London’s historic royal parks will play host to several Summer Olympics and Paralympics events in July, August, and September 2012. Throughout the Olympic Games from July 28 through August 11, 2012, there will be six giant screens with live coverage throughout the day for spectators in Hyde Park. Opening and closing ceremonies concerts in Hyde Park will be held on July 27 and August 12. Information about obtaining tickets is found here.
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens…and more unusual venues
Filed under England, Europe, London, London 2012 Summer Olympics, Travel & Leisure
You have likely heard that London is expensive. But there are plenty of free things to do. An activity-packed day in the center of the capital can easily be fully enjoyed for under a tenner – 10 pounds sterling today is about $15.
Museum Fatigue
Many of London’s 300 museums do not charge admission. Check out the Rosetta Stone and the Egyptian mummies collection at the British Museum, take your fill of Turner at the Tate, get up close and personal with Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” at the National Gallery.
Filed under England, Europe, History, London, Museums, Tips for Saving Money, Travel & Leisure, Walking Tours
St Mary Abbots Parish Church in Kensington, London
Greater London is divided into 32 boroughs, two of which are “royal”, due to the presence of a palace within their borders. Upscale Kensington and Chelsea is one, home to Kensington Palace, and the other is Kingston-upon-Thames, home to Hampton Court, famous as a retreat for Henry VIII. In further tribute during the 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations, HRH Queen Elizabeth II has bestowed a third royal borough designation upon Greenwich, home of the all-important Prime Meridian, to take effect February 3, 2012.
Filed under Europe, History, London, Museums, Travel & Leisure
There are guide books and websites galore for visitors to London. But then there are the places that tourists don’t know about…and they should!
Here’s an insider’s guide to five of the places which tick off two boxes at once, they combine history with a very tasty bite to eat.
Café in the Crypt at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London
The Orangery by Kensington Palace
If you are visiting London for the first time, you will find that it is a massive, sprawling city. No visitor can cover it all in one visit, so make a list of your five or ten must-not-miss sights. If you are planning your visit during the 2012 Olympics, there are even more reasons to plan ahead of the crowds.
Even after 24 years living in London, I certainly did not manage to see it all! Pace yourself and plan for any kind of weather. Pack a jumper, a brolly and a mac (that’s a sweater, an umbrella and a raincoat) for it can be damp and rarely hits 80 degrees. Luckily, it rarely snows, either so anytime of year will suit.
A London Thought for Today
“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” - Samuel Johnson
Top Five Sights for First Time Visitors are… ->
Buckingham Palace is on the list for a first visit to London
Filed under Lifestyle, London, Travel & Leisure
