Day 1
What better place to start than at London’s most famous attraction,
Buckingham Palace. Between June and October parts of the palace are open to the public, but at other times of the year you can catch the colourful Changing of the Guard, which takes place in the forecourt at 11.30 am daily in the summertime, and on alternate days throughout the rest of the year.
Next head to the
Houses of Parliament. If you walk down to Victoria Station, several buses will take you from here to Westminster, otherwise you can walk there in around 15 minutes. The iconic
Big Ben and the grandiose
Westminster Abbey, where Charles and Diana were married, are located here.
By crossing over the river via Westminster Bridge you will come to the
Southbank Centre, a complex that encompasses the
Hayward Gallery, and music venues the
Royal Festival Hall and
Queen Elizabeth Hall. Check their schedule for free lunchtime concerts. You’ll also find the 3D
IMAX cinema a few minutes’ walk away by Waterloo station, as well as the
Tate Modern, a free museum filled with 20th century art, and a great place to spend an afternoon. Its sister museum, the
Tate Britain, focuses on British art and is located in
Pimlico.
