Apsley House – Number One – London Finest Mansions
Apsley House, also known as Number One, London, was the London residence of the Dukes of Wellington.
It stands alone at Hyde Park Corner, on the south-east corner of Hyde Park, facing south towards the busy traffic circulation system.
The house is now run by English Heritage and is open to the public as a museum and art gallery, although the 8th Duke of Wellington still uses part of the building as a part-time residence.
The house was given the popular nickname of Number One, London, since it was the first house passed by visitors who travelled from the countryside after the toll gates at Knightsbridge.
Designed by Robert Adam and built between 1771 and 1778, Apsley House on Hyde Park Corner is one of the most magnificent of London’s grand houses. It’s a short walk from Apsley House to London’s largest park and nearby attractions such as the Wellington Arch and Harrods.
It boasts one of the finest art collections in London, with paintings by Velazquez and Rubens as well as a wonderful collection of silver and porcelain. There is also the Iron Duke’s staggering collection of paintings, silver plate, porcelain, sculpture, ceramics, furniture, and orders, medals and memorabilia, making it the last of London’s great on-site town-house collections.
The magnificent collection of 200 paintings includes 83 which were acquired by the first Duke after the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, the paintings were in Joseph Bonaparte’s baggage train, and they were from the Spanish royal collection and were presented to Wellington by King Ferdinand VII of Spain.
The 1st Duke received many gifts from European rulers that are displayed in the House: A pair of large candelabra of Siberian porphyry, ormolu & Malachite centre and two side tables, presented by Nicholas I of Russia.
Apsley House, one of London’s finest mansions, is still the residence of Wellington’s descendents. It has been impressively preserved with its original style and decor. It was given to the nation in 1947 by his family, who retain private rooms, making Apsley House the only English Heritage site in which the owner’s family still reside – not something you’ll find at your average family attraction.
Special events take place on the annual Waterloo weekend and occasionally on Waterloo Day (June 18) itself, in addition to other special events throughout the year.
Don’t forget to buy London Pass to get free entry to Apsley House. You can get London Pass Here.
Kew Gardens – A World Heritage Site
Spreading over 300 acres of botanical delights, Kew Gardens is a wonderful day out for everyone.
It lies on the south bank of the Thames River between Richmond and Kew in the suburbs of south-west London. Kew Gardens site houses over 300,000 different varieties of plant life.
The Gardens are a World Heritage Site with six magnificent glasshouses, and are home to a remarkable collection of plants from all over the world including over 14,000 trees.
It is most crowded during the summer months; especially summer weekends so if you plan to visit it in summer season, be prepare to see a flood of people idling in the garden.
There are lots of great walks amongst the various shrubbery and plants. You can also book walking tours or take the Kew Explorer vehicle which drops you off at various stops.
Treetop walk and the tropical greenhouse enable visitors to study the soil beneath the trees which is a very unique and interesting thing to do.
If you are visiting with small children be prepared to double walking times. It is a long walk around so bring pushchairs for babies.
Food and drink are expensive here, but it is nice to take a picnic and sit in the enormous grounds.
Parking is hard to find, so it could be a significant walk to the park.
The entry fee is expensive, but London Pass holders get free entry to Kew Gardens. You can get London Pass Here.
HMS Belfast – Unique Reminder of Britain’s Naval Heritage
HMS Belfast is one of the most spectacular sights on the River Thames. It offers the visitor a unique opportunity to experience how sailors lived, worked and fought onboard a Royal Navy cruiser during World War II.
It remained in service until 1965 and opened as a museum in 1971 as a unique reminder of Britain’s naval heritage. While in service, she was involved in the Korean War and other peacekeeping missions in the Far East and the Mediterranean.
Access to the ship is via a walkway which connects the quarterdeck with the pedestrian footpath on the south bank of the River Thames. Visitors can explore from the captain’s bridge all the way down to the massive boiler and engine rooms well below the ship’s waterline, including the hammock-slung mess decks, six-inch gun turrets, galley, operations room, sick bay, punishment cells and more.
Visitors are recommended to allow about 2 hours to visit this popular London attraction.
It is few minutes’ walk from the London Dungeon and is about 5 minute walk from the Tower Bridge, on the opposite side of the Thames from the Tower of London.
You can visit this attraction for free with a London Pass. Entry for under 16s is free, for adults, it costs £9.
London Zoo – Oldest Scientific Zoo
London Zoo is the world’s oldest scientific zoo founded in 1827. It is located in Regent’s park, which is easily accessible by a number of London underground tube lines.
It’s the perfect day out for the whole family and is one of the top tourist attractions in London, full of exotic and interesting animals from all over the world. With all-day parking, play equipment, beautiful picnic areas, keeper talks, animal displays and exciting events, the whole family will find their day full of discovery and wild fun at London Zoo.
It is run by The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats.
Animals in the London Zoo have also created one of the rarest collections of species in the world.
Today the Zoo holds the only population of humming birds and socorro doves in the United Kingdom in the Blackburn Pavilion. The new gorilla enclosure, Gorilla Kingdom, is a must see as well. Other recent additions include a re-vamped penguin habitat, a new aviary, a new komodo dragon house and an extended meerkat family.
Kids will love the fantastic Children’s Zoo. In the Touch Zone, kids touch and feed animals like goats, sheep and llamas which is a unique experience in its own right.
You can visit this attraction for free with a London Pass. However, Tickets may be purchased at the zoo website, or in person at the zoo itself. Ticket prices vary depending on the season, and the zoo offers family ticket options in addition to individual ticket purchases.
What To See In London – Overview
London is a city that has a lot to offer to its visitors. A historic city with promising future ahead are the right words to describe London. To know London completely is something which no one can claim with surety. Home to inhabitants for over 2,000 years now, London has grown from the protective circle of the Tower to a sprawling metropolis, the ideal platform for constant illustrious activity.
If you are planning your London tour, be sure to regularly visit this site to keep yourself updated of the activities taking place in London and to write your London itinerary to make the most out of your London trip.
Don’t forget to visit London for Olympics 2012 as it will be a event of life-time !
London Attractions Overview
Westminster Abbey has places like burial ground, church and coronation site which are the final resting place of great poets, kings and other notables of British descent. The visit is made even worthwhile by the works of art contained in the Abbey. The oldest portrait of a British monarch, Richard II is still on display inside the west entryway even today, having been painted back in 1390.
Buckingham Palace, the official residence of British monarchy, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in England. Some areas of the Palace are open all year and you can see the grandiose architecture of the building along with other exhibits. If you visit in August or September you’ll find that the Palace’s 19 staterooms are open to the public.
Trafalgar Square is a large, open plaza which has been witness to a huge number of political demonstrations and other public events in London. Apart from this, a visit to 10 Downing Street, the home of British Prime Ministers since 1732 and the Churchill Museum, is a must. Both of them are located quite close to the square.
A trip to London would not be complete without a visit to Harrods, the world’s greatest departmental store. It has been in existence since 150 years and is even great for those who would go there for window shopping. This has been time and again dubbed as a shopper’s paradise.
When it comes to the Hyde Park and the Kensington Gardens which appear to be two different entities is in fact one huge, merging expanse of green. Starting from horse-riding, rollerblading, swimming, boating, tennis, cycling, bowling, putting to cricket, football, rugby; almost every kind of outdoor pursuit takes place within this 625 acres of green expanse all year round.
Piccadilly Circus, another major landmark of London, is an enormous road junction where Piccadilly itself, Regent’s Street, Shaftsbury Avenue and Haymarket all intersect. It is the home of London Icon which is the Eros statue atop the Shaftesbury memorial fountain.
A visit to the world famous house of waxworks of famous contemporary and historical figures, Madam Tussuad’s should be one of the first on your things to do list. There are some astonishingly and breathtakingly real lifelike sculptures. Stardome which is a dazzling, 360-degree show of The Wonderful World Of Stars produced by Oscar Winning animators Aardman, is also shown in Madam Tussuad’s.
Those looking for a serene and spiritual experience should look forward to visiting the St Paul’s church. It has been famous for portraying the more traditional side of Christmas.
The National Gallery is a must see for those who love history. This museum has around seven million artefacts collected from all over the world reflecting upon the human history and cultured. Some of the finest examples of European art, ranging from 1260 to 1900, are included among the 2300 paintings filling its halls and rooms. Holbein’s ‘The Ambassadors’, ‘The Hay Wain’ by Constable, and Jan Van Eyck’s ‘Arnolfini Marriage’ are just some of the major attractions. It is the most impressive structure at the London’s Trafalgar Square
The London Eye elbowed its way onto the capital’s tourist scene as one of the statement pieces to mark the turn of the century and quickly became a definitive part of the London experience. This spectacularly streamlined riverside wheel stands an impressive 135 meters tall and allows inhabitants of its sleek, modern, totally see-through glass-pods an unrivalled 360 degree view of London and beyond. It moves at a slow but steady pace, taking 30 minutes to complete its flight. Go for online booking to save time as the popularity of the wheel has resulted in the lengthy queues to book tickets and then to board the flight.
London Pass
London pass is a must for every visitor as it makes your London trip cost-effective and a great time saver.
The London Pass is a sightseeing card which gives holders FREE ENTRY to over 55 sights and tourist attractions in London. If you plan to visit numerous places, then London Pass is a must. You can avoid long-queues at various tourist spots and also save on your journey to these places. Get your London Pass HERE