London

London was founded in the middle of the first century by the Romans during their occupation of Britain. The Romans stayed in Britain for a full 300 years, before the collapse of the Roman empire. The city was then taken over by Anglo-Saxons, and the city began to prosper thanks to its location on the River Thames, a busy trading route. In the 800s the Vikings launched a series of attacks on the south of England, from the Thames estuary, eventually capturing the city. In 866 King Alfred the Great succeeded in driving the Danes from the city. London became the permanent capital of England in about 1110 (during the reign of Henry I). The power and importance of London grew throughout the following centuries. The Black Death (mid 14th century, which killed over a third of the 100,000 population), and the Great Fire and Great Plague (1666 and 1667) can now be seen as but setbacks in the rise of London towards becoming the most powerful focus of power in the 19th century, as the center of the huge British Empire. The following century saw the horrors of the 2nd world war, when Londoners caught the full fury of the Nazi regime during the infamous air-bombardment campaign (or blitz) of 1941, which destroyed large parts of the city. London survived and continued into the 21st century as a major European city.

As a tourist, when it comes to picking things to do in London, you’ll find you’ll be spoilt for choice. There’s a plethora of historical buildings, museums, art galleries, theatres and gardens. But some are definitely more exciting than others, and the following categories highlight recommendations-

Historical Buildings Tower of London. Brilliant for evocating early English history, especially from Tudor times. See the famous Crown jewels (for the crowns themselves, you’re put on a moving walkway, so be quick with your gawping). Other picks – St Paul’s cathedral, the London Monument.

Museums British Museum. A magnificent collection, including the celebrated Elgin marbles from the Parthenon in Athens. Other picks – Victoria and Albert Museum, Science Museum, Natural History Museum.

Art Museums Tate Britain. This impressive collection contains works by nearly all of Britain’s famous artists, including Turner, Constable, Gainsborough, Reynolds and Stubbs. Other picks – National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery.

Theatres Globe Theatre. Built in the style of an original Elizabethan theatre, the Globe stages wonderful Shakespeare plays. A tip is to read up on the play before going – you’ll get much more out of your evening when you can easily follow the storyline. Other picks – a multitude of great shows every night in a myriad of West End theatres.

Entertainments Madame Tussauds Waxworks. Super fun. Take a picture of yourself standing next to your favorite celebrity. It can be near impossible to tell it’s a fake. Other picks – London Eye, The Planeterium