Last summer I had the opportunity to visit the Tower of London and it was completely different than I had imagined over the years.  We joined a tour given by a Beefeater and it was excellent.  I highly recommend that you do the same when you visit the Tower of London.  They are very informative and give the tour with some humor thrown in.

By the way…Would you like to Save Money While Visiting London? Check the London Pass

Few prisons can claim to be as popular as the Tower of London, an attraction - unpleasant for some - for over 900 years. Its twenty towers are filled with an ancient tradition of royal blood, armor and jewels and the history to match.

The central structure began as a fort - used by the original builder William the Conqueror who completed the first tower around 1100 AD. At its completion it was the tallest building in London. Henry III had it whitewashed in the 13th century and the name, White Tower, has stuck.

Later it evolved into a prison, used by Henry VII (and many others). Still later - and continuing to this day - it has acted as a repository for the extensive collection of crown jewels. Henry VII, nearly always short of money, had few jewels to store.

But the stone complex, near the Tower Bridge alongside the River Thames, has also been used at various times to house the Royal Mint, the Public Records, the Royal Menagerie (later to form the starting point of the London Zoo) and an observatory (built in 1675).

Since Henry VII appointed them in 1485, the Tower has been guarded by the Yeoman Warders - popularly known as ‘Beefeaters’, with their distinctive red costumes. The function is now performed by retired military personnel.

Note: Learn How to Save over £40 in 1 day on London Sightseeing.

The spiral staircase running up the interior is the only path up and it leads to the Royal Armouries - Britain’s national museum of arms and armor, with 40,000 pieces on display. Beginning public display during the reign of Charles II, the armory is Britain’s oldest public museum.

Other buildings were added through the centuries, including the Middle Tower, the Byward Tower, Garden (Bloody) Tower, and Traitor’s Gate across the moat. The moat, fortunately, was drained around the time of the last tower built (in 1843).

Through the centuries the prison has had several famous - usually royal - tenants, including Anne Boleyn (Henry VIII’s second wife), the famed ‘little princes’ (alleged victims of Richard III), and Sir Walter Raleigh. All that murderous history can be seen in the racks and other torture devices still on display, not to mention the still bloody stones here and there.

The centerpiece of interest for most visitors is, without question, the Crown Jewels housed in the Jewel House, Waterloo Block. Here are dozens of crowns, jeweled scabbards, and an array of emerald and ruby studded collars, necklaces and the like.

There are several famous large stones housed here including the Cullinan II, set in the Imperial State Crown used for Queen Victoria’s coronation in 1838. Not to be outshone, there’s also the equally famous Kohinoor (”Mountain of Light”), over 200 carats.

But, the centerpiece of the jewels collection is the 530-carat Star of Africa. This egg-sized diamond was cut down from the much larger Cullinan, originally over 3,000 carats, extracted from a South African mine at the beginning of the 20th century.

For those with the time, who plan ahead, there’s one attraction here that’s held after closing: The Ceremony of the Keys. Held nightly between 9:30 and 10:00 the ritual has been performed without interruption for 700 years. Now that’s tradition.
50 London Attractions - 1 Ticket: The London Pass

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My uncle always said that London was the only civilized city.  It was his favorite place.  So, I resolved to visit London some day.  Last year that day came and along with my wife and daughter, I finally visited London.  I don’t think you could ever run out of things to do in London. 

London - Some Things To Do While You’re There.

50 London Attractions - 1 Ticket: The London Pass

If you have five years for a vacation you might be able to see about half of what London has to offer. No matter your tastes - whether modern or classical art, monuments and museums, zoos and gardens, nightclubs, theater, music, and on and on - it’s here in abundance.

A perfect blend of ancient and modern, London has over 200 galleries and 300 museums, and 150 events a day to interest the traveler. One could see the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels in the morning and the Tate art museums in the afternoon. Or visit Parliament early then shop at Harrods later.

Westminster Abbey is the burial place of kings, poets and scientists, and a short distance from the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. Cathedrals and churches that rival the best of France or Italy are here, especially the must-see St. Paul’s Cathedral.

For those who might have enjoyed Wall Street in New York, London has its own - and much older - version in The City. This hub actually has roots that go back thousands of years, since before money was even invented.

There are Inns galore also dating back a thousand years or more and several outstanding parks, such as St James, Hyde Park or Regents with the famous gardens and the even more famous zoo. Holland park has an opera house and Japanese gardens and Kensington the amazing gardens and the Royal costume collection.

Speaking of gardens, be sure not to overlook Covent Garden. Not really gardens at all, the area is a spectacular array of theaters, shops and more where the street performers compete with restaurants, bars, clubs and shops for tourists’ attention. The Royal Opera house is here, for those who prefer a different style of entertainment.

Learn How to Save over £40 in 1 day on London Sightseeing.

London’s famous outdoor markets also go back centuries, where the antique hunting at Portobello Road is unmatched anywhere. Borough Market has been thriving here for over a thousand years. The atmosphere in some is almost like a Moroccan bazarre. And, for those who like their burgers bizarre, you can get an ostrich patty cooked to taste.

But after all that shopping one is bound to be hungry and tired. The West End offers a variety of pubs at a range of prices and quality of cuisine. Then after a meal, the weary traveler can see a show that rivals the best of Broadway. Many actually begin in London and only later travel to New York.

Museums abound. The Victoria & Albert, named for the famous 19th century queen and her consort, the Natural History and Science museums, and the world-renowned British Museum could each form a day’s excursion.

But newer attractions are also worthwhile. The London Eye, build at the turn of the millennium, continues to attract visitors as if 2000 weren’t years earlier. It touts the world’s largest ferris wheel and a 30-minute boat ride in a glass gondola that offers views of Big Ben and the River Thames. And the Tate Modern, opened in the same year features Picasso, Matisse and other famous names of 20th century art.

So, once you’ve explored all those venues thoroughly, come back and we’ll lay out another five years of places to see and things to do.

Would you like to Save Money While Visiting London? Check the London Pass

London - Definitely worth a visit!

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A holiday to the Caribbean offers you the chance to visit some of the most spectacular beaches in the world. Virtually every island of the Caribbean will have beaches that amaze; with crystal clear blue seas, sugar white sand & palm trees.

To help you choose where to go and more importantly what beach to choose, we have complied a list of the top 10 beaches in the Caribbean.

1/ Palm Beach (Aruba) – Idyllic beach setting with superb white sand.

2/ Grand Anse Beach (Grenada) – 3km beach with sugar-white sand, lots of space & shallow waters.

3/ Johnson’s Point (Antigua) – Made up of secluded coves; these white soft sand beaches are must for snorkeling & swimming

4/ Pink Sand Beach ( Bahamas) – One of the world’s most photographed beaches, often voted world’s best by travel publications. 5km’s of salmon pink coloured sand, due to red plankton that has mixed with the fine white sand.

5/ Crane Beach (Barbados) – Often voted as Barbados’ most beautiful beach. Imposing cliffs, a natural coral reef and soft white sands make for a perfect beach.

6/ Negril Beach (Jamaica) – Laid back atmosphere and Jamaica’s prettiest beach. A lot quieter than Seven Mile beach.

7/ Englishman’s Bay (Tobago) – A sheltered beach with fine white sand, crystal waters & surrounded by a palm jungle.

8/ Grace Bay (Turks & Caicos) – Part of a national marine park, this beach has fine white sand beach, calm turquoise waters and is protected by a barrier reef.

9/ Trunk Bay (US Virgin Islands) – A beautiful beach with crystal clear waters, considered one of the best places for snorkeling in the Caribbean.

10/ Shoal Bay (Anguilla) – Put Angullia on the tourism map; sugar-white sand, crystal clear blue waters & coral reefs.

The caribbean offers holiday makers a excellent chance to experience some of the best beaches in the world. There are so many world class beaches in the Caribbean that putting a top 10 list together was very hard & is definately open to debate.

Every Caribbean resort will unbdoubtedly offer a truely wonderful & unique beach, a major reason why people choose to holiday in the Caribbean. The Caribbean not only offers spectacular beaches but also some beautiful towns & villages, all steeped in history & tradition.

Watersports has become a very popular activity along the beaches & some islands are now recognised as world renowed watersports destinations such as wind-surfing in the Dominican Republic.

If you want to experience paradise then the Caribbean is the place to go ! 

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