It’s a city with history that goes back to Roman times and everywhere you turn is stunning architecture and sites recognizable from the news and movies. It’s a city of kings and poets, high tea and crown jewels, double-decker buses, tradition and pomp and circumstance and so much more. London has so much to offer and the travel advisors at GetAway Travel can offer you lots of options to make your trip there fabulous!

Take in the royal sights

 See the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The guards perform a ceremonial march accompanied by pomp and fanfare. Check the schedule, it doesn’t happen every day. You can tour Buckingham Palace. The state rooms open to tours have fabulous art and antiques. It is open for tours from July to September. After that, it becomes a “working” royal palace and is only open to the public at select times.

The Tower of London is an iconic landmark with 1,000 years of history behind it. It went from being a royal palace to a fortress and then to a prison. It houses the crown jewels. We aren’t talking about a crown or two. We’re talking about a majestic display of grand proportions. More than 100 pieces of jewelry and coronation finery worn or used by kings and queens over the years.

The most famous feature of the Palace of Westminster, which is the Houses of Parliament, is Elizabeth Tower which is more commonly known as Big Ben. The legendary 13-ton bell is atop the tower. You can take a tour and enjoy the fabulous views, but be prepared. You need to be able to climb 334 steps to see the clock and inner mechanisms. You are supplied with ear plugs because it’s loud in there.

Westminster Abbey, formerly known as Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster has enormous historical significance. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has been the setting of coronations for 40 English and British monarchs as well as a burial site for 18 English, Scottish and British monarchs.

A tour here encompasses 10 centuries of history, with burial sites and memorials of individuals who shaped the history of the United Kingdom. Notables including Geoffrey Chaucer and Charles Dickens are buried here and there are numerous memorials to famous people including Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton.

Admire the soaring ceilings, including the vaulted ceiling in the Henry VII Lady Chapel that was an architectural marvel at the time it was built. There are stained glass windows and intricate carvings to admire. The Cosmati Pavement near the high altar, with its colorful stones and glass, is gorgeous.

Plenty of famous places to visit

 The London Eye is a futuristic ferris wheel that takes 30 minutes to do a complete turn. When you are at its highest point, 443 feet, the views of the city can’t be beat.

Seeing a production at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater means experiencing the work of the bard in its most authentic setting. It is actually a rebuilt faithful reproduction of the original Globe. It burned to the ground when a theatrical cannon explosion during a production set the thatched roof on fire.

A guided tour takes you around the theatre to an exhibition on Shakespeare and life in the 17th century in Bankside.

Don’t skip an opportunity for an afternoon high tea while in London. While many venues require a reservation, there are still plenty of places, including several museums as well as cafés on High Street, that take walk-ins. Enjoy finger sandwiches — cucumber, egg salad and smoked salmon and cream cheese, and quiches, mini pies and sausage rolls. The sweets selections will include small cakes, tarts, sweet scones with jelly and cream, eclairs, petit fours and shortbread.

The Shard is a splinter-like building that is one of the tallest buildings in Europe. It is 1,016 feet high with 95 floors. The 72nd story has an open-air sky deck with spectacular views.

The thousand-year-old Borough Market at the southern end of London Bridge has more than 100 stalls and small shops. Some scenes from Harry Potter movies were filmed here.

You can find fresh produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods and a plethora of international cuisine options for lunch including falafel, flatbread, bento boxes, black truffle pasta, tacos and pulled pork. Try the Camden Market with hundreds of stalls catering to your inner fashionista — from vintage to alternative. You can also find art as well as music and film memorabilia here. The Portobello Road Market is one of the world’s largest antique markets.

Up for a stroll? Take a walk along the South bank of the Thames River from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge. You can get a look at many of the most iconic sights including Big Ben, the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Globe Theater.

An upcoming blog will go through the great museum and cathedral options in the city

Vacationing in the United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, is a great way to dip your travel toe in the waters. Concerned about going to a country where you don’t know the language — this fits the bill perfectly. Is London and the surrounding area, calling you? Advisors at GetAway Travel will help you craft the perfect adventure!