Lots to Love about London
With so much to see and do in London, it's hard to know where to start. On a recent trip, we packed in as many sights as possible. In this post, we share glimpses of Buckingham Palace and its gardens, the interior of Westminster Abbey, a stop at Big Ben, a bus ride to Trafalgar Square, and a walk through the Portrait Gallery.
Buckingham Palace
First stop Buckingham Palace. Unless you are in London during the middle of summer, when the King is not in residence, the only way to see Buckingham Palace is from the outside. It’s worth the walk to see the grandeur of this palace.
There’s the famous balcony that we’ve all seen the royals on so many times. I can’t imagine what it would be like here with hundreds of thousands of people to see the royals on the balcony. Tip: for the best photo ops, visit Buckingham Palace in the morning.
St. James Park
We were fortunate to have been in London when the weather was just beautiful. There are so many parks and gardens. On the nice days there are people everywhere enjoying the parks. Right outside Buckingham Palace is St. James Park. It’s hard to believe, once inside this park, that you’re in a major city.
The bridge, that looks back on Buckingham Palace, is appropriately called, The Blue Bridge.
While it was a weekday there were many people out enjoying the park. We walked along the path of the “Diana Walk,” honoring the late Princess Diana.
Westminster Abbey
A short walk through the park and you’ll find yourself at Westminster Abbey. It is just as impressive as we had hoped.
As of this post, timed tickets are still required. The nice thing is there is an audio tour included in the price of the ticket.
Once inside you are immediately immersed in the grandeur of this 11th century church. There were many additions and extensions to the Abbey over the years, including the transept below that was added in the 13th century under the instruction of Henry III.
The west end of the Nave, below, was completed in 1495.
Near the main entrance sits the tomb of the unknown soldier. This was placed in 1920 after WWI by King George V. Little did they imagine at the time that less than 20 years later they would be engaged in WWII.
As with many major churches there are many notable people buried in Westminster Abbey. The 3,300 buried here are not limited to royals but to many people throughout history with major contributions. The resting place of Issac Newton was particularly impressive. Among many other notable people buried here are, Nelson Mandela and Stephen Hawking, both with a simple stone bearing their names.
Along the long Nave is the Abbey Choir. It was much smaller in person than I’d imagined. There have been many weddings and celebrations held here in our lifetime, including the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton more recently.
The architecture is absolutely stunning in a place that has existed for almost a millennia. The fanlike ceiling in Henry VII chapel is an intricate work of carved stone.
The main altar of the church. Until Henry XIII this was a Catholic Church, when he broke away in the 1530’s starting the English Reformation, which ultimately led to the formation of today’s Church of England.
This beautiful small chapel holds the Tomb of Elizabeth I and Mary I (also known as “Bloody Mary”)
After working your way through the Abbey, the audio tour guides you on a walk through the cloisters. Here you get an up close look at the impressive external architecture.
Here sits the Coronation Chair. It has been used for coronations since the 14th century. Most of us never saw a coronation due to the Queen’s incredibly long rein of 70 years. However, after her passing, King Charles used this chair in May 2023.
Westminster Abbey is Worth a Visit
Exploring this beautiful site reveals a wealth of history connected not only to London and Great Britain but also to much of Europe.
Big Ben
A short walk from Westminster Abbey sits Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. On a beautifully sunny day Big Ben was a sharp contrast to the blue skies.
You can purchase tickets to tour Big Ben, but do so far in advance. They currently sell out weeks in advance. It is also possible to visit Parliament while in session. We chose to skip these tours but loved seeing these iconic sites up close.
Did you know the tower is actually called the “Elizabeth Tower,” since 2012 marking the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II? There are over 300 stairs to the top of the tower. Maybe we made a good choice not to climb it?
Trafalgar Square
One of the best advantages for a savvy tourist in London is the ease of the public transit system. Using the underground metro or “Tube” as it’s called, and hopping on a bus are both very easy to use and navigate. If you have a smart phone with a “wallet” installed, there is no need for a ticket. Simply “tap in” and “tap out” to get on and off the tube. For the bus, it’s a simple “tap in” only. As of this writing Apple Watches work just as well, so no need to take out the phone.
On this day we hopped on the double decker bus in order to see some sites along the way to Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square is centrally located in London near Covent Garden in the City of Westminster. Named after the Battle of Trafalgar from the Napoleonic Wars of the early 1800s, its centerpiece is Nelson's Column. As with much of London, the square is filled with monuments, and you could easily spend days just viewing them.
On this exceptionally sunny day there were street performers and people just enjoying the outside.
There is a lot to do in this area. In the background is the National Gallery, and like many museums in London, it’s free to the public. Just behind the National Gallery sits the Portrait Gallery, which is another free museum where we chose to visit.
The Portrait Gallery
The reason we chose the Portrait Gallery is there were some pieces we wanted to see. Additionally, we were short on time, and the Portrait Gallery is much smaller than the National Gallery. I was glad we stopped as it was one of my favorite sites in all of London.
We walked right in with no timed tickets, just simply a short security check.
The museum is highly curated, leaving the visitor to wander. While there are themed areas, this wall, near the entrance, appeared to have some more recent installments.
While wandering through the museum it’s fun to pick and choose which portraits to admire, as the collection is so diverse.
What was unexpected was the range of portraits, not only paintings but photography. Look at the this contemporary wall of 20th century musicians. See anyone you recognize?
I was looking forward to seeing the 2022 official portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Kate and William. (prior to becoming the Prince and Princess of Wales) The painting received mixed reviews, so I wanted to see for myself. I found it to be an excellent depiction of William, capturing his classic stance and slight smirk. However, it’s not my favorite portrait of Kate. Her bright smile is absent, her gorgeous hair is tucked back, and she wears a rather plain dress and shoes. That's just my opinion, but I'm still glad I saw it in person. As an American, I highly admire their dedication to royal service and wish Kate a return to good health.
Iconic London Phone Booths Still Operate!
What a day! After all the incredible siteseeing it was time to ring up for a cab to the hotel and a glass of wine. There is so much to love about London, in a place that’s meant to be visited time and time again.
