London
Special Offers
Overview
Explore London's rich history and influential monarchy at regal Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, home of the British Government. Follow the winding River Thames to see a controversial Damien Hirst masterpiece at the industrial-looking Tate Modern art gallery. Savour the international nightlife of exotic Chinatown and neon-lit Soho.
Background
The River Thames divides London into north and south, with the South Bank and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on one side and the Houses of Parliament, home of British politics, on the north. London's financial hub, The City, lies deserted at weekends while the neighbouring West End constantly buzzes with theatre, art and clubs. Head to exclusive Kensington and Chelsea in the west for a spot of designer shopping and then hit Camden in the north for its edgy nightlife scene. It's a big place, but try walking as much as possible in London, as there's so much to see above ground. When you get tired, there's always the Tube, the world's oldest underground railway system.
First-time visit
Beat the crowds by arriving early at the Tower of London. Then wander riverside to domed Saint Paul's Cathedral, crossing The Thames for contemporary art at the Tate Modern. The best place for breathtaking city views is the London Eye observation wheel. March to the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace before choosing which world-class museum to tour in South Kensington. Enjoy a slice of the Orient with dinner in Chinatown and a show on Shaftsbury Avenue or a champagne toast in a Soho club.
Return visit
See Parthenon sculptures inside the British Museum and paintings by Monet and van Gogh at the National Gallery. Walk along Whitehall to glimpse Downing Street, where the Prime Minister lives. Then read the original Magna Carta and Beatles' lyrics at the British Library. Cobbled streets, boutiques and entertainers cluster in and around Covent Garden. Venture out to the centre of time at the Observatory in Greenwich, not far from the Millennium Dome exhibition space (now called The O2). If you want to take things slow for a while, walk along the canals of Little Venice or through London's large Hyde Park and verdant Hampstead Heath.
airports
London City Airport
Essentials
London City Airport is just 10 miles (16 km) from the West End and Westminster, six miles (10 km) from the City and three miles (5 km) from Docklands business centre in the heart of London. The Docklands Light Railway connects with all major London Underground lines, whisking you into central London within 25 minutes.
Airport Facts
- Airport code
- LCY
- Airport website
- London City Airport website
- Airport tel
- +44 (0) 20 7646 0088
- No. of terminals
- One
- Distance from city centre
- 6 miles (10 km) east of London.
- Airport parking
- The short-stay and long-stay car parks are a short walk undercover from the terminal plus there is motorcycle and valet parking. Pre-book online to secure discounted rates.
- Time zone
- GMT precisely (+1 in summer).
- Useful tips
- Have something to eat and drink before you go through security. There's a wider choice before security as well as exciting runway views so you can watch the planes come and go.
Gatwick Airport
Essentials
London Gatwick is the second-largest airport in the UK, and the busiest single-runway airport in the world. Around 90 airlines operate from its two terminals, serving 200 destinations and handling 32 million passengers a year.
Airport Facts
- Airport code
- LGW
- Airport website
- Gatwick Airport website
- Airport tel
- 0844 335 1802 (from UK only)
- No. of terminals
- Two
- Distance from city centre
- 28 miles (45 km) south of London.
- Transport between terminals
- A bus service is in operation between the North and South Terminals while a new transit system is being installed, which is due to open in August 2010. Buses run every three minutes during the day and six minutes at night. Allow 20 minutes to transfer between terminals.
- Airport parking
- Both terminals have short-stay and long-stay car parks, with the option of valet parking and a fast-track service for business travellers. Rates are discounted if you pre-book online. Vehicles picking up passengers at the south terminal have to use short stay car park 3, which costs £1 for 15 minutes.
- Time Zone
- GMT precisely (+1 in summer).
London Heathrow
Essentials
London Heathrow Airport looks set to become the busiest in the world, transporting almost 67 million passengers a year from five terminals. From the airport, 15 miles (24 km) west of Central London, the Heathrow Express whisks you into London Paddington Station in 15 minutes.
Airport Facts
- Airport code
- LHR
- Airport website
- Heathrow Airport website
- Airport tel
- 0844 335 1801 (from UK only)
- No. of terminals
- Five
- Distance from city centre
- 15 miles (24 km) west of London.
- Transport between terminals
- Walkways link Terminals 1, 2 and 3 (allow around ten minutes for transfer). A free Heathrow Express shuttle bus links Terminals 4 and 5 with the other terminals.
- Airport parking
- There are car parks at all five terminals, including short- and long-stay, business and valet parking. Courtesy coaches are provided from the business parking and long-stay areas of Terminal 5. Online pre-booking is considerably cheaper than standard parking fees.
- Time Zone
- GMT precisely (+1 in summer).
- Useful tips
- It's worth bearing in mind that, due to Heathrow's size, it can take a long time to get to some departure gates (up to 20 minutes), so don't get carried away in duty free and risk missing your flight.
Top events
Travellers' opinions
Book experiences
Other destinations in the United Kingdom
- Favourites
- Delicious
- Facebook
- Windows Live
- Digg
- Google
- MySpace
- Yahoo
More bookmarks- StumbleUpon
- Technorati
- Blinklist
- Ask
- Furl
- Newsvine
- Reddit
- Fark
- Propeller
What are these?