Falling for London: A City Like No Other

The British capital welcomes almost all travelers heading to the UK and invariably makes them stay longer. London is a multicultural city where modern art museums and the best theaters are juxtaposed with elegant Victorian buildings and modern glass skyscrapers.

Each area of London has its own unique character, and you definitely need to get to know them. In this article, we’ll tell you what to see and do in this amazing city.

*By the way, if you are planning a trip to London, it is worth taking care of the connection in advance. An eSIM Plus UK virtual number will be a convenient solution. You will immediately receive a mobile Internet connection and a British number, which is convenient for navigation, bookings, and communication.

London: The most beautiful locations

The classic route begins with the Tower Bridge, which has been connecting the banks of the Thames since 1894. Nearby is the Tower of London itself, one of the symbols of the capital and the main fortress of Great Britain. Today, one of the most visited museums in England is open there and is home to the treasures of the British crown.

From the Tower, you can walk to the City (business district) and St. Paul's Cathedral, a large white-stone cathedral built in 1675. There are many trendy cafes, restaurants, and shops nearby. Nearby is the Millennium Footbridge, which is also often referred to as the “Harry Potter” bridge, as it was featured in one of the films in the franchise. It offers magnificent views of London's skyscrapers, the reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and St. Paul's Cathedral. 

The heart of London is the borough of Westminster. You can find the most famous sights that are located here: the Elizabeth Tower, popularly known as Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster (Parliament), Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and, of course, Westminster Abbey, where most British monarchs were crowned and buried.

For those who are looking for a British flavor, we recommend visiting the Kensington and Richmond districts and admiring the architecture and atmosphere.

If you want multicultural diversity, then in London you will find it in the Hindu temples of Sri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden and Sri Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Wembley. The decorations of these temples were hand-carved in India, and their appearance is completely unlike anything British.

London: Magnificent parks

One of the main advantages of London is the abundance of green areas, some of which look like full-fledged forests and are a favorite place for hiking enthusiasts. You can relax “away from the madding crowd”, for example, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Richmond Park is rich in wildlife — for example, around 630 red and fallow deer live there, freely roaming through forests and meadows since 1637. It is also home to rabbits, foxes, and even a colony of bats.

In Hyde Park, you can observe squirrels and a variety of unusual waterfowl — from swans to green parakeets, robins, grebes, predatory buzzards, Canadian and Egyptian geese. 

Another exotic species, peacocks, can be found in Holland Park, most often they can be seen in the vicinity of the Japanese garden Kyoto Garden. But Regent's Park is home to the London Zoo, the oldest scientific zoo in the world, and open to visitors.

A little-known but still notable park is Hill Garden and Pergola, located in the Hampstead Heath area. At first glance, it may seem that this park is abandoned, but this was originally the intention of the landscape designer — to allow plants to grow freely, filling the space.

London: Shows that deserve attention

The first place in the list of the most popular London performances, of course, is occupied by “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” from the Harry Potter series, in which the characters we love appear as adults.

London's West End is a mecca for theatergoers. The repertoire of the capital's theatres include many productions that attract audiences from all over the world, and on the London stage you can see such popular actors as Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Barnes, Jude Law, Andrew Garfield, and Ian McKellen. 

It is also worth mentioning that great musicals are shown on London stages, many of which have already become classics of the genre, for example, “Hamilton” (Victoria Palace Theatre), “Les Misérables” (Sondheim Theatre), “The Phantom of the Opera” (His Majesty's Theatre) and “Moulin Rouge!” (Piccadilly Theatre).

London: National cuisine

Despite the fact that many people consider British cuisine to be the most disgusting in the world, we know exactly where and what to order so as not to be disappointed in it. London is home to an incredibly diverse food scene, and exploring different London restaurants is one of the best ways to experience the city's multicultural atmosphere and local character.

• Full English breakfast at Regency Cafe and Terry's Cafe London;
• Salmon fishcakes in the chic interior of The Salisbury bar built in 1899;
• Fish and chips at The Golden Chippy;
• Shepherd's Pie at The Blackfriar;
• A variety of English meat pies at Battersea Pie Station;
• Beef Wellington at The Green;
• Traditional English tea with scones at Fortnum & Mason.

Conclusion

London is a city that cannot be discovered in one trip. It harmoniously combines history and modernity, noisy streets and quiet parks, classical traditions and cultural diversity. That's why you want to come back here again and again, each time discovering something new.