London Tours Can Be Fun And Cultural Too
July 20th, 2008 by Elizabeth Campbell, under Vacation Destinations. No Comments
Looking for culture, history, and fun, then look no further than London, the capital of England. The appeal of London holds no bounds, and there is plenty of things to do, and places to see that will be of interest to everyone. The Queen, Royal Family and their various homes and traditions are what first attract people to London. Getting around to see all these attractions can be a bit of a headache. If you prefer to do things at your own pace, then getting around by underground is probably best. There are underground stations on virtually every street corner (or so it seems), so finding one near to where you are visiting is not a problem. If you prefer for someone else to do the ‘leg work’ for you, then there are numerous tours that one could take.
If time is an issue when visiting London then one of the many tours available is ideal. This is the best way to see as many attractions as possible in as little time as possible. The only problem will be which tour to choose from. There are tours of historic monuments, musical history, educational, and haunted (ghost) tours. Tours of the pubs are very popular as are the walking tours. The younger generation is not forgotten as there are tours more suited to them as well.
London has a population of over 7 million and is one of the most diverse and cultural cities in the world. The different cultures vary in accordance with the many different faiths, backgrounds and countries of origin the people come from. With all the different ethnicities comes different languages, there are more than three hundred different languages spoken within London. The most common of course is English but others include: Punjabi, Cantonese, Mandarin, Gujarati and Bengali to name just a few. The only way to really experience these different cultures is to wander amongst them.
An altogether different experience can be had by visiting one the famous street markets on offer in London. London has always been known for the fabulous Billingsgate Fish Market. Its present location in the Isle of Dogs has only been home to the fish market since 1962. Billingsgate fish market first started life about 1500 years ago. Another must see market is Walthamstowe Market, the longest street market in England which stretches for 1.61 kilometres.
Some of the finest writers from literary circles have been associated with, or lived in London for a short while. One such famous figure is that of William Shakespeare. There are a number of tours associated with Shakespeare, which will also take in a visit to the reconstructed Globe Theatre. The theatre has been built close to the orignal site at Bear Gardens, SE1.
The original Globe was constructed from 1598 to 1609 and William Shakespeare, as well as being a writer and actor there, was one the shareholders. It was during one of the more spectacular performances that the theatre burnt down, apparently a canon set alight the thatch roof. Rebuilding and repair quickly commenced and the theatre was ready for business again in 1614. Sadly it was forced to close for good by the Puritans, and flattened in 1644.
Charles Dickens is another famous person from the world of literature who has close ties with London, and there are numerous tours affiliated with him. When he was a child Dickens lived at 16 Bayham Street, Camden. Today however you will find a plaque at 141 Bayham Street, this is because number 16 has been demolished. Another of his home still stands and that is now the Dickens Museum (48 Doughty Street). Unfortunately the remainder of Dickens homes are no longer standing. One such home is 1 Devonshire Terrace, where Dickens lived in 1839. Today an office block is in its place at Marylebone Road.
Everyone likes a bargain, and if books are ones passsion then the South Bank Book Market is a must see place. Found outside the National Film Theatre at Riverside Walk SE1 the market is open on saturdays and sundays and has been in existence since 1982. In the summer the opening times are 10.30 am – 6.30 pm, and in the winter 12pm to 5.30 pm. There are a great number of secondhand stalls where everyones tastes are catered for.
