London is the capital of the United Kingdom and it has been an important city for more than 2000 years. It goes back to its founding by the Romans and even today London's core, the "square mile" as it's called retains its medieval boundaries. It has a rich history throughout the centuries which is witnessed all over the city. London is one of the world's largest financial centers and its influence in politics, media, education, fashion and culture enhances its global status. There is a wide range of people, cultures and religions and more than 300 languages are spoken within the metropolitan area.
The city has an extensive transport network and London Heathrow Airport is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers. There are also two more airports, Gatwick and Stansted which accommodate the traveler's needs.
London is home of the headquarters of more than half of the UK's top 100 listed companies and more than 100 of Europe's 500 largest. It is a major tourist destination and a popular venue for conferences and events as well. The city currently offers more than 100000 beds for visitors-from 5-star hotels to intimate boutiques. Many of them offer-state of the art- facilities for this purpose and almost all of the world's most recognizable buildings of the city are available to event organizers.
There are also options of venues and suppliers with environmental policies in place and infrastructure build to operate in a more sustainable and green way. Many of London's most important venues are accessible for the disabled, public transportation included as well. London is proud of its rich and varied history and the city is full of well-preserved buildings that testify it. It contains four World Heritage sites, the Tower of London, the royal palace and fortress, the prison and the place of execution, mint and arsenal, the historic settlement of Greenwich, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the site that includes the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church.
Visiting London even in a tight schedule and not visiting these sites is really unthinkable. Moreover depending on the time available there are lots of venues a traveler can visit while he's in London, such as the British Museum-housing one of the greatest collections in human cultural history in the world - the Tate Modern-home to the renowned national collection of international modern art - the Natural History Museum, Madame Tussauds, the Kensington Palace-the royal residence for over 300 years - Shakespeare's Globe, St. Paul's Cathedral, London Eye-the world's highest observation and a thrilling experience to live - ZSL London Zoo, Royal Albert Hall, the Tower Bridge-with breath-taking views from the high-level walkways. A visit to Hampton Court, the House of Parliaments with the famous Big Ben and a visit to London Dungeons is also a must-see.
One visit in London is just not enough to get even a glimpse of the city's sites and even though the weather is not ideal since there are frequent rainfalls in the form of drizzle, many people consider it to be a popular venue with multiple visits over the years.
Apart from sight-seeing, London entertainment is often what inspires travelers. There are more than 60000 seats at concerts, shows and sporting events at any time. In addition we shouldn’t forget that it's one of the world's premiers shopping destinations. Visitors can choose from designer shops in New Bond, Jermyn and Carnaby streets, to antique stalls at Portobello Road. Oxford street, Covent Garden, King's Road, Knightsbridge and Notting Hill are also some very popular shopping areas with shops that can indulge every need. As for dining in London, this is really an adventure. The city has more than 4000 pubs, more than 6000 restaurants- 43 of them Michelin starred-which offer cuisines from more than 70 regions around the world. And of course plenty of clubs available for after-hours entertainment as well.
London is a safe city although a few years back encountered one of the world's worst terrorist attacks but London's police force- the Metropolitan Police has a very visible presence on the streets of the city, railway stations and airports, working for a safer London.
The city will host the Olympic Games in 2012 for the third time in its history and many constructions are being developed for the event, promising an unforgettable experience.
Even so, there's no reason to wait till then to visit this beautiful city, just catch the next plane there.
Contact information
London Convention and Visitors Bureau
52-54, Gracechurch Street,
London EC3V 0EH, UK
+44-845-8678119
www.conventionandvisitorsbureau.com