Youth Hostel – London attractions
At the dawn of the new millennium, London had a makeover. New buildings with modern, original architecture emerged, inspired by the large wave of immigration. Thus, monuments dating from the 19th century lay alongside modern attractions such as the “Great Wheel Millennium”, better known as the “London Eye”.
The approach of the summer Olympics in 2012 will probably continue to influence the architectural development of London, which should see the birth of new interesting buildings in the coming months.
Several monuments and districts are unavoidable, while others deserve to be discovered.
The Westminster area is most important because that is where the most famous monuments are located:the Parliament, the Big Ben, the Westminster Abbey, the Buckingham Palace, all within walking distance. You must expect to pay a few pennies to visit those attractions that are open to the public.
As for the great museums and art galleries, the admission is free! Take the opportunity to see the greatest masterpieces of art history, as a canvas of Van Gogh and the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci.
Youth Hostel - Our suggestions for London
Events
Looking for something different to do this weekend? Then it’s time to get out of that youth-hostel bar and get your groove on along with me Leo the snail this Friday, February 10th at the Justice show in London, England!...
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Bar
This tapas bar, located in the West End, takes no reservations, which is very rare in London.
With a capacity of 23 seats, Barrafina offers tapas in the purest tradition, which are cooked with the finest ingredients. The prices are affordable...
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The Fabric in London -
Music
Designated as the number 2 of “Top 100 Clubs” in 2009 by DJ Magazine, Fabric welcomes music lovers of techno, house, hip-hop and electronic, on three floors.
Located on Charterhouse Street, near Smithfield Meat Market, this is one of the busiest locations of the city, welcoming each evening around 3,000 people. DJ guests are present every night on every floor to make you dance all night! There is an admission fee and opening hours vary.
The Fabric opens at 10PM on Friday and at 11PM on Saturday. You can buy your tickets in advance to avoid line-ups, or become a member of the club. Student fares (£ 11 and £ 14 instead of £ 14 and £ 18) are only available at the door.
Address : 77A Charterhouse Street, Clerkenwell, London
Subway: Farringdon
Buckingham Palace in London -
Monument
Official London residence of the British monarchy, Buckingham Palace has 19 formal rooms, 52 master bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms! Obviously, it is impossible to see everything! Although the palace is housing one of the largest art collections in the world, it is not a museum or an art gallery.
From June to September, the “State Rooms” are accessible to the public. Paintings from the Royal Collection can be admired, such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin or Canaletto.
It is also possible to visit, all year round, the Royal Mews.
And of course, don’t miss the changing of the guard. It takes place every summer day at 11:30AM, and every other day during the rest of the year. A fanfare accompanies the changing of the guard.
To get there
You can access Buckingham Palace by the following subway stations: Hyde Park Corner, Victoria Station and St James’s Park.
The Palace is open daily from 9:45AM to 6PM. The visit lasts about two hours.
National Gallery in London -
Museums
The National Gallery is one of the largest museums in the world and home to some of the greatest masterpieces as “Sunflowers” by Vincent Van Gogh, “The Last Voyage” by Turner, “The portrait of husband Arnolfini ” by Van Eyck and the Rosetta Stone. All pictorial tendencies of Western Europe are represented, from the Renaissance to the French Impressionists. With more than 2,300 paintings on display, you better be prepared for a long visit. During a rainy day, why not?
And if you have a passion for art, do not forget to make a trip around the shop of the National Gallery. There are hundreds of books about art, and a large selection of reproductions of famous works. You can also do a lunch break at the excellent National Café before continuing your visit.
Useful information
The National Gallery is located on Trafalgar Square. It can be accessed by subway, exiting at Westminster Station.
The museum is open every day from 10AM to 6PM. It closes later on Friday, at 9PM.
Admission to the museum and guided tours are free. Enjoy!
(© Photo ***Maurice***)
A must in London: The London Eye -
Attractions
Also called the “Millennium Ferris wheel”, the number one attraction of London was built to celebrate the arrival of 2000. Located in front of Westminster, it is one of the highest ferris wheels in Europe.
It is strongly suggested to board one of the thirty-two buckets on a day when the sky is clear, cloudless. Thus, during the thirty minutes of the ride, you will have the opportunity to cast an eye over the Parliament and the Royal Palace. Maybe you will have the chance to see Windsor Castle, while at the highest point of the London Eye, it is possible to see around on a 40 mile radius!
There are different Admission tickets to the London Eye, with champagne, under the stars … Tickets are of course available on the website of the London Eye, which also allows you to save 10% on the price.
To get there
Adresse: Minster Court, Westminster Bridge Road, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite the Parliament.
Nearby subway stations are Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross and Westminster. The nearest is Waterloo just a 5 minutes walk.
The London Eye is open daily from 10AM to 8PM. During summer you can make a ride until 9 or even 9:30 PM.