London Travel Guide

Introduction

London looms large on world stage, no matter how you slice it. It is an international city, a cosmopolitan city, a political capital, a financial capital, a world-class city with stature. It is at once grand, majestic, royal and historic, and yet as wild and edgy as an unhinged British heavy-metal band. It is a city of contrast and diversity, unapologetically British, yet unwittingly cross-cultural. It is a city of tradition and punk rock, of the Queen's English and the street vendor's Cockney, of elitist, members-only clubs and beer-stained dingy dives. It is a city filled with world-renowned institutions, storied shopping districts and famous landmarks – the likes of Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Lloyd's, Sotheby's, the Tate Gallery, Madame Tussaud's, Big Ben, the Tower Bridge of London, the Thames, Hyde Park and Wimbledon, among others. And if you've ever played Monopoly, the board game, you'll know where all those colorful, coveted "properties" came from – Regent Street, Oxford Street, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square and others: you needn't look beyond the ritzy West End. Ultimately, one can safely say that London is by far the largest metropolitan area in not only the United Kingdom but all of Europe, and among the most-visited cities in the world, where the "Changing of the Guard" and the iconic London taxi continue to amuse and delight.

Location

London is situated in the southeast corner of the United Kingdom.

• How to Get There

• Sightseeing

• Neighborhoods

• How to Get Around

• Where to Stay

• Where to Eat

• Where to Party

• Essential Information

• Nearby Destinations

How to Get There

London is a major hub, well connected by motorways to other cities in England, Wales and Scotland. It also has five international airports, including London Heathrow, the busiest international airport in the world. Direct flights are available to London from several cities around the world, with all domestic carriers and a majority of international airlines flying in and out of London, making it easily accessible. There are also direct rail links between London and Paris and other capital and major cities in continental Europe.

Sightseeing

Main Neighborhoods

• City of London -

• City of Westminster -

West End -

Soho -

Oxford Street -

Regent Street -

Piccadilly -

Bond Street -

Trafalgar Square -

• Kensington and Chelsea -

Notting Hill - Cosmopolitan pocket of London, with an eclectic collection of shops, restaurants and cafés and Victorian townhouses. It is famously home to the colorful Portobello Road Market and the Notting Hill Carnival in August each year, and was the locale of the 1999 romantic comedy of the same name starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.

Knightsbridge - Uppity, super expensive residential area with a heap of upscale retail outlets. It lies partly in the City of Westminster and partly in Kensington, and takes its name from the Knightsbridge road that spans both boroughs. The iconic upmarket department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols are located here.

How to Get Around

Where to Party

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Know Before You Go

• Best Time to Visit: July-September

• Cost Per Day: £70-£350 (US$110-US$550)

• Currency: British Pound GBP (£1 ~ US$1.60)

• Electricity: 230V - 50Hz

• Phone Code: +44

• Population: 7.7 million (14 million in the greater metropolitan area)

• Official Website:

Nearby Destinations

• Edinburgh

• Dublin

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