Whitehall and Westminster
At the heart of Westminster stands Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Parliament Square, Whitehall and Trafalgar Square. For over a thousand years, Westminster has been the centre of royal, religious and political power in England.
Reflecting this importance are the statues in Parliament Square with Oliver Cromwell, Winston Churchill, Benjamen Disraeli represented alongside many famous statesmen, while many statues of military heroes line Whitehall and its key government buildings.
St. James's and Piccadilly
Surrounded by famous royal residences, fashionable addresses, two royal parks and exclusive gentlemen's clubs, the area of St. James's is still the most exclusive in London. Here you will find houses such as Spencer House, Princess Diana's ancestral home, Marlborough House designed by Christopher Wren, Clarence House, as well as the palace of St. James's and the Queen's home, Buckingham Palace.
Piccadilly lies at the heart of the West End and Piccadilly Circus is a world famous London landmark. Piccadilly begins at Hyde Park Corner and takes in Park Lane to its north side; bordering Green Park to the south.
Trafalgar Square and Soho
Trafalgar Square, in London, with its world-famous Nelson's Column, has become partially pedestrianised in recent times and this fact along with the wonderful attractions that line the square make it an ideal spot to relax and spend some time out from sightseeing. Home to the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery. the church of St. Martin-in-the- Fields; it also provides the entrance to The Mall and Buckingham Palace via Admiralty Arch.
Soho is the the heart of London nightlife and the many restaurants, bars and clubs in the area reflect this. The shops, bars and attractions in Old Compton Street, reflect the artists, writers, musicians and the wide variety of people who have lived in this London area over time.
Covent Garden and the Strand
Even in past times this area of London has attracted many Londoners and visitors alike. Drawn now as they were then by the vibrant atmosphere, free street entertainment, markets, shops, theatre, pubs and restaurants. Home to the famous actors church of St. Paul's, the Royal Opera House, The Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the Piazza and Central Market and Neal's Yard , this London area has something for everyone, day or night.
Holbourn
Holborn and the Inns of Court in London have been dominated for centuries by journalism and the legal profession. It was near to Prince Henry's Rooms on Fleet Street that the Great Fire of London was finally quenched; fortunately several buildings in the area escaped from the fire at that time and still survive today, such as Middle Temple Hall and Staple Inn .
Although most national newspapers moved from Fleet Street to other areas of London around the time of the 1980's, legal London remains in place, represented by the Royal Courts of Justice, Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn. Diamonds dealers still abound in Hatton Garden and old historic pubs like Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, which was the haunt of Dr. Johnson and Charles Dickens over different periods of time, still welcome the London visitor.
The City of London
The City is still packed with historic buildings and hidden places even though much was destroyed during the Great Fire of London and World War II. With its historic markets of Billingsgate and Leadenhall, historic London street names and buildings such as The Mansion House, Lloyd's of London, Royal Exchange and the famous Old Bailey, it is still a magical place. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge are located on the boundary of the City and Wren's magnificent St. Paul's Cathedral still dominates the City's skyline.
Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia:
At the heart of Bloomsbury lies the British Museum, established in 1753, it is the oldest public museum in the world. Bloomsbury has attracted many famous writers over time and many members of the Bloomsbury Group of writers and artists lived in and around the many Georgian Squares in the area, such as, Russell Square, Bloomsbury Square and Bedford Square.
Museum Street is lined with places to go and have a snack when its time to take a break from the numerous bookshops and rare coin dealers that are to be found here.
South Kensington and Knightsbridge
This area of London is known for its world-famous museums, a Royal Palace that was the former home of Princess Diana, Hyde Park and Hyde Park Corner and exclusive shops like Harrods and Harvey Nicholls in Knightsbridge.
Chelsea
Famous since Tudor times when Henry VIII built a palace there and many famous artists and writers, such as, Whistler, Turner and Thomas Carlyle chose to live there at one time or another; its not surprising that Chelsea in London still attracts wealthy and famous people to this day.
The shops and boutiques along the Kings Road helped to cement Chelsea's fashionable image in the 1960's and it is still a main shopping street in London at the present time.
Southwark and Bankside
Southwark has returned to its former popularity and people now cross one of the London Bridges to see Shakespearean plays at the Globe Theatre (the reconstructed Globe) and visit the Inns and Markets at the Borough, just as they crossed over London Bridge to be entertained, in Shakespeare's day. Today's entertainment in the area is tamer by Elizabethan standards and is no longer illicit as it was from medieval times until the 18th century when brothels and blood sports were the norm in this part of London.
Greenwich
Greenwich is a gem of a place and although it is best known as the place where the world's time is measured it has a multitude of other attractions as well. It is home to the historic Queen's House, the National Maritime Museum, Wren's Royal Observatory, the Old Royal Naval College, a Royal Park and a busy market too. Greenwich is best visited by river using the numerous London River Boat services which operate at frequent times from London Westminster Pier, the Tower of London and Bankside Piers.
See London Travel for tips on getting around London
