Agrupamento de Escolas Carlos Gargaté SCHOOL TRIP TO LONDON March 2017

YOUR LONDON GUIDE

Some advice

• At the airport, make sure you collect your luggage and not someone else’s. Always read the TAG1!

• Before crossing the road, look to your right. Traffic will usually come from your right side.

• “Be polite”. British people are very sensitive to that and will often ask you “Is everything ok?!” or say “Lovely”.

• Go to the toilet while we’re at the restaurant or during the visit to a museum/other attraction. It may not be easy to find other free toilets.

• “Mind the Gap2” when getting on The Tube (the London underground).

Monuments and other attractions

Warner Bros Studios

Have a magical day out with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Harry Potter films at Warner Bros. Studio Tour. See first-hand the sets3, costumes4, and props5 used in all the Harry Potter films, and step inside some of the films' locations including the Great Hall, Dumbledore's office and Hagrid's hut.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is one of the most impressive structures and sites in the capital and has stood over the River Thames since 1894. As well as being one of the most recognizable landmark6, it is one of the most visited attractions in London

and continues to be a working bridge to this day. The “bascule” bridges are lifted to this day on a schedule to allow boats and barges to pass. Until 1729, a bridge called London Bridge (originally built by the Romans) was the only road-crossing of the Thames in London. Nowadays there are more than 30 bridges, some of which are only for pedestrians7.

Tower of London

The Tower of London was founded in 1066, as part of the Norman Conquest of England, by William the Conqueror. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built in 1078. This royal castle was also used as a prison. The prisoners entered through the water gate, called ‘Traitor’s Gate’. Take a tour with one of the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) around the Tower of London and discover its 900-year history as a royal palace, prison and place of execution, arsenal, jewel house and zoo! Gaze up at the White Tower, tiptoe through a medieval king's bedchamber and marvel at the Crown Jewels. The Tower is said to be haunted by the ghost of Anne Boleyn (King Henry VIII’s second wife) walking the chapel of St Peter and Vincula.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. The building was, originally, a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1705. The palace has 775 rooms, including 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78

Agrupamento de Escolas Carlos Gargaté SCHOOL TRIP TO LONDON March 2017

bathrooms. It’s possible to visit some parts of the palace in the summer. The Changing of the Guard, which takes place at 11:30 in front of the palace, is a military tradition which has been carried out by soldiers on active duty since the 17th century. This formal ceremony is accompanied by a full military band playing a selection of music ranging from traditional marches to familiar pop songs.

The Houses of Parliament

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament. The first royal palace was built on the site in the 11th century, and Westminster was the primary residence of the Kings of England until fire destroyed much of the complex in 1512. The famous clock tower, which was completed in 1859, contains the great bell whose nickname is Big Ben. The

clock tower is officially known as Elizabeth Tower,

renamed to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012. A light at the top of the tower is illuminated when Parliament is sitting at night. The palace is open to the public, so you can visit it at certain times.

Coca-Cola London Eye

The Coca-Cola London Eye is a major feature of London's skyline8 (135 meters high). It boasts some of London's best views from its 32 capsules, each holding up to 25 people. Climb aboard for a breathtaking9 experience, with an unforgettable10 perspective of London's most famous landmarks – all in just 30 minutes!

The Thames The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.

River Cruises Escape the crowds and discover London from the river Thames on a relaxing river cruise. With its rich history and iconic landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge, it’s a great way to see London from a different perspective.

The Tube The London Underground (also known as the Tube) is a public metro system 270 stations. It has 402 kms of track, 55 per cent of which is above ground. It is the oldest subway system in the world and it opened in 1863.

London’s West End

This is considered the world’s top cultural, entertainment, shopping and dining destination, with a global mix of 2,500 restaurants and bars, 2,000 shops, 40 renowned theatres, 30 museums and galleries, and 17 Michelin-starred restaurants.

Agrupamento de Escolas Carlos Gargaté SCHOOL TRIP TO LONDON March 2017

Enjoy one of the many shows on offer, or witness the sparkle of the red carpet premieres11 in Leicester Square at one of London’s world-class cinemas. Take the opportunity to witness the infamous Coca-Cola and TDK neon display on Piccadilly Circus, also home to the statue of Eros and the Four Bronze Horses of Helios.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. This square is also used for political demonstrations and community gatherings, such as the celebration of New Year's Eve.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey has more than a thousand years of history. Benedictine monks first came to this site in the middle of the tenth century. The present church, begun by Henry III in 1245, is one of the most important Gothic buildings in the country. The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066, with William the Conqueror, and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs. The abbey is crowded with the tombs and memorials of famous British people, such as Sir Isaac Newton and David Livingstone.

It also has a long tradition of royal weddings, such as the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul's Cathedral was built after the Great Fire of London (in 1666). Its construction took place from 1675 to 1711 was part of a major rebuilding programme. Important services held at St Paul's have included the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher; the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer (1981); and the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II (2012).

Globe Theatre

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is a replica of the open-air theatre designed in 1599, where Shakespeare performed his plays. This reconstruction opened to the public in 1997 with a production of the play Henry V.

The Shard

Agrupamento de Escolas Carlos Gargaté SCHOOL TRIP TO LONDON March 2017

Standing 309.7 metres (1,016 ft) high, The Shard is

the tallest building in the UK and the fourth-tallest

building in Europe. It was inaugurated in 2012. From

its observation deck on the 72nd floor, it’s possible to

enjoy London's iconic skyline from a unique perspective.

City Hall

City Hall is the headquarters of the Greater London

Authority (the Mayor of London and the London

Assembly). It opened in 2002.

30 St. Mary Axe

This building, also called The Gherkin, is a skyscraper in London's main financial district: The City of London.

Museums

Natural History Museum

As well as the permanent (and permanently fascinating!) dinosaur exhibition, the Natural History Museum boasts a collection of the biggest, tallest and rarest animals in the world. See a life-sized blue whale, a 40-million-year-old spider, and the beautiful Central Hall. The museum, which opened in 1881, is home to life and earth science specimens comprising some 80 million items within five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology and zoology. Many of the collections have great historical as well as scientific value, such as specimens

collected by Charles Darwin.

Science Museum

From the future of space travel to asking that difficult question: "who am I?", the Science Museum makes your brain perform Olympic-standard mental gymnastics. See, touch and experience the major scientific advances of the last 300 years; and don't forget the awesome Imax cinema. The museum as an institution has been in existence for about a century and a half. It has its origins in the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Madame Tussauds

At Madame Tussauds, you'll come face-to-face with some of the world's most famous faces. From Shakespeare to Lady Gaga, you'll meet influential figures from showbiz, sport, politics and even royalty. Strike a pose12 with Usain Bolt, get close to One Direction or receive a once-in-a-lifetime audience with Her Majesty the Queen. There are other branches of this museum in other countries, which feature figures more accessible to those countries. The original museum was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud in 1835 and used to be known as "Madame Tussaud's"(the apostrophe is no longer used).

Agrupamento de Escolas Carlos Gargaté SCHOOL TRIP TO LONDON March 2017

The British Museum

This famous museum houses treasures including the

Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. Its collections

include more than seven million objects which illustrate

human history and culture from its beginnings to the

present.

Shopping

Camden Market

Camden Lock Market comprises stalls and shops selling everything from vintage clothing to hand-made jewellery and artwork to gifts, music and more. There are also food stalls offering a large variety of cuisines. There are also designer workshops, studios, shops, cafés, restaurants and bars.

Portobello Road Market

Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district in west London. It has been a market since the 1800s but became particularly famous for its antiques in the 1950s. Now there are numerous great stalls13 where you can buy everything from fruit to antiques, clothes, curiosities and arts.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden's pretty, 19th-century Piazza is a former14 vegetable market which has become a popular centre for arts, crafts stalls15, restaurants, cafés and pubs. It comprises 3 different markets that sell a huge variety of products from handbags to crafts. It is also usual to see pearly kings and queens, jugglers and other artists in the surrounding area.

Harrods

Founded in 1834, Harrods is one of the world’s most famous and iconic department stores, it’s a magnificently decorated building, which includes top fashion labels, accessories and a fantastic Food Hall, as well as many bars and restaurants. The company's motto is “Omnia, Omnibus, Ubique” (Everything, for everyone,

everywhere). It is owned by the state of Qatar.

Agrupamento de Escolas Carlos Gargaté SCHOOL TRIP TO LONDON March 2017

Oxford Street

This famous and busy shopping street has major department stores and popular high-street chains.

London Parks

The open spaces of Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James's Park together form an almost continuous "green lung" in the heart of London between Kensington and Westminster. Hyde Park is the largest of London’s parks. Speakers' Corner is a traditional site for public speeches and debates since the mid 1800's when protests and demonstrations took place in Hyde Park. Historic figures such as Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and George Orwell were known to

often use the area to demonstrate free speech. Even today, on a Sunday morning, it's not unusual to find crowds gathering at Speakers' Corner to listen to enthusiasts expounding their views. Anyone can turn up unannounced to speak on any subject, as long as the police consider their speeches lawful. The speaker usually stands on a box.

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is located in the southwest corner of Hyde Park. This memorial is dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in 1997. It was designed to express Diana's spirit and love of children.

Enjoy your visit!