Walking
tours
A variety of guided walks are available from several operators,
although the most comprehensive tours are offered by The
Original London Walks (telephone: (020) 7624 3978 or 7624 9255
(recorded information).
London
Mystery Walks (telephone: (020) 8526 7755) also offer ‘Jack
the Ripper’ tours, as well as ‘Haunted London’.
For self-guided walks, the Silver
Jubilee Walkway has been extended from the original 3km (2miles)
along the South Bank of the River Thames (between Lambeth and Tower
bridges) to include much of the City and the West End.
Boat Tours
Westminster Pier is the main embarkation point for river trips.
From here, there are services east (downstream) or west (upstream).
City Cruises
(telephone: (020) 7740 0400) operates sightseeing cruises east to
Tower Pier.
Going west, summer services by WPSA
(telephone: (020) 7930 2062 or 4721) depart from Westminster Pier
upriver to Kew Gardens, Richmond and Hampton Court. Tickets must
be purchased before boarding..
Catamaran
Cruises (telephone: (020) 7987 1185) provides multi-lingual
cruises from Waterloo, Westminster and Embankment Piers.
Bus Tours
Various companies offer similar bus tours of London’s sights.
Tickets are usually valid for 24 hours and passengers can hop on
and off at various attractions en route. The
Big Bus Company (telephone: (020) 7233 9533) offers three different
90-minute sightseeing routes with departure points close to many
of London’s attractions. Original London
Sightseeing Tours (telephone: (020) 8877 1722) also offers various
sightseeing bus tours.
Other
Tours
London
Duck Tours (telephone: (020) 7928 3132) runs unconventional
tours on an amphibious craft, which depart from County Hall and
rumble through London’s streets, taking in Whitehall, Trafalgar
Square and Buckingham Palace, before plunging into the River Thames
for a 30-minute cruise.
Excursions
for half day
Kew Gardens
Situated on the western edge of the city, beside the River Thames,
the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 (telephone: (020) 8940 1171)
is a 121-hectare (300-acre) site, first planted in the 17th century
and now a horticulturist’s heaven. The glasshouses, including
the beautiful Palm House, shelter rare orchids and palms.
Hampton Court Palace
Just outside London, on the banks of the River Thames, is Hampton
Court Palace, East Moseley, Surrey KT8 9AU (telephone: 0870
752 7777), once the residence of Henry VIII. As well as the magnificent
State Apartments used by the Tudor court, there are 60 acres of
immaculate riverside gardens to explore, and a world-famous maze
that will delight children and grown-ups alike.
London
Wetland Centre
London
Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes, SW13 (telephone:
(020) 8409 4400), is the first wetland environment ever to be created
in a capital city. The former 42-hectare (105-acre) disused reservoir
has been transformed into an oasis for a multitude of watery wildlife,
with the addition of 30 reformed lakes, ponds and marshland.
Excursions for a whole day
Brighton
Known as ‘London on Sea’, Brighton is located 97km or
60 miles from London, on the south coast. Easily and relatively
cheaply accessible from Victoria station or King's Cross Thameslink,
Britain’s young demographic (including residents of the calibre
of Fat Boy Slim), vibrant nightlife, top-class restaurants and relaxed
vibe certainly make it the trendy coastal retreat of choice. The
Brighton
Tourist Information Office, 10 Bartholomew Square (telephone:
(0906) 711 2255), can provide more information.
Oxford
The ‘dreaming spires’ are located 97km or 60 miles northwest
of central London. Harbouring one of the oldest universities in
Europe, Oxford is not only steeped in history, architecture and
traditions but is also a bustling commercial city with good shops
and excellent pubs. Trains to Oxford depart from Paddington station,
while frequent 24-hour coaches leave from Victoria- the Oxford Express
X90 from Victoria Coach Station and the Oxford Tube from Grosvenor
Gardens outside Victoria train station. The Oxford
Tourist Information Office, The Old School (telephone: (01865)
726 871), can provide more information. |
