P
DISCOVER LONDON
to
CITY CENTRE
uring
A TOURING HOLIDAY CAN TAKE YOU TO SOME
WONDERFULLY SCENIC LOCATIONS IN BRITAIN AND
ABROAD, BUT DON’T THINK CARAVAN TOURING MEANS
STAYING OUT OF OUR BIG CITIES. DON JOLLY HAS SOME
CAPITAL SUGGESTIONS FOR A TRIP TO LONDON
H
OW TO describe London? One of the most remarkable Square – no longer separated from the
Dynamic, thriving, animated, transformations has been to the Thames’ National Gallery by a road full of buses and
exciting, energetic, vital, South Bank. Once this was a no-go area, a taxis – and Covent Garden, great for shops,
vivacious; even if you’re not a great fan of murky industrial zone of wharves, cafés and street theatre and music.
cities, it is very difficult to ignore this great warehouses and power stations. The only Continuing along the South Bank, there
capital of ours. Dr Samuel Johnson, the jewel was the Royal Festival Hall, built after are plenty more chances to eat, drink and be
a79
18th-century essayist, never could – he was the war to celebrate a new Queen and a new merry and, unbelievably, there are even one
always full of praise for London and so, too, beginning. Now, though, you can walk the or two sandy beaches to sit on when the sun
is his namesake, Boris, as he settles into his South Bank from Westminster Bridge to is high and the tide is sufficiently low. Past
mayoral throne at City Hall, that sparkling Tower Bridge and beyond, and there is no Blackfriars Bridge, the hulking former
glassy globe of an office beside the Thames. shortage of distractions en route. Bankside power station is home to the Tate
ABOVE: Evening
London’s ever-changing skyline displays Close to the old County Hall, where the Modern with its vast collection of
view towards Big
Ben and the Houses
some outstanding modern architecture and city’s business was once conducted and 20th-century art and occasional
of Parliament from
the present forest of cranes is a sure sign of a which now houses the London Aquarium contemporary installations. From its
the London Eye on thriving city, as further buildings spring (popular with the kids), and Dalí Universe, rooftop café there’s a superb view of St
the South Bank of
forth. As well as all the modernity a display of the Spanish surrealist artist’s Paul’s Cathedral, directly linked to the
the river Thames
RIGHT: The
surrounding him – the Swiss Re building, lesser-known works, is the popular London gallery via the modern sweep of the
entrance to Covent
otherwise known as the Gherkin, is one Eye – the slowly revolving giant wheel pedestrian Millennium Bridge.
Garden Apple
such impressive city sight – the mayor will which carries passenger ‘pods’ almost 450ft A few yards along the riverside, you can
Market
see, as he looks out of his office window, above the Thames for fantastic vistas across step back once more into the past at
some of London’s best-known tourist London. Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Like the
attractions, such as the medieval Tower of A little farther along the river, the Royal 16th-century original, the main part of this
London and the iconic Tower Bridge. Here, Festival Hall and its later neighbours, which replica theatre, where members of the
too, HMS Belfast, permanently berthed in include the National Theatre, the National audience with cheaper tickets stand, is
the Pool of London, is a hark back to the Film Theatre and the Hayward Gallery, open to the elements but there are also
past, to a time when Europe was at war and stand at the end of the rebuilt twin thatched galleries with seating surrounding
German bombers were trying to rip the suspension footbridges running either side the main auditorium. You can watch a play
heart out of the capital city. If ever a of the Hungerford railway bridge. These or join a tour of the theatre.
phoenix rose from the ashes, London is it. provide access to attractions like Trafalgar Farther on, the Thames Path disappears
32 DISCOVER TOURING
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