Take a tour of Royal London with Robert Reid from Lonely Planet. Starting at Westminster Abbey (do this early morning before the crowds amass), we go through St. James' Park, taking in St. Clarence House while going to Buckingham Palace.
Around here, the Royal Mews are open year round (Buckingham Palace only offers tours during the summer), where the royal horses are stabled. Unfortunately, the entrance fee isn't really worth it here. Just next to the Palace, there is the amazing Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, the great green lungs of Central London. Here you can find the memorial to Princess Diana and also her last home, Kensington Palace.
With the upcoming Royal Wedding, there's of course merchandise everywhere for Kate and Will's wedding later this month.
Across the Thames, going by the London Eye, there's the ferry landing to go to the Tower of London, another major piece of London's Royal history. The Thames ferry goes by St. Paul's and other landmarks like Tate Modern on the Southbank. Definitely, taking the ferry is much better than using the London Tube or the bus system.
At the Tower, you'll be shown around by the Beefeaters (the Royal Guards, who actually to this day live at the Tower in apartments dotted around the walls of this medieval fortress). Here, you can also view the Crown Jewels, the Armoury, and much more from London's past. Even if the city itself was not outside these walls, the Tower would be an enchanting experience.
Come visit London, it's in my experience the most intriguing city on the planet.
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