well to do leafy West London and has good transport connections. It is also home to one of my favourite cafe’s – the Troubadour. The Troubadour has been around since 1954 and it was a famous music venue in the 60’s. [...]
