LONDON
COUNTRY CODE: GB
Currency: British pounds, £1 = 100 pence

LONDON

In the sixties it was “Swinging London” Some thirty years
later it was “Cool Britannia” And since then…. Well, London is
still the place to be! Its vibrant culture just keeps expanding
and developing, and you can feel the buzz as soon as you
arrive. And there’s more to come. Thanks to London’s
successful bid for the 2012 Olympics, the city will change
and reinvent itself at a pace not witnessed since the days of
Queen Victoria.

THE CITY

London is changing and it’s changing fast.
Look across the skyline and you will see
not only the familiar landmarks – Big Ben,
St Paul’s and Buckingham Palace – but also
extraordinary new buildings such as the
Swiss Re Tower, known as the “Gherkin”
because of its shape, and the new County
Hall, quietly gazing over the river Thames.
Take a ride on the London Eye, the world’s
largest observation wheel offering a
spectacular view over the city. Take in over
55 of London’s most famous landmarks.
At the heart of London is Soho and its mix
of narrow streets and alleys, trendy shops,
elegant bars, and theatres. Notting Hill,
well-known from the movie of the same
name, attracts ever increasing numbers of
visitors. Despite this, it has managed to
retain its character of an eccentric village
where some people still get the Sunday
papers in their pyjamas.
And there’s more to come. Over the next
two decades, London will see new
development on a scale not witnessed
since the days of Queen Victoria and will
build up even more momentum for
regeneration, thanks to London’s
successful bid for the 2012 Olympics.
Stroll down famous Oxford Street where
you’ll find Selfridge’s, one of London’s best
department stores. Close to Oxford Street
is fashionable Bond Street in Mayfair,
where more and more interesting shops
have opened over the last couple of years.
New Bond Street boasts a concentration of
some of the biggest designer shops in the
world, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Donna Karan
and Versace to name a few. Bond Street
also houses Sotheby’s auction house and a
number of antique stores.
London may be a city, but that doesn’t
mean sacrificing nature and wildlife, there
are plenty of green and open spaces to
enjoy. With eight Royal Parks you’re spoilt
for choice and can enjoy everything from
boating lakes, golf courses, outdoor
theatres and relaxing on deckchairs.
Some of the bestknown parks are Green
Park, between Buckingham Palace and
Piccadilly, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park,
Kensington Gardens, Regent’s Park, with
it’s Open Air Theatre, St James’s Park
facing Buckingham Palace and Richmond
Park, the former hunting park of King
Charles I featuring roaming deer and other
wildlife.

DO & SEE
Few cities have as many sights as London.
Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Towern, Hyde Park,
St Paul’s Cathedral to name but a few.
They all fit into the tourist cliché, but they
are all worth visiting and a "must" if
you´ve never been to London.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has been the London
home of the Royal Family since 1837, but
it first opened its doors to the public in
1993. The State Rooms contain some of
the finest treasures from the Royal
Collection - paintings, sculptures and some
of the finest English and French furniture in
the world. Enjoy a walk in the Palace’s
39-acre garden with its superb views of the
Garden, front of the Palace and the
19th-century lake.

Tower Of London

Construction begun in 1078 by William the
Conqueror. Today the Tower of London is
one of the most famous fortified buildings
in the world. Here you can see the
priceless Crown Jewels, the Medieval
Palace and the infamous Bloody Tower.

British Museum

The British Museum is regarded as one of
the biggest and finest museums in the
world. It attracts 6 million visitors yearly.
Exhibition highlights are the Assyrian
treasures, the Egyptian mummies and the
spectacular, light-filled Great Court.

Houses Of Parliament

The neo-Gothic brilliance of the Houses of
Parliament is impressive. It was built by
Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin in 1840.
Together with its clocktower, Saint
Stephen’s Tower, the clock itself, Big Ben,
the best-known of London’s many symbols.

London Eye

137 metres in height, this smart-looking
observation wheel, with 32 capsules each
holding 25 people, gives a superb view of
London. A “flight”, as a turn is called, takes
30 minutes.

The Victoria & Albert Museum

The V & A, as it’s commonly known, has
breathtaking collections of almost
everything from Islamic art to iconic
clothing by Vivienne Westwood. However,
it is the always stunningly designed
exhibitions that truly set the V & A apart.

Tate Modern
Housed in a former power station, Tate
Modern is both imposing and impressive
even before you enter it. Since opening in
2000, TM has become one of London’s lead
attractions thanks to high-profile
exhibitions of artists like Andy Warhol,
Joseph Beuys and Frida Kahlo.

Shakespeare’s Globe
The Globe is a reconstruction of the
original Globe Theatre, co-owned by
William Shakespeare and the theatre
where he first staged many of his plays. It
burned down in 1613 during a performance
of Henry VIII. Now, almost 400 years later,
it has risen again almost on the same spot.

Food

It may surprise you to hear that Britain´s
favourite food is - Chicken Tikka Masala.
The popularity of Indian cuisine means that
you will find Indian restaurants in
practically every neighbourhood in London.
Traditional English restaurants are much
rarer (if you want roast beef or saddle of
mutton the best bet is still
Simpson´s-in-the-Strand, 100 the Strand,
WC2, tel. +44 (0)20 7836 9112). Although
English cuisine has seen a revival and a
renewal in the restaurants and in recipes of
celebrated chefs such as Gordon Ramsay,
Marco Pierre White and Fergus Henderson.
Between the curry and the Welsh rarebit,
just about every other cuisine in the world
is represented in London, and often at a
world-class level. This is particularly true of
major cuisines such as Italian, Chinese,
French and Indian.

BARS & NIGHTLIFE

Londoners are not just into music. The
truth is they’re mad about it and their
sheer love and enthusiasm for music has
played no small part in creating what is
undoubtedly one of the most vibrant club
scenes in the world, with venues ranging
from mega big, ultra sleek designed clubs
to small DJ bars.
There are trendy and classical bars
everywhere in London. But if you want to
do a hip barhop Soho, Hoxton/Shoreditch
and Clerkenwell are the areas to visit. Here
are a few selected bars and pubs, both
classic and modern:

Airports

London is served by five major airports:
Heathrow (www.heathrowairport.com),
Gatwick (www.gatwickairport.com),
Stansted (www.stanstedairport.com),
London City Airport
(www.londoncityairport.com) and Luton
(www.london-luton.co.uk).
The high-speed Heathrow Express train is
£16.50 and takes 15 minutes to
Paddington Station. Gatwick is 28 miles
from London, and a 30-minute train ride
on the Gatwick Express gets you to Victoria
Station for £16.90. The Stansted Express
connects Stansted Airport and Liverpool
Street Station with a single journey costing
£17. London City Airport is located in the
city itself and is served by the DLR which
easily connects to the Underground. Luton
Airport is 34 miles from the city and is
served by several coach companies. The
cheapest is Easybus (www.easybus.co.uk),
offering tickets from £2.

Public transport

Public transport in London mainly consists
of buses, the vast underground system
with 11 lines and the DLR (Docklands Light
Railway). The ”tube” (underground) is
legendary and the quickest and easiest
way to get around, especially during rush
hour. The underground runs until 12.30
Mon-Sat, and until 11.30 on Sundays.
If you’re not in a hurry, buses are a
pleasant and interesting way to get
around. Viewing the city from the top of a
red double-decker is a classic London
experience. More and more of London’s

A smart idea is to buy a London Travelpass
that will give you unlimited travel on
London’s buses, underground trains,
national rail trains, Docklands light rail and
Tramlink, for the dates and duration you
require.

Taxi
Riding in one of a London’s famous black
cabs is a must. They are excellent with lots
of space for legs and shopping bags.
Minicabs are another alternative.

Telephone
Country code: +44
Area code: 020

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