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| Hop on - hop off buses are a great way touring London |
London is a place of varied culture and preserved heritage. Starting with the Romans of the historic age and ending with the modern immigrant, London has been the best place to settle. The city embraces people from various diversities and made a place for each community. The beauty of London lies in the eyes of the beholder; yes, but she has some iconic landmarks that call tourist from beyond boundaries. I was almost completing the tour of the city, and the last day I accomplished a walking tour and saw some famous landmarks without which my tour would have been an absolute zero.
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| Piccadilly Circus when bustling with tourists |
Piccadilly Circus: We strolled across Piccadilly Circus to have some views of the place and I felt like this place is so known to me, courtesy the media. Eventually, the word circus refers to animals, acrobats, and tents but there was nothing that sort. The word circus is being derived from the Latin to mean circle. This is around the junction with a famous statue at the center and surrounded by videos and neon signs. The British lexicon Piccadilly Circus is used to refer to a place that means exceptionally busy.
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| The iconic angel stands amidst the busy crossing |
The word Piccadilly has been into existence since 1600 as ‘piccadills’ or a type of fancy neck collar used to be available. There’s mention of the place in various novels including many of Charles Dickens. The place has six illuminated screens which are switched off at regular intervals.
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| A screen that is the trademark of Piccadilly square |
The famous screens are of Coca-Cola, TDK, Mac Donald, Hyundai, Samsung, and LG. The place is accessible from other attractions like Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, National portrait gallery, National Gallery, and St. Martins in the fields.
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| Strolling along one of the busiest streets of United Kingdom |
Oxford Street: Next, we started strolling along Oxford-street. Oxford Street is one of the busiest places of London which is home to almost 300 shopping centers. I was basically wooed to see the brands flashing, hoardings and yes, I was lucky to avail the special summer discounts for some brands. The famous brands that jostle space are – Selfridges, John Lewis, BHS, House of Fraser, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and many more. We were told that Oxford Street gets specially decked up for Christmas. This is the major road of the city of Westminster situated in the west end of London.
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| Where brands jostle space |
The road runs from Tottenham court road to Marble Arch. Almost half a million visitors come here every day to satiate their shopping spree.
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| Great landmarks that denote the city's opulence |
There is no dearth of restaurants and cinema complex in Oxford Street. It’s a thrill to walk among the busiest streets of the UK.
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| Trafalgar Square visited by tourists |
Trafalgar Square: We whizz passed the Trafalgar square while on the Big Bus tour. Then took some time to explore the iconic place of the Queen’s city. This is a public square situated in central London, which was formerly known as Charing Cross. The iconic structure was built to commemorate the battle of Trafalgar where the British naval won victory against France and Spain in the Napoleonic War. The famous place is surrounded by galleries, museums, historic buildings, and cultural spaces. This place is famous as any political party holds their rallies and demonstrations. The Mayor supports this democratic tradition. The main attractions here are Nelson’s column, fountains, statues, and the fourth plinth. The statues in the display are General Sir Charles James Napier, General Sir Henry Havelock, and King George VI. It was fun to loiter across Trafalgar square. We had a great photography session. Nice to capture great moments at great places.
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| St. Pauls Cathedral, media's favorite |
St Paul’s Cathedral: We came across St. Pauls Cathedral, the awesome dome-shaped religious center which marks an iconic structure across the skyline of London. There is a collection of awe-inspiring history once you step inside the cathedral. This was mostly viewed when royal marriage and other State events were telecasted. Oh yes, how can I forget the fairy tale marriage of Charles and Diana? The entry fees to the cathedral are £18 per person.
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| Inside St. Paul's Cathedral ( collected) |
It is accessible by bus from various corners of the city. The attraction is covered in the city tour plan of Big Bus, Original tour and other hops on - hop off city tours. St Pauls is an Anglican church and the seat of the bishop of London. They offer free guided tours on arrival. The audio guide is available in eight different languages.
In one word, London can woe any visitor with her charm and elegance. The more you see the more you feel short of words describing her opulence. A quiet stroll near the tower bridge, a panoramic view of the city from the Shards or might be a cruise along the Thames River is not enough to realize the magnificence of the Queen’s city. She has a rich history, a great future and presently the bull’s eye of travelers and International students. Yes, London has a wide array of options for any cosmopolitan crowd and you will simply love the varied culture she offers.
The next day, we decided to visit Oxford, the education hub of the United Kingdom.
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