The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

The British Museum houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. A collection of immense importance for its range and quality, it includes objects of all periods from virtually every site of importance in Egypt and the Sudan. Together they illustrate every aspect of the cultures of the Nile Valley (including Nubia), from the Predynastic Neolithic period (c. 10,000 BC) through to the Coptic (Christian) times (12th century AD), a time-span over 11,000 years.

The Museum includes some of the world’s most important treasures, including the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin marbles. Admission to the Museum is FREE!

The nearest Tube Station is Holburn on the Central and Piccadilly line and Goodge Street on the Northern Line.

Buckingham Palace is the London home and primary residence of the British Royal Family. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focus for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.

Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today’s palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1705 on a site which had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was subsequently acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte, and known as “The Queen’s House”.

During the 19th century it was enlarged, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.

Every year some 50,000 invited guests are entertained at garden parties, receptions, audiences, and banquets. The Garden Parties, usually three, are held in the summer, usually in July. The Forecourt of Buckingham Palace is used for Changing of the Guard, a major ceremony and tourist attraction (daily during the summer months; every other day during the winter).

The nearest Underground Stations to Buckingham Palace are Victoria from where the palace is signposted. The nicest route is to walk across Green Park, from Green Park Tube, you can also use St Jame’s Park tube.

The Churchill War Rooms share premises in Horse Guards Road in central London which are part of the basement of what is now HM Treasury. The War Rooms were constructed in 1938 and were heavily used by Winston Churchill during World War II. Engineered as a bunker, the facility was equipped with a steel-reinforced “roof”. However, the Churchill War Rooms were vulnerable to a direct hit and were abandoned not long after the war. They were opened to the public in 1984 and are now maintained by the Imperial War Museum.

The first London museum of its kind, the Churchill War Rooms covers all ninety years of Winston Churchill’s life, divided into five chapters: his early year’s as British Prime Minister starting May 1940; his later years; his childhood; his early political career and the period famously known as the ‘Gathering Storm’.

The Churchill War Rooms uses cutting edge technology and unique media displays to chart the life of Winston Churchill, including a fifteen metre long ‘Lifeline’, which visitors can touch to access a digital ‘filing cabinet’ of Churchill’s life, categorised by time.

The London Pass

This attraction is included in the London Pass, The Pass gives you free entry to over 55 top London attractions and tours. You can also add a Travelcard option to The London Pass which gives you unlimited travel on all public transport including the Tube. Plus you can skip the lines at various attractions.
CLICK HERE to read all about the London Pass.

Based on the award winning film that was the highest grossing film in the UK in 1990, Ghost the Musical is a timeless story about the power of love. Originally starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, who won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, it’s a tale of tragedy and loss but above all love. When Sam is killed in a mugging, leaving Molly alone and in danger, his ghost, trapped between this world and the next, tries to reach her with the help of a phony psychic.

The show which premiered in Manchester before moving to the West End, has been adapted for the stage by Bruce Joel Rubin, who won an Oscar for the original screenplay. Directed by Matthew Warchus, it features music by Glen Ballard, Dave Stewart of the Eurhythmics and the the unforgettable Righteous Brothers hit song, Unchained Melody.

Richard Fleeshman who made his West End debut last year in Legally Blonde, plays Sam, opposite Molly, well seasoned Broadway actress Caissie Levy. Sharon D Clarke, well known from TVs Holby and many West End shows, takes the part originally played by Whoopi Goldberg of slightly bonkers but loveable clairvoyant Oda Mae Brown. A visually spectacular show with plenty of special effects, OK! magazine said ‘A visual sensation that thrills, amazes and pulls at the heart strings. Richard Fleeshman is vocally outstanding, Caissie Levy is heartbreaking and Sharon D Clarke steals the show. Ghost should run and run for years to come’.

‘Ghost’ is now playing at the Piccadilly Theatre, the Theatre is located on the corner of Denman Street and Sherwood Street. Bookings are being taken until 28th January 2012. The Piccadilly Theatre is one of the largest theatres to be built in London, the Piccadilly was opened in 1928 and originally used as a cinema. It premiered the very first talking film to be shown in Britain and has since become a home to plays, musicals and ballet productions, it is easily reached by tube and the nearest station is Piccadilly Circus.

Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames. It was originally built for Cardinal Wolsey, a favourite of King Henry VIII, circa 1514; in 1529, as Wolsey fell from favour, the palace was passed to the King, who enlarged it.

The following century, William III’s massive rebuilding and expansion project intended to rival Versailles was begun. Work halted in 1694, leaving the palace in two distinct contrasting architectural styles, domestic Tudor and Baroque. While the palace’s styles are an accident of fate, a unity exists due to the use of pink bricks and a symmetrical, albeit vague, balancing of successive low wings.

Today, the palace is open to the public, and a major tourist attraction. It is cared for by an independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces which receives no funding from the Government or the Crown.

Getting to Hampton Court Palace:There is no direct Tube/Underground link to Hampton Court, but South West Trains run services direct from London Waterloo to Hampton Court. The journey only takes 35 minutes and the palace is a 200 metre walk across the bridge from the station. The train service passes through Wimbledon station, where the London Underground District Line begins.

Trains also call at Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden, Berrylands, Surbiton and Thames Ditton. On arrival at Hampton Court station there is a large step down to the platform from the train. Hampton Court is in Travel Zone 6 so travelcards that include zone 6 may be used.

The London Pass

This attraction is included in the London Pass, The Pass gives you free entry to over 55 top London attractions and tours. You can also add a Travelcard option to The London Pass which gives you unlimited travel on all public transport including the Tube. Plus you can skip the lines at various attractions.
CLICK HERE to read all about the London Pass.

Highgate Cemetery is located in North London and is Grade 1 designated on the English Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. The cemetery is split into two parts known as the East and West cemetery and was opened in 1839. It became a fashionable burial ground during the Victorian era when elaborate funerals and ostentatious memorials were popular and contains many Gothic tombs and buildings which were much admired and visited at that time.

Don’t miss the full size, carved grand piano, which marks the grave of a musician!. Situated on a south facing hillside the grounds abound with tree’s, shrubs and wild flowers and are a haven for wildlife. The oldest part of the cemetery is the West Side, which houses the Egyptian Avenue and the Circle of Lebanon, it contains an impressive collection of Victorian mausoleums, carved tombs and gravestones and for it’s protection, admission is only allowed in tour groups. The East Side of the cemetery can be visited unescorted and contains a mix of Victorian and modern memorials, both sections are still used for burials.

The West Side of the cemetery, with it’s decaying tombstones, stone tunnels and overgrown shrubbery, has been used as the setting for numerous horror films. There are many famous graves within the grounds, most of the historically prominent figures lie in the West Side where escorted tours are available to the public. Long favoured by authors, poets, politicians and scholars as a final resting place, amongst many others it contains the graves of authors Beryl Bainbridge and Stella Gibbons, poet Christina Rosetti, actor Patrick Wymark and the Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko who was murdered by poisoning in London. The East Cemetery houses the impressive tomb of Karl Marx, the graves of author George Eliot [Mary Ann Cross], actors Sir Ralph Richardson, Sheila Gish and comedian Max Wall.

There are over 200 official war graves within the cemetery, many from WW1. One of Londons greatest treasures, this tranquil site is rich in history, architecture, flora and fauna and in recent years much sensitive restoration has taken place after years of neglect. Highgate Cemetery can be reached by Bus and Underground using Highgate Tube Station or Archway Tube Station both on the Northern Line.

The HMS Belfast is the only surviving ship of her type that actively served during the Second World War, she is now moored in an idyllic location on the River Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. Although this may not be the first attraction that springs to mind on a visit to London it is a unique experience that could be the perfect antidote to all those historic buildings!

Launched in 1938 HMS Belfast served with distinction in both the Second World War and the Korean War and participated in the destruction of the German battle cruiser ‘Scharnhorst’. Commissioned into the Royal Navy in August 1939 just a month later with the rest of the country Belfast found herself at war. At that time she was the largest and arguably the most powerful cruiser in the Navy. The ship had an unlucky start, in November 1939 whilst leaving the Firth of Forth in Scotland, HMS Belfast was severely damaged by a German magnetic mine. The damage was so severe that it was almost three years before she was fit for action. The ship then remained on active service until 1952, taking part in the Normandy landings and the Korean War.

HMS Belfast was saved from destruction by one of her former Captains, visitors can take a tour and experience what life was like for those who served in her. Nine decks are open to the public, see the Admiral’s bridge, restored crew compartments and the ship’s various other facilities, including the sick bay, chapel, NAAFI and mess decks. You will experience the sights, sounds and smells of life aboard ship and be transported back in time, to those dangerous war years. Permanent exhibitions include ‘HMS Belfast in War and Peace’ and ‘Life at Sea’ and visitors are urged to make use of the multilingual audio commentary provided and wear appropriate footwear as this historic ship has sloped ladders between decks. Due to the nature of the ship, wheelchair access is limited, but a shortened tour is possible and assistance dogs are welcome. Refreshments are provided in the Walrus cafe which serves sandwiches, drinks and snacks, in Zone 3.

An interesting and informative experience for children and adults alike, HMS Belfast is easily reached by Tube via London Bridge station on the Northern and Jubilee Lines and also by Monument Tube Station on the Circle and District Line.

The London Pass

This attraction is included in the London Pass, The Pass gives you free entry to over 55 top London attractions and tours. You can also add a Travelcard option to The London Pass which gives you unlimited travel on all public transport including the Tube. Plus you can skip the lines at various attractions.
CLICK HERE to read all about the London Pass.

Horse Guards Parade is situated in Whitehall Central London, this vast parade ground is where the Queen takes the salute at the Trooping of The Colour ceremony, held to mark her official birthday. Formerly the site of the Palace of Whitehall’s tiltyard, tournaments were held in the time of Henry VIII and also annual birthday celebrations for Queen Elizabeth 1. The headquarters of the Household Division, the Household Cavalry has performed the Queen’s Life Guard there in a daily ceremony almost unchanged for over 350 years. The traditional entrance to the Royal Palaces of St James’s and Buckingham Palace it is still guarded by mounted sentries from the Queen’s Household Cavalry and has been used to stage reviews and parades since the 17th century. Two mounted cavalry troopers are posted outside every day from 10 till 4 and are relieved every hour at the Guard Changing Ceremony.

The building which fronts Horse Guard Parade was designed by the Chief Architect to George II, William Kent and was at one time the Headquarters of the British Army. On the north side lie the Old Admiralty and the Admiralty Citadel and on the south, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, also the rear garden wall of 10 Downing Street, however access to this side of Horse Guards Parade is restricted for security purposes. The parade ground is ringed by a number of military monuments and trophies, notably the Guards Memorial which was erected to commemorate the First Battle of Ypres and other battles of World War 1. The Royal Naval Division Memorial, designed by Sir Edward Lutyens was returned to it’s original site at Horse Guards Parade in 2003. The double sided clock which overlooks the Parade Ground has a black background to the number 2 and is believed to pay tribute to the last absolute monarch of England, Charles 1, who was beheaded at the Banqueting House opposite.

The Household Cavalry Museum sits within Horse Guards, one of the city’s most historic buildings. The Regiment was formed in 1661 under the direct order of King Charles II, it now consists of two senior Regiments, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. They have two roles to fufil – as a mounted regiment to guard the Queen on ceremonial occasions – as an operational regiment serving around the world in armoured fighting vehicles, the Guards currently have units deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Interactive displays, personal stories and the opportunity to see troopers working with horses in the original 18th century stables, make this an exciting and unique experience.

A temporary arena will be built at Horse Guards Parade for the 2012 London Olympics, with sand brought in to create London’s very own ‘beach’ for the Beach Volley Ball tournament of the London Olympics.

The nearest Tube stations to Horse Guards Parade are Westminster on the Circle, District and Jubilee lines and Embankment Tube Station which is on the following tube lines Bakerloo, Northern, Circle and District line.

The London Pass

This attraction is included in the London Pass, The Pass gives you free entry to over 55 top London attractions and tours. You can also add a Travelcard option to The London Pass which gives you unlimited travel on all public transport including the Tube. Plus you can skip the lines at various attractions.
CLICK HERE to read all about the London Pass.

The Imperial War Museum London is unique in its coverage of conflicts, especially those involving Britain and the Commonwealth. The Museum spans a huge range of activities not only at its main London location but also at its four further branches: the Churchill War Rooms in Whitehall, the historic ship HMS Belfast, moored in the Pool of London.

The Second World War galleries at the IWM explore the complex political developments of Nazi Germany and the resulting conflicts. The Holocaust Exhibition contains historic photographs, documents, newspaper cuttings, posters and film to tell the story of the persecution of Jews and other groups by the Nazis during WWII.

The Large Exhibits Gallery is full of military weapons and machines such as anks, a First World War submachine gun and a ‘Salamander’ jet fighter. The collection is presents history in an engaging and accessible manner for visitors of all ages.

The nearest tube station to the Imperial War Museum is Lambeth North on the Bakerloo Line and the Elepant & Castle is not to far away on the Northern Line.

The London Pass

This attraction is included in the London Pass, The Pass gives you free entry to over 55 top London attractions and tours. You can also add a Travelcard option to The London Pass which gives you unlimited travel on all public transport including the Tube. Plus you can skip the lines at various attractions.
CLICK HERE to read all about the London Pass.

Kew Gardens covers a 300 acre site situated on a bend of the Thames River in south west London. A mecca for gardeners, from keen amateurs to highly regarded professionals, it also provides a fascinating day out for the whole family. Explore the history of the world’s most famous garden, visit the greenhouses and beautiful landscapes, drop in to the rainforest or the conservation area and let the kid’s go ‘wild’ in Britain’s first interactive botanical playzone. Kew Garden’s is open every day from 9.30 am, except 24/25 December and is easily reached by tube to Kew Garden station a five minute walk away.

An internationally important and respected botanical research centre, Kew was created in 1759 and today has a staff of about 700, including many scientists. The Millenium Seed Bank at Kew is the largest ex situ plant conservation project in the world and in partnership with 50 other countries is working to conserve seeds at risk from climate change and the impact of human activities. The gardens house a collection of over 30,000 different plants and the herbarium, containing more than seven million preserved plant specimens, is the largest in the world. There are 39 listed buildings within the gardens, including Queen Charlotte’s Cottage and the recently restored Kew Palace, built in 1631 and the earliest surviving building at Kew.

The gardens are divided into eight Zones or areas, giving visitors the opportunity to plan their visit and explore Kew according to their interests. Gardeners will be spoilt for choice and should prepare to be impressed by features such as Rhododendron Dell, one of Kew’s most visited single plantings, originally laid down by ‘Capability’ Brown in 1773 it now contains over 700 specimens, some unique to Kew. The Palm House is considered to be the most important surviving Victorian iron and glass structure in the world and the warm, moist environment, houses an indoor tropical rainforest including the double coconut palm which bears the largest seed in the world. Kid’s are well catered for at Kew and will love the Treetop Walkway where they can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the garden’s from an 18 metres high ‘perch’ amongst the tree tops. At Climbers and Creepers indoor play area and Treehouse Towers outdoor area, they can ‘go wild’ amongst the tunnels, slides, giant swings and zip wires.

There are four catering venues at Kew where you can enjoy a snack or meal including the magnificent 18th century Grade 1 listed ‘Orangery’ which has stunning views over the gardens. The’ Kew Explorer’ is a land train which operates inside the gardens, making it easy to explore this vast site, particularly useful if you have young children, walking difficulties, or just like to take it easy!. The train stops at eight locations, provides a fascinating commentary along the way and ticket holders can get off and on as they please. Kew Gardens is a wonderfully varied, educational and stunning day out, which is sure to appeal to all the family.

The London Pass

This attraction is included in the London Pass, The Pass gives you free entry to over 55 top London attractions and tours. You can also add a Travelcard option to The London Pass which gives you unlimited travel on all public transport including the Tube. Plus you can skip the lines at various attractions.
CLICK HERE to read all about the London Pass.