London, England - Part 2

London will never be a cheap thrill, but fortunately, in addition to the top-dollar draws, there are now scads of free museums, galleries and historic buildings. Depending upon the amount of time you have to spend in London, here's an itinerary for 1-2 days that you can undertake either at a leisurely or fast pace when you are ready to venture out and take in a big heaping dose of London attractions.

Take the Tube to Charing Cross or Embankment and cross into Trafalgar Square, London's unofficial hub. Here, the commercial West End meets the Mall, the regal avenue that leads to Buckingham Palace and governmental Whitehall. Nelson's Column, in the middle of the square, is the triumphal memorial to England's victory over Napoleon in 1805.

The National Gallery with the National Portrait Gallery faces the Nelson' Column to the north. The National Gallery is Britain's national art collecton comprising of more than 2,300 paitings dating from 1260 to 1510 by such artists as Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael. The National Portrait Gallery on St. Martin's Place contains a gallery of 10,000 paintings and 250,000 photographs charting the history of the national through its famous faces and celebrities. The curators have consigned Helmut Newton's portrait of Margaret Thatcher to the historical section to make way for David Beckham and J.K. Rowling. The permanent collection is displayed chronologically with Henry VII, Henry VIII and Sir Thomas Eliot by Sir Jacob Epstein. There are amateur artists on display as well including one of Jane Austen by her sister and the three Bronte sisters painted by their brother Branwell.

The Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields is east at about 2 o'clock. This church is one of the best-loved in London. Designed by James Gibbs, the intricate plasterwork ceiling enhances the simple nave. The parish boundary passes throught the middle of Buckingham Palace and the names of many royal children appear on the baptismal registry. St. Martin's is famous for its music. Handel had played the organ here. There are free concerts and evening recitals leaning heavily toward the baroque.

Turn down Whitehall and visit Banqueting House to see the nine magnificent allegoric ceiling paintings by Rubens. This is all that remains of the great Palace of Whitehall after the fire of 1698. A masterpiece of English Renaissance, the main hall was used for posh banqueting as it is still today with the Ruben ceiling paintings depicting the Divine Right of Kings. There is also a crypt where the king could get drunk with his mates. A bust of Charles I above the entrance reminds visitors that he was beheaded in front of the building. Depending upon the time, you can watch the Changing of the Guard across the road at Horse Guards (at 11am Mon-Sat, 10am on Sun).

Walking on down Whitehall, you'll come to the Cenotaph, the moving memorial to all those who fell in the two world wars. No. 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's official residence, is right opposite. It was too small for the Blair family when Tony Blair was prime minister so they moved into no. 11 instead. Whitehall ends in Parliament Square which is flanked by Big Ben, the spectacular Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey.


A brief detour to this itinerary or depending upon how much time you want to spend, then plan for an entirely different day, would be from Parliament Square to go across the beautiful St. James Park to arrive at Buckingham Palace. Confirm, but if you arrive early enough, you can watch the roughly 11:30A Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. This is Her Majesty's official London residence. You know she is there when the royal standard is flying. The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, occupy only 12 of the palace's 600 rooms. The rest are used by the royal housefhold as offices and for royal functions, banquets, and investitures. Until recently Buckingham Palace was not available for public tours, and the only guests allowed in the palace were there by royal invitation. The Buckingham Palace of today, however, welcomes travelers in for a Buckingham Palace Tour 8 weeks out of the year. A tour in Buckingham Palace will now take guests through the State Room, the Grand Staircase, the Throne Room, and the Picture Gallery that features many world-renowned works of art. A Buckingham Palace Tour may only be booked during August and September each year when the family is on holiday, and tickets may be purchased in advance, or at the palace ticket office on Buckingham Palace Road. Ticket lines for a tour in Buckingham Palace tend to be quite long, so if you are know which day you plan to visit in advance, it is a good idea to purchase your tickets online or over the phone.


The Houses of Parliament with its trademark clock tower, Big Ben, is the ultimate symbol of London. Edward the Confessor built the first palace here and the site was home to the monarchy and court until Henry VII's time when in 1834, a fire lit to burn the Exchequer's tally sticks got out of control. Charles Barry designed the current Houses of Parliament (1840).

Westminster Abbey is a Benedictine abbey which housed a community of monks as early as A.D. 750. It is neither a cathedral nor a parish church, but a profoundly moving site of coronations and funerals subject only to the sovereign. Westminster Abbey has played a prominent role in British history including the funeral of Princess Diana and in 2002, of the Queen Mother. All but two coronations since 1066 have taken place here. When not in use, the Coronation Chair built in 1300 sits behind the High Altar. Five kings and four queens including half-sisters Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Tudor and Mary Queen of Scots, are buried in the beautiful, fan-vaulted Chapel of Henry VII. In 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer became the first literaruy celebrity to be buried in Poets' Corner. Others included Browning and Tennyson. Westminster Abbey is one of the most popular tourist attractions in London and tends to be packed in the summer months.

Then walk across the Westminster Bridge and take a flight on the British Airways London Eye. Not technically a Ferris wheel because the cabs are on the outside of the giant hoop, passengers on the Eye can see straight into the Buckingham Palace garden much to the Queen's annoyance. The giant 443-foot high observation wheel on the south bank is the world's tallest. For a pricey $25, the 1/2 hour, very slow-mo flight gives you an unforgettable 25-mile bird's eye view of the London landmarks and the capital.