What to do in London

You can't come all the way to England without visiting its famous capital city!

London is a huge city but fairly easy to navigate around once you've got the hang of the Tube system. Get yourself a map from one of the machines in the Tube station and you shouldn't have any trouble! Sights you should definitely aim to see while you're in London are:

Buckingham Palace and the neighbouring St James' Park

The most popular "tourist attraction" in London! Get there at 11:30 am for the opportunity to see the Changing of the Guards, a forty minute ceremony which takes place on the Palace forecourt. If you want to escape the crowds, take a walk through the gorgeous St James' Park; it's just a minute or two away from the Palace. Bring some nibbles for the wildlife, as there are plenty of ducks, geese, squirrels - even a pelican or two!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckingham_Palace
http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/st_james_park

Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament

If you've ever seen a film set in England, you'll more than likely have seen "Big Ben" before! It's become a generic symbol of England. What is commonly referred to as Big Ben is actually the Clock Tower at the Houses of Parliament - home of the world's largest four-faced, chiming clock. "Big Ben" is actually the main bell inside the tower. Most people still refer to the tower itself as Big Ben though. If you walk here via St James' Park you'll stumble across 10 Downing Street, home to our Prime Minister.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ben
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Westminster

The London Eye

Standing an impressive 443 feet tall and resembling a giant Ferris Wheel, the London Eye offers a bird's eye view over the city - on a clear day you can see for around 25 miles! The London Eye has become the most popular paid visitor attraction in the UK, visited by over 3 million people a year. There are various "flight" packages on offer on the website but standard tickets cost £15 for adults (age 16+) and £7.50 for children.

http://www.londoneye.com

How To Get There

London is easily reached from Bristol by coach or train.

Bus

The coach is significantly cheaper thanks to companies like Megabus who offer one-way journeys from only £1! National Express also offer similar rates. The earlier you book, the cheaper your ticket. If you book with National Express you will be given a few options for destinations in London - you'll want to select "London (Central)". This will bring you to Victoria coach station, in the heart of London. Megabus will also bring you to Victoria. From here, you're walking distance from Buckingham Palace and you're in easy reach of Victoria underground station, where you can catch the Tube to anywhere in London. The majority of touristy areas are within Zone 1, so you'll need to buy a Zone 1 day pass (approx. £6.00 from any Tube station).

Train

Trains to London depart frequently throughout the day from Temple Meads Station in Bristol. We recommend booking tickets as early as possible - over a month in advance if at all possible - to make the most of the cheap "early-bird" deals available. National Rail Enquiries have up to date, accurate information about timetables and ticket prices.

Please note: We recommend travelling by bus as it's considerably cheaper and travel time is nearly the same as a train.

Of course, if you have any queries about visiting London or any aspect of your visit, please get in touch with us and we'll be happy to help!