Tourist guide: what to do and see in London

The most enjoyable way to learn a little of London's darkest history is to go County Hall in Westminster, and then go into The London Dungeon. An hour and a half awaits you inside this enclosure, in which at the entrance, you are warned of experiencing a powerful discharge of adrenaline accompanied by a good dose of frights. Throughout the tour, The Dungeon covers a series of historic facts that have darkened the city's streets since the Middle Ages: the plague, the tortures, the Great Fire of London and Jack the Ripper are only some of the protagonists in this macabre attraction which has entertained all kinds of people since the 70s.The Dungeon was born from a part of the Madame Tussauds Museum and has been evolving and branching off on its own to become what is, nowadays, one of the most popular interactive shows in the city. During the tour, live actors act out representations in all kinds of scenes and a popular maze that's full of surprises, in order to scare those who dare to enter. It's always better if you're accompanied but all of these things form a good way of making sure that you have a good time, releasing tensions and getting to know many of the dark curiosities of the capital.

The second-tallest skyscraper in Europe stands in Southwark. This young building named Shard, was completed in 2012 and still hasn't been occupied by the offices, restaurants or the luxurious hotel which it is preparing to host, but since a short while ago, it's now possible to gain access to the viewpoint that crowns the building at 300 metres from the city's ground. Although, it's best to get the tickets in advance, due to its recent opening. The view that you get from going up the 72 floors of its structure, from an exterior terrace and, if you can, at dusk, is the most impressive compared to any other building in this city. A photograph that you'll love to keep as a memory, without a doubt and which will soon be one of the most typical of London. When you come down, you might still feel like watching the city from a height. If this is the case, and it's almost time for dinner, an ideal option that's in the same area, is to go to the OXO Tower and have dinner in its restaurant on the eighth floor. You can dine there with some excellent views, even if it's not as high up as the Shard. End the day by gazing at how the sun sets over the City of London and the River Thames, as it'll be an unforgettable experience during your visit to London.

As well as being the biggest and the most pleasant green zone in this city, Hyde Park keeps an uncommon activity in its grounds but one which you can easily relate to English culture: equestrian sports. The country has a long equestrian tradition, from its use as a means of transport and hunting throughout the Middle Ages, even equestrian sports, such as riding or polo, brought from Asia. Nowadays, when you go to Hyde Park, the idea of going to the stables and mounting one of the horses or ponies is incredibly tempting after walking by the enormous central lake, and passing a group of riders. Don't be embarrassed, all you have to do is go and ask any of the staff in the area, since even if it's not a very well-known attraction, the stables in the park offer good classes and tours. Although you don't have experience, you can try, regardless of your age to take a class and tour the park on your own or in a group with an instructor. These stables run the whole year round and are one of the most pleasant and loveliest ways of exploring this huge park.

You will need two things: audacity and not to be afraid of heights. If you have both, this different way of seeing London can be one of the most stunning and surprising experiences that you'll have throughout your visit. This luxury is a bit expensive, but it's worth it and anyone who has done it will tell you the same. It's perfect for when you think that you have seen all the interesting monuments and places in the city. Far from the classic tours in a bus or the cruises on the River Thames, flying over the city gives you an indescribable panoramic view of all the monuments, gardens and streets of London. From the airfield at Elstree or Redhill, to the north of the city, several helicopters leave on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays to follow the course of the river and go through the capital at around 300 metres up in the air. The trip, which lasts between half an hour and forty minutes, spans both the centre and the outskirts, covering all possible views this way in London’s skies.

In 1944, the famous landing in Normandy of the Second World War took place in which they introduced the first and not so famous amphibious DUCK vehicles. More than half a century later, these vehicles have been modified and reused in order to offer you an extraordinary journey in the centre of London. But don't let their origin of war put you off these ducks, as the 75 minute route they cover has the intention of being a dynamic and fun alternative to the classic touristic buses. It's really aimed at families and young children and has several routes to choose from. After leaving the London Eye, a trip around the most characteristic areas and buildings of the city is waiting for you. This trip is full of stories and fun narrations of which are not always true but they do add a little more colour to the views. But the main dish doesn't come until the end, in which this enormous vehicle plunges you into the water without any notice at one end of the River Thames, completing the trip which is a cruise of around half an hour where you can see the city from another perspective; an exciting way to finish a totally different experience.

It's clear that the best way of experiencing the atmosphere of the city is to walk, but there are also very entertaining alternatives. One of the most attractive is to sail on the River Thames, through the heart of London. From the Greenwich area to the east, as far as Westminster to the west, you can visit various piers where different types of cruises set sail and cross the river. From these boats, you'll see the city in a different way: facades and monuments that you find on the riverbank like the Tower of London, the Parliament or even the bridges surrounding it. Furthermore, it's an activity that you can adjust to your plan of the day since there are many combinations and types of tours, from 20 to 50 minute journeys, to lunches or dinners in the on board restaurant. If you prefer, it's possible to get off somewhere that you feel like talking a walk for a while, and then you are able to catch the next boat later, to continue your voyage.

If there's a popular icon of art in England, it is Shakespeare. Many of his works are largely familiar and they are still studied throughout the world. Should you go to this theatre/museum, built by the shore of the Thames, in the area of Southwark, you'll find a loyal recreation of the original theatre of the 17th century Shakespeare Company. Even if you're not excited by the playwright, you can enter the building and see how it would have been during the Middle Ages: once inside, you'll feel that you've always liked theatre. The top gallery area, the box seats for the aristocracy, the games using pulleys or trap doors, all have a traditional likeness which take you back to that era and much more than you expect. Once you've finished seeing it, you're going to feel that it hasn't completely satisfied you and that something is missing. That something is of course, the show. Providing that you're visiting it between May and October, don't leave the building without setting aside a little while, to see one of the classic works which they represent. It is a completely different way of watching theatre.

In the whole city, there's no better place to spend an afternoon when you're not really sure what to do. In these cases, cross Westminster Bridge towards the South Bank area and go along the river in a northerly direction to please your eyes with a view of the city. After a short walk, you'll find the complex which is dedicated to the greatest art in Europe. If you're not going to any particular event, don't worry because the centre has a continuous calendar of activities which are mostly free, so simply go and discover it. You’ll find classical music concerts for accompanying lunchtimes, to sculpture or painting exhibitions for all tastes. The parents can have something to eat or drink in the central area while the children can enjoy the play area. Between April and July, a multitude of concerts, monologues, theatre plays etc. are performed in the Royal Festival Hall. During the rest of the year, it's incredibly difficult not to find anything interesting to see: food fairs, poetry readings, theatre, concerts, all kinds of art exhibitions and fashion shows, which are only some examples of an organism that's been exhibiting art to everybody for more than 60 years.

For all those who want to go into the city's alternative musical environment. Between the areas of Soho and Camden, there are countless venues where the performance of band is a general rule. For any Londoner, the Barfly is a safe bet for a night out as this venue, which is located at number 49 of Chalk Farm Road, has a unique atmosphere. Icons such as Oasis, Blur and Coldplay have all performed here. But if you're looking for a night with a more relaxed atmosphere, retrace your steps back towards Soho and look for number 9 on Greek Street. Behind a glass window like an American café, you'll find Jazz After Dark; one of the most prestigious jazz and rhythm & blues venues in the city, where every day people happen to meet celebrities in the music scene and listen to the most influential musicians in an atmosphere which will amaze you in an intimate and elegantly modest way. Come in, sit yourself down and order a cocktail. It doesn't matter which band is playing. You'll love it!

As night draws in, this is the part of London that you must visit if you fancy seeing a show. Around the Palace of Westminster, about forty theatres fan out where you can see representations of any kind. The most famous companies and actors in the whole planet have been in these rooms. The dramatic arts have meant the main cultural and entertainment focal point in this city during centuries and centuries. Even today, the West End means the epicentre for the lovers of this genre, considering that, in addition to the size of the boards, the streets acquire an artistic and cultural tone in the most refined sense of the word. All you have to do is to stop and have a drink or a coffee on Shaftesbury Avenue to see the people queuing at theatre entrances under the infinite number of billboards, illuminated by hundreds of small and bright lights, in order to feel part of a large cultural legacy. Although these shows are famous for their high prices, there is a little secret for the canny spectators: in the same area, go to Leicester Square to buy the tickets in TKTS where you'll find discounts for most of the plays.

An aspect that isn't so well-known among tourists is the enormous circuit of markets in the city. Although it's not such a tourism attraction, both Londoners and foreign collectors are constantly drawn here. Spread over different spots, you can go to certain street markets which at least make up an enormous box of surprises. In the heart of Banglatown, near Brick Lane, Sunday mornings are packed with small stalls where you'll find clothes, books and documents or photo cameras, among many other things of which the origin of most is not known. After, heading towards the south to cross over London Bridge, you have Bermondsey Street, a unique market which is better to be at early, as everyone knows that its treasures go like hot cakes at first thing in the morning, bought by large and small collectors. Five stops on the underground towards the northeast and you have Bond Street Market, where many people come to buy antique jewellery and interesting old toys. Only for the most philanthropic, all types of historic objects, such as coins, books or furniture are exchanged in the area of Greenwich during the weekends until five o'clock in the afternoon. Here is where you really can take a piece of history.

Go to this area when you feel like a good and mixed shopping day. Once you arrive at the centre of Oxford Circus, at one end of Regent Street, start to go around as you like considering that you'll find a multitude of shops from all over the world as well as the English ones. But don't forget to go through Oxford Street, which is said to be the longest shopping street in Europe. On this street, brands are waiting for you like M&S, New Look, French Connection, Primark and a very long etcetera, since you won't find a few inches without a shop for nearly two and a half kilometres. The street will surely be familiar to you, not because you know the street itself but due to the large number of shop entrances and shop windows that you will have seen in other places. It's impressive to see such a large mass of international shops, arranged in line. And should you be looking for variety at some time, turn the corner of the first street that you find to alternate your walk with shops that are a bit more alternative, like the second-hand store Beyond Retro in Marlborough Street, or the personal style of Topshop which joins Oxford Street to Regent Street.

In the middle of the busy shopping district of Brompton Road, next to Hyde Park, stands the most famous commercial building of London. Whether you intend to buy or not, don't hesitate to go through the door of its eye-catching and well adorned facade which lights up the whole street at night with its numerous lights - you are going to love a walk inside this place. Throughout its five floors and its basement, you see that its motto 'all things for all people - everywhere' is something that they take very seriously so it's going to be very difficult for you not to find anything in this department store. In spite of its justified fame for its sophistication and elitism, converting it into a place with some fairly high prices, you can enjoy it simply by walking around, as if it were a museum since there's no corner that isn't tremendously decorated, from the food stands themselves which make up eye-catching figures and colours, to the store's pet department. Along the way, look for the Egyptian escalators and you'll see an authentic tribute to the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt dominating them. It was, by the way, the first shop in the world to install an escalator.

The "beautiful chaos", as the prestigious designer Rei Kawakubo calls it, gives shape to this six-floor building which has made it be the cover of all fashion magazines and is going to be responsible for you having a completely different experience to any other which you could have had when entering a shop. It's difficult to explain the feeling as you go round it, until you come to the conclusion that it's more of a museum than a shop since each product is displayed in an independent way and in the most peculiar places in each space, making it like a work of art in itself. To squeeze the most out of this feeling, forget the lift and go up the narrow stairs which take you to the different floors, as you'll get the visual impact of what's waiting for you on the next floor this way. It is one of the most expensive places in London, as we are talking about one of the trendiest and exclusive places in the world but, if you're tired after having gone up and around the six floors, you can stop on the top floor to have a coffee and try some cakes in the café. Situated in Mayfair which is one of the most luxurious parts of the city, this is one of the most attractive shopping spots in London.

If you're looking for the latest fashion in refined styles, don't keep walking to towards Camden Town as, you'll come across the most underground products that you can find in these streets. But if this market has sparked your curiosity, you have to know that there's a mix of piercings, leather, Asian food, antiques, mohicans and electronic music, waiting for you here. The best way to go round it is to come at the weekend (Sunday preferably) and get off the underground at Camden Town. From there, head towards crossing the Electric Ballroom and the Buck Street Market; the first is a night club which opens during the day on Saturdays and Sundays so that some traders can display their clothes, and the second is an open-air market of young designers and alternative fashion. Further ahead, you'll have to cross the Regent's Canal to see the stalls at Camden Lock Village, where you'll find the most varied and interesting handmade products. Finish the trip at the heart of the market, the famous Stables Market, which are old stables now accommodating dozens of shops in the most extreme and picturesque styles, all of which are small businesses since high-street chains are not permitted in the whole market.

This department store on Oxford Street has an important historic value since its opening meant the start of American marketing in Europe. When Harry Gordon Selfridge opened the doors, the country still didn't know the peculiar way in which its shops used to decorate the windows, or its tactics such as putting the perfumes near the entrance to guarantee the senses a good first impression. Even today, you can go in if you want to feel looked after and served, as you are in the first place on the continent where you, the customer, is always right. Its shopping galleries are filled with the brand shops which make up the fashion trends in the world. This obsession of being bang up-to-date is even obvious when you look at the outside of the store, since the design of its buildings, as Selfridges has been growing and opening new subsidiaries in other parts of the country, have been photographed for magazines and press like Vogue, Frame or the New York Times. When you look for them, don't worry, you'll recognise them instantly.

Walking towards Soho, between Regent Street and Great Marlborough Street, it's difficult not to notice a beautiful classic facade that stands out in the middle of the street. Retrace your steps back to the entrance and you are in front of the Liberty of London department store in the West End. Besides its impressive building which gave it the title of the loveliest store in the city, it's been the cradle of Art Nouveau; the English answer to Parisienne fashion from the end of the 19th century which is also called "Stile Liberty" in honour of the store. Nowadays, you'll find fashion, cosmetics, accessories, gifts, furniture and decoration inside the store; all of this displayed in the imaginative ways which are characterized by the staff here. Since Arthur Lasenby Liberty opened its doors in 1875, this business, which began selling fabrics and imported products from the British Empire in the east, has been a never ending source of trends throughout the last century and nowadays, keeps its position by the new designers and the traditional work, which has always been its hallmark. In spite of its subsidiary in Japan and the sales made through its website, it is here where you are going to find the soul of this prestigious business which, as you can see at a glance, will not go unnoticed.

Elegance is breathed in the streets here. When you approach the square in the heart of Covent Garden and you're in front of the neo-classic building that occupies the Apple Market, you'll know it's not just any place. The thing is that, in this old city, even this has a history since its origin dates back to 1654, when it was still made up of only a few small, disorganized, wooden stalls, evolving over time until the 19th century, when it began to take on this structure in which you can find a mass of all kinds of stalls today. It's pleasant to take a short walk around inside to have a look at the large variety of objects which you'll find under its glass roof. But if it has been the refined atmosphere that attracted you to the suburb, it's best if you approach Short's Garden, Floral Street and Neal Street; the meeting point for the clothing and complimentary stores of exclusive brands like Paul & Joe or Paul Smith. You are in one of the most luxurious areas of the city. To prove it, you'll see how Floral Street is crowned by a peculiar passageway in the air that joins the building of the Royal Ballet Academy to the Royal Opera House; a real emblem of this suburb.

Portobello Market is located near the suburb of Notting Hill. If you visit it in August, you're going to bump into the most famous carnival in Europe which started in the sixties as a way of healing tensions from the arrival of a multitude of immigrants. But it's Saturday when it's a must to approach the south end of Portobello Road and go around almost three kilometres of a street full of all types of market stalls. Famous for its relics, you'll find more old objects here than the time it would take to see them all and by the way, don't be embarrassed to haggle in order to get them. During the walk, you're going to bump into a lot more than antiques, from second hand records to the most fashionable clothing, as you pass by well-stocked stalls of vintage clothing, and if you like what you're seeing, you can make a diversion to the gallery on Elgin Crescent or Goldbourne Road which are key places to find the most fashionable and cheap, second-hand clothes shops in the city. When you've finished shopping, you wont have noticed but you will have used quite a lot of energy, so complete your trip by leaving at the north end that joins with Ladbroke Grove; a perfect place to stop for a bite to eat in any restaurant.

At some point, it's possible that your body asks you for less asphalt and a little more of the countryside. To do this, you have a wide range of possibilities to leave the city, whether it be via planned touristic routes or, if you prefer, from the train or bus stations, you can organize the excursions that most interest you. One of the most attractive excursions is without doubt, a visit to Stonehenge; the large, mysterious, megalithic and prehistoric monument. At 100 kilometres from the capital, this mythical structure of circular stone takes up a space near the city of Salisbury from a time which is arguably 2500 BC. It is still not known for certain why it was built and it possibly had religious and astronomical purposes. From here, you can go on to see the small cities nearby which are worth a walk, like Amesbury, the previously mentioned Salisbury, whose cathedral is a gothic masterpiece. You may also make the most of a visit to the university city of Oxford, a cradle for great authors and thinkers of this country; an entire academic authority of which its streets and buildings form beautiful, architectural harmony.

Only suitable for the rebellious. This district to the north west of central London has become home to the current underground in the capital of a country in which have emerged the main artistic streams of recent times. Although its origin goes back to the 18th century when it was still an agricultural field and a few buildings spread around the place, it was from the decade of 1970 when it started to transform into a real centre of alternative culture with rock music mostly overshadowing anything else. Due to the countless night clubs that rule the night here, practically all national groups and artists of the last four decades have performed and done all-nighters in this area. Recent stars such as Amy Winehouse grew up around these streets and died in a flat of this district. But the Camden attraction isn't limited to music, you'll see art emerge in this place simply from the twenty four hours of to-ing and fro-ing of people that gets you hooked, or the eye-catching colours of the buildings which shape Camden, hosting music and television studios like the ones on MTV or in art galleries. It is an obligatory stop for you to see the most transgressive side of this country with you own eyes; the rest is neat and formal.

Only 9,000 people sleep in this area but it accommodates the activity of nearly 320,000 workers during the day. The term 'City' is usually used to refer to the financial district, which is one of the most important in the world, although it actually spans around two kilometres in diameter, situated between Westminster, Southwark and the Thames. If you go around it, near the Tower of London, you'll find some remains of the defensive wall which was built by the Roman Empire and marks out this area. Although you usually don't believe that there will be much to see in the financial district, don't hold yourself back from taking a walk around it, and most of all during the week because the bustle of executives and business people will transport you from a city full of history and restraint, to another one which is young and remarkably alive. Here is where you'll be able to see the contrast between this city's predominantly old appearance and its more modern side. The tall buildings and skyscrapers here stand out from the old constructions to the west of the city. Divert your walk a little, if you need to, to approach the church of St. Helen and you will be able to have a tremendously powerful, graphic idea of this historical distance, once you see the small medieval building guarded by the enormous and modern building St. Mary Axe 30.

Once you have visited the square, do it again, but at night this time because you're going to feel that you'll be in a different place. The lights of the fountains and shops surrounding the square make it seem like something very different to what it's like during the day. This square, made in commemoration of the English victory in the battle of Trafalgar, is a perfect place to stop over when you are walking between Westminster and the city, or even to begin any walk since you are next to Charing Cross station; the kilometre zero of the city from which all distances are measured. As well as the pubs, restaurants, cinemas and shops that are spread out around it, a trip round the square is useful for immersing yourself in a little of the country's history; to examine the statues of leading figures such as George IV, Ken Livingstone or James II, divided into three of four plinths; the latter of which is intended for the exhibition of contemporary art works, due to the long indecision over its purpose. Crowned by the column that supports the statue of Nelson, you can cross it from there towards the north and enter the National Gallery which is the main feature of the place, or go towards the south and exit by Whitehall Street, which will take you directly to the Parliament.

They say that, whoever stays at Piccadilly Circus long enough, ends up coming across everyone they know. It is in this busy square where the two most important points meet of this continually visited city. The origin of its name is curious; it comes from the term 'piccadills', the name given to the collars of shirts that were sold at Piccadilly Hall tailors who occupied a space here around 1626. They were then replaced in time by several businesses and later, by the already classic luminous billboards which they represent. It is impossible to avoid, since it joins the majority of points of interest from Westminster to the city. At this crossroads, you find several places of leisure during the day and late night bars when night falls, so any time is good to go there and enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere that you'll find, or to see the memorial fountain of the philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury and the statue which is commonly said to represent Eros, the Greek God of passion and love, although it is actually his brother Anteros, the God of reflective love, to whom it was meant to be dedicated.

This is a park where Londoners go rather than tourists. It's a place where you can see the city without being absorbed by it. From its privileged position on one of the highest hills of north London, Parliament Hill offers a view of the capital which, after having seen parts of the city, lets you see the city as a whole. The park next to it, Hampstead Heath, is part of the hill with an extension of 320 hectares of countryside, forest areas and lakes in which you might actually want to get lost in. This place is such a contrast to the city that, when you walk around here, it's not difficult to come across a deer, a rabbit or even a tortoise if you approach one of its 25 ponds, as you are at the area's refuge for autochthonous fauna. It even has a small zoo in one of its many corners. But apart from its animal life, there is also a place for you to loosen up since there are ponds which you are able to bathe in as well as several sports facilities. Throughout your walk, you may also bump into old bridges or structures such as Kenwood House, since the countryside was a private estate that belonged to English nobles years ago, before it was converted to public land, over time.

Buckingham Palace is surrounded by three parks: the St. James’s Park to the west, Green Park to the north and Buckingham Gardens to the east; the latter being the only park which isn't open to the public. You may combine your visit with the palace and the changing of the Royal Guard. If so, take into account that this occurs at 11:30 on a daily basis between May and July or every two days during the other months of the year. After seeing this traditional ceremony, a good choice would be to go for a long and pleasant walk around the surrounding area, in order to get to know the place. On one side, you can go round Green Park; it's a royal park in which austerity is preferred since you'll not find lakes or statues, just trees, grass and peace. It's in the privacy of this spot, where classic duels between knights used to take place years ago, when they either used a sword or a pistol. If you keep walking towards the Thames, you'll find St. James’s Park; the oldest of the royal parks. It's more adorned than its neighbour as it has fountains and a central lake. When you find the lake, follow your instinct and go around the edge until you arrive to the bridge that crosses over it. Once you're on this bridge, take a couple of moments to look over to the east and you've got one of the best views of Buckingham Palace.

Located northeast of Westminster, bordering the Camden neighborhood, Regent's Park is one of the most beautiful and beloved parks in the city. Like most of its peers, it was created as a private estate for high society, in this case the Dukes of Portland and, later, Henry VIII. It was open to the public throughout the 19th century. Today, in this great lung we find two zones. The southern part, where Queen Mary's Gardens are located, the perfect place to take a walk and admire the well-cared flora of the gardens, which consist of nearly 400 varieties of roses, and Boating Lake, its 9-hectare artificial lake where one You can stop to observe the fauna, take a walk or even practice rowing. And the northern area, where we have a large area of field set up for all kinds of outdoor sports, from rugby or hockey to tennis or athletics, a real danger for fans, since you can spend an entire afternoon watching or practicing without almost realize Finally, on the northern edge we have a must-see for animal lovers: the London Zoo, which is the second oldest in Europe, opened in 1828, and houses the first aquarium on the continent.

In the area of Westminster, very near Buckingham Palace, there is a perfect place. A space which mixes green with harmony. Full of entertainment. This is Hyde Park; the oldest and largest park in the city. Since Charles I opened it to the public in 1637, after it was used as a royal hunting ground for a hundred years, this park has witnessed how the city has evolved. The park has seen protests and demonstrations, suffragettes, carlists, reformists etc, as well as concerts, the Great Exhibition of 1851 and royal anniversaries. Should you be walking along the north east area, you'll find a group of people listening carefully to a public speaker. This is normal since you'll be at the legendary Speaker's Corner which is a meeting point often visited by different groups or parties, and is one of the few where you are allowed to perform public speeches. Here, contrary to belief, you are only permitted to speak provided that your words are within the law. Walking towards the south, if we go along the edge of the Serpentine lake of the central area, there's an interesting secret which isn't usually mentioned and, since you’re on the path, you'll find a statue of Peter Pan, the eternal boy whose character is known to have been created in this park by the playwright James Matthew Barrie.

In the area of the Tower of London, a medieval banquet is celebrated at St. Katherine Docks and it’s a completely different and entertaining way of eating. As you go down to the basement, it's easy to forget the world outside since, during your four course medieval themed feast, a show is happening that will surprise you by its preparation and setting. The set menu, which also offers a vegetarian alternative, is prepared in a medieval style with the typical roast chicken, cheeses and vegetables. But it's the atmosphere which really adds even more flavour to the feast. Take the music, for example; from singing jugglers who pass by near your table, to musicians interpreting 800 years of medieval music. An ideal accompaniment for a tribute to the history of the dock, the city and its surrounding areas, since it is in this area, more than 400 years ago, where banquets used to be celebrated just like the one you're attending, or duels between real knights, which were either for honour or to entertain royalty. Acrobats, jugglers, dancers and duels come with the menu offered in this celebration which has been performed every night for more than thirty years. Don't miss it!

The Gun is the best choice for immersing yourself in the fishing tradition which is home to the history of this city. Situated in the east end of London, in a zone which is one of the few memories of the Docklands, or port area, and the last in the small town of Blackwall, famous people such as Dickens or Nelson used to walk around here in the past. This pub and restaurant was born over the river itself. If you look out the window, the large buildings of the city are replaced by the port and instead of asphalt, you have the Thames. If you turn to take a look towards the pub's interior, you have a loyally maintained decoration of the local characteristics of the area. Whether in the restaurant or the bar, the marine atmosphere fills every corner. If you have come for lunch or dinner, eating in the terrace is the best way to enjoy your meal where you are going to try an extensive menu, just a few metres from the river, which explores this area's sea food that is so traditional. On the other hand, it's also somewhere you can come to have something after exploring the town. Furthermore, it's one of the most famous pubs for its choice of beers and the preparation of its delicious cocktails. You choose!

After seeing the city, surely it's a good time to go down to Southwark and eat something, watching the south side of the financial district after having seen it from the inside. When you walk along Park St., you'll bump into Anchor Bankside; a restaurant which is located in an eye-catching building due to its mix of bricks, red wood and history since it's features have been kept intact since the 17th century. It's a good stop as it offers several options. You can eat in the ground floor bar which is in the style of an old tavern with its mixture of bricks, wood and thick rugs, where you can drink a few pints accompanied by several kinds of plates which are mostly and marvellously traditional. You can also sit down and order the classic fish & chips either inside the pub or in the terrace outside. Nevertheless, there's an attractive third option, and this is to go up to the first floor to enter the restaurant, where you'll find a traditional menu that's well known for its fish. Don't hesitate to sit out in the small upper terrace which looks onto the river with its incredible view of the south facade of the city, since this is the nicest way to end a visit to the financial district.

This is one of the places which Londoners prefer. Decorated completely with the sobriety and elegance which characterizes the English, this bar is an ideal place to get closer to feeling a little of the United Kingdom's classic environment. You have two options: to be seated while you eat, in which case you'll find it hard to decide throughout the menu as there's no dish that doesn't form part of the country's strict culinary tradition or, to try something more characteristic like tasting an extensive, native collection of wines and beers accompanied by various portions which is not so filling as the dishes, but just as traditional. If you choose the second option, don't stop trying the other beers, each one is different and you'll possibly find various names that you will want to remember. In any case, you can be sure that everything you order, will make up the products that they grow, cultivate or fish in the area since this place is one of many which are in charge of strictly conserving the tradition, from the bread which they bake in the same place, to the bottles that the owners bring back from their trips. After lunch, don't forget to go for a short walk up to Parliament Hill in order to help your digestion and look at the views over the city from there.

Pubs like The Duke of Cambridge offer one of the best and most popular ways to eat in this city, and this is to try various portions as you enjoy the native beers or wines. In this peaceful suburb of Battersea, in the north east area of the city, you're going to find a typically English place and there's no doubt that, when you sit down at the wooden tables and observe the classically refurbished interior of the pub, which is almost sure to have locals but not packed with them, you'll instantly feel like a Londoner. Although, if you feel like watching the city life from outdoors, you can also eat outside in the pub's sheltered terrace. In any case, be prepared to taste a wide range of drinks and, most of all, a healthy and organic meal, since this pub is famous for the quality of its food. You'll not find a product on the menu which hasn't come from British farms and, in the same way, you'll not see the same for two days on the blackboard menu at the entrance, as the food varies in favour of what is available. This is definitely the place to sit down and feel English, and by the way, don't forget to order a tea … they are delicious!

As you go through Hanbury Street, you'll come across its shop window and a quick glance will take you sixty years back in time. When you turn back and go into the restaurant, the first thing that you'll hear is music from the 50s which will be playing on the jukebox. From there, you'll gradually enter into an environment which is full of details from England as it was during the middle of the 20th century. Although it’s near the centre, it's not on a very touristic street which makes it ideal for a short walk to feel the pace that the city keeps from day to day, when it's not packed with visitors. The special character of the place guarantees an entertaining time for all ages, and it's not easy to take your eyes off the walls full of images from both celebrities to newspaper and magazine clippings, in the short time it takes you to be served by any of the waitresses wearing pinnies and kerchiefs. But most importantly: a simple yet perfect menu. Don't hesitate to ask the staff should you have any doubts because it's not easy to choose between the different variations of fish and chips, or the chicken and sausage alternatives for those who prefer not to eat fish.

Although it's a bit strange in this city, Asian meals are very popular. But this isn't surprising since they are usually the symbol of a cosmopolitan city in Europe. You'll find Chinese, Hindu, Thai or Turkish restaurants in almost any part of the centre, from Camden to Southwark, but it's in Soho where the busiest and most reputable places are situated together. You only have to walk around the area to see for yourself. In fact, a very practical and common way is to take advantage of an excursion in order to get to know the area and to go trying different places, which usually offer you takeaway containers that allow you to eat while you walk. But if you prefer to sit for lunch or dine peacefully, there are more than enough restaurants for you to try, such as the Golden Dragon in the small Chinatown of Soho or Zuma, the Japanese restaurant in Knightsbridge. Depending on where you are and what you feel like, the best options to try Hindu cuisine are near the area of Brick Lane or Stoke Newington for Turkish cuisine. It might work in your favour if you improvise since you'll come across a variety of different places when you are going through the streets.

If you still don't know it, you can't leave the city without trying the UK's most typical dish. This battered fish with chips seems very simple at first sight but it’s a really popular combination for many people around the globe. Since the first restaurant to specialize in this food was opened in 1860, hundreds of others then proceeded to open up too, making fish and chips synonymous with the capital. By walking around the streets, you can buy take away fish and chips from mobile kiosks that you'll come across or even in luxurious restaurants where they painstakingly prepare your dish to the maximum by varying the choice of fish, which is usually cod or pollack and the typical batter which is made with milk or beer. If you have ordered a takeaway, they have probably served it to you in some strange-looking paper which appears to be a newspaper. Well, up until recently, real newspaper was used to wrap this food which is traditionally consumed by the working class. By Bond Street, you'll see a simple and intimate restaurant named Golden Hind. If you can go, it's the perfect place to try the most traditional preparation of this dish which they have served since 1941, or at the terrace of Rock & Sole Plaice on 47 Endell Street, since 1871.

In order to pass through Westminster to get to Soho, you have to cross Leicester Square, between Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly and Covent Garden and, although it's famous for its cinemas, this is a strategic area to make a stop, on any excursion, to have lunch in one of the restaurants which are characterized by their tranquillity and service. Should you be searching to spend a while in somewhere peaceful, Leicester Bar & Restaurant on St. Martin's Street is a safe bet to find affordable prices and painstaking service. But it's also worth walking a little towards Piccadilly Street and to go up to 5th View which is a restaurant where you can enjoy the most "European" view of the city while you eat, and since it's not at any great height, you will only feel a little higher than the city's flat roofs to see the dominant rooftops of the Elizabeth Tower and Westminster Abbey. On the other hand, if you don't want to stop the rhythm, turning back a little to the area is enough to find a terrace where you can sit down and grab a bite to eat or have a coffee; a great way to watch the city in motion.

Of all the areas that you visit in the city, it's almost impossible not to go through the centrally situated Covent Garden which is one of the busiest and liveliest streets of London. It's the perfect place to stop a little and have lunch, if you're planning to walk around all day. As it's a city which has welcomed a multitude of people from different parts of the globe, you can be sure that it has good samples of food from various places in the world. And the thing is, apart from its pubs and clubs, this area is characterized by its various exotic food restaurants. You'll find famous Indian restaurants here such as the Livebait on Wellington St. or the Takari on Drury Lane; get acquainted with Australian cuisine at the Walkabout on Henrietta St. or if you want something a bit nearer, the Stranded in London offers you an extensive menu of European food. Even if you're not keen on meat, you have a variety of vegetarian restaurants like Food for Thought on Neal St. which is one of the most popular places of its kind. There are also places to eat which serve typical English food, although they're not as eye-catching, as this street shines due to its blend of cultures.

Going through the streets of the old part of London, you're bound to have the feeling that time has stopped as you see yourself surrounded by perfectly conserved Victorian facades. Many of the shops maintain that 19th century aesthetic which characterize London. Well, if you are around the neighbourhood of Baker Street and you approach number 221, you'll find one of the enjoyable attractions in the city, which will take you back to these times. We're talking about a small and curious museum which is dedicated to the most famous detective in history, and one of the icons who has enriched English literature. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887, Sherlock Holmes and his colleague Watson are the pinnacle of mystery novels, having taught and entertained millions of people. This museum was founded in 1990 and according to the descriptions in the books; it is located at the same number of the street where the character used to live. This museum is very special as the house has been meticulously reproduced and based on the stories. If you're a fan of the novels, you'll see that the slightest detail has been put into place, just as the author had described, and you'll find some of his most famous or curious objects here, such as official documents which confirm the solution of his cases.

You'll be overwhelmed by a sense of fear here, but don't worry, it's justified as you are in front of one of the buildings with the scariest history in the city. The walls of this fortification have had various uses since the White Tower was built in 1078. Initially founded as a royal residence, it has served as an armoury, royal mint, treasury, menagerie and, what it has been most characterized by - a prison. Since the year 1100, the tower has served to imprison and execute monarchy and prisoners of war. This has given this castle the darkest symbol of the British Royalty, and this is something that you notice around the building’s interior. It's well worth you're while to enter this fortified enclosure to take a look at the famous Crown Jewels which are kept inside, as well as the White Tower or the castle. On your way through the gardens, you'll see quite a few ravens. Don't fret as you continue walking, these are the most appreciated habitants of the tower since, according to its legend, if these leave the castle, the tower and the kingdom will collapse. Take a close look and you'll see that they're missing a piece of their wing; someone clips these so that they don't escape.

This museum is an example of, how the English say - to kill two birds with a stone. On one hand, since its opening in the year 2000, it has established itself as one of the most visited museums of modern art in the world, superseding New York's MoMA or the Reina Sofía Modern Art Museum in Madrid. On the other hand, it has culturally and economically revitalized the area of Southwark as the museum now occupies what used to be an old and disused electrical power station, next to an area which was gradually in decline. Following the building's conversion by the Swiss architects, Herzog & Meuron, millions of people have gone to see this exhibition of Tate Britain which was previously known as the National Gallery of British Art and comprises of various museums which focus on different branches of art. But it's here, where you find the most influential contemporary works by Picasso, Rothko, Dalí and Warhol since 1900. You can be sure that your visit will be refreshing since, in contrast to the rest of the city's touristic spots which are steeped in history, it is a modern museum both in form and content, as the adaptation of the site converts it into such an innovative building somewhat like its exhibited works.

The name of this international wax museum will probably be familiar to you. It's located here, on Marylebone Road, beside Queen Mary's Gardens, where you'll find the main building. It's an interesting fact since it was founded by a woman from France named Marie Grosholtz, who subsequently took the Tussauds surname by marriage, and it was in her home country where she learned the profession and acquired fame towards the end of the 18th century. At nineteen years old, she was already the art tutor to Louis XVI's sister. It was in 1835, when the exhibition was established in a permanent way, that we know nowadays, and it has not stopped expanding. Inside this peculiar museum, you'll find the wax recreations of celebrity personalities of the political and art worlds from the end of the 18th century up to today, but that's not all, you can't miss visiting its famous Chamber of Horrors which exhibits famous people who were guillotined, such as Louis XVI among others, or the two sections which distinguish it from its counterparts: the masks of death used to torture and publicly humiliate during the French Revolution, and the guillotine in which Maria Antonieta was executed. This museum has the most macabre entertainment in the city!

Located at the north of Hyde Park, the Wallace Collection constitutes an important museum of art and decorative arts. The special characteristic of the museum which sets it apart from others is its private character, since this is the personal and integral collection of Sir Richard Wallace, a noble and philanthropist of the 19th century, who lived in London. After he died, his artistic profits were passed on to his wife and moved to Hertford House, where they have been exhibited to the public since 1900, to the present day. In spite of its private administration, the entrance to the museum is free of charge in which you will have access to more than 5,000 pieces, from paintings to weaponry, making an attractive visit for any enthusiast or scholar of the arts between the 15th and 19th centuries. Most of the collection is made up of works which originate from France, both paintings and decorative art, but you can also examine various English, Italian, Spanish and Flemish works. The fact that the museum is located in a mansion which has been maintained intact since the Victorian period, has lead people to say that this provokes the feeling of actually being in Victorian London. If you want to keep the feeling alive, you should refrain from looking out of the windows.

The conflicts of war are without doubt, one of the most important factors in how the history of Europe was shaped, and Great Britain had fought in many of these conflicts. A visit to the War Museum won't leave you feeling indifferent as its objective doesn't only focus on the exhibition; it also raises awareness of the war's motives and, most of all, the impact and consequences which it had on humanity. This museum opened in 1920 after the First World War and has been growing and dividing itself into various buildings which are spread over the country, such as the Churchill Museum or the Imperial War Museum Duxford. At the main building in London, you can find a multitude of testimonies, especially from the First World War, including cinematographic material and official or personal documents which help to understand how people felt as they lived during the war, in an intimate and direct way. In this sense, the recreation of trenches and other settings stand out and offer a very real and raw image of the experience that the soldiers had. The Children's War Exhibition deserves a separate mention. If you decide to visit this museum, it'll be one of those experiences when you don’t leave as the same person.

If you approach the area to the west of the city, between Exhibition Street and Cromwell Road, you'll come across a different museum since the Victoria and Albert or National Museum of Art and Design, gathers a collection which is not usual in these kinds of buildings. If you're in front of this edifice, prepare yourself! ... you are about to enter the most valued, largest, diverse art and design museum in the world. Countless objects are spread throughout the museum's 145 galleries which span 3,000 years, covering all fields of the history of art and decoration, and in a way that is really difficult to imagine what you're going to find next, each time you move on to another gallery. From furniture, textiles and ceramics to clocks and miniatures, Da Vinci's Codex Forster or temporary exhibitions such as the objects related to the life and work of the English musician, David Bowie. It's also curious that the building itself is in fact, also considered as one of the works of art on exhibition. Since the museum was founded in 1852, it has occupied the same place in the city, but it was then known as South Kensington Museum before its name change in honour of Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert. It is one of the few buildings which has survived the Second World War bombing and with hardly any damage. Don't be surprised by the student atmosphere that you'll find in the galleries or when you go out to the carefully looked after garden, as it contains the National Collection of Applied Arts and the National Art Library, which is why this museum is often visited by university students.

In 1824, the British State bought a collection of 38 pictorial works from John Julius Argenstein. Throughout approximately 190 years, the collection has grown up to the figure of 2,300 paintings which form the United Kingdom's National Gallery. It is superseded only by the Louvre Museum in Paris, according to experts. Don't be fooled by the small size of this building, it might well be the most important exhibition in the world. There's also an interesting aspect that isn't usually overlooked and that's the complete absence of decoration that dominates the galleries, except for the paintings on exhibition. Once inside, your eyes will only be able to focus on the images which the artistic history of continental Europe has left between the years of 1250 to 1900, and all pictorial styles from the Renaissance of Raphael to the Post-Impressionism of Van Gogh. As the museum is State property, the entrance to the gallery is free of charge. We recommend that you complete the visit and link it with a walk around Trafalgar Square, where by the way, you'll find a building which is the third location of the museum due to an increase in its collection.

You are at one of the first museums in Europe. Sir Hans Sloane, a doctor and naturalist, passed on his personal collection to the British State after his death. The founding collections started with 40,000 books, 7,000 manuscripts and a large quantity of antiquities from all over the world which were located in the mansion of Montagu and open to the public in 1759. As of today, it comprises one of the largest collections in the world, highlighting evidence of the Egyptian Empire and is famous for exhibiting the Rosetta Stone. The museum was later moved to its current headquarters at Oxford Street due to its need for more space, and part of the collection was transferred to the Natural History Museum. You may visit nearly all of its departments free of charge, which contain some 7 million objects from all over the globe, although the majority of them are kept stored for their study and conservation. Furthermore, this museum also shares a reading room with the British Library and its glass dome and circular shape will likely be familiar to you when you see it. It's open to the public for all those who wish to visit and consult it, as did key figures in their day such as Oscar Wilde, Vladimir Lenin, H.G. Wells and Karl Marx.

According to the legend, a fisherman had an epiphany of St. Paul on the River Thames, after which he built a sanctuary on a place known as Thorney Island. Although there was no sign of such sanctuary, Edward the Confessor founded the Church of St. Peter in 1065, which is better known as Westminster Abbey. Since it was founded, it has witnessed virtually all of the coronations and burials of the British Royalty as well as other distinguished figures of the United Kingdom, such as Darwin and Newton. In addition, poets' corner contains the tombs of artists such as Dickens and Kipling. As regards its architecture, it's one of the largest gothic monuments in the world. It's surprising that it's maintained as a completely operational church in which Benedictine followers will welcome and invite you to participate in the daily masses and in the minute of silence which occurs every hour, either to pray if you're a follower or simply to meditate if this is not the case. To extend your visit, you might like to visit its gardens on a Tuesday or Saturday. They are the oldest in London and you'll be surprised at how peaceful they are, even being in the centre of this bustling city.

You can be sure that it's not about getting on any old big wheel! Since its construction in 1999, this attraction was the biggest structure of its kind with a cool 135 metres in height, until it was superseded in 2006 by the Star in Nanchang, China. It has only taken these few years to convert it into a representative part of the city's image, in its own right. Built over Jubilee Gardens, between the bridges of Westminster and Hungerford and a few steps from the Ministry of Defence, this peculiar viewpoint offers the most impressive panoramic view of the city and its outskirts that you can imagine. On a clear day, you can see as far as 25 miles (40 kilometres). This is obviously not recommended to those who suffer from vertigo. The Eye has 32 glass capsules which can hold up to 25 people and it's possible to reserve one, but at a much higher price of course. It's interesting that, to avoid the stopping and starting of its electric motors, it was designed in such a way that it constantly revolves at a low speed, in order to let people on as it keeps moving. This is why your trip lasts for thirty minutes, once you're on it.

This is the symbol of the British Monarchy. Although, at the time, when the Duke of Buckingham's residency was being built, he couldn't imagine that it would become the palace which we know today. It was after his death when his son sold it to King George III in 1762. Around seventy years later, the heir to the building was George IV who decided to convert it into a royal palace with a neo-classical French style and added two more wings to form the shape with an open patio, which we know nowadays. Even so, the official residence was still St. James's Palace until the arrival of Queen Victoria who moved the family to Buckingham Palace Gardens. Since then, the building has converted into the important centre of all matters carried out by the royalty, from ceremonies to international summits. For some years now, it has been possible to visit the inside of the palace. Once inside, you can examine its rooms which are full of historic, artistic decorations and elements which the west wing accommodates. And at certain times, you may also see the Royal Collection or popularly known as the Crown Jewels which curiously and contrarily don't belong to the Royal Family but to the country, the same as the Palace itself and Windsor Castle.

Here you have one of the secrets of London's streets. As it is almost hidden between the trees by the river Thames, near the station and the embankment, this Egyptian obelisk usually goes unnoticed. It is a tribute to Pharaoh Thutmose III of the 15th century B.C. situated in Cleopatra's palace in Alexandria. Since then, and up to its move to the British city, it went through a real odyssey. Egypt presented it to Queen Victoria as a gift in 1819 for her assistance in the battles of the Nile and Alexandria. The queen refused to fund the enormous and exaggerated amount that it would cost to move the piece. Twenty years later, a philanthropist named Sir Erasmus Wilson, offered to finance the venture. Following a difficult boat journey, in which the obelisk was almost left sunken in the Cantabrian Sea due to storms that cost the lives of six men, and a stop in Galicia for a repair, it arrived to its destination. Its current location was chosen due to how complex it would have been to take it through London's narrow streets and as far as the British Museum. If you are walking along the shores of the river, stop and observe the obelisk; you'll notice that the concrete base and its two bronze sphinxes that watch the needle, are marked by shrapnel from the Second World War bombing.

The history of this arch is the history of the City of London. It is considered to be at the end of the Middle Ages when it took up a place on Fleet Street and it used to serve as an entrance to the city. Although it was initially made of wood, King Charles II had it reconstructed into stone after the fire of 1666. Later, at the beginning of the 19th century, the other entrances were destroyed but Temple Bar remained for some years later until 1878, when it was dismantled stone by stone due to the inconvenience it had on the city's traffic. Curiously, it was then when Sir Henry Meux, a member of the British aristocracy, bought it and took it to his house at Theobalds Park. The gateway was forgotten there for 120 years until the Temple Bar Trust retrieved, restored and subsequently re-located it to its new location at Paternoster Square, near St. Paul's Cathedral, in 2003. However, as it was moved from its original place on Fleet Street, a statue was built in memory of the gateway which is known as the "Temple Bar Memorial", including figures of Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales, crowned by a griffin, which is the animal that represents the city.

As you enjoy a walk by London's city centre and the shore of the River Thames, you can't help but approach the Parliament and this might result in being impossible not to take a photograph from the bridge that stands next to the palace, and even more so when the sun sets over the building. The image of this neo-Gothic building, which was renovated by Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin following the fire in 1834, has been converted into one of the city's main icons. In addition, this building was declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. It was a royal residence for centuries and constitutes the central meeting place for the government's political and legislative matters. As well as enjoying its architecture and Victoria Tower Gardens, which are the only one of the four gardens open to the public, you can also visit inside the chambers (although this has a timetable that is limited to the Saturdays between July and September), or even attend a parliamentary session (you may gain admission from Monday to Thursday between October and July). This is a strategic point on the touristic route to Westminster Abbey and the London Eye, since all these monuments form the ancient centre of the City of London.

This historic castle of the British Royal Family is located around 40 kilometres from London. This is an excursion not to be missed if you are a lover of art and architecture considering that the walls of this building have been through nothing less than eleven centuries of construction, refurbishment and decoration, earning it the title of the oldest on the continent. Its rooms and facades have seen a multitude of artistic and architectural styles, and its State Apartments or St. George's Chapel are places of pilgrimage for anyone who studies the history of Europe. If you decide to join the large quantities of tourists who visit the castle, you'll have to travel in one of the buses or trains which regularly depart from the capital. Once you arrive, your visit may be considerably extended since the building itself and its enormous surrounding gardens are made up of more than 1900 hectares, of which only a part is open to the public. In addition, Windsor Castle is one of the most emblematic places of London and it's one of the most beautiful and peaceful spots to sit down, relax and escape from the bustle of the city centre.

At one end of Monument Street, near London Bridge, stands a column of 61-metres tall. This is the same place where the Great Fire of 1666 was accidentally started in a bakery and meant the devastation and subsequent reconstruction of much of the city. It's a monument that commemorates this disaster and the great effort of the reconstruction, which is something that the citizens of London are really proud of. It’s open to the public, so if you're feeling strong, you can climb the 311 narrow steps that form the shape of a snail and lead you to the top, allowing you to admire the views as well as its golden orb that’s crowned with golden flames. And, if your Latin is good too, you will be able to read its inscriptions that tell the Great Fire's sequence of events, the actions taken by Charles II following the fire and the construction process of the monument. But that's not all since, once you've come down, you’ll be given a certificate for your own keepsake, in recognition of your effort. And if your curiosity has been sparked by the fire, the Golden Boy of Pye Corner which marks the spot of where the fire was extinguished is located between Giltspur Street and Cock Lane.

There's the bridge at the foot of the famous Tower of London (from which it gets its name), that you have seen in so many photographs, postcards and films. Although we're familiar with this structure, crossing it on foot is a must-do experience, both by its exterior access and its high-level walkway where a converted exhibition room displays the old steam engine that used to raise the bridge, before its change over to electric motors in 1974. Furthermore, this walkway has a unique view of the river and both sides of the city since the bridge connects the city or financial city to the Southwark area in the same as its oldest companion, London Bridge, with which it is commonly confused. The construction of this crossing was actually a consequence from an overload of traffic that the bridge used to withstand as a result of the economic growth and industry at the end of the 19th century, as well as the need to connect both parts of the city without stopping the ships from crossing to and fro the port of London. Although the river traffic has been declining over time, the bridge still continues to open around a thousand times a year.

The Elizabeth Tower, widely known as Big Ben, is one of the most characteristic icons of the City of London. After the previous parliament accidentally caught fire in 1834, it took sixteen years to build the new parliament building which stands today. The Elizabeth Tower is located at the Palace of Westminster, mother of all parliaments in the United Kingdom and situated by the shore of the River Thames. This tower has four clocks with a huge and complex mechanism which have been an example of the popular English precision and punctuality since they began to operate in 1859. It was witness to the Second World War, when two of the clocks were damaged by German bombing and were then subsequently restored. During the war, the bells were also kept silent and the tower was not lit up at night, in order to avoid further attacks. In 2012, the tower’s previous name, “The Clock Tower” was changed to its present name in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. Unknown to many people, the name “Big Ben” was actually given to the hour bell placed inside the clock tower, to possibly honour the man behind its construction - Sir Benjamin Hall.

This area to the north of Westminster is the perfect place to see a little of everything. A walk between Regent Street and Leicester Square is enough for trying all types of shops. There, in Regent Street, we can go into Hamleys department store for example which is one of the largest toy stores in the world where you'll feel like a child again for a few moments. If you walk in front of Piccadilly Circus, sports lovers can go into Lillywhites which is possibly the cheapest sports shop in the city, as well as countless shops that open from the square and branch out towards all places. This area was also visited during the sixties by groups such as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles and it still is, so if you're a music lover, you are going to feel Berwick Street calling you which is occupied by several new and second-hand music shops. For a fashion tour, go to Kings Road and Carnaby Street where you'll find well-known brands. To end your walk in a pleasant way, it's best to go to the small market on Berwick Street, which, due to its modest suburban spirit, does not appear on maps or in guides, but buying some fruit from here will make you feel as if you were another Londoner.

Theatre, sex and tradition are how this popular central suburb is defined in London. And the thing is, since at least a century ago, the most important theatres in this area coexist with the most scandalous showcases - a curious mix that's going to make you hop from one place to the next while you visit these interesting streets. Since the middle of the 19th century, a multitude of artists and intellectuals found a suburb that was originally aristocratic and characterized more and more by a certain lack of morality; a place where you can establish yourself and let your creativity rein free. As you walk around this place, you feel that art emerging from its galleries, shops or late night bars in which Eric Clapton or the Beatles have been in a thousand times. Here is where the Sex Pistols used to live and record and where the Rolling Stones held their first concert. Although it has suffered a light renovation and several cultural places have been replaced by businesses at present, the artistic history it holds doesn't go unnoticed. To finish the walk, don't forget to go to the small and inviting Soho Square which is a park to the north near Oxford Street in which you can relax, look at the facades around you and if you're lucky, you might get to listen to the piano that they take out for public use, if the weather allows it.

You'll come across the Natural History Museum as you walk along Exhibition Road, near Hyde Park. It was built in 1880 to house a good part of the plant, fossil and skeleton collection of a packed British Museum. It was twenty years later, however, when it took over the Geological Museum to form the Natural History Museum. You won't be able to see everything inside since it contains nothing less than 70 million objects, remains and specimens, which make up a real visual map of the evolution of life in the whole planet. As soon as you enter, you'll be impressed by the enormous and careful architecture of the building, but that's not all, you still have an evolutionary journey ahead that starts from the beginning of time. Its galleries comprise amazing exhibitions of mineralogy, botany, paleontology and zoology with real skeletons and recreations of various dinosaurs, as well as a multitude of preserved animals that we know about such as the life-size blue whale which hangs from the ceiling, in the main hall. Furthermore, the museum has interactive recreation that explains the formation of earthquakes and volcanoes in the world. It is an essential place to visit, whether you're a nature lover or if you're just curious. By the way, it's a very entertaining place for the little ones!