London calling . . . . .

By Kevin Jones

It is a rare Australian tourist who does not start his or her trip to the UK in London. Rarer still is the Aussie tourist who never visits the English capital. While it is advisable to see as much of the British Isles as possible to get a rounded view of the United Kingdom - London bears little resemblance to the rest of Blighty - you would be daft to miss it.

There is so much to see and do in London, you could easily spend your entire trip there, if you had the money, that is.

London is a big, classy, sophisticated and expensive city and is no place to linger in if you're on a tight budget, but sightseeing in the capital need not cost you an arm and a leg if you're prepared to do a bit of leg work.

Walking is the best way to see London, but you have to be smart about it. London's a very big city, so pick a region that has several attractions in it, travel by public transport, then do your walking around in a set area.

You will be amazed at how many world famous landmarks, galleries, palaces or other tourist attractions are within easy reach.

One example is the West End walk. In the space of a couple of hours, you can check out London's theatre district, browse around bohemian Soho, which is no longer the seedy, red light area it once was, take in Eros at Piccadilly Circus, then wander down Haymarket to Trafalgar Square, where you can marvel at the architecture, admire Nelson's Column and get your standard touristy picture of a pigeon on your head.

If you're still feeling energetic, you can keep walking from the Square down Whitehall, past the Admiralty and the Cenotaph, have a squizz at Downing Street (be forewarned, you can no longer walk down Downing Street to check out No.10 - there is a big security gate at the end of the street), then wander down to see the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

There you go - in the space of, say, an afternoon, you can see about half a dozen of the most famous landmarks in the world and get some decent exercise too.

You don't need to be a Monarchist to enjoy the Royal Walk, which, again can be done in the space of a morning or afternoon.

Get off at Victoria (tube, mainline or bus) and wander along Buckingham Gate to Buckingham Palace, where you can do your level best to make the guards do more than just blink and stare into space.

From Buck House, you can check out the magnificent Queen Victoria Memorial then wander up The Mall, passing by Clarence House, St James Palace, Marlborough House and the Queen's Chapel.

Taking a short cut across St James Park, you find yourself again at spectacular Westminster Abbey, burial place of royalty for centuries. A short walk back along Victoria Road and you're back at Victoria for your ride "home". Easy. A memorable couple of hours' worth.

If you're really into all things royal, side trips to Hampton Court (30 minutes ride from Waterloo Station) and Windsor Castle are worthwhile too, as is a trip to the Tower of London, home of the Beefeaters and the Crown Jewels.

If you're out in the vicinity of the Tower, there are a few attractions close by that should not be missed, notably the adjoining Tower Bridge, and St Paul's Cathedral, which is a brisk walk away, or a couple of stops on the Tube.

This magnificent cathedral is well worth the effort - try out the Whispering Gallery, which will blow you away.

Not too far away is Covent Garden, which is always worth a visit.

London is a major cultural centre, with some of the world's finest galleries and museums.

It would take several weeks for the culture vulture to see everything that he or she wanted to see in places like British Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Natural History Museum or the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Art lovers would need the same amount of time to do justice to the National Gallery and the Tate.

Those with less refined taste in entertainment can while away many a happy hour in Madame Tussaud's, London Aquarium, the Planetarium or the Millennium Dome - while it's still standing..

If you were born to shop, there is always Oxford Street or London's many markets, such as Portobello Road, Soho or Notting Hill.

Then there is sporting London. With no less than 12 FA Premiership and Football League clubs to choose from, there is soccer aplenty on offer during the season.

Summertime visitors to London might want to pop along to the Oval or to Lord's, the spiritual home of cricket, to watch some flannelled fools.

So, London is a must-see, but be warned - it can be horrendously expensive and is wholly unrepresentative of the rest of the country. Enjoy it for a short while, then get out and about, where it's friendlier, cheaper - and slower.

Links

Official London Guide
Virtual London
London Transport
National Museum of Science and Industry
London Travel
The Monarchy