The crown jewels, Buckingham Palace, Camden Market… In London, history collides with art, fashion, food, and good British ale. A perfect day is different for everyone: culture hounds should hit the Tate Modern and the Royal Opera House. Clotheshorses will drool over Oxford Street shops. For foodies, cream tea at Harrod’s or crispy fish from a proper chippy offers classic London flavor. Music and book buffs will freak out over Abbey Road and the Sherlock Holmes Museum (at 221B Baker Street, natch).
Tower of London, London
The Tower of London is one of London's most popular and iconic tourist
attractions. Built by William the Conquerer in the early 1080s the
Tower's role has been as a fortress, palace and prison.
One of
the main reasons to visit the Tower is to see the working collection of
Crown Jewels. There are 23,578 gems in the collection including one of
the world's most famous diamonds; the Koh-i-Noor. Find out who dared to
try and steal the Jewels in 1671 and whether they succeeded.
Many
people lost their heads in the Tower and the Prisoners exhibition looks
at some of the Towers more infamous inmates including Anne Boleyn,
Edward V, Guy Fawkes and Sir Thomas More. The Tower's history as a
prison continued during the two world wars and still held executions.
