When considering a city so rich in historical and local interest as London, choosing ten things to do may seem an impossible task. After all, if you are a visitor, there is always so much to do in so little a time. Nevertheless that is exactly what this article will help you achieve. London is a city whose history spans over two thousand years. The Romans founded the city of Londinium as their capital, but evidence suggests that the site was occupied long before in the form of a large Iron Age hill fort. After this, all of the civilisations to invade England over the next six hundred years would settle in London at some point. It is largely due to this influx of new people and ideas, that the city is so wealthy in cultural diversity today. So that’s the history lesson over, if you want to discover the best attractions of the English capital read on.

A must see feature of London is the London Eye. Indeed, you can hardly avoid seeing it as you enter the city. The Eye dominates the skyline and is a must if you wish to observe London in all its glory. One hundred and thirty five meters in height, the Eye offers breath taking views and is accessible to all. For those with a visual impairment there is an in-flight guide. Wheel chair users and those with hearing impairment are also welcome. No trip to the Eye is complete without a cruise down the river Thames, where you can get a closer look at many of the sites to the accompaniment of an expert commentary.

If you’re a more hands on person, don’t miss the London Dungeons. Apart from testing your nerve, the Dungeons will provide you with a fantastic historical experience. You will be able to witness London throughout some of its darkest moments. Smell the smoke of the Great Fire and become part of a medieval execution first hand, in the form of a brand new ride. If being confronted by instruments of torture and seeing the aftermath of plague isn’t enough, realistic re-enactments by the Dungeons staff should do the trick and ensure you don’t forget your visit.

For a more gentle experience, you may decide to take part in one of the guided tours of Buckingham Palace. If you wish, such tours can be accompanied by an audio sound track. Tours are open from August to September, and will take you around the palace’s nineteen staterooms and beautiful gardens. Even more reason to visit the palace this year, is the fact that for the first time the palace Ball Room is now open to the public. The table will be set as if for a state dinner and the lavish silverware on display includes some from the reign of King George III. While you’re there, don’t miss the changing of the guard. This time honoured ceremony has taken place since the reign of king Henry VII, when soldiers of the Household Troops were first tasked with protecting the palace.

The chances are you’ll have seen these buildings every night on TV, so you’d be mad to leave London without first taking a look at the Houses of Parliament. You can take part in a wonderful tour, that takes in all sites of interest both today and throughout parliament’s long and bloody history. Discover what happened on the day Charles I attempted to arrest five MPs and discover how parliament really works. Before you leave, don’t miss the icon that is Big Ben. The naming of this famous structure is subject to great controversy. Some believe it was named after a well known prize fighter, whilst others hold the rather less interesting view that it is named after a particularly tall MP.

Another site of great importance to London is Nelson’s column. This famous statue is to commemorate one of Britain’s best known seafaring heroes and is a symbol of how Britain as an Island race dominated the waves for over two hundred years. The column took twenty eight years to complete, and guns captured from Nelson’s defeated rivals were used in the design.

If you’re a fan of all things military you might want to see the Imperial War Museum. This fantastic building documents Britain’s military history from the Great War 1914 - 1918, to the present. It’s not just about guns and tanks though, so even if you’re not a war buff you will find the Blitz experience interesting, as it shows how ordinary people lived throughout the Second World War.

If you go to see Nelson’s column then statues are clearly your thing, so don’t forget the world renowned Madame Tussauds and get the chance to mingle with the great and the good from around the world. Meet the Beatles and address the world from alongside George W Bush.

Whether you’re a regular theatre goer or not you shouldn’t leave London without checking out one of its great west end shows, such as Blood Brothers, now showing at the Phoenix Theatre. Blood Brothers is a compelling story of family love, desire and betrayal. As a musical it ticks all the boxes, with stunning sound tracks and an amazing cast. The show is essentially a clash of culture, between an upper and a working class family. At the start of the show it would seem that they have nothing in common, but as the plot unfolds, they become bound by fraternal loyalty.

If you want to catch a film while you’re here, then check out Leicester Square. This being London, you can be certain that whatever film you are looking for you can find. Also, the Square is excellent for anyone with sight difficulties as it is one of the best providers of audio described films in the country.

Finally, no trip to the theatre or the movies would be complete without dinner to follow. Picking out a nice eating place from London’s thousand’s of restaurants is hardly an easy task. There are so many factors to consider. Location, atmosphere and most importantly, the food itself. The Rain Forest Cafe certainly fits the bill. If its wide range of food and west end location aren’t enough, its realistic recreation of a rain forest will make certain you enjoy your meal, whilst experiencing a tropical storm in all its glory without getting wet!

Technorati Tags: big ben, blood brothers, buckingham palace, imperial war museum, leicester square, london, london attractions, london dungeons, london eye, madame tussauds, rain forest cafe, top london activities

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This entry was posted on Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 12:13 pm and is filed under Theatre. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.