The Tower Bridge of London
There are a lot of things to do in London. We wanted to walk and see things up close and by doing all outlined in this article we saw a lot of memorable sights. Here are 5 free London sightseeing excursions.
1)Walk the Tower Bridge-
The Tower Bridge crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and has become an iconic symbol of London; for good reason. The bridge consists of two large towers tied together at the upper level by two horizontal walkways. (There is an exhibition which allows you to visit the towers and the upper walkways).
There is a pedestrian walk on either side of the road that can be explored free of charge. It is a peaceful walk across the bridge and back at night. The view of the bridge is stunningly beautiful from afar or up close on the walk. Picture opportunities abound. The bridge is lit up at night making for an even more memorable sight.
The Tower Bridge of London at night
2)Walk the Hungerford and Golden Jubilee Bridges-
These footbridges have elegant networks of pylons that rise to the sky in an artistic way. They span the River Thames between Charing Cross and the Southbank where the London Eye is located. The views are stunning, particularly at night. The view of Big Ben and The London Eye is worth making the walk to see.
The London Eye in London
The Hungerford Pedestrian Bridge London
Big Ben and The Parliament Building at Night from the Hungerford Bridge
3)Walking the Strand
The Strand is a major thoroughfare through the city of Westminster in central London. It is just over 3/4 mile in length and technically begins at Trafalgar Square and continues into Fleet Street (marking the boundary with the City of London). I would suggest you begin your walk to the west of Trafalgar Square at the stunning building complex of Big Ben and the Parliament Building.
Start your walk at Big Ben and the Parliament Building. Continue past Trafalgar Square and on past shops, restaurants, playhouses, and end at Twinings of London.
London views of Big Ben in the background with London lion in Trafalgar Square
4)Twinings of London-
Visit the 300 year old original building for Twinings Tea. Opened in 1706 by Thomas Twinings, the remodeled buildings houses teas from all over the world. Upon entry, many of their over 200 tea varieties line the walls. In the back of the store is a tasting area where you can sample 4 types of tea.
Twining’s Tea Shop has been on The Strand since 1704.
5)Literary informal tour (more on this later)-
Within a few city blocks are many literary notables.
- The Sherlock Holmes Pub is home to the place Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles and other tales. The Sherlock Holmes pub was known as the Northumberland Hotel around 1900. It is mentioned in The Hound of the Baskervilles and is thought to be where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle penned the novel.
The Sherlock Holmes pub was known as the Northumberland Hotel around 1900. It is mentioned in “Hounds of the Baskervilles” and is thought to be where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle penned the novel.
- A recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London near the original site. The original site is now a small car park (parking lot).
A recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London near the original site. The original site is now a small car park (parking lot)
- The address of Ebenezer Scrooge and Bob Cratchet’s office (From Dickens’ a Christmas Carol) in London is now The Counting House.
- The alley where Charles Dickens worked, just around the corner from the location of Scrooge’s office.
Where Rudyard Kipling, author of The Jungle Book, lived while in London - J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, lived in London while writing his famous book. His house, where he penned the novel, is not far from where we stayed while in Charing Cross London.
I hope you get the chance to visit London. If you visit, keep these ideas in mind to get to see a lot of memorable things for free.