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Horse Guards is the official entrance to both Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace. There are two mounted guards on Whitehall daily from 10:00 to 16:00.
Walking through the archway will bring you into Horse Guards Parade where Trooping of the Colour and other magnificent military displays are held. During the 2012 Olympic Games this was the venue for the beach volleyball tournament.
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Agatha Christie Memorial - London
The London memorial to Agatha Christie by Ben Twiston-Davies is cleverly designed in the shape of a book reflecting her status as one of the world’s best selling authors.
The bronze memorial was unveiled on 18th November 2012 to coincided with The Mousetrap's 60th anniversary celebrations.
It is located close to Leicester Square Tube Station at the junction of Cranbourn Street and Great Newport Street, in the heart of London’s theatreland.
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The elegant Piazza, an Italianate styled main square, is Covent Garden's centrepiece. It’s the heart of a vibrant area offering a wide choice of theatres, shops, restaurants, cafes and public houses.
Free daily shows by the entertaining street performers take place by the portico (porch) of St Paul’s Church and inside the Central Market House.
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The Winter Garden
Earlier this week friends and I enjoyed afternoon tea at The Landmark, a luxury five star hotel located opposite Marylebone Station. The hotel originally opened in 1899 as the Great Central Hotel and designed by RobertWilliam Edis. It was built in conjunction with Marylebone Station, which was the last of the London main line railway termini to be completed. The building has had a varied history as it was requisitioned for military purposes in both World Wars and then later became offices and at one time was the Headquarters for British Rail. It re-opened as a hotel in 1993 and has been known as the London Landmark since 1995.
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I was asked by Westminster Libraries to write a guest blog for National Libraries Day 2013.
In the blog "Westminster Libraries and me", I have written about some of my favourite books which I have used to research some of my walks.
If you would like to read the article you can find the link here.
The author of this blog is a qualified City of London and City of Westminster Tour Guide who leads guided walks combining world famous landmarks with hidden treasures often missed by the crowds.
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“My dear, I have come from my house to your palace”
Queen Victoria apparently made this remarked when she visited her close friend Harriet, the Duchess of Sunderland, at Stafford House (the house's previous name).
It is one of the few surviving great London townhouses, built in a warm honey coloured Bath stone, its next door neighbour is Buckingham Palace. The house is very opulently furnished with its principle rooms lavishly decorated in a Louis XIV style.
Today Lancaster House is managed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and is used as a venue for conferences and government hospitality. It is seldom open to the general public but I was fortunate to attend a private guided tour arranged for Westminster Guides. The tour was lead by James Yorke, the author of “Lancaster House: London's Greatest Town House”, whose encyclopaedia knowledge and genuine love for the house made this a very special visit.
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St James’s Square is an elegant square with a facinating history. It is located in St James's one of the most exclusive districts in central London. This quiet area tucked away between Piccadilly and The Mall has managed to retain a charming village identity and is noted for quality shopping offering everything from handmade clothing to fine cigar and wines. The St James's area is often referred to as “Gentlemen’s London” due to its gentlemen's clubs and specialist retailers.
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Utterly charming Christmas decoration featuring the Snowman, Billy and the Snowdog.
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The parliamentary archives are housed in the Victoria Tower. Named after Queen Victoria it is the tallest tower at the Palace of Westminster. It stands at a height of 325 feet and was the tallest stone tower in the world when it was completed. It was specifically built to house the parliamentary records in fire proof rooms, after the previous building was destroyed by fire in 1834. The parliamentary records have been housed there since 1860 apart from when they were temporarily moved during wartime. On the rooftop is a flagpole which flies the Union flag or when the sovereign is present the Royal Standard.
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Our most recent Afternoon Tea outing was to the delightful Savoy in October 2012.
This luxury hotel, located just off the Strand, set within its own small courtyard, oozes old fashioned glamour and Art Deco elegence. Above the entrance is a gilded statue of Count Peter of Savoy, Henry III's wife's uncle, who had the Savoy Palace built in 1263, on the site where the hotel is today. It was one of the finest houses in London until it burnt down during the Peasant's Revolt in 1381.
The Savoy Hotel was originally opened in 1889 adjacent to the Savoy Theatre, both of which were built for Richard D'Oyly Carte, the theatrical impresario who worked with Gilbert and Sullivan. The hotel was re-opened in October 2010 following a three years closure for a lavish £220m make-over.