DK Travel : London : Places of interest

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Syon House and Park

This sumptuous Neo-Classical villa is home to the Duke of Northumberland. It has fine Robert Adam interiors and a 40-acre garden landscaped by Capability Brown and dominated by a splendid conservatory. The park contains a butterfly house and aquatic centre.
Tate Britain

The best of British art is held at the Tate and works range from 1500 to the present. Look downstream to see the home of British Intelligence (MI5). This large building, known as Thames House, is built inside a bug-proof “Faraday cage”.
Tate Modern

One of the world’s great contemporary art galleries. A new boat service connects Tate Britain and Tate Modern. It leaves from Bankside Pier outside Tate Modern every 20 minutes.
Thames Flood Barrier

This huge barrier across the lower reaches of the Thames, just past Greenwich, was built in 1982 to prevent the dangerous combination of wind and tides from flooding the city. The Visitors’ Centre explains the problem, detailing a long history of flooding in London.
Thames Flood Barrier

Rising like a series of shark fins from the river, this piece of engineering is an impressive sight.
The Cutty Sark

Built in 1869, this is the last of the record-breaking tea-clippers that brought the leaves to thirsty London. On board you can see how the merchant seamen lived, while exhibits explore the history of sail and the Pacific trade routes.
The Piazza and Central Market

For 300 years, Covent Garden was a fruit, vegetable and flower market – immortalized by Lerner and Loewe’s hit musicalMy Fair Lady . In 1980 the Victorian halls, with their lovely iron and glass roofs, were transformed into a vibrant, modern-day market place, surrounded by cafés and bars and enlivened by regular street entertainment.

Shops and cafés in the former market area

Street entertainment in Covent Garden

Clowns in Covent Garden
Theatre Museum

Right in the heart of theatreland, this museum thrives on regular exhibitions and events, including costume workshops and make-up demonstrations. The galleries chart the development of British theatre from Shakespeare’s day. Buy a ticket for a combined tour of the museum and the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Drury Lane is synonymous with the London stage and this glorious theatre explains why. It has a splendid entrance, with magnificent stairways leading to the circle seats. The auditorium is large enough to put on the biggest musical extravaganzas, includingSouth Pacific ,My Fair Lady ,Hello Dolly and Miss Saigon . The first theatre on this site was built in 1663 for Charles II whose mistress Nell Gwynne trod the boards.
Tower Bridge

When the Pool of London was the gateway to the city’s larder, this flamboyant bridge was constantly being raised and lowered for sail and steam ships bringing their cargoes from all corners of the Empire. Pedestrians who needed to cross the river when the bridge was open had to climb up the 300 steps of the towers to the walkway overhead. Today, visitors on the 90-minute Tower Bridge Exhibition tour still have views from the 40-m (135-ft) high walkways. The entrance is beneath the north pier, where a “journey through time” begins. It ends with a hands-on experience in the massive engine room, and exits via a shop on the south bank of the river.