18 million visitors a year can’t be wrong: London is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Sights, pubs, palaces, and parks – a city tour of London in ten stages.
Bridges
Tower Bridge, opened in 1894, is one of London’s landmarks. In the old engine room, visitors can see the boilers and steam engines that used to open the bascule bridge to ships. And if you don’t have a head for heights, you can walk 42 meters above the Thames on the Skywalk, which is equipped with a glass floor.
River Thames
Many of London’s top sights are lined up along the Thames. For example, if you walk along the riverbank in the South Bank district, you will see the London Eye, the Westminster Palace, where the British Parliament meets, and the famous Big Ben clock tower (from left to right).
Museums
London’s museums are among the best in the world, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Tate Modern (photo). The Tate Modern showcases contemporary art in a huge former power station. And like many other museums in London, entry to the Tate Modern is free.
Music
Concerts, concerts, concerts – if you like music, you should come to London. Whether it’s small pub gigs, megastar concerts or open-air festivals like British Summer Time here in Hyde Park, there are places with live music all over the city.
Palaces
Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II. The official palace rooms can be visited from July to October each year when the Queen is in Scotland. If you want more royal flair: There are also guided tours in other palaces of the British monarchy, such as Kensington Palace.
Parks
With its many parks, woods and gardens, London has more greenery to offer than most other major cities in the world. The most famous is Hyde Park, the green lung of London and one of the largest inner-city parks in the world. Anyone who feels the need to say out loud what he/she thinks on a Sunday – the “Speakers’ Corner” in Hyde Park is the ideal place to raise your voice.
Shopping
No matter what style, no matter what price category, you can find everything in London: from chic boutiques to large department stores to small second-hand shops. There are also many food, flower, fashion and antique markets in the city on weekends. Especially popular with young people: Camden Market (photo).
Churches
Next to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey (photo) is the most famous church in London. Westminster Abbey has been the coronation church of the British royal family since 1066. Elizabeth II was crowned here in 1952. The Gothic church also hosted the funeral of Princess Diana and the wedding of Prince William and Kate.
Skyscraper
London from above: “The Shard” on the south bank of the Thames offers a spectacular viewing platform at a height of 244 meters. The high-rise made of glass and steel is the tallest building in Western Europe and was designed by star architect Renzo Piano.
Pubs
What would London be without its traditional pubs? In addition to a large selection of beers, the public houses, or pubs for short, usually also have typical British snacks and specialties such as fish and chips or meat pies.
