Buckingham Palace

A visit to London has to include a stop at Buckingham Palace.  This is the official residence of the royal family in London.  You can get to it along a very wide tree lined road, walk around the roundabout and take in the impressive size of the building.

During the summer months, you can watch the changing of the guards which is truly a sight to behold.

In 1992 there was a fire in one of the state rooms at Windsor Castle, which caused extensive damage. In order to raise funds to rebuild and reconstruct the building, parts of Buckingham Palace was opened up to the public for the very first time.  Buckingham Palace is definitely one of the places to see in London.

Find Buckingham Palace at: Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1A 1AA.

Big Ben

If you are on your London vacation, you should try and get a picture of one of the most iconic structures in town.  Big Ben is the large clock that dominates the bank of the river Thames.

It is actually the nickname for the huge bell that is housed at the back of the tower.  People in London will recognise the image of the clock because it features in the opening credits of the daily News at Ten television programme along with its famous bongs and chimes.

Houses of Parliament

Adjacent to Big Ben is The Houses of Parliament is where the government of Great Britain carries out its political business.  This consists of two houses – The House of Lords and The House of Commons.

Parts of the building are open to the general public. You can seat in the pubic gallery in the House of Commons and watch some of the proceedings.