London (monuments and shopping)

London, England A typical 'London' scene of a red double-decker bus and black cab Bengt Hedberg / age fotostock

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England's capital, London, is bordered by several parks and is very pleasant to visit on foot. To get a glimpse of the best monuments, go to the London Tower in the City area, then visit Saint-Paul's Cathedral. Then visit Hyde Park, in the elegant South Kensington neighbourhood. Take a boat ride to the Serpentine artificial lake, then stopover at the Victoria and Albert Museum which exhibits huge collections of works of art from around the world. Go up to the Thames to see Westminster Palace and the famous Big Ben Tower. For shopping, the best idea is to visit the big shops on Oxford Street, but also visit the small shops in Soho and make a visit to the Covent Garden Market. You will find several flea market and craft stalls. Instead of a traditional boat ride on the Thames, discover the docks neighbourhood at the entrance to St-Katherine's Way. Entirely renovated, the docks build up a successon of elegant marinas, spanned by footbridges. You can continue on foot up to the Greenwich tunnel: seize the opportunity to visit the Old Royal Observatory where you have the famous meridian. End by strolling around the Greenwich neighbourhood. It has preserved a very agreable village atmosphere with its small streets and colourful houses. There you have typical shops as well as charming sites for the unconditional high tea break.