Our Tour of London
On her dominions the sun never sets; before his evening rays leave the spires of Quebec, his morning beams have shone three hours on Port Jackson, and while sinking from the waters of Lake Superior, his eye opens upon the Mouth of the Ganges. – Caledonian Mercury newspaper (1821)
So much of the history of the western world seems to be tied up in a single city on an island in the North Sea, roughly the size of Michigan. London is one of the world’s truly global cities, which is part of the reason we chose it as the destination for our vacation to Europe. Most of our family has been to Europe only a handful of times, and London seemed like a perfect opportunity to experience the western world’s history and an ongoing influence on our culture – all in one week.
At its height, the British Empire had colonies on every continent, covered nearly 1/4 of the earth’s land, and had as its subjects more than 1/5 of the world’s population. So it is no wonder that London is home to food, artwork and residents from all over the globe. In London, we got to taste, see and experience other cultures, including eating some of the most delicious Indian food outside the subcontinent, getting an up-close look at the friezes from the outside of the Parthenon, and hearing discussions in dozens of foreign languages while riding on the Tube. Our favorite tour destinations to experience international cultures embraced by the UK included Karma Indian restaurant, the British Museum, and simply strolling through London’s diverse neighborhoods.
British culture also feels familiar to all of us. Some of the world’s best known statesmen, authors, poets, playwrights, actors, filmmakers, scientists, musicians, composers, and characters are British. Beloved Brits range from Queen Elizabeth to Winston Churchill, from Chaucer and Shakespeare to Dickens and Tolkein, from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Elton John and Adele, from Isaac Newton to Stephen Hawking, from Lawrence Olivier and Vivian Leigh to Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightly, and from Beowulf and Macbeth to Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter. While in London, we did our best to take in British cultural experiences like the handwritten manuscripts in the British Library Galleries, Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey, two plays in the West End theatre district, lawn tennis at Wimbledon, and an odd mixture of real history and Shakespearean tragedy while touring Tower of London.
We've endeavored to capture the spirit of the diverse cultural experience that is London on these pages. In particular, we've included quotes from some of our favorite Brits, things to watch and read if you want to prepare for your own British adventure, photos of as much of the tour as we were able to capture, and stories from our experience touring London with our guide Roy and 18 new friends we met as part of our Rick Steves’ tour group. We also attempted to highlight another key element that we feel sets Rick Steves' tours apart: the power to explore England on your own with the help of a trusty tour book and a knowledgeable tour guide.
At its height, the British Empire had colonies on every continent, covered nearly 1/4 of the earth’s land, and had as its subjects more than 1/5 of the world’s population. So it is no wonder that London is home to food, artwork and residents from all over the globe. In London, we got to taste, see and experience other cultures, including eating some of the most delicious Indian food outside the subcontinent, getting an up-close look at the friezes from the outside of the Parthenon, and hearing discussions in dozens of foreign languages while riding on the Tube. Our favorite tour destinations to experience international cultures embraced by the UK included Karma Indian restaurant, the British Museum, and simply strolling through London’s diverse neighborhoods.
British culture also feels familiar to all of us. Some of the world’s best known statesmen, authors, poets, playwrights, actors, filmmakers, scientists, musicians, composers, and characters are British. Beloved Brits range from Queen Elizabeth to Winston Churchill, from Chaucer and Shakespeare to Dickens and Tolkein, from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Elton John and Adele, from Isaac Newton to Stephen Hawking, from Lawrence Olivier and Vivian Leigh to Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightly, and from Beowulf and Macbeth to Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter. While in London, we did our best to take in British cultural experiences like the handwritten manuscripts in the British Library Galleries, Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey, two plays in the West End theatre district, lawn tennis at Wimbledon, and an odd mixture of real history and Shakespearean tragedy while touring Tower of London.
We've endeavored to capture the spirit of the diverse cultural experience that is London on these pages. In particular, we've included quotes from some of our favorite Brits, things to watch and read if you want to prepare for your own British adventure, photos of as much of the tour as we were able to capture, and stories from our experience touring London with our guide Roy and 18 new friends we met as part of our Rick Steves’ tour group. We also attempted to highlight another key element that we feel sets Rick Steves' tours apart: the power to explore England on your own with the help of a trusty tour book and a knowledgeable tour guide.
Our Schedule (pronounced "shedyule")
Meeting the Group, Afternoon Tea & Riding the Tube
National Gallery & Cabinet War Rooms Tower of London & Westminster Abbey St. Paul's Cathedral & City of London Walk Historic Windsor Castle British Library Galleries, British Museum & London Eye Harrods & Natural History Museum Victoria & Albert Museum, Oxford & Hyde Park |