One of the most striking sights on a London vacation is a circular wooden building in Tudor style poking above the southern bank of the River Thames – a reconstruction of William Shakespeare’s Globe Theater.

Opened in 1997 after exhaustive research, it today is a hugely popular shrine to the greatest playwright in the English language, where you can enjoy live performances in roughly the same setting as audiences 400 years ago, either from gallery seats around the stage or standing in the courtyard as a “groundling.”  Its recreation was an improbable, 50-year saga that could be an Elizabethan comedy itself.  Far from being concocted by academics, the new theater was the brainchild of a successful American actor named Sam Wanamaker, whose Hollywood roles included The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines.  Read the rest of this entry »

When you travel “across the pond” to vacation in England your trip is full of Stonehenge’s mystical circle to York’s medieval grandeur.  During your trip you are sure to enjoy dining out at many local pubs and restaurants.  Consider this tipping tip when vacationing in England:

Some restaurants and most hotels add a service charge of 10 to 15 percent of the bill. If this has been done, you’re under no obligation to tip further. If no service charge is indicated, add 10 to 15 percent to your total bill.

Today we depart “The City of a Hundred Spires,” Prague, to arrive in a city that is home to more than a hundred theatres, London.

Over the next month we will explore England and the largest city in Britain, London.  During our series we will go behind the scenes of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, learn the best films to get young travelers excited, explore the British Museum and discover some of the city’s hidden gems and must-see-sights.

Whether you’re off checking out a Broadway-style show or riding through the city streets of London on a double-decker bus, your vacation in England will leave you with a lifetime of incredible memories.

Throughout history much has been discussed about the positioning of statues, acknowledging that sometimes, a statue’s station is as important as his stance and design.  A good example of the thought that goes into this process relates to the statues outside Westminster Palace.

Outside the Palace walls, stands a sword-bearing statue of Oliver Cromwell facing stridently east. Across the street, in a niche in the wall of St. Margaret’s Church, Charles I looks back at his murderer with forgiveness in his eyes, the two wedded for posterity in sculpture as they are in history.  And, a short distance away in Parliament Square stands Sir Winston Churchill.

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Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 1837. Today it is The Queen’s official residence. Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The Queen, areas of Buckingham Palace are opened to visitor during July and August.

Paris by Eurostar Day Excursion
Included transfer to Waterloo International Station to join an early morning Eurostar express train arriving in Paris in just 2 hours 35 minutes. After a two hour guided city orientation tour you’ll be free to explore Paris on your own before returning to London in the evening. On the train back to London a supplement for first class is available and includes a three course dinner, wine and coffee.

Tower of London
The Tower of London has been part of English history for nearly 1000 years, and is the oldest palace, fortress and prison in Europe. Today it houses the Crown Jewels and is keeper to the Royal Ravens. The ravens are flightless birds due to the fact their wings are clipped and this tradition points to the superstition that the English still believe dating back from time of Charles II that when there are no longer ravens in the Tower both the White Tower and the Commonwealth of England would fall.

Bath
The golden city of Bath has been welcoming visitors for over 2,000 years. Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Bath presents some of the finest architectural sights in Europe. The surrounding seven hills, the river Avon running through the heart of the city, and the towers of Bath Abbey combine to create a wonderful impression.

Stonehenge
Nobody knows why the mysterious stone circle of Stonehenge was built, but it is none the less one of the world’s most important and intriguing pre-historic sites and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Murder Mystery Theatre Evening

Pre-theatre dining is at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street, one of London’s few remaining 17th century Chop Houses. After dinner, it’s front stalls seats at the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue for “And Then There Were None”, a new West End production of the best selling thriller by Agatha Christie.

We hope that these London must-see sights will help you get more vacation from your vacation and will help serve as a planning resource for your United Kingdom vacation.

Continuing our post from Friday, here are six more London gems just waiting to be discovered.

Bramah Tea and Coffee Museum
Tea and coffee connoisseurs will find this small museum fascinating, in which the story of London’s premier caffeinated beverages unfolds. Stop by the museum café for a wide selection of the museum’s subjects.

Hampstead Heath
Take a vacation from the city without leaving it. Meadows, hills, woods and ponds sprawl across this 791-acre park. Wander nearby cobblestone streets to lose all sense of time as pristine Georgian cottages and gas lamps galore light your path.

The Dove
This charming 17th-century inn is one of West London’s favorite watering holes. Tucked away down a tiny alley, this historical pub serves excellent fish and chips and is an ideal place to while away a lazy afternoon.
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If you are packing your bags for a vacation to London, England, or just dreaming about turning your travel dreams into a reality, make sure to visit these hot spots, historical landmarks, and hidden treasures.

Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is the most historic castle in Britain and contains a priceless collection of paintings, furniture, porcelain and tapestries handed down from many generations of monarchs who lived there. The State Apartments are a highlight of a visit to the Queen’s favorite residence, the largest inhabited castle in the world.

The Dorchester Hotel
For afternoon tea, why not nip over to the Dorchester? Winner of the 2000 Tea Council’s award for Finest Afternoon Tea, this hotel definitely keeps with tradition. Remember, the dress code is smart.

Vinopolis: City of Wine
Interactive learning at its best. Wander the airy vaults of this old cellar and listen to the history of wine while sipping on the matter at hand. A museum never tasted so good.
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Amid the splendor of modern cities it’s hard to imagine what places looked like before they became what we know today. In a previous incarnation, the ground where Buckingham Palace now stands was a mulberry garden cultivated by King James I as food for silkworms. The silk industry he hoped to nurture never materialized, and eventually a roadhouse was built there, followed in due course by the Blake House, Goring House and Arlington House.

Originally known as the Buckingham House, built as a townhouse by the Duke of Buckingham in 1709, the estate was acquired by King George III in 1762.  After a great deal of growth and expansion transforming a “House” into a “Palace,” the Buckingham estate was first embraced by Queen Victoria, who moved in three weeks after her accession to the throne in 1837, marking the first sovereign to take up residence there. Buckingham Palace has served as the royal residence ever since.

Over the next few weeks, fix an afternoon tea and settle in to join us for a new series of featured posts from seasoned travelers and local hosts. They’ll be letting you in on what makes the UK so captivating.

From the Houses of Parliament, erected a thousand years ago, to Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the nation’s sovereigns since 1837, you’ll find that outings in London are brimming with history. And just a couple of hours from there, find Bath, home of some of Europe’s finest architectural sites.

Don’t like tea? Perhaps coffee suits your fancy. One museum in London is a hot spot for enjoying either of the favorite caffeinated beverages. Learn more insider travel tips on the upcoming tour of the UK…

When the Great Fire of 1666 destroyed London, scholar and architect Christopher Wren was asked to design a new cathedral to be erected from debris. His masterpiece was built with an equal amass of trials as stones. Wren’s first design drew inspiration from ancient Roman buildings of the emperors Constantine and Justinian, but was rejected. Read the rest of this entry »