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London

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London
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London Travel Guide

  • About London
London’s status as a truly global city is indelible. New visitors tend to focus on the West End and its surrounding areas, immersing themselves in classic icons of The Big Smoke; from black cabs and red double decker buses to the gothic turrets of the nearby Houses of Parliament. The shopping options match up to any city, with the flagship high street stores on Oxford Street towering like a beacon. Close by is Carnaby Street, with its rich modinfluenced tradition, Bond Street’s jewellery emporiums and Covent Garden’s card-draining mix of designer and vintage shops.But for those not there to shop, there’s a bevy of cultural attractions to keep the most ardent sightseer amused; from the National Portrait Gallery, to the Tate Modern and, of course, Buckingham Palace.For the new foodie generation, a vibrant scene ensures you can dine in all corners of the world in a day. Whether you want the three star Michelin dining of Restaurant Gordon Ramsey, the exquisite ramen of Bone Daddies or the life affirming smoked meats of Kiln, you’d have to be the fussiest of eaters to not pack on a few pounds.You’ll quickly realise, however, that London is a sprawling city with life bursting from every seam, and that many of the city’s true treats exist way from the centre. East London is the city’s creative hub, with the country’s most forward thinking nightclubs, bars and galleries dotted around Shoreditch, Dalston, Hackney and Peckham. Head out south west for the bucolic beauty of the deer-populated Richmond Park, or the dizzying array of fauna at Kew Gardens. And if you want to attend a football match or concert, the iconic Wembley Stadium is in the north east and has a capacity of 90,000.With over 300 languages spoken in the city, you’ll find a different smell on every corner and a new sound in every shop. It’s the beauty of a place that, ultimately, doesn’t just feel like the centre of the world but like the world in one city.
  • London History
Tucked into a curve of the Thames, London began life as Londinium, a small Roman port village connecting the territory of the Trinovantes tribe with that of the Catuvellauni to the north. But importance came at a price and in AD61, the settlement was razed by the armies of Iceni Queen Boudicca. Next to occupy the site were the Saxons, who took control after the Romans withdrew, and withstood several onslaughts from the Vikings before being ousted by the Normans in 1066. The Saxons left Westminster Abbey behind. The Normans built castles instead, with the Tower of London’s White Tower begun under William the Conqueror. Subsequent years saw the city become England’s dominant metropolis, with Whitehall Palace in the centre of London joining the Tower as England’s seat of power. But while England’s kings and queens – and occasionally its peasants – continued to bring about changes to the city’s architecture, it wasn’t until the reign of Elizabeth I that it developed a reputation for culture, thanks in no small part to Shakespeare and the famous School of Night. Although the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was foiled, the next century would be marked by turmoil, with London enduring civil war, plague, fire and the only execution of an English monarch in history. With the advent of the Georgians came stability and empire, with London growing rich. This continued during the Victorian period, with London remaining prosperous throughout the WWI and the Great Depression that followed. WWII put an end to the party, with the fearsome Blitz unleashed on the British capital reducing much of the East End to rubble. A sluggish economy in the 1960s and 70s compounded the malaise, as did IRA bomb attacks in the 1970s and 80s. Despite their best efforts, London has bounced back, gathering steam in the 1990s and hosting the Olympic Games in 2012. Today, it is one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities in the world.
  • Did you know?
• Marx and Engel’s Communist Manifestowas first published in Liverpool Street in 1848. • Cock Lane in Holborn got its name because it was the only street licensed for prostitution in mediaeval times. • More than 1,000 bodies are buried beneath Aldgate Station in a plague pit dating from 1665
  • Weather / Best time to visit
London, the sprawling capital of England and the United Kingdom, has a temperate oceanic climate. Contrary to popular belief, London only receives an average precipitation of 602mm (24 in) a year, less than New York (1,268mm/50in), Amsterdam (805mm/32in) and Paris (641mm/25in). But when it rains, it tends to drizzle, prompting locals to complain about the weather.
  • Spring (March to May) brings cool, pleasant weather with temperatures climbing from 10°C (50°F) in March to 17°C (62°F) in May; this is a good time to visit London and enjoy spring blossom in its many parks. The city also hosts a series of events including the London Marathon in April.
  • Summer (June to August) is warm, with highs averaging 20-23°C (68-73°F), though it can feel warmer in built-up areas due to heat stored in buildings and pavement. The city bustles with tourists while Londoners congregate outside and enjoy some sunshine.
  • Autumn (September to November) is another great season to visit London as the weather is mild and the summer crowds have gone home. Temperatures wise, the average high drops from 19°C (66°F) in September to 10°C (50°F) in November.
  • Winter (December to February) in London is mild, but can be grey and wet. December is a good time to visit as London turns festive and stores offer big discounts to entice shoppers. January is often the coldest month with an average high of 6°C (43°F) and an average low of 3°C (37°F). Temperatures don’t usually fall below freezing and snow is rare.

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