The most exciting city on earth...
With so much to do, you just have to come back
What's the story...? London has come along way since it was founded as a trading port and business centre by the Romans in AD43. London was and always has been a trading port, and once the greatest of them all. The docklands area has now been transformed into gleaming office blocks and luxury apartments. As the port of London declined, investment poured into Heathrow airport, which is now the world's second largest cargo port.
An imperial city of villages... The old Roman city know as simply the "City" remains to this day a business district and the City of Westminster is still the religious, political and cultural centre. The "City" is where the money is made and Westminster is where the money is spent. The hamlets and villages surrounding these two cities, were nearly all swallowed up during the 19th century. These settlements became suburbs of a greater London covering over 620sq miles, the capital of a Great Empire. London still feels like a city of villages today!
London today... London is the cultural, financial and political heart of the UK, and financial capital of Europe. London is Europe’s richest city and is the largest investment banking centre in Europe and leads the world in international bond trading, foreign exchange trading and cross-border lending.
The facts... There are currently four World Heritage Sites - Palace of Westminster, Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich and Kew Gardens. London has over 40,000 shops and some 80 individual markets. There are 6,128 restaurants (22% of Britain’s restaurants) including menus from more than 50 major country cuisines, and 36 Michelin star rated restaurants. Don't forget the 3800 pubs, 233 nightclubs, 150 theatres and 300 museums. Open space accounts for 30% of the London area including 147 registered parks and gardens and eight royal parks. The largest park is Richmond Park covering nearly 3000 acres.
General information
Restaurants
With over 6000 restaurants to choose from, making that choice for a pre-theatre, lunch or evening meal for that special occasion can be daunting. We have a data base of restaurants recommended by our clients, our guides and hotel concierge.
Nightlife
With over 233 nightclubs and 3800 pubs how can you choose? The variety is remarkable, from Salsa, Soul, Jazz, Rock, R & B clubs and pubs. The list just goes on and on. Pub's usually close around midnight and tend to be places that Londoners mingle after work or at lunch time. Night clubs are very different, these are places that Londoners let their hair down and dance the night away. Cool, chic or laid back, London has it all. Opening times vary, but most clubs open around 9.00pm and close around 3.30am.
Theatre
Theatre in London is just thriving. Comedy, musicals, thrillers, murder mystery and just plain bizarre! Again, London has it all. The hot tickets at the moment seem to be "Billy Elliott" "Mary Popins" and still going strong "We will Rock you". Ticket prices range from £15.00 to £55.00 for the best seats (front row or box).
Shopping
With over 40,000 shops and 83 major street markets to choose from, the sheer variety on offer is hard to imagine. This is the city that gave the world the mini skirt, punk and Vivienne Westwood. London continues to attract shoppers of cutting edge fashion, who discover the off-the-beaten-track boutiques to the world-famous stores such as Harrod's. Different areas have their own specialties. Diamond hunters with love Hatton Garden, Mens grooming in Jermyn Street, up market tailoring in Saville Row, Antique books in Charing Cross Road and the department stores of Selfridges and Harvey Nichols for women's fashion. Your guide will enlighten you as you tour the city.
After booking your tour or tours with us, we would be happy to recommend restaurants, book theatre tickets and help you plan the days when you are not touring with us. Please contact us for further information on Restaurants, Theatre and Shopping.