Travel

Historic City Of London

Activities/Recreation/Things To Do:
London is a great place for families and the lone traveler. For the former, there are parks and zoos and boat rides and theme parks. For the latter, there are parks and zoos and boat rides and theme parks and more. There are art museums, historical museums, museums dedicated to famous authors, museums dedicated to waxy people. There is great nightlife and the Broadway shows can't be missed.

1.Explore through Tours:

A.Open top bus tours offer a good, albeit somewhat expensive, introduction to the sights of London. Two principal operators tend to dominate the market for this kind of tour: (The Original Tour and The Big Bus Company). Both provide hop-on/hop-off services where you can get off at any attraction and catch the next bus; both provide live commentaries in English and recorded commentaries in other languages (not necessarily on the same buses).
B.Visit one or more of the great Royal Parks, London's "green lungs" - in the centre, Hyde Park (the largest) and Kensington Gardens, Green Park, St James Park, Regents Park; further afield, Richmond Park, Bushy Park, Greenwich Park and Brompton Cemetery.
C.See history come alive - go to the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London. This ceremony, the locking up of the Tower, has been performed every night at 10pm for 800 years. It has never been missed and was only delayed once - when the Luftwaffe bombed the Tower. Begun by Edward I to lock the soldiers in the tower so they didn't wreak havoc, these days it is ostensibly to lock people out. Tickets are free but MUST be prearranged.
D.If you are in the mood for a view of London by sea, take advantage of the London Ducktours. Your tour 'bus' is actually a D-Day landing water/land vehicle that has been refurbished complete with tour guide.
E.City Cruises operates sightseeing cruises and evening dinner & dance cruises on London's River Thames all year round.
F.Go on a Walking Tour - London Walks(http://www.walks.com) offers excellent guided walks (£6 full) for 2-3 hours of guided walks on a variety of themes. But buyer beware, there are a lot of impostor walking guides masquerading under the same name—make certain that you are getting the real deal!

2.Experience London - Performances / Activities:
A.London Theatre - go and see a musical, play or comedy in London's Theatreland. The weekly Time Out magazine http://www.timeout.com/london has listings for most plays, concerts, etc. London Theatre has a large variety of shows from fringe to Broadway-like musicals and productions. The West End district is where you'll find the last type, with famous imported Broadway shows and some very good local productions. You can find discounted tickets to these shows at the Half Price Ticket Booth (aka: TKTS) in the area, where reduced tickets are sold on a free seats basis. If you prefer to buy your tickets in advance you can still find discounts.
B.Experience the changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The regular hand-over of guards in the forecourt of The Buckingham Palace draws thousands of visitors to watch the soldiers and listen to music.Known as “Changing Guard” or “Guard Mounting”, the process involves a new guard exchanging duty with the old guard.The handover is accompanied by a Guard’s Band.
C.Enjoy the scenic nightlife in Piccadilly Circus, which is likened to the Times Square of England.
D.See a show at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Throughout the year, a fascinating guided tour of the Globe Theatre is included in your visit to Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition.Programmes and events for pre-school to postgraduate students, individuals and families, teachers and scholars.
E.Take the kids to a puppet show at the Little Angel Theatre. The nearest tube stations are:Angel Northern Line, and Highbury and Islington Victoria Line.
F.If You want to experience fun activities, then Namco Station, on the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament is an action-packed pleasure-dome of entertainment waiting for you. Why not have a go at techno bowling or take to the slopes on the downhill skiing simulator?! You can also visit Queen's Ice and Bowl, the only ice rink and ten pin bowling venue in London. There's even a live DJ at weekends.
G.Tired of sightseeing? You can take in a film, in great surroundings, at either the Curzon Mayfair or the Curzon Soho, amongst the very best of the capital's cinemas.
H.Visit the London Brass Rubbing Centre, and discover the simple and engaging craft of brass rubbing, one of dozens of London activities free with London Pass and you can take home one of six kings and queens from Britain's past! At the London Brass Rubbing Centre helpful staff will instruct you in the use of specialist materials to get the best results from this, one of the most absorbing of London handcrafts.

3.Sports-outdoor/indoor:
A.Water Sports: There are plenty of opportunities in London to give your swimmers an airing. Spend a day out at a water theme park or activity centre and try some water sports, or enjoy a nice relaxing swim at a lido.London also offers Boating, Canoeing, Diving, Sailing, Surfing, yachting, charter, RYA Courses, etc at Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre, British Water Ski Federation, and many more.
B.Hampstead Museum, Burgh House: Burgh House is a grade I listed house built in the early years of the 18th century. The Hampstead Museum is incorporated in the House on the first floor and offers permanent displays on Hampstead History.
B.Skating: London has a number of outdoor ice rinks that open in the winter months. Considered by some to be somewhat overpriced and overcrowded, they nonetheless have multiplied in recent years, easing congestion and increasing competition:
-- Somerset House, Strand, Tube: Temple, Charing Cross, Holborn, Covent Garden, Waterloo and Blackfriars - Set in the courtyard of Somerset House, this has become a Londoner's favourite, although how it will compete with the newcomers remains to be seen. It's preferable to visit at night when the Christmas tree is lit up. From 24 November 2005 - 29 January 2006.
-- Kew Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Tube: Kew Gardens - a relative newcomer to the scene, this draws in skaters despite the distance from central London. The ice rink is situated in front of the Temperate House (the large greenhouse containing the exotic plants), a combined entry ticket is available, allowing you to wander round the fascinating gardens as well. 26 November 2005 - 15 January 2006.
-- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road - this museum has decided to join in the rinks this year, and looks to be an interesting venue for a festive skate. If you've visited the museum before, you will appreciate the beautiful building that the museum occupies. There is also a Christmas fair (which is free), selling various gift ideas. From 16 November 2005 – 22 January 2006. Nearest tube: South Kensington (Circle, District and Piccadilly Lines).
-- Tower of London - another debut this year, set in the tourist-hotspot of the famous Tower. The ice rink itself will be hosted in the dry moat beneath the North wall of the Tower of London. From 19th November 2005 for 7 weeks. Nearest tube: Tower Hill (Circle and District Lines).
-- Canary Wharf - opened for the first time in 2005, the Canary Wharf ice rink offers a café and bar, and the only genuine Central Park style skating in London, in the smart Canada Square park surrounding by glittering office tower blocks. Nearest tube: Canary Wharf (Jubilee line and Docklands Light Railway).

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