Noel Coward wrote a song about it and for many people London is the greatest city in the world. Anna Hyman suggests some places to visit.

London Pride; wrote Noel Coward, means our own dear town to us; And our pride it forever will be;. He wrote the song in 1941 paying homage to the tiny flower that grows and thrives in harsh conditions and to the London that was suffering so much during the Blitz.

Time has moved on, and London has grown apace with more and more attractions for visitors to enjoy and many of them free.


Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace still draws crowds peering through the railings hoping to see the sight of the Queen or other royals. Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge, Changing the Guard – there is no charge for standing and looking.


Tower Bridge

But to learn more about this fascinating and exciting city, and get your bearings, a good start is to take one of the London double-decker bus tours. Another good way to rest weary feet and still learn about London is to take a guided cruise on the River Thames.

The River Thames has been London’s life blood for centuries, ever since Roman times, offering as it did a means of access from the sea into the heart of Britain.The London Docks, before the advent of containerisation were once the largest in the world. By 1980 the last of the docks had closed leaving some eight square miles of derelict land. Today that land has been turned into a thriving residential and commercial district of London – complete with skyscrapers, marinas, an airport and good transport links.

A short distance along the Thames in the shadow of Tower Bridge is one of London’s oldest buildings The Tower of London. Prepare to give up most of a day to appreciate one of London’s most iconic buildings – explore the White Tower, gasp at beauty of the Crown Jewels, spot the Ravens and admire the splendid uniforms of the Yeomen of the Guard.


HMS Belfast

Moored but a short distance away is HMS Belfast, one of the most powerful large light cruisers ever built and the only surviving vessel of her type to have served in World War 2.

Visitors with a head for heights can climb Sir Christopher Wren’s Monument commemorating the Great Fire of London in 1666 for a birds’ eye view over London. A short walk away is one of London’s most stunning churches also designed by Wren – St Paul’s Cathedral. From its vault to the Whispering Gallery and the views across London from the Stone Gallery it is truly one of London’s treasures.


The Dome of St. Pauls

Another treasure is Westminster Abbey, the coronation church since 1066. The present church was begun in 1245 by HenryIII incorporating the church built by Edward the Confessor. It is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the country, rich with stained glass windows, tapestries and monuments.
For another birds’ eye view of London take the 30-minute ride in one of the gondolas on the London Eye. In just 11 years it has established itself as another iconic emblem of London and a major attraction.


The London Eye

Whether you like large or small museums and galleries London has them all. From the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington to the British Museum in Great Russell Street, to the London Museum near St Paul’s Cathedral and the Imperial War Museum to smaller museums such as Sir John Soane’s Museum in Lincolns Inn Fields, the Handel House Museum, the Fan Museum, the Transport Museum, the Design Museum, the Cabinet War Rooms including the Churchill Museum and London’s latest museum the Museum of Brands - there is something for everybody.


The Natural History Museum

For art lovers galleries include Tate Modern and Tate Britain, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the CourtauldsInstitute , the Royal Academy and the Saatchi Gallery. And don’t forget the art and other treasures in Kensington Palace, the Wallace Collection or Aspley House (also known as Number One London – home of the Duke of Wellington).


Tate Modern and the Milllenium Bridge

Children and adults alike can enjoy the London Dungeons and the wax works of Madame Tussauds, the London Planetarium and the London Aquarium.
Then there are the magnificent green lungs of London – its parks and gardens. One, Regent’s Park, houses the London Zoo. Visit magnificent Kew Gardens; take a brisk walk on Hampstead Heath.

Shopaholics haven’t been forgotten either, from Oxford Street to Knightsbridge and Chelsea there are stores that cater for all tastes and wallets. Don’t forget trendy Covent Garden, Carnaby Street and the lively markets like Portobello Road, or Borough Market for foodies, and so on and so on.

For visitors who have been on their feet all day the prospect of sinking into a comfortable seat in the evening and being entertained usually appeals. There are theatres and concert halls aplenty attracting first class actors, singers and musicians.

Having long shaken off its reputation for indifferent food Britain, and certainly London, can today hold its own with the finest restaurants anywhere in the world.

Noel Coward was right, ‘nothing ever could override the pride of London town’.

GETTING THERE:

London has 5 international airports.

Heathrow Airport is 22 kilometres (14 miles) west of central London.

Gatwick Airport is 46 kilometres (28.4 miles) south of central London.

Stansted Airport is 48 kilometres (30 miles) north east of central London.

City Airport is 11 kilometres (6.9 miles) east of central London.

Luton Airport is 56.5 kilometres (35 miles) north of central London.