Kensington Palace and Gardens should be on your list of places to see while in London. Additionally, you can see 50 London Attractions - 1 Ticket: The London Pass

Kensington Palace has been home to royalty from long before Queen Victoria’s birth there in 1819 to Princess Diana’s residence until her death to today.

Still in use as a working Royal Residence, there are nonetheless many areas open to public viewing - and have been since Queen Victoria opened the State Apartments to the public in 1899.

The Red Saloon, for example, on the Garden Floor was the location of Queen Victoria’s first Privy Council in June, 1837 and has been restored to its original appearance.

The Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection is an exhibit of gowns worn by various royal personages from the 18th century to the present. Even the Hats and Handbags are on display at the Palace, showing over seventy hats belonging to Queen Elizabeth II.

Nearby are the King’s Apartments with several paintings and other works of art from the Royal Collection.

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In contrast to the splendor of the King’s Apartments, and discreetly far away, are the subdued Queen’s Apartments. Built and furnished for Queen Mary II in the mid-17th century. There are several ‘family portraits’ and many original furnishings.

The Victorian Rooms are accessible, including Victoria’s bedroom where she first learned of her accession to the throne. The rooms are furnished with many of Victoria’s and Albert’s personal effects.

First constructed for the Earl of Nottingham in 1661, the interior of the palace isn’t the only impressive sight. Outside are the extensive and varied Kensington Gardens with a number of things to do and see.

Designed and landscaped under the watchful eye of George II’s wife, Queen Caroline, the expansive gardens adjoin Kensington Palace and Hyde Park. Combined, the Gardens and Hyde Park total 637 acres.

Serpentine Lake forms one of the many attractions, equally popular with boaters and birds. Winding around, it’s over a mile around, fed by an underground river. In addition, there’s the Round Pond for feeding ducks and sailing model boats.

On the banks of the Serpentine the gardens contain an oft-visited bronze sculpture of Peter Pan, cast in 1912. There’s also an Elfin Oak, almost as old, ornately carved with elves and fairytale creatures. Outside the entrance is a sculpture of the late Queen Victoria, made by her daughter.

There are elaborate Italianate fountains and dozens of quiet paths. But there are also areas for kite flying and rollerblading. At the southeast corner is Wellington’s Arch, leading to Green Park (next to Buckingham Palace).

A recent addition is the memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales. A large, granite-block structure, it remains very popular several years after her death. The area is often festooned with flowers.

After you’ve tired yourself out, be sure to visit the Albert Hall, completed in 1871 as a memorial to the Queen’s consort. The oval hall has an impressive iron and glass domed roof. The 5,000 seat theater holds regular concerts and is a must-see.

Kensington Palace and gardens are easily accessible via the tube (the London Underground subway system). Exit at High Street Kensington.

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St. Paul’s Cathedral should certainly be on your list of places to visit while in London.   And you should also check out The London Pass , the brand new leisure pass that lets you experience the best that London has to offer

For three hundred years St Paul’s Cathedral has served as one of the enduring symbols of London, a role it richly deserves. Completed in 1708, Sir Christopher Wren’s masterwork is recognized the world over by its large dome and classical architecture.

The fame of the dome is particularly ironic since the plans, third in succession after two rejected models, didn’t call for one. Wren took advantage of a clause in the commission permitting him to make ‘ornamental’ changes.

And, in effect, the large dome - visible from several parts of London far away - is just an ornament. In the interior is a much smaller dome directly underneath and between the two a large cone-shaped structure supporting the 850-ton lantern.

Outside, astride the large dome are two towers and an extraordinary classical facade. Though it forms the entrance, the view is less familiar since photographs typically concentrate on the famous dome, which lies on the other side. The west side offers an especially good view. From here, visitors can take in the columns and the clock tower.

Whether viewing from outside or in, though, there are several outstanding features and dozens of smaller ones of interest.

One of the more popular interior features is the Whispering Gallery. The result of the way sound waves move within an arched structure, a person can stand at one corner and whisper and be heard far away. It can be reached by a muscular climb up 259 spiral steps. Most find the effort well repaid.

Someone standing far away beneath the opposite side of an arch can still hear plainly what was said. There are often several pairs trying this at once, though. The sound is clearest if you can find a time when no one else is testing the effect.

But the main interest lies less with physics and more with art. One example is the 20-foot oak model representing Wren’s second major attempt at gaining approval for a design. Another is the large pipe organ, commissioned in 1694 and still functional.

Several other functional, yet artistic, elements are around the cathedral. One, Wren’s memorial, contains an epitaph from his son. It reads, translated from the Latin: ‘Reader, if you seek his monument, look around.’

Many other plaques, carvings, statues and other memorials to the powerful and famous of London’s past are within the cathedral: in the south transept Admiral Nelson, in the north aisle the Duke of Wellington.

There’s also a memorial in the south choir aisle of the poet John Donne, Dean of St. Paul’s before the current building was erected. The disastrous London fire of 1666, destroyed the original. Almost ten years elapsed before construction was begun, followed by more than another 30 until completion. That gives some idea of how construction projects were carried out 300 years ago.

Undergoing a £40 million ($71 million) restoration to celebrate it’s 300-year anniversary, many of the building’s surfaces have been cleaned and restored. Now is an especially good time to pay a visit.

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One of the best ways to see London is from the air. Unfortunately, that was fairly difficult until recently. Now it’s as easy as stepping onto a platform that moves slower than the average escalator into the London Eye pod.

The London Eye can only approximately be described as an enormous Ferris Wheel. The designers beginning with the originators Julia Barfield and David Marks have produced an engineering marvel. True enough it rotates in a circle through a vertical plane. But it never stops or starts apart from the occasional need to accommodate the elderly or handicapped.

Conceived as part of the British Millennium celebration, the wheel was eventually worked on by several architects under the sponsorship of British Airways. So large it had to be cast and constructed in sections, it took over a week to hoist into position.

Though not open to the public due to technical problems until March 2000, the wheel now provides rides to thousands of daily visitors. Even at the current somewhat high prices the cost of rent, construction and interest on loans keeps the operation from being in the black.

Given its status as a major tourist attraction, though, the British government has vowed to keep it in London and in operation for years to come. With 15,000 per day who come to ‘take a flight’ there’s definitely the potential for a profitable operation.

The bicycle-hub-and-spoke design supports oval shaped pods that accommodate visitors in comfort and style.

The 135m high (443 ft) wheel holds 32 of the glass pods, all with 360 degree views of London. The pods, which hold 20, are air conditioned and the wheel provides a smooth, nearly noiseless ride. The passengers may not, so choose your partners well.

Not only spectacular to look at it provides unobstructed views that, on a clear day, can extend all the way to Windsor Castle dozens of kilometers outside London.

The total trip is around 30 minutes and during that time riders can see Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) and the Thames as it meanders through the city.

During the continuous ride, you can take in the view of everything from the mundane Ministry of Defence building across the way to the Saatchi Gallery and the spectacular Millennium Dome. The latter, largely a failure as a turn of the Millennium tourist attraction, is finding new life as a sports arena and concert venue.

Open all day and year round, many visitors take the trip early in the day to get a clear view of daytime London. Another visit allows seeing the scenery at dusk when the setting sun makes the city glow.

The London Eye is located nearby the IMAX cinema and the London Aquarium, not to mention Big Ben and the Tower, so there are lots of attractions within a short walk. Getting there is easy, too, via the London Underground, i.e. the ‘tube’ or subway. Exit at Waterloo station.

To minimize the wait, get tickets online and collect them from the automated ticket machine inside the main hall. See http://www.ba-londoneye.com/ for additional info and prices.
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