2L Travel +1 (305) 432 -2458 [email protected] Weekend in London Package price includes: Not Included: Three nights hotel stay Tickets to attractions Transfer to and from London Airports Lunches Half Day Panoramic Bus Tour Drinks during Meals Half Day English Speaking Guide Porterage, Tips, general extras ___________________________________________________________Places of Religious Worship Westminster Abbey Formally titled the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a large Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English and, later, British monarchs. Between 1540 and 1556, the abbey had the status of a cathedral. Since 1560, the building is no longer an abbey nor a cathedral, having instead the status of a Church of England "Royal Peculiar"—a church responsible directly to the sovereign. The building itself is the original abbey church. St. Paul’s Cathedral An Anglican cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London. It sits on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grade 1 listed building. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. The present cathedral, dating late 17th century, was designed in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren. Its construction, completed in Wren's lifetime, was part of a major rebuilding program in the City after the Great Fire of London. The cathedral is one of the most famous and most recognizable sights of London. Its dome, framed by the spires of Wren's City churches, has dominated the skyline for over 300 years. 2L Travel +1 (305) 432 -2458 [email protected] Temple Church A late 12th century church built by the Knights Templar as their headquarters. The nave is round and was based on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Undamaged by the Great Fire of London in 1666, the church was renovated by Christopher Wren in the 17th century and again in the 19th century. Shakespeare knew this church and included it in a scene in Henry VI, Part One. The church also figures prominently in Dan Brown's controversial novel The Da Vinci Code. The church is very special! There are several grotesques featuring silly human faces and a goat in an academic cap, beautiful medieval style glass. There are also 10 effigies of Knights Templar lying on their backs in a variety of poses. It was once thought that these were tombs, but no bodies were ever discovered (Limited opening, on request only). ___________________________________________________________________________Royal Palaces Buckingham Palace It is the London residence and administrative headquarters of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning. Originally known as Buckingham House, the building at the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen's House (open to visits from July to September, dates to be confirmed) Kensington Palace The royal residence set in Kensington Gardens, in the beautiful Hyde Park. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is currently the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and his wife, Kate) and their children. Today, the State Rooms are open to the public and managed by the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces, a non-profit organization that does not receive public funds. The palace also displays many paintings and other objects from the Royal Collection and provisional exhibitions usually dedicated to the royal family. Prince Charles and Princess Diana lived here during their marriage 2L Travel +1 (305) 432 -2458 [email protected] The Tower of London Officially called Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic fortress located on the north bank of the River Thames, in central London. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire building its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The fort was used as a prison until 1952 (Kray twins), although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, served as a royal residence. The Crown Jewellery is currently kept safe inside. _____________________________________________________________________National Museums NOTE: All national museums have entry Free Of Charge (FOC) for permanent collections British Museum Found in 1753, holds a remarkable collection that spans over two million years of human history. Enjoy a unique comparison of the treasures of the world culture under one roof, centred around the magnificent Great Court. World famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies are visiteed by up to six million visitors per year. Science Museum It features seven floors of educational and entertaining exhibits, including the Apollo 10 command module and a flight simulator. The Welcome Wing showcases developments in contemporary science, medicine and technology. The Medical History Gallery in the museum's attic contains a substantial collection of medical history treasures. Pattern Pod introduces under-eights to the importance of patterns in contemporary science and Launch Pad is a popular hands-on gallery where children can explore basic scientific principles. 2L Travel +1 (305) 432 -2458 [email protected] Natural History Museum Both a research institution and a fabulous museum, opened in Alfred Waterhouse’s purpose-built Romanesque cathedral of nature on the Cromwell Road in 1881. Joined by the splendid Darwin Centre extension in 2009, the original building still looks quite magnificent. The pale blue and terracotta façade just about prepares you for the natural wonders within. Since 1905, London’s most beloved dinosaur, Dippy the Diplodocus, reigned in the Hintze Hall. Victoria and Albert Museum It is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The V&A collection spans 5,000 years of art, from ancient times to the present day, from the cultures of all over the world. The holdings of ceramics, glass, textiles, costumes, silver, ironwork, jewelry, furniture, medieval objects, sculpture, prints and printmaking, drawings and photographs are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world. The museum owns the world's largest collection of post-classical sculpture, with the holdings of Italian Renaissance items being the largest outside Italy. National Gallery Established in 1824 as a new art collection for the enjoyment and education of all, the National Gallery first consisted of 38 pictures, put on display at a house on Pall Mall while a purpose-built gallery was constructed. There are now over 2,300 works of art, from medieval classics to world-famous pieces by the French Impressionists. The new museum opened in 1838, located in Trafalgar Square because it was deemed to be at the heart of London, easy for rich people to visit from the west by carriage and also convenient for poor people coming by foot from east London. National Portrait Gallery The gallery houses portraits of historically important and famous British people, selected on the basis of the significance of the sitter, not that of the artist. The collection includes photographs and caricatures as well as paintings, drawings and sculpture. One of its best-known images is the Chandos portrait, the most famous portrait of William Shakespeare. Portraits of living figures were allowed from 1969. In addition to its permanent galleries of historical portraits, the National Portrait Gallery exhibits a rapidly changing selection of contemporary work. 2L Travel +1 (305) 432 -2458 [email protected] Tate Britain Gallery The gallery is situated on Millbank, on the site of the former Millbank Prison. Construction, undertaken by Higgs and Hill commenced in 1893, and the gallery opened on 21 July 1897 as the National Gallery of British Art. However, from the start it was commonly known as the Tate Gallery, after its founder Sir Henry Tate, and in 1932 it officially adopted that name. Before 2000, the gallery housed and displayed both British and modern collections, but the launch of Tate Modern saw Tate's modern collections move there, it became dedicated to the display of historical and contemporary British art. Consequently, it was renamed Tate Britain in March 2000. Tate Modern Gallery Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London. It is Britain's National Gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group. It is based in the former Bankside Power Station and in the new contemporary space added in 2016 and holds the national collection of British art from 1900 to the present day and international modern and contemporary art. Tate Modern is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world. 2L Travel +1 (305) 432 -2458 [email protected] _________________________________________________________________________Stunning Views The London Eye Located in the heart of London, along the River Thames, situated across the river from the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.