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London

Name: Best of England & Scotland
Brand: Contiki
Price: 1706 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.7

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Travel in London

The most visited city in the world, a hub of culture, finance and global influence, the city of London will steal your heart in an instant. Covered in ancient monuments and seeped in the pomp of royalty, it's a place to step back in time but also frolic a little into the future. Pokey galleries and mega museums rival entire suburbs covered in street art. Whilst underground bars sit a short stroll from rooftop cinemas. Despite having its own set of cultures and traditions London is immensely multicultural, with a chicken tikka masala as much a quintessential experience of the city as a Sunday roast. Must-do experiences include a visit to the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, the exotic treasure trove of Camden Markets, and of course, Buckingham Palace. The Natural History Museum and TATE Modern both deserve a day of attention, while the well-timed trip will fall over Notting Hill Carnival, Lovebox or Wireless festival. When the madness of the city takes hold and you’re falling short of energy, the Royal Botanic Kew Gardens and majestic white Temperate House will be your perfect recovery; best enjoyed with a traditional afternoon tea of scones, mini cakes, finger sandwiches and teas like elderflower Darjeeling at The Botanical Cafe. When all this is done and dusted you'll need some Banoffee pie and fish and chips, not forgetting the essential red phone box photo to make your stint in London complete. From Hillingdon to Havering, Barnet to Bromley, the best of London is waiting to be uncovered.

FAST FACTS
Language: English
Currency: Pound Sterling
Electricity: 230V
Visas: Click here to see if you need a visa to enter the UK.
Dialing Code: +44
Time Zone: GMT

ABOUT CONTIKI
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Things to do in London

Be dazzled by the largest diamond in the world at the Tower of London

In 1905, a 3106-carat diamond was discovered in South Africa weighing over 600 grams, the largest ever found still to this day. Studied for 6-months before being cut into smaller pieces, the largest cut stone, 'Star of Africa I' can be found in Tower of London along with some 23,000 other precious gemstones that make up the Crown Jewels. Safely guarded in the tower for some 600-years, it is one of the most important and breath-taking London attractions.

Stroll the Streers of Prague's Old Town

With its stunning UNESCO World Heritage listed historic centre, Prague might just be the most beautiful city in the world. Known as the 'City of a Hundred Spires', it’s a fairytale landscape of Gothic cathedrals and Baroque buildings set magnificently around the banks of the Vltava River. Check out the famed Prague Astronomical Clock, admire the views from beautiful Charles Bridge then pick a cafe on the beautiful Old Town Square and settle in to sink a few of the country's famed pilsners.

Find Banksy street art and other graffiti pieces in Shoreditch

The hip hub of Shoreditch has no shortage of artistic and indie things to do, but none of them quite as mysterious and iconic as finding a Banksy work of art - ‘Guard Dog’ and 'His Masters Voice' both found on Rivington Street. Also present in this East London art 'burb are the sculptured faces found on Shoreditch High Street by Gregos Art, along with numerous ever-changing artworks on Fashion Street, Brick Lane, and Cremer Street. Spend a day strolling the streets deciphering political messages and inspirations, with plenty of coffee shop stops sandwiched in between.

Explore Camden market and chill by the Regents canal

Buzzing, eccentric and packed with obscurities, there's no market in London quite like Camden. Go on a Sunday to see it in full force, with more vendors than you could possibly soak up in one day, or visit mid-week for a more low-key take on the extravaganza with a few less stalls. Browse the stables for vintage clothes and Inverness Street for food and produce, then sift through the Lock Market for quirky gifts, jewellery and clothes. After all this retail therapy a chill by the Regents canal will be in order, rounding out another perfect day absorbing London attractions.

Catch the iconic Changing the Guard ceremony by the Buckingham Palace

No London trip would be complete without a visit to Buckingham Palace, the majestic London residence of the British royal family found in Westminster. Pomp and military ceremony doesn't get more spectacular than the Changing of the Guard, a regular occurrence marking the handover of palace protection. Truly lucky travellers will see their visit to Buckingham Palace fall over an even more exciting annual event in which spotting royalty is highly likely, such as the Trooping the Colour ceremony held in honour of the Queen's birthday or the official State Opening of Parliament.

Push a trolley through Harry Potter’s magical world at Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross

A series of 8 books with worldwide sales totalling over 500million, the 1,084,170 words of the Harry Potter collection have captured the hearts and minds of the masses. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is reached by boarding the Hogwarts Express through a mythical platform of Kings Cross Railway Station, now a famed London landmark complete with a Platform 9 ¾ plaque sitting above a shopping trolley disappearing through a wall. Adding another dimension of magic to the location, J.K. Rowling's parents first met in 1964 on a train at Kings Cross Station. An essential visit for any bona fide Harry Potter fan.

Wander around the Royal Botanic Kew Gardens

With a seven million strong herbarium of preserved plant specimens, a 750,000-piece library, and the world's largest and most diverse collection of botanicals and mycology, the Royal Botanic Kew Gardens is more than just a frolic amongst some flowers. Amble around the majestic white Temperate House, admire the ten-storey Chinese octagonal building of the Great Pagoda, and finish it all off with a traditional afternoon tea at The Botanical Cafe, complete with scones, mini cakes, finger sandwiches and teas like elderflower Darjeeling and Jasmine Pearls.

Top 5 Festivals in London

Driving 3-hours west in the direction of Glastonbury is not needed if you want a great festival in London; there are plenty happening right here within the borders of the city. From watching N.E.R.D. in Gunnersbury Park to seeing performance artists at London Art Fair, England's capital has a full year of festivities to enjoy.

Notting Hill Carnival

Culture, Dance & Music

Reggae beats and flamboyant costumes covering half naked dancers, such a spectacle is a rare occurrence in the streets of Notting Hill. Dabbling in Caribbean history and culture, Notting Hill Carnival is Europe's largest street party and - with 50 years of history - an icon of England.

Lovebox Festival

Music

With hip hop karaoke, vintage markets and international street food stalls, Lovebox is so much more than an incredible music festival featuring musicians like Bonobo and N.E.R.D. Held in London's Gunnersbury Park in the middle of summery July, this is a London festival to plan your travels around.

Wireless Festival

Music

Finsbury Park becomes a sea of free-spirited music lovers each year in early July when Wireless festival descends upon London. Held over 3 balmy days on just two crowd grabbing stages, it will be the icing on the cake of your London trip.

London Art Fair

Art

The panel discussions, live performance artists, bold instillations, and contemporary art works of the London Art Fair send the art world into a flurry each January. Held in the Business Design Centre in central London, it's one to add to your winter calendar.

London International Festival of Theatre

Theatre

Refreshingly modern, globally inspired and packed with emotion, LIFT festival is London's international celebration of theatrics. Held every second year for around a month in various venues across London (think Shoreditch Town Hall and Bernie Grant Arts Centre), it has been delighting the city since 1981.

Top 5 Museums and Galleries in London

London attractions come in various shapes and sizes, but a stint in a few museums is nothing short of essential. Ponder the psychoanalytic findings of Freud in the last house he lived, or admire the skeleton of a blue whale at the Natural History Museum. Design, film, dance and visual arts can be sandwiched in between for good measure.

Natural History Museum

With over 80million items housed within its 5 collections, London's Natural History Museum deserves a full day of attention. Open for almost 140 years, the museum holds rare and significant pieces, such as the skeleton of a blue whale, unique dinosaur fossils, and even collections of specimens found by Charles Darwin.

Tate Modern

Films, talks, eccentric performance art and vivid artworks are just some of the contemporary features of the Tate Modern gallery. Found in an oversized and elegant space with 360-degree views of London and the River Thames, this is an essential trip when you

Design Museum

From architecture to fashion, graphics to industrial works, this museum goes deep into the world of design. Opened in 1989 it is home to an inspiring curation of both permanent and temporary exhibitions, it's a must-do museum in London.

Barbican Centre

Learn and observe in the inspiring space of Barbican Centre dedicated to dance, film, music, theatre, and visual arts. Never short of soul-stirring moments, spend a day getting lost between the walls and ambling between the shop, library and restaurants, ending in the martini bar.

Freud Museum

Take a peek at the home of the Freud family during the last year of Sigmund's life. Found in a traditional home in Maresfield Gardens with manicured rose gardens, the museum most notable item is Freud's psychoanalytic Moroccan looking couch. The space became a museum at the wishes of his daughter, Anna, just a few years after her death in 1982.

Food in London

Traditional British food may not seem overly exotic, but comforting and delicious? We guarantee it. Moan over mouthfuls of thick caramel Banoffee pie and go decedent with a traditional English afternoon tea. Sundays are for Yorkshire pud and gravy soaked baked meats, while any night of the week is a good excuse for an oversized serve of fish and chips.

Sunday roast

Lashings of thick gravy and a side of Yorkshire pudding make the simple baked meat and baked veg of Sunday roast a sinfully good meal. Enjoy it with a lively crowd on a Sunday evening - no less, at the Shakespeare's Head pub in Kingsway.

Best eaten at
Shakespeare's Head, Africa House, 64-68 Kingsway, WC2B 6AH

Full English breakfast

Slice of toast or simple croissant? That's not a true breakfast in this part of the world. Under the excuse of 'experiencing the culture' dive into a full English breakfast, a full plate featuring fried bacon, grilled tomatoes, buttered toast, mushrooms, eggs, beans, blacked pudding, and of course, a 'cuppa tea'.

Best eaten at
Hamilton Hall, Liverpool St, EC2M 7PY

Banoffee pie

Culinary euphoria is easily found in London, baked into every slice of banoffee pie in the city. With its crumbly biscuit base, caramel centre and creamy banana topping, it's sure to be your top London food experience.

Best eaten at
Borough Market, 8 Southwark St, SE1 1TL

Fish & chips

A long family tradition of the Brits is found in fish'n'chips, nothing more than batter-fried fish and deep simmered cuts of potato. Take it served with salt and vinegar and wrapped in old newspaper. You'll be left wondering how so much greasy goodness can be packed into one singularly coloured meal.

Best eaten at
Poppies Camden, 30 Hawley Cres, Camden Town, NW1 8NP

Afternoon tea

Warm scones with homemade jam and dollops of thick cream might be considered the quintessential afternoon tea of Britain. But you haven't experienced the royal daily snack properly until you've had it served on an ornate tiered tray with crust-off sandwiches, mini chocolate éclairs, and a glass of champagne.

Best eaten at
Milestone Hotel, 1-2 Kensington Court, W8 5DL