Discover London

You head east, into a short night, and suddenly it's morning, and you're in England. Londontown: the hub and focus for theatergoers worldwide!

Enjoy a walk around the stomping ground of Eliza Doolittle and Professor Higgins. Once the site of a fruit-and-vegetable market, Covent Garden has become one of London's hottest shopping areas as well as a trendy food court, and a bustling cultural destination, with street performers and elegant theaters.

Enjoy a tour of the sights and sounds of the British capital. See such sights as St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Kensington, and Trafalgar Square.

Enjoy a visit to the world's oldest public museum, established in 1753, which has been splendidly renovated and has no admission fee. It houses countless treasures of ancient and modern civilizations, including Oriental ceramics. Sculptures from two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are on display along with the Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, an important collection of Roman artifacts, and so much more.

Enjoy a walking tour highlighting the lively Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus.

Visit the great cathedral where the British monarchs have been crowned since 1066. Westminster Abbey has also hosted royal weddings since the marriage of King Henry I in 1100, including the wedding of Prince William, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, and Catherine Middleton in 2011. Twelve kings and five queens are buried in this former abbey church, along with many illustrious Britons. In addition to Poets' Corner, burial place of writers, you will see the Royal Tombs, the Coronation Chair, the Henry VII Chapel and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Scientists and fans of The Da Vinci Code will seek the grave of Sir Isaac Newton (in the nave, near the choir screen) and won't want to miss the splendid Chapter House.

Under the guidance of your tour director, make your way to Westminster and the Houses of Parliament to the foot of Big Ben. Enjoy a walking tour that will take you to Downing Street, up Whitehall, through St. James' Park along part of the Mall and by Nelson's Column and Admiralty Arch.

There is nothing more quintessentially English than Afternoon Tea, in fact it's an institution, just like cricket, the BBC, and red double-decker buses!

Now, it's your turn to discover the delights of an Afternoon Tea at the 2012 Café of the Year winner, Café in the Crypt, which is located at the church of Saint Martin in the Fields, off Trafalgar Square. Savor your choice of tea, cakes, pastries and freshly-baked scones, served with luscious Devonshire clotted cream.

Walk through centuries of British history on a visit to the National Portrait Gallery and its pictorial Who's Who.

Enter the mighty fortress, royal palace and prison where the best-known features are Traitors' Gate, the Bloody Tower where two young princes were last seen alive, the White Tower, the Block where two of Henry VIII's ill-fated wives lost their heads, the Crown Jewels, and the ravens! If you choose to follow one of the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters), you may also be able to visit the Royal Chapels.

Experience thrills and chills on a guided walking tour of London "In the Footsteps of Jack the Ripper."

You will see London from the soothing perspective of the River Thames as you cruise downstream from Westminster Pier to Greenwich. Entertaining cockney commentary punctuates the trip, introducing London's riverside treasures: the Globe Theatre, St. Paul's Cathedral, H.M.S. Belfast, Tower Bridge, and the spectacular waterfront of Greenwich.

At a traditional London pub, customers can pop in for a cup of coffee or a half-pint, settle into a cozy corner and enjoy a relaxed, home-made meal, often just lunch, but occasionally dinner as well. Pub lunches are something of a British institution, where businessmen from the City, in suits, may rub elbows with college students and construction workers, all tucking into Steak and Kidney Pies, Fish and Chips and BLT's in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere.

With images of your journey still vivid in your mind, race the sun westward aboard your wide-bodied jet. Write down what you remember best. You'll be home before you know it, eager to share your discoveries with family and friends.