London is a most astounding place to visit, possibly just for a weekend or, possibly for a full vacation. You may be surprised at the number of folk who reside in Britain who have not yet visited London, this is especially surprising when you bear in mind the fact it is commonly top of the majority of visitors lists (of places they enjoyed most).

There are a multitude of things to see and do in London that it is not possible to list them all all in one go. Surprisingly one of the newest attractions in London also happens to be one of the most popular – The London Eye. Another popular attraction nearby to the London Eye is the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. However, one place which must not be missed is Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace is England’s most famous Royal residence, maybe because it is home to Queen Elizabeth. The Palace is positioned in the heart of London which makes it an important focus for visitors. The daily pageant of ‘Changing of the Guard’ is incredibly fascinating to see and typically English.

Buckingham Palace was originally referred to as Buckingham House. It was originally a large town house, constructed in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. It is actually the town house which forms the main core of the palace as we know it today.

Throughout the subsequent 75 years Buckingham House was extended with the building of an additional three wings creating a central courtyard. The main architects responsible for these additions were John Nash and Edward Blore. John Nash was also responsible for the interior design of the monumental staterooms.

The famous architect Aston Webb was responsible for the building of the principal facade of Buckingham Palace which he re-designed in 1912. Webb in association with Sir Thomas Brock, the sculptor, were the winners of a competition to design a memorial to Queen Victoria. This memorial still exists today.

The Queen has a number of royal residences besides Buckingham Palace. Annually the Queen spends the Christmas season at Sandringham House in Norfolk. Sandringham House is a private royal residence (owned by the Queen).

A further private residence is Balmoral Castle, situated in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The Queen was at Balmoral Castle when she was informed of the shocking accident involving Diana (the ex-wife of Prince Charles).

If you would like to take a vacation in England you may be pleased to hear that it is possible to find cheap hotels in London without any great effort, on the other hand you may wish to stay in more luxurious surroundings and the small selection of boutique hotels in London should more than satisfy.

Covent Garden has become known for its unusual and specialist shops, and has become a very hip place to be seen. There are a number of excellent restaurants in Covent Garden not just excellent shops. The origins of Covent Garden market can be traced back to the middle ages and, until 1980, it was famous for the many stalls which sold vegetables and fruit as well as flowers.

Camden Market is now one of the most popular places to visit in London. There has been a markets here in Camden for a long time, but in its present status only since 1974. The market is actually a group of adjoining markets selling wares of most things one can imagine.

The Kings Road is known as Chelsea’s high street, and one of the most chic and stylish streets to shop in London. Back in the 1970s the Kings Road was closely associated with ‘Punks’, who proved to be an attraction in London themselves. However, the Kings Road is more subdued these days and no longer just a haunt of the followers of the anti-fashion era.

Sloane Street is a street in London which runs north to south, and takes its name from Sir Hans Sloane, who purchased the surrounding area in 1712. Sloane Street has has, for a long time, been a fashionable shopping district, but is probably just as well known for lending it name to the ‘Sloane Rangers’ in the 1990s. The name Sloane Ranger was applied to the stereotypical young upper class English ladies seen in the area during this time. (One famous woman often referred to as a Sloane Ranger was Lady Diana Spencer)

Harrods department store in Knightsbridge is the worlds largest department store standing on 18,000 m2. The motto of Harrods department store is “all things for all people, everywhere” or ‘Omnia Omnibus Ubique’. A very exclusive and luxurious department store, Harrods is famous the world over for its food hall and its toy department.

Another famous London department store is Selfridges in Oxford Street. In 1909 and american businessman called Gordon Selfridge opened the doors of his London shop to the public which is simply known as “Selfridges”. When it opened Selfridges set new standards for the retailing business. The reason being that each of the floors were designed so that the shopper was able to access the goods on sale more easily.

The shops in London are as diverse as its culture and no matter how bizarre ones shopping requirements, it can be found in London. Whether you like to shop in department stores or prefer to rummage through the markets, London has it all.

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