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 Carnaby Street, W1, Website: www.carnaby.co.uk, Tube: Oxford Circus,
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Forever associated with London in the swinging sixties, Carnaby Street was not only the centre for
progressive young fashion and culture during that era, but undoubtedly the coolest part of town
too.
After a period of sorry decline in the 70s and 80s (when the place was chock full of tacky
souvenir shops), the street has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance over recent years. With the
arrival of a number of big brand designer outlets, as well as an influx trendy cafes and bars,
there's a tangible buzz to the place again.
Best visited at lunchtimes and weekends, Carnaby Street
can now be regarded as a major London tourist attraction in its own right. Moreover, it's one that
we recommend you visit.
 Whitehall SW1,
Tube: Westminster,
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A sombre memorial to the dead of both World Wars (and major conflicts since) the Cenotaph stands in
the middle of Whitehall.
Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it serves as the focal point on Remembrance
Day (the second Sunday of November), when the Queen, Prime Minister, politicians, visiting dignitaries and members of the nation's armed forces
place wreaths and red poppies at its base.
Assembling to the right of the monument, those in attendance wait for Big Ben to strike
eleven, with the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery (based at Horse Guards Parade) then
firing a cannon to mark the commencement of the 2 minutes of silence. In tribute to those
who fell, "The Last Post" is played by the buglers of the Royal Marines before attendees
began laying wreaths led by the Her Majesty The Queen and senior members of the Royal Family.
 Buckingham Palace (11.30am daily Apr-Jun. Alternate days Jul-Aug).
Also Horse Guards (11am Mon-Sat) and St. James's Palace (same schedule as for Buckingham
Palace), Tube: Victoria,
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As a spectacle for anyone visiting London, the Changing of the Guard is a real highlight (as the
crowds who gather to watch the brief spectacle will confirm). The Guard, consisting of three
officers and 40 men (fewer when the Queen is not in residence at Buckingham Palace) makes its way
from Birdcage Walk at 10:45am, proceeding along the Mall and arriving at the
palace just before
half-past eleven. Resplendent in their ceremonial scarlet coats and bearskins (hats) the Old Guard
hands over duty to the New Guard in the palace forecourt, amidst the frantic noise of clicking
camera shutters.
The ceremony is repeated, albeit in a slightly different form at Horse Guards
and with fewer troops (this time by the Household Cavalry who mount the Guard after riding along
the Mall).
 Gerrard St, W1 (and surrounding neighbourhood),
Tube: Leicester Square,
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With development of the area now known as Chinatown borne directly out of the destruction caused by
Great Fire of London in 1666 (when over 100,000 people were made homeless) it was physician and
economist Nicholas Barbon who encouraged renewal of the area having acquired a building lease from
Lord Gerrard in 1677. Although previously an affluent part of the city, by and large the area
failed to regain its previous status (despite best intentions), becoming increasingly rundown by
the mid-18th century. As a consequence, rents in Soho were ridiculously low, which in turn, helped
to attract successive waves of French, Italian and Jewish immigrants from Europe.
It was during the late 18th century that the first Chinese settled in London,
having been employed on ships owned by the East India Company. With a small number eventually
establishing a community around the docks at Limehouse, the seeds were sown (albeit in a different
location) for the Chinatown that exists in London today.
Surprisingly, it was not until the 1950s that Chinatown (as we know it now)
became firmly rooted in Soho. With the Limehouse area of East London largely destroyed by German
bombers during WWII (and because of the decline of the laundry industry), London's Chinese
population were forced to seek new jobs, as well as an alternative base from which to expand.
Although it was a desperate situation for many families, their plight was helped (in no small part)
by British soldiers who had returned from the war in the Far East with a new found appetite for
Chinese cuisine.
As Soho property prices were still very cheap, the area around Gerrard Street
became popular with Chinese already in Britain, as well as new immigrants from Hong Kong. In recent
years, Chinatown has been further transformed into a major tourist attraction by pedestrianising
Gerrard Street and installing Chinese style street furniture (including the area's unique pagoda
style telephone boxes). What's more, following the handover of Hong Kong to Communist China, this
vibrant part of town has further expanded with a fresh wave of immigrants having now settled
here.
 Along with scores of Cantonese and Szechuan restaurants, Chinatown has a
number of supermarkets selling exotic looking cooking ingredients (as well as staples such as
noodles, oils and vegetables).
Although almost always busy, Sunday in particular is a good day to
visit, as the area comes alive with locals heading off for their weekly dim sum feasts.
Among the other retail premises in Newport Place and Gerrard Street are craft and bookshops, along
with outlets specialising in traditional Chinese medicine.
Embankment, WC2, Tube: Charing Cross,
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The granite obelisk that stands on Victoria Embankment is London's oldest monument, dating back to
1475 BC. Originally erected in ancient Egypt's Heliopolis (which was located just north of today's
Cairo), it was later moved to Alexandria following Cleopatra's death, where it stood for many
hundreds of years.
In more recent times, the 60ft high, 180 tonne monument, was given as a gift
to Britain by the Turkish Viceroy of Egypt in 1819. However, because of its sheer size, the task of
moving it to Britain was not undertaken until 1877.
Loaded onto a pontoon, the obelisk was towed back to England by ship via the
Bay of Biscay. Despite the pontoon breaking free during a violent storm en-route (in which the
vessel almost sank and several seamen died), it eventually reached London in January 1878.
Although originally earmarked to stand outside the Houses of Parliament, the
obelisk was finally erected on the Thames Embankment alongside two Victorian sphinxes. Underneath
the monument is a time capsule, which amongst other things, contains a daily London newspaper,
several bibles, a copy of Bradshaw's railway guide, and twelve pictures of the Britain's most
attractive women.
 York Road, SE1, Tube: Westminster,
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The South Bank's impressive County Hall was originally built to house the London County Council
(LCC) following a move from offices in Trafalgar Square. The final design was actually chosen by
the Council's Architects Department and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) following
an open competition in which over 150 plans were submitted. The building's elegant Edwardian style
design, complete with its colonnaded central structure, was actually the work of
a young architect
named Ralph Knott (who had previously only worked on far smaller projects).
Although officially opened in 1922 by King George V and Queen Mary,
construction of the building had not been fully completed. Indeed, as building works were delayed
both prior to (and after) this date, County Hall was not finished until 1933.
One of the biggest difficulties faced during construction happened early on
when excavations revealed the remains of a Roman boat beneath the mud (believed to have dated back
to the third century). In addition, the building's original dimensions had to be altered to allow
for extra LCC personnel (simply because the building works had taken so long to complete).
Most unfortunate of all, Knott died after a short illness in 1929, meaning that
he was unable to witness the final result of his efforts.
County Hall served as home for London's local government (renamed in 1968 as
the GLC) until 1986, when the left-wing Ken Livingstone, or "Red Ken" led Council was abolished by
the Thatcher government. Of course, Mr Livingstone has had the last laugh being elected Mayor of
London in 2000. Although the building sat empty for the next seven years, it was subsequently sold
to Japanese company, Shirayama Shokusan for £60 million.
Today, the building houses a Travel
Inn, the London
Marriott Hotel County Hall, a Namco
Entertainment Station, the London
Aquarium, London Eye ticket centre, Dalí Universe (a museum
devoted to the famous Catalonian artist) and several restaurants.
 Covent Garden, WC2,
Website: www.coventgardenmarket.co.uk,
Tube: Covent Garden,
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Undoubtedly one of London's liveliest and most chic areas, Covent Garden has a number of
open-air cafés, stylish shops and bars centred around the old piazza and central market
area.
Although there are few clues as to the area's history, the origins of Covent
Garden are firmly rooted in medieval times, when a local 'convent garden' supplied fruit and
vegetables to Westminster Abbey. The impressive covered central market was originally designed for
this same purpose, although it now contains an array of small shops selling antiques, books, and
arts and crafts.
Flanked on the piazza's north side by the recently enlarged and refurbished
Royal Opera House, the central market area is also a popular venue for the many street entertainers
who perform for the hordes of tourists that descend here during the summer months.
To the south are Jubilee Market (selling antiques, clothes and bric-a-brac)
and the child-friendly London Transport
Museum. Slightly further afield, the former warehouses on
Neal Street prove to be an intriguing diversion, while the fashionable (if a little contrived)
collection of health food shops, art galleries and restaurants of Neal's Yard are also worth a
visit.
 King William Walk, Greenwich, SE10 9HT, Tel: 020 8858 3445, Website: www.cuttysark.org.uk, Nearest Rail: Cutty Sark (DLR),
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This grand three-master sailing ship is the last survivor of the China clippers that used to
transport their valuable cargos back to Britain from the far reaches of the Empire.
Designed by Hercules Linton, the Cutty Sark was launched from Dumbarton,
Scotland in 1869. Among all of the clippers built, it was one of the fastest despite
a gross weight of over 950 tonnes. With dimensions being almost the same as rival clipper
Thermopylae (which she was designed to beat) the ship managed a return trip to Australia in just 72
days.
Made from teak on iron, the vessel (which has a 280ft frame) was
previously exhibited in
dry-dock by the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. In recent years, however, owing to its age and the inevitable
decay of materials used in its construction, a groundbreaking project began to conserve
the fabric of the ship, as well as maintaining the Cutty Sark's status as a world class
tourist attraction. In part, this will be achieved by raising and suspending the vessel in
a Kevlar web, thereby helping to preserve its shape and enable visitors to walk underneath
the famous ship.
A huge setback to the project occurred, however, on the morning of 21
May 2007 - just a few months after works began - when the vessel caught fire and burned
for several hours before finally being brought under control. With the resultant damage
estimated to have added £5-10 million to the previously budgeted £25 million cost, the
Cutty Sark Trust has been fortunate in that, despite the decks being unsalvageable, both
bow and stern sections were left relatively unscathed. With work continuing to conserve
the ship (despite it technically being a crime scene as the outbreak of the fire remains a
mystery), a separate visitor exhibition features a new film presentation, a display of the
ship's decorative figurehead 'Nannie' (an angry
witch from Robert Burns's poem 'Tam O'Shanter'), a re-creation of the master's saloon, interactive
exhibits and live video views of restoration work being carried out.
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