The National Gallery

Founded in 1824, the gallery began to develop quickly and it currently houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings. Currently, the gallery is housed in a building designed by William Wilkins. The collection includes artwork of European origin, from 1250 to 1900, with over 2,300 paintings, including works by Rembrandt, Tiziano, Velázquez, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Gainsborough, Turner, Renoir and Van Gogh. The art museum is divided into 4 areas and each of the area is dedicated to certain centuries. Those areas are split into numbered rooms which cover a special topic. Despite the fact that the National Gallery is much smaller than other renowned, it has paintings of remarkable quality and artistic variety, covering the totality of the history of painting in the occidental world. It is possible to observe how visual art has evolved from the Renaissance period up until Post-Impressionism, in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. Click for an Interactive floorplan

The Highlights at National Gallery:

1. The Sunflowers (Room 41) by Vincent van Gogh belongs to the most famous highlight among the exhibited paintings. He painted this picture in the summer of 1888, in southern France, and it is part of a series of paintings with the sunflowers as the subject. With these artworks he wanted to decorate an atelier in southern France which belong to a painter friend. Vincent painted these pictures directly from the motif. He painted every picture in a single pass without interruption, as the sunflowers fade quite quickly.

2. The Water-Lily Pond (Room 41) was created by Claude Monet in his garden, which is located in the Normandy, in the year 1899. Claude Monet laid out his garden with the water-lily pond himself. He spent a lot of time there in the last 30 years of his life. The Japanese Bridge was a popular motif and graced a whole series of his paintings in various views.

3. The painting The Fighting Temeraire (Room 34) was elected as the best British painting in a public poll, which was organized by the BBC, in the year 2005. The famous landscape painter J. M. W. Turner is a London native and painted this artwork in the year 1839. He was also known as -the painter of light-. If you look at this painting, there is probably no better name for this special artist.

4. Leonardo da Vinci painted two versions of The Virgin of the Rocks (Room 66). The second variant, which is located here in London, was started by Leonardo in the year 1491 and has probably been completed by one of his students in 1508. The first version is exhibited at the Louvre in Paris. The representation of light and shadow is outstanding in this painting by Leonardo.

5. The Skiff (Room 44) was painted by Pierre-Auguste Renoir in the year 1875. It shows a rowing boat (skiff) on the river Seine at the town Chatou, west of Paris. By using high-contrast color combinations in this painting, Pierre-Auguste Renoir captured vividly a beautiful summer day.

6. The painting A Young Woman standing at a Virginal (Room 16) was painted by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer in the year 1670. He was not especially popular until the 19th century. In our days he is one of the most famous Dutch painters.

7. The Toilet of Venus ('The Rokeby Venus') (Room 30) is the only surviving example of a female nude by Velázquez. The subject was rare in Spain because it met with the disapproval of the Church. Venus, the goddess of Love, was the most beautiful of the goddesses, and was regarded as a personification of female beauty. She is shown here with her son Cupid, who holds up a mirror for her to look both at herself and at the viewer. 'The Rokeby Venus' is first recorded in June 1651 in the collection of the Marqués del Carpio, son of the First Minister of Spain. It was probably made for the Marqués and was presumably displayed privately, thus avoiding the censure of the Spanish Inquisition

St. James's Park

It extends between Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Road. The well-maintained park is divided by a small lake in the middle which is the home for many ducks, swans and even pelicans

Buckingham Palace

The official residence of the British royal family.

BuckinghamPalaceFacts:

Start of construction: 1826 Royal residence since: 1837 Building width at the front: 108 m Building length: 120 m Number of rooms: 775

More than 50,000 guests visit the palace every year during different events like banquets, dinners and garden parties. TheBallroomis the largest room in the Buckingham Palace with a length of 36.6 m, a width of 18 m and a height of 13.5 m

The Changing of the Guard at the Horse Guards Parade Square takes place daily, Monday to Saturday at 11:00 and on Sundays at 10:00 o'clock morning. This parade is not so extensive and pompous as the one in front of the Buckingham Palace. If that is too much time consuming for you and if you only want to have a photo with a horse guard, then you are also at the right place there. From 10:00 to 16:00 o'clock two horse guards are standing in front of the gate to Whitehall Street. Perfect for a photo or a selfie. They belong to the Queen's Household Division. Two regiments of the Household Cavalry alternate the guard here. If the guards are dressed in scarlet they belong to the Life Guards. If they are wearing blue they belong to the Blues and Royals. At 4 pm the Commanding Officer's inspection of the guards takes place and is well worth attending.

Downing Street (& Harry Potter)

10 Downing Street, the home of the (Muggle) Prime Minister, is located to the right as you look through the gates. It's the building with the policeman standing outside the door.

Parliament Square Gardens

On 24 April 2018 a statue of Millicent Fawcett was unveiled in Parliament Square, making her the first women to stand in that historic centre of politics and power. Millicent Fawcett becomes the twelfth statue in Parliament Square. She joins figures such as Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Abraham Lincoln. Having lobbied Parliament for years over equal rights, it’s only fitting that her statue now looks upon the Palace of Westminster. She carries a banner reading “Courage Calls To Courage Everywhere”, and the statue also recognises the efforts of other leading suffragists. The plinth is etched with 59 figures of the women (and the handful of men) who helped to achieve universal suffrage.

Westminster Abbey

Initially built by Henry III in 1245, it is one of the most important Gothic buildings of England. At first home of Benedictine monks, the coronation church since 1066 and the final resting place of 17 monarchs. It contains a treasury full of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles, books and various other artefacts plus the most significant collection of monumental sculptures of the UK. Kings, queens, statesmen and soldiers; poets, priests, heroes and villains - Westminster Abbey is a must-see living pageant of British history. It is worth noting that this church holds services on weekday evenings and throughout the day on Sundays that are free for the public to attend.

Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

The Houses of Parliament are officially called the Palace of Westminster, and its oldest part is 11th-century Westminster Hall, one of only a few sections that survived a catastrophic 1834 fire. The rest is mostly a neo-Gothic confection built over 36 years from 1840. The palace's most famous feature is its clock tower, Elizabeth Tower (but better known as Big Ben). Parliament is split into two houses. The green-hued House of Commons is the lower house, where the 650 elected Members of Parliament sit. Traditionally the home of hereditary blue bloods, the scarlet-decorated House of Lords, with around 800 members, now has peers appointed through various means. Both houses debate and vote on legislation. At the annual State Opening of Parliament in May or June, the Queen takes her throne in the House of Lords, having arrived in the gold-trimmed Irish State Coach from Buckingham Palace.

HousesofParliamentFacts:

Ground area of the building: 32400 m² Number of rooms: approx. 1100

The Parliament building complex is the Palace of Westminster and is often simply called the Houses of Parliament

BigBenFacts:

Completion: 1858 Tower height: 96 m Bell weight: 13.5 t

Although the whole clock tower is usually named as Big Ben, this is just the name of the bell A Big Ben clock tower tour is unfortunately not possible for foreign tourists. Nevertheless, due to its popularity the Big Ben is part of the typical sightseeing program. Following places offer a good view of this well-known photo subject: Albert Embankment (opposite River Thames bank), Westminster Bridge, Victoria Embankment crossing Bridge Street and Parliament Square. Unfortunately the Big Ben does not ring in the current year 2019. This is due to ongoing renovation work which is expected to last until 2021.

London Eye & Jubilee Gardens

A modern but very popular tourist attraction is the London Eye, a giant observation wheel located in the Jubilee Gardens on the South Bank. The 135 tall structure was built as part of London's millennium celebrations. The very popular ferris wheel is located at the south bank of the river Thames beside a small park, the Jubilee Gardens. Nearby you can find the Golden Jubilee Bridge. This pedestrian bridge across the Thames offers a good view at the London Eye and the surroundings.

Somerset House

Somerset House is a spectacular neo-classical building in the heart of London, sitting between the Strand and the River Thames. During summer months 55 fountains dance in the courtyard, and in winter you can skate on London's favourite ice rink. Somerset House also hosts open-air concerts and films, contemporary art, design and fashion exhibitions, family workshops and free guided tours of spaces usually hidden to visitors. it is universally recognised as a world class visitor attraction and centre of excellence for culture and the arts.

Day 4

The British Museum

Home to the collected treasures of the world's cultures, The British Museum is an astounding archive of British and World History.

Some Highlights of the British Museum include:

1. The Rosetta Stone (room 4) is the most visited attraction of the house. This stone was found in 1799 in Egypt by the French guy and was the basis for the deciphering of the hieroglyphs. The British came into the possession of the stone after a victorious battle against the French. Afterwards the Rosetta Stone was brought to the British Museum in London and is exhibited there since 1802

2. The Egyptian Mummies (room 62-63) are presented in 2 rooms together with sarcophagi, coffins and burial objects. The Museum owns the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities outside of Egypt.

3. The Parthenon Sculptures (room 18) originate from the temple with the same name in the Acropolis. The remains of the temple are located at the highest point in the Acropolis and dominate the cityscape of Athens. Some of the sculptures have been removed in the year 1801 by Lord Elgin and taken to England. This action caused many controversial discussion. Since 1817, these gems of ancient Greece are presented at the British Museum to the public

4. The Assyrian collection (room 10) features relief carvings from the palaces of the Assyrian kings at Nimrud, Khorsabad and Nineveh. The enormous winged bulls from the palace of Sargon II are especially impressive.

5. The Hoa Hakananai'a (room 24) is one of the famous stone statues of the Easter Island. The statue weighs about 4 tons and has a height of 2.42 m. It was shipped to England in 1868. The statues were part of a ceremonial complex. The exact function of the statues is not clearly clarified until today.

7. The Great Court is a highlight which no usual visitor will get around. It is the huge glassroofed courtyard in the entrance area. In the center of the approx. 8000 m² large area is the reading room, which was built in the year 1857. The redesigned courtyard with its impressive glass roof was opened in the year 2000

Greenwich Park

Very close to Cutty Sark, the celebrated historic sailing ship and fastest of its time, built in 1869 to carry tea back from China, Cutty Sark visited nearly every major port in the world and gained fame for its record-breaking passages. In the park, walk up to the top of the hill to get a lovely view of the Maritime Museum and of the city You can see the O2 Arena dome, The Gherkin, The Shard and the Queen’s House.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden is one of the London's biggest tourist magnets. The area around the glasscovered building - a former fruit and vegetable market - is always crowded, especially during weekends and in summertime. Covent Garden is known for its many open-air cafés, restaurants, pubs, market stalls and shops. Famous are the many street performers who entertain the visitors on the pedestrianized piazza. For some extra pretty views, head to the covered Apple Market of Covent Garden to find an Instagram friendly photo spot, and some forty or so stores

A former floral market now houses the London Transport Museum. The Covent Garden district is also home to several theaters and the Royal Opera House.

Watch out too, for Neal’s Yard is easily one of the most photogenic hidden gems of London’s Zone one. Accessible via only two little cobbled lanes, wander inside this secret spot and you’ll be rewarded with its colourfully painted houses.

Leicester Square

Famous for holding world-premieres of films in London, Leicester Square is a central location filled with night-life, restaurants, artists and theatres. The square is car-free and can be very crowded, especially on weekend evenings. It is often the starting point for people who want to visit one of the many cinemas, theaters, snack bars and restaurants that are in the neighborhood. Several major cinemas line the square, giving it its nickname "Theatreland". A handful of TV and radio stations also have their headquarters at Leicester Square.

Day 5

King’s cross (Harry Potter’s Platform 9 ¾) - St Pancras

King’s Cross has placed the “real Platform 9 and 3/4” at the back of King’s Cross Rail Station. This means one needs to walk all the way to the end of the station to find it – a short walk and definitely worth it! While you’re here, it’s also worth checking out St. Pancras Station! This beautifully resorted Victorian building is located just across the street from King’s Cross Station. Potter-lovers will recognise it as soon as they see it – just in front of the station is where Ron and Harry picked up the Ford Anglia that Ron would then use to fly them to Hogwarts.

The iconic image of the car leaving the ground is filmed right in front of St. Pancras. The railway station proper is a great example of Victorian architecture and magnificently combines the iron and stone framework with the brick walls. Today high speed Eurostar trains connect London from St. Pancras Station with Paris, Lille, Brussels and some smaller destinations.

Camden market area

Hip, trendy, and cool, Camden is the go-to place for students and artists alike. It has been the centre of various musical movements over the years, and was something of a counter-cultural hotspot through the 1960s and 70s. It’s still a thriving musical hub today, particularly for metal, indie, jazz and rock, and you'll find music venues dotted all over. The Camden Lock Market can be found at the end of the Camden high street, just after the bridge over Regent's Canal.

This market area is regularly used since 1975 and is therefore the origin of the Camden Markets. At this place you will find many stalls with high-quality craft items located in and around a building with 3 floors. Particularly noteworthy is also the wide range of food stalls with fragrant dishes from all over the world. This is Street Food of the finest kind.

The Buck Street Market is located at the corner of Buck Street and Camden High street, not far from the underground station. About 200 stalls line up along narrow corridors at this outdoor market. There are mainly simple textiles such as T-Shirts, jeans, caps, costume jewelry and other cheap mass products

Regent’s canal

Regent's Canal starts at Little Venice and ends in Docklands. Regent's Canal passes by parks, a zoo, Camden Market, Victorian warehouses and celebrity hangouts. It was originally built to link the huge Grand Junction Canal's Paddington branch with the River Thames, but now is mainly a place of leisure for Londoners and visitors alike. It was designed by John Nash and finished in 1820.

Regent's Park

In 1811 John Nash transformed Henry VIII's former hunting ground into the landscaped gardens you see today, with lakes, playing fields and rose gardens. Dubbed "the jewel in the crown", Regent’s park has served as a location in many London-based films. Haunt of rock stars, actresses and their yoga instructors, Primrose Hill, north of Regent’s park is a hamlet of exclusive boutiques, restaurants and gastro pubs along Regent's Park Road. The park is surrounded by stately buildings designed in the so-called Regency architecture, a style mostly implemented by John Nash for the projects which were part of the 'Metropolitan Improvements' of the Prince Regent. From 1821 until 1827 about ten terraces were built around Regent's Park, groups of grand buildings that contrasted with the rather functional brick buildings that were common at the time. The most beautiful terrace is Cumberland Terrace, a group of thirty-one buildings that thanks to its neo-classical architecture looks like a grand palace.