London has so much to explore that it is not possible to see all on a single trip. In fact, there are so many hidden gems in the city that even locals may not be aware of most of them. London is a captivating city and its many attractions endear it to all who visit it. It is out of the most popular tourist spots in the world, with millions of visitors to the city annually. Apart from its countless tourist hot spots the city offers the best in entertainment and shopping.
When it comes to fine dining, the city offers the best of international cuisines with the restaurants in West End London highly sought after for their culinary fare.
Similarly when it comes to luxury accommodation London offers an incredible variety of options to choose from. If you want to stay in luxury without having to fork out a fortune, The Piccadilly London West End hotels are an ideal choice. An added advantage is their location in Central London that makes it convenient to explore the many landmarks in the area.
One of the best ways to thoroughly enjoy all that the city has to offer is to sign up for a guided walking tour of the city. It is the best way to explore and learn about the history and interesting stories linked with the top landmarks and attractions you see along the way. Some of the stomping grounds to explore on a walking tour include:
Charles Dickens’s London: A great way to explore the city is to opt for a Dickensian tour of London, which was the source of inspiration and home to the great writer. The tour starts at 48 Doughty Street, where the Charles Dickens Museum is located. It takes visitors to areas that have been immortalised in his novels like Saffron Hill, which was where Fagin had his den in Oliver Twist. Then there is the Old Bailey where the trial of Magwitch happens in Great Expectations and also Wood Street where the writer came to the city as a kid, for the first time. This tour helps to bring the places in his writings to life and help visitors understand the influence and inspiration these locations had on him. If you move further across the Thames towards Southwark via London Bridge, it will be retracing the route taken by Nancy, and is the location where she met her macabre end through murder in Oliver Twist. Also in close proximity is Borough High Street, where most of the writer’s novel Little Dorrit was set. Also in the vicinity are the gates of Marshalsea Prison, where Dickens father was incarcerated and was the location where Amy Dorrit was born. You could wind your trip with a visit to The George Inn, the last remaining Coaching inn of the Dickensian era in the city.
Jack the Ripper Tour: Relive the steps of the diabolic Jack the Ripper, as he unleashed terror and mayhem in the Whitechapel area more than a century ago. It is a guided tour where you get expert information about probably the most notorious criminal in English history. It is conducted at 7:30 pm when night falls and visitors are taken through the eerie alleyways of the East End. They are taken to each of the scenes where the murders were done as well as locations where clues were found. They get to relive that that fearful autumn, when the residents were overwhelmed with fear. With unique Ripper Vision projectors that are hand-held, it creates an authentic atmosphere of the ghastly crimes committed in the dark and lonely streets. The tour lasts for two hours and is a one of a kind walking tour experience, which is not to be missed.
Roman London: Go on a walking tour of Londinium, courtesy of the walking tour organised by the Museum of London. It explores the Roman links to London with a visit to some of its most important Roman discoveries. These can only be accessed by a Museum guide. Visitors will be thrilled to find the largest remains to date of the Roman gatehouse that is concealed below the City’s car park. Then hop along to the remains of the Roman bathhouse that is to be found on the Upper Thames Street. Along the tour members are educated about the life and times of gladiators at the Roman Amphitheatre. The tour culminates at the Museum of London that has the largest collection of Roman relics and artefacts on display. It helps visitors to learn about the impact of Roman Londinium on the city’s formation and the influence Roman heritage had on the development of society and culture thereon.
Great Fire of London: Take a walk along the path of the infamous Great Fire of London in 1666, as you get to know about the life and times of that period. You could begin at the north Bank of the Thames while visiting those spots where some of the city’s well known landmarks were destroyed in the conflagration. Ascend the 311 step of the Monument built to commemorate those who perished in the fire. It is at the precise spot at Pudding Lane, where the blaze initially started. Here you can read about the timber houses that fuelled the fire along the narrow streets. You will also get an opportunity to visit the landmarks that were rebuilt after the destruction. The trip culminates on Pie Corner at the Golden Boy where the fire stopped. To get more information about the Great Fire, the Museum of London is the perfect place to visit to learn about the period preceding the fire and its aftermath.
Royal Greenwich: To take a tour of Greenwich you could sign up with the Greenwich Tour Guide Association that offers daily guided walks through the area with expert guides. The Royal Greenwich Meridian Walk takes visitors through Greenwich Park that is the city’s oldest Royal Park. It was a personal favourite of Henry VIII. During the trip visitors get to see the spot famously known as the Prime Meridian and the tour ends at Greenwich town. They also offer historical walks which brief walkers about the areas military and maritime history, along with the history of Greenwich. These tours are a great way to escape the noise and crowds of London and are conducted all year long.
