Hi.

I've posted about London - the eye, river tours and the duck tours, which might be of interest if you wnat to explore the riverfront.

http://www.cosmotourist.com/travel-tip/10837/london/london-the-thames/

London has so much to offer. I had a great time there recently just walking around the Thames area around Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. The best time to go to London, at least in my opinion, is in the summer and I was last there in August which was a perfect time to go as it was warm and also provided long days. Christmas time is also a nice time to go as the city certainly has a nice feel about it during the festive season, but the cold weather can prevent you from enjoying many of the outside activities that London has to offer. During the summer months a great place to go to enjoy the long evenings is Covent Garden, which whilst busy all year round, bursts into life in the summer months. This is a great place to sit in one of the many outside pub terraces or just to wander around and catch an impromptu show put on by many of the street performers, some of whom are doing rather well it seems!

Well, I did write extensively about the sights of London (and there are plenty) however I will just give you the gist what are in my experience things you shouldnt miss no matter how long or short your stay is...

Visit one market (my favorite Portabello or Camden) best time to experience is during the weekend... I absolutely loved both of them... food, people, shops unbeatable.

Visit at least a few museums (my recommendations Tate, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum and National Gallery). Most museum do not charge for entrance nowadays so you really do not have any excuse. Its difficult to cram it all in if you are there for short period of time, but manage at least one.

Visit one of the parks my favorite Primrose Hill :) Even Hyde Park is cool :)

About accommodation, if you are staying with friends thats great cos it can be costly to stay in London... however if you are not, I would suggest Travelodge website. They have special offers from ł19 per night (thats per night not per person so you basically share the amount if you are traveling with anyone). If you are lucky and Travelodge has plenty of hotels in London (Marylebone, King's Cross, Battersea to name a few) you can sleep in the city center, in the hotel for ridiculously low amount of money... and since I have stayed in Travelodge on my last trip, its comfy, clean and you have your own bathroom which seems to be a luxury if you are looking for central London accommodation (like a hostel or b&b).

Hope this helps :)

Well John, first of all bring an umbrella and raincoat – you will need it.

What impresses me more in London is the sequence of monumental buildings in some areas of the city – one after the other having so much history and stories to tell!

I like Saint Paul’s cathedral area and would recommend Trafalgar Square – looking at Nelson’s statue there. Walking along the Houses of Parliament and synchronizing your clock by the Big Ben – it’s a must.

Along the Tames River, be sure to visit the London’s Tower and the Tower Bridge - but don’t steal the Crown’s jewels please.

Else fool around from bar to bar in Soho – and say hello to Anteros, Cupid’s older brother, at Piccadilly Circus.

Hi Fellow Cosmotourist

I am a Londoner (lived there all my life) and I'm sure as you're starting to realise there is a lot you can do in the capital.

My suggestion would be to visit central London to see the main sights (Buck Palace, Big Ben, Thames etc) but then to also head out to some of the suburbs. To get a real feel for London I would suggest...

*Saturday afternoon by the River in Richmond or Putney
*Sunday spent mooching in Camden Market
*See a free concert in St Martins on the Fields Church
*Take in an open air show at Regents park or the Globe
*Splash out on Afternoon tea at the Ritz
*Start the day early at Billingsgate market
*Watch the street performers in Covent Garden
*Eat fish & Chips OR Pie & Mash pretty much anywhere you find it
*Head a little west to Green Park

And after all of that, if you have the enegry, the money or the inclination, I'd recommend you do the MONOPOLY PUB CRAWL. I've attempted it three times and still haven't finished it.

Have fun and i hope you enjoy london.
let me know if I can be of anymore help
Vicci

I would say that the British Museum is not to be missed. If you're lucky enough to have a Student ID card, you get in free. At the moment, they have a fab exhibition on of the Terra Cotta Warriors, which you may still be able to get tickets to.

If you get a chance to see one of the shows on the West End, do it! It's not to be missed. There are some fab restaurants around the theatres as well, all of which serve a pre-or-post-theatre menu at fairly reasonable prices.

The Tower of London is well worth a visit but it's one of those tourist attractions that's much better with a guide to tell you about the history. Join a tour group led by one of the Beefeaters if you can.

There are differences of opinion about the London Eye, but if you have some money to burn and you're looking for a place to relax, have a drink, and see the city lights, I recommend the Eye by night.

Whatever you're interested in, you'll find something amusing and interesting to do in London.
A tour the studios of the world famous BBC Television Centre, come face to face with sharks, ride the world's highest observation wheel or even face the torture chambers in London's most notorious dungeons... From art galleries to waxworks and opera, I can tell you some of the most popular attractions in London.
London has 200 galleries, more than 300 museums and 150 plus events happening every day, London never stops. The trouble is knowing where to start.
With over 1000 years of royal history lurking within its highly fortified walls, a trip to the Tower of London is like being drawn in one of the most remarkable dramas of all time.

A visit to Windsor Castle, is one of the oldest inhabited strongholds in the world. It is one of the most common things to do in England, a tour of the castle can be booked almost any day of the year. Windsor Castle has been a home to the Sovereign for over 900 years, and today is one of the three official residences of the Queen.

The British Airways London Eye is the world's highest observation wheel and its 30-minute slow-moving flight gives impressive views over London. From its steel and glass capsules, you can glance into the back garden of Buckingham Palace and, on a clear day, see across seven counties.

Buckingham Palace, this is the official London residence of the Queen, and you can visit the remarkable State Rooms, where over the centuries, the wealthy and the powerful have walked.

The London Aquarium features hundreds of varieties of fish and sea life from all over the world, displayed around two enormous tanks symbolizing the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Come face-to-face with sharks, and watch divers feeding gigantic conger eels. Seahorses, rays, starfish and piranhas are also on show.

The London Dungeon has a new 'hot' attraction - The Great Fire of London. You can also take a barge trip down the River Thames on the Judgement Day ride to face a firing squad, after being sentenced to death by a 18th century judge! There's also a torture chamber and the chance to unmask Jack the Ripper - the infamous serial killer. It's not appropriate for very young children or those of a nervous disposition!

Madame Tussaud's Waxwork Museum is the world famous collection of wax figures of the notable and notorious, everyone from Sigmund Freud to Madonna. Latest additions include their new interactive experiences section where you can try out as a Pop Idol, be snapped by the paparazzi, get up close and personal to serial killers and explore the galaxy. Relive David Beckham's moment of glory as he scores against Greece to qualify in dramatic fashion for the World Cup and squeeze Brad Pitt's beguiling biceps.

The Tower Bridge, visitors can see one of the most famous bridges in the world and magnificent views from the high level walkways 140ft above the Thames. In the two towers, there's an exhibition which explains the history of Tower Bridge.

Westminster Abbey is one of Europe's finest Gothic buildings and the scene of coronations, marriages and burials of British monarchs. It dates back to the 11th century, and highlights include the Coronation Chair made in 1300, Poets' Corner and the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.
This are just a few of many great places to see in London
I hope this helps!

I recommend:
*Gorging yourself on delicious fresh food at Borough market
*Checking out the bars and curry houses on Brick Lane
*Camden Market
*Drinking in Shoreditch
*Walking on Hampstead Heath
*Tate modern and southbank

I'd heartily recommend a walk along the South Bank of the Thames from Tower Bridge to the London Eye as a great way to see a slice of London and sample the atmosphere.

Hey John:

As a tourist visiting London and the surrounding areas several times I found a couple of sites pretty invaluable in planning my trip. The first one was www.visitlondon.com and the other is for the public transport system (The Tube) at www.tfl.gov.uk/tube. On those sites you can get some background on places to visit and the costs and the easiest routes to take.

All of the suggestions by everyone who lives there have been great. There is so much to see! Take a lot of money though because some of the prices are quite dear.

I love London! Make sure to walk through Covent Garden for some street entertainment and some great shopping. Also, for a different, edgier, funkier vibe - head to Camden Market. Both can get crowded, but that's part of the fun atmosphere.

Just walk around, you'll see so much! Definitely stop by Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard. Yes, everyone does it, but it’s a fun tourist experience. Just get there early so that you aren’t jumping up and down to try and see!

London is a great place if you know where to go! If you're out on a walk, do visit the Kyoto Gardens located in Holland Park. There is a bridge at the foot of a waterfall, and it has been named as one of the city's most beautiful spots... and I can wholeheartedly agree! Have fun!

Your travel actually depends on what you wanna do in London. I don't want to suggest you go to Eiffel Tower because it's the most common place to visit in London and I'm pretty sure you won't miss it. So my comment is about a certain hotel in London. There is Kingsway Hotel in Convent Garden. It's a 4-star hotel that really makes every visitor feel a royalty. Plus it's located near London's popular sites.

i suggest a few of the walking tours...like "Jack the Ripper" walking tour or "ghosts of the old city" tour. You can even find some that take you on a tour of the oldest pubs and urban gentry (or art) walks. It's really a great way to discovery the city, and see all these secret and hidden spots. although, the tours tend to be a little pricey...but i guess that's just london.

i'm from london, i love the city as its exciting and thee is loads to see and do both daytime and nighttime and it has has the best nightlife I have found (and I travel a lot!) unfortunately the people are horrible and very rude and the sky is aways grey and its usually cold and raining! great partying though and pretty good shopping - check out portobello market saturday daytime, its excellent vibe

www.londonisfree.com and www.londonist.com are great resources for lesser-known, and FREE things to do last-minute. Even as a resident, I find loads of things here that I had no idea about!

Well there is a lot of tips I can give u because London is a historic and a modern city as well. It is also one of the most expensive and most highly visited. Obviously depending on what sort of budget u are travelling on then doing some thorough research is useful.
Check this site out http://www.stuckinlondon.com
Also when travelling around you can go to a number places -some charge and some don't. If you want to avoid queues for the ones that charge then go through a tour operator and you can do day trips and avoid waiting in lines-LondonPass they fifty attractions http://www.v2london.com
Good place to find how many free tourist attractions there are try the http://www.britishtourist.com
and if you want a guide to show u around log on to http://www.guidea.com-you will either get a free guide or negotiate a price and they cost around 10-15 pound. Also go to a local bookstore and pick up a copy of Loot newspaper and Timeout.Regarding hiring a guide you will get some-body who lives local and is knowledgeable about the area-and will know all the right places to eat-and u can talk budget if money is tight. You can check out the following http://www.trustedplaces.com. Check out http://www.helium.com-they have a readable travel section and sometimes they have brilliant tips.
On talking about budget try http://www.globetrottersinn.com I think they do free walking tours of London everyday provided u stay with. A lot these hostels have fantastic freebies-so check those out. I hope I was a big help.

I don't know who said above that the Eiffel Tower was in London!!! I think they mean Paris!!

Well I live fairly near London and I love it! The big city! Just spend some time wandering around and experiencing it a bit...the cafes, the restaurants, the quirky streets, hang out and have a picnic in hyde park, see all the buildings etc. The London Eye is a nice thing to do...a massive big wheel that gives you great views over London! Dont get caught up in just taking the underground tube everywhere. Places are not as far apart as you think they are when looking at a tube map, and it is usually much nicer to walk. The tubes can get packed so just keep in open air and walk it if its near enough! I used to walk 40 minutes to work from the station to avoid the tubes in rush hour!

As another tip. If you want a place to go that is less than an hour and a half away from London...Brighton!! You can get there on the train and it will give you a bit of an experience out of the big smoke! It is a really quirky and funky seaside city right down on the south coast. It takes about an hour on the train from Victoria Station. There are nightclubs along the beach, little lanes with funky retro shops, a real laid back vibe and the atmosphere is great...even better in Summer! You can go on the pier, go to the marina and see all the gorgeous boats, go and get some fish and chips and have a really good day/weekend out of London!

Enjoy!!!

Well you are going to get swamped by answers then aren't you? There are many great places to recommend such as Buckingham Palace,Westminster Abbey,Museum of Brands,British Museum,Natural History Museum,Victoria&Albert Museum-I hope that does for starters.

London in Summer - Beers by the Thames, Walks around Picadilly Circus, Camden Markets, and then all the great sporting events (Wimbledon, Royal Ascot etc etc) - No better place to be. And the best bit - just a short flight to Europe and so many other great places in the UK.
Have a great time!