London is annually one of the top destinations for tourists in all of Europe, and with very good reason. There are an endless amount of things to see and do in this stunning city.
The capitol of England is a great place for people to visit if they have a passion for history. The city is known for having some of the best museums in the world. There is so much to do that you will need to plan your trip wisely in order to make sure that you see the key attractions that you are most interested in.
You should read Hipmunk’s guide to staying in London before you go on your trip. You will find the information it contains to be very useful once you arrive. Here is a guide to some of London’s thrilling sights.
1. The Tower of London
You will definitely know this ancient building once you see it. This is because it is very hard to miss its architecture in the middle of downtown London.
The building was constructed roughly 900 years ago by the legendary William the Conqueror. For centuries, it served as a prison, as well as the site for countless executions. Those days are long gone. Nowadays, it is one of the cities’ top tourist attractions. Visitors are free to tour the bowels of the dungeon to see where many of the condemned men were kept before their executions.
There are also some ancient torture devices on display. These are a reminder of the Tower of London’s brutal history. However, the building is most famous today for being the place where the royal family’s famous Crown Jewels collection is housed. They are some of the most valuable jewels in the world.
Tower of London at night (Photo credit: Stewart Morris at Flickr)
2. Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is not in London, but it is close enough that you can easily visit it during your stay without the need to get a hotel room in another city. You will only need to take a one hour train ride through the beautiful and scenic British countryside.
Once you arrive, you will experience one of the greatest sights in England. The castle itself has been around for many centuries, currently serving as the weekend retreat of the Queen.
A tour is well worth the money because a large portion of the castle is open to the public. You will see many ancient artifacts and paintings by some of the greatest artists in history. This is definitely an attraction that must be at the top of your list.
Windsor Castle (Photo Credit: Craig on Flickr)
3. Buckingham Palace
If you are going to see where Queen Elizabeth lives on the weekend, you might as well visit the place where she lives during the rest of the week.
Buckingham Palace is much newer than Windsor castle, being completed in the middle of the 19th century. While a tour of the palace is available for the public, you should be aware that not nearly as much of it is open to the public as there is in Windsor Castle. However, it is a worthwhile experience to see where many generations of royalty have lived during the past 170 years.
You will also want to experience the famous changing of the guards, which happens daily in the front of the palace. There is no fee to watch it.
The Gates of Buckingham Palace (Photo Credit: Nicholas Schooley at Flickr)
This article was contributed by Fiona Moriarty of Hipmunk, a travel website that offers customers a fast and easy way to find the best travel deals.
