Ham House was built in 1610 and was lavishly remodelled in th 1670s when it became the centre of…read moreRestoration court life and intrigue. Today the house is thought to be the most haunted in England. It still has a large portion of rare original furnishings and paintings as well as its lavish interior. Coupled with this there are extensive and beautiful 17th century gardens.

Beautiful House! You will be amazed by the paintings and…read moresculptures that are both in/outdoors of the house which was built in 1610. I really enjoyed that peaceful place.. P.S Dolphin chairs are another things to be checked in the House :)

Green Park was the first park where I saw daffodils in bloom this year! The Park is northeast of…read moreBuckingham Palace and connects royalty with commercial hustle and bustle. You're basically in the King's backyard. I love all the green space in London. The walkways are wide and lined with benches and trees. During my visit on a rare sunny day, the park was filled with tourists getting some fresh air.

Located between Hyde Park and St. James's Park, Green Park, at 40 acres (16 hectares), is the…read moresmallest Royal Park. Even though Green Park is adjacent to Buckingham Palace, I hadn't heard of it and didn't go in search of it -- instead I happened to come across it as my husband and I were on our way to Harrods (I love walking around when on vacation and discovering things). During our trip to London, we ended up walking through Green Park twice; the first time we just walked through, but the second time we had more time to explore. The day we had more time to spend in the park, we saw the Diana Fountain (Diana, as in the Roman goddess), the Queen Victoria Memorial, and of course Buckingham Palace (nothing interesting was happening at Buckingham Palace as we passed by). Although not the most exciting park (to be fair, we didn't spend too much time in the park and probably missed several interesting points of interest), it was still a lovely park and worth walking through. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; London, England; Parks and Gardens]

BEAUTIFUL monument! Easy to walk to if you're in the area- don't skip it! It's free, easily…read moreaccessible, and a great photo for your London trip!

There is beauty to be found everywhere you go. It's crowned by one of the largest bronze statues…read morein Europe. You can get a tour inside to the arches balcony. If you time your visit right, you can see the Household Cavalry passing beneath, as they ride to and from the Changing of the Guard at Horse Guards Parade. Book early online and you can save 15%.

Kew Palace (on the grounds of Kew Gardens) was once a much larger complex, but most parts were…read moredemolished by various English kings as time went by - the only part left now is "Dutch House" with its striking red facade. It is open to the public, but only accessible if you buy a ticket for whole Kew Gardens, and that ain't cheap: almost €20. But since the gardens are spectacular and will occupy you for hours on end, it's totally worth it. Dutch House is smaller than it looks from the outside, most rooms are quite tiny. Some are fully decorated with vintage furniture, but compared to other, bigger palaces around the country, this one comes off as quite modest (see pictures). Dutch House is more like a "summer hideout". A visit should take you no longer than 30-40 minutes. A charming volunteer (well, it was on my visit) will greet you at the entrance and provide basic instructions on how to explore the house. When it's raining, umbrellas must be left at the entrance or be put into your bag. As you work your way from room to room, floor to floor, you will get a good impression of how employers and servants lived and worked in the 17th and 18th century. It is informative without being spectacular. But Dutch House is surely one of the major sights within Kew Gardens (along with the larger greenhouses and the pagoda), so don't miss it during your visit.

A small palace built in the grounds of Kew gardens by a well known family (can't remember who it…read morewas!). It's an extra fiver to enter on top of the enterance fee to enter the gardens. The palace is small buts it's a fine example of a country house. Do look out for the attic bedrooms where the plasterwork has been removed to expose the skeleton of the building. There are also samples of fine artwork and furnishings. To save money consider purchasing a season ticket via the Www.hrp.org.uk which gives you unlimited access to Kew palace, kensington palace, the tower of London, Hampton court and banqueting hall for just £39 for single membership. A good deal considering the tower of London alone costs around £17 to enter.

While walking to Harrods, we came across a lovely little garden with interesting statues. I later…read morelooked it up (just in case I could get a Yelp review out of it), and found out it was Belgrave Square. According to my research (ie. Google and Wikipedia), Belgrave Square is a 200m by 200m square surrounded by various embassies, and within the square is a garden, which is what we saw. Unfortunately I didn't have time to fully explore the garden (apparently there are tennis courts within), but what I did see (which wasn't much), I enjoyed. There are several statues of famous historical figures, and I saw statues of Simón Bolívar; Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster (never heard of him); and Homage to Leonardo, which was a replica of his famous drawing Vitruvian Man. Even though I was only passing by and didn't have time to take more than a few photos, the garden was definitely noteworthy, and if you're in the area, it's worth a visit. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; London, England; Parks and Gardens]

This is a beautiful garden / park / square but it's private for residents only who have a key…read more However, all the lovely statues can be viewed from the road, on a walk around the square. The space is very green, but the only way you can get in is if you accompany a resident. Dogs are welcome in this park. Ball playing is not. #LiveLifeLikeLDN

If I was visiting London for the first time, one of the first things I'd do is take a leisurely…read morestroll on this riverside promenade. Actually that was the first thing I did, and I'm not even a London virgin. With relatively little effort, it encapsulates the vibrancy of the city from the Tower Bridge to the east to the London Eye in the southwest. Jamie W and I stayed at the very cool Sea Containers Hotel right on the banks of the Thames and smack dab in the middle of the walkway (review: https://yelp.to/HMoq6dQSA-). Walking east took us sequentially to landmarks such as the Tate Modern, the Millennium Bridge, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (Photo 6), and bustling Borough Market. Going west took us past more idiosyncratic stops like the South Bank Skate Park (Photo 9), the National Theatre, and the graffiti art of the Leake Street Tunnel. The diversity of sights doesn't even speak to the iconic views across the river of the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London. So take this walk. Your Instagram account will thank you. RELATED - Exploring London? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/llJ1e-K21m

South Bank was crazy busy that Saturday afternoon, but we wanted to check out the area. There was a…read morepolitical protest that blocked most of the bridge, so the traffic in the area was crazy. We made our way through the busy streets of the South Bank like fish going upstream. My nephew and little cousin wanted to go on the London Eye, but reservations were expensive and needed to be made in advance. We ended up attending a hip hop acrobatic show at the E4 Underbelly festival, which I'll get to later. There were many touristy destinations in the area, reminding me of the pier 39 waterfront area of San Francisco. We tried to get on a water taxi and wasted an hour of our lives, but that's just the way things go when it's crazy busy and the streets are packed - they take to the water. We strolled around, caught a show, ate gelato, watched the skateboarding and local live music before having dinner on the South Bank at a small restaurant. So much to check out and explore.

The love story between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert is epic. His untimely death, at the age of…read more42 from typhoid, sent Queen Victoria into a deep mourning that consumed the entire country. This opulent monument that she commissioned to honor his memory is testimony to their deep love and her desire to immortalize him. The Gothic Revival structure stands in Kensington Garden, a garden behind the Kensington Palace where Queen Victoria lived. The structure houses a magnificent golden statue of the prince. Numerous statues surround the monument and depict interests of the Prince. Prince Albert looks quite regal. My photos don't do the memorial justice. Because of the cloudy day, the vibrant colors of the structure do not show up. The structure is vivid shades of turquoise and blues. There is a lot of beautiful color and the gold accents. The is a moving and gorgeous monument. The memorial is worth a walk by and is between the Science Museum and Kensington Palace.

One of the most famous and beloved monuments of the capital of Great Britain is located in…read moreKensington Gardens - the Albert Memorial. The Albert Memorial is a large Gothic monument built to commemorate the loss of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's beloved husband. At the edge of Kensington Gardens, on the boundary to Hyde Park, stands the Albert Memorial. Not sure why it's not that popular, as when you think about London, many monuments come to your feed, but it is not one of them, but it's just an amazing and awestruck feeling when saw this. It is just opposite to Royal Albert Hall. An allegorical sculpture stands on each side to represent industrial arts and sciences. There are another four other groups to represent the four continents, each including a large animal: a bull for Europe, an elephant for Asia, a bison for America, and a camel for Africa. Queen Victoria chose the winning entry from the competition, rejecting, among other proposals, an idea to alter Cleopatra's Needle, and Scott set about building this extravagantly Gothic structure, a feat which would help earn him a knighthood in 1872.

Clarence House is the current residence of Prince Charles and Camilla and former home of Queen…read moreElizabeth, the Queen Mother before her passing. Since Prince Charles and Camilla do live here, Clarence House is only open 1 month of the year in August. However, if you buy tickets and sign it and get it stamped at the end of your visit, it's good for unlimited future visits for one year (though really, it's good for all of August next year because they're not open year-round). The tour is 45 minutes long and each tour is a bit different. Your guide will go over highlights that they're interested in, so if you get a different guide, you'll learn, hear, and see different tidbits and aspects of each room. Even though there are several stories, you only experience the rooms on the first floor. At the end of your tour, there is a gift shop for souvenir purchases. Beware of the condescending gentleman (if you can even call him that!) at the register who provides a snoot attitude when he deems you haven't purchased enough to receive a paper bag.

Famous as the London home of the late Queen Mother. Now the official residence of the Prince of…read moreWales and the Duchess of Cornwall. Pre-booked guided tour with a timed entrance. Small group views The Entrance Hall leading to the Lancaster Room. The Morning Room has been re-decorated by the Prince of Wales. Favourite along with the Dining Room. No photography is allowed in the grounds. Small gift shop. Wheelchair users can view all rooms.