Tour-Smart Limited

The Shard is an iconic, landmark building on the London skyline, designed by Master Architect Renzo Piano. At a height of 1,016ft (310m), the tallest building in Western Europe, the Shard redefines London’s skyline and will be a dynamic symbol of London, recognisable throughout the world.

To book your visit click www.theviewfromtheshard.com


Update October 2012

This week at London Pass brings you our Top 10 attractions


 

Free Thames River Cruise in London - Save €13.50
A Thames river cruise is without doubt one of the best ways to see London, weaving through the heart of the city and past so many of its most famous attractions. See and experience the sights and splendour of this great city from the relaxed comfort of a City Cruises modern, all-weather boats with open upper decks and spacious lower saloons with panoramic windows

Free Entry to The Tower of London - Saving £18
The Tower of London is one of the world’s most famous fortresses and has seen service as royal palace, prison, armoury and even a zoo. The ancient stones reverberate with dark secrets, priceless jewels glint in fortified vaults and pampered ravens strut the grounds.

Visit Westminster Abbey for Free - Save £16
Just a short walk from the Thames, Westminster Abbey is a must-see and significant structure in British history. This beautiful gothic church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site popular with many visitors to London.

Kings, Queens, statesmen, aristocrats, poets, priests, heroes and villains are all part of the church’s fascinating history. Many of whom were buried at the Abbey including Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer, Dr. Samuel Johnson and Charles Darwin. There is a special Scientists corners at the church which is home to a memorial for Isaac Newton.

Save £23 at The London Bridge Experience
The London Bridge Experience is a two-part tourist attraction situated within the arches of London Bridge. For the 2nd year running, it has won ‘Best Year Round Scare Attraction’ at the Screamie awards!

Firstly enjoy a fascinating trip back in time as the London Bridge Experience delves through the history of the bridge, from Druids through to Victorians, meeting Vikings, Romans, and some creepy medieval characters along the way. Featuring real life actors, stunning special effects and animations, this is unique interactive adventure really does takes you back in time.

Visit Windsor Castle for Free - Saving £17
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, and it's the official residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Built over 900 years ago the castle's floor covers a massive 480,000 square feet.

The castle is surrounded by some beautiful gardens and the picturesque English countryside. St George's Chapel, inside the grounds, is a fine example of gothic architecture and features the tomb of Henry VIII.

Free Entry to St Paul's Cathedral - Save €15
Come and experience the glory of St. Paul’s Cathedral and see how it’s iconic dome dominates the London skyline. Built between 1675 and 1710, the catherdral has gone through a £40 million programme of cleaning and repair work for its 300th anniversary and the work has transformed the exterior and interior of the building.

Save over £12 at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
Sightseeing visitors to London can enjoy a trip back in time with a visit to the spectacular Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Situated on London’s Bankside, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is areconstruction the original building that housed Shakespeare's theatre in London, an open-air playhouse where the playwright penned many of his greatest plays.

Free Entry to The London Tower Bridge
One the most impressive structures and sites in the capital, Tower Bridge London has stood over the River Thames since 1894 and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.

Learn about the history of the Bridge and how it was built. Interactive displays and videos provide an entertaining and informative guide to Tower Bridge in London and its place in the history of the River Thames

Visit Hampton Court Palace for free - Save £14.50
Hampton Court Palace is the former home of the flamboyant King Henry VIII, he extended and developed this grand palace after acquiring it in the 1520's. Its many royal occupants have ensured the palace has fabulous furnishings, tapestries and paintings. Set in 60 acres of formal gardens, which include the famous maze and Great Vine, this palace is well worth a visit.

Save Over £14 at Churchill War Rooms
The Churchill War Rooms are dedicated to the life of the ‘greatest Briton’, Sir Winston Churchill, and the secret underground headquarters that were the nerve centre of Britain’s war effort.

The first London museum of its kind, the Churchill War Rooms covers all ninety years of Winston Churchill’s life, divided into five chapters: his early year’s as British Prime Minister starting May 1940; his later years; his childhood; his early political career and the period famously known as the ‘Gathering Storm’.

Blackpool was already a well-established sea-side resort long before the Illuminations came about. Prior to 1879 the streets were lit by gas light but in that year the Council devoted the sum of £5000 to experiment with the concept of electric street lighting. On the 19th September 1879 Dr Siemens' 8 dynamo-electric machines powered by 16 Robey engines were used to power 8 arc lamps on the promenade spaced 320 yards apart, emitting the equivalent of 48,000 candles of light in total. The event had been advertised nationally and between 70,000 and 100,000 visitors travelled from all over Britain to witness the event. The light generated was called "artificial sunshine" and these were possibly the first electric street lights in the world.

 

The nearest to modern day displays was staged on Princess Parade in May 1912 to mark the first Royal visit to Blackpool. Princess Louise officially opened the new section of promenade and as part of the celebrations of this event the Blackpool electrical engineer was instructed to decorate the promenade in what was then a "novel fashion of garland lamps". About 10,000 bulbs were used and the results were so impressive that the local chamber of trade and other business people in the town persuaded the Council to stage these lights again in September of that year. Thousands of people visited the resort to see the illuminations and the event was judged a commercial success. In 1913 the Council was again encouraged to stage the Princess Parade lights as an after season event in September. The response from the public was nothing short of astonishing but hopes of building on this success was short lived with the outbreak of the First World War the following year. Illuminations were back in 1925 on a more ambitious scale with lights festooned along the promenade from Manchester Square to Cocker Square. It quickly became appreciated that Blackpool Illuminations were a worthwhile tourist attraction and they continued to be staged annually for many years. By 1932 animated tableaux had been added and these were erected on the cliffs linking North Shore and Bispham.

The length of the lights was extended to it's present length of just under six miles from Squires Gate to Red Bank Road. In 1939, although the Illuminations were ready for staging, they were prevented by the outbreak of the Second World War. There was a full scale preview on August 31st complete with a giant searchlight sweeping wide from the Tower top. But the next night the blackout had been enforced and the only colour to be seen was inside hotels and boarding houses where landladies had coloured their light bulbs with dolly blue. Even after the war had finished there were restrictions on the use of fuel and decorative lighting, consequently the Illuminations remained prohibited. The austere climate of post-war Britain meant the Lights did not come on again until 1949 when Anna Neagle pressed the switch, but only after the Council were given permission by the Government to burn the required amount of electricity. Since then the Illuminations have been staged every year in the same format you see today. They are always switched on at the end of August or beginning of September and currently run for 66 nights. It is a popular misconception that the Illuminationsextend into the Christmas period but this has never in fact been the case. The Illuminations are a temporary show and every feature has to be taken down for maintenance at the Council's Rigby Road Depot.

So 126 years after it's birth the role of the Blackpool Illuminations remains remarkably similar to it's origins. Held each year at the end of the summer holiday season the Illuminations continue to attract literally millions of people to the Town. www.blackpool-illuminations.net

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Two vintage railway carriages meticulously converted into self-catering accommodation for four and six guests at Coalport Station in the stunning Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, Shropshire have been reduced for summer breaks. Two nights can now be booked from £350 and a week’s stay from £850 for four people reduced from £475 and £925 to end August.

 

Set in three acres of tranquil, secluded gardens on a disused railway track overlooking the River Severn, they provide a comfortable base from which to explore the beautiful Shropshire countryside as well as the ten Ironbridge Gorge Museums, which bring centuries of history to life.

Both of the beautifully rebuilt carriages feature a flat-screen television; surround sound DVD, video and CD music centre; air conditioning and large, comfy leather sofas, as well as a fully-fitted stylish kitchen, complete with dishwasher, washer/dryer, microwave, ceramic hob and double oven, plus two bathrooms.

 

One carriage sleeps up to six guests in a master double bedroom with ensuite facilities, plus two twin rooms and a second bathroom, while the other accommodates four people in a master double and one twin/double room with ensuite bathrooms; both carriages have a whirlpool bath in the master ensuites.

The Anchor at Lower Froyle, Hampshire

The Cricketers Inn at Meopham

The Boat House, Seaview, Isle of Wight