1. A few great reasons to visit LONDON

2. We have fascinating monuments For example…

3. The Houses of Parliament This is where laws are made There is a huge bell called Big Ben inside the clock tower They are in Westminster, on the North bank of the River Thames They are made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords

4. Buckingham Palace This is one of the Queen’s homes It’s in St James’s Park, in Central London For the Queen’s official birthday, in June, the Palace Guards and the armed forces do a parade in front of the palace The guards wear hats called beefeaters

5. The Tower of London In the past, Kings and Queens put their enemies in prison here It is situated on the North bank of the Thames, in East London Many royals have been executed here. It was still used for executions until the 20 th Century It is famous for its ravens and for housing the Crown Jewels The heads of executed people were put on sticks outside the Tower

6. Hampton Court A Tudor royal residence It was built by Cardinal Wolsey and later given to Henry VIII They say that the ghost of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, runs screaming through the galleries It is famous for its maze

7. St Paul’s Cathedral It is situated in the City of London (the financial district), near the river Thames You can go up to the top of the dome on a guided tour It burnt down in the Fire of London in 1666 and was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in the 1670s

8. The London Eye You can see for miles from the top of this giant Ferris wheel on the bank of the River Thames It is situated on the South bank of the Thames, not far from the Houses of Parliament It was built in the year 2000 to celebrate the new millennium

9. Great places to shop…

10. Harrods A very expensive department store You can buy anything here, from sofas to hamsters It’s located in Knightsbridge, in West London Its famous green and gold façade is lit up with gold lights at Christmas

11. Covent Garden You can buy lots of tasty food, pretty jewellery and unusual clothes at this busy market You will be entertained by street performers juggling with knives, eating fire and playing musical instruments while you shop for presents

12. We also have beautiful parks Such as…

13. Hyde Park Where you can row in the Serpentine River. There is a tradition of swimming in the river on Christmas Day!

14. St James’s Park A beautiful patch of green, right in the centre of the city Two royal residences, Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace are situated in St James’s Park It is in central London, North of the river

15. Richmond Park An enormous park on the edge of London, where you can find lots of deer Richmond is in South West London, at the end of the district line on the underground The park is great for picnics and horse riding

16. London is buzzing with culture Don’t miss…

17. The museums The Science Museum: full of all the greatest inventions. There are lots of interactive exhibits The Natural History Museum, with terrifying dinosaurs and enormous whales The V&A: home to art and fashions from the past centuries. It was the country’s first free public museum, set up by Queen Victoria in the 19 th Century

18. A West End show The Lion King Wicked The Sound of Music The capital is famous for its theatres in the “West End”, situated around Shaftsbury Avenue and Aldwych. They show both serious plays and musicals.

19. The Globe A replica of Shakespeare’s theatre The original theatre burnt down when a canon was fired during a play and set fire to the thatched roof It is open-air, so if it rains you get wet Just like in Shakespeare’s time, you can stand in front of the stage, or pay more for a seat Shakespeare’s plays are still performed here

20. Have a great trip!