THE BRITISH I D E N T I T Y
London: its riddles and unnatural division
London - is the capital of England and Great Britain. It is the most populous region, urban zone and metropolitan area in the United Kingdom. It is a big city and its population is about 8 millions 400 thousand people. London has a diverse range of peoples and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken within its boundaries. In 2012, London became the first city to host the modern Summer Olympic Games three times.
London is conventionally divided into several districts: Budget London, Classical London, Family and Luxury London.
Budget London
London doesn't have to be expensive. With loads of free attractions and green spaces, the UK capital can be a very purse-friendly city to visit, says our budget London expert. Most major cities can be expensive for a tourist, but not if you know the right places. Our guests always ask what’s good to see in London. It’s a difficult question to answer... basically everything in London is wicked! My advice is always to do what I would do – grab a group of friends, a picnic from a food store and head for the river Thames. You can walk, or take a bus or tube to St Paul's, cross over the very cool Millennium Bridge (featured in the Harry Potter films) and have your picnic on the green outside the Tate Modern, with a fabulous view of St Paul's Cathedral. Advice: London is really beautiful just as it's getting dark.
Classic London
Lovers of tradition will adore London's rich history and culture. London is home to many museums, galleries, and other institutions, many of which are free of admission charges and are major tourist attractions as well as playing a research role. The first of these to be established was the British Museum in Bloomsbury, in 1753. Originally containing antiquities, natural history specimens and the national library, the museum now has 7 million artefacts from around the globe. The National Portrait Gallery was founded in 1856 to house depictions of figures from British history; its holdings now comprise the world's most extensive collection of portraits. The national gallery of British art is at Tate Britain, originally established as an annexe of the National Gallery in 1897. The Tate Gallery, as it was formerly known, also became a major centre for modern art; in 2000 this collection moved to Tate Modern.
Also, London is the culture capital of Great Britain. If you will go to London, you must visit its beautiful museums, parks, palaces and etc.
Family London
London is a family friendly city, offering a fantastic range of activities for parents and children. We've asked an expert for advice on how to discover the best in London for families. "London is a magical city for kids to explore. As a working mum, I'm always on the look out for interesting and affordable things to do with my four-year-old son. Parks are brilliant places for picnics and adventures. Our surreal favourite is the Dinosaur Park in Crystal Palace. There are lots of great museums and attractions that cater for children too. We like the London Transport Museum for the life-sized vehicles, and The Golden Hinde, Sir Francis Drake's galleon (or "the pirate ship" as my son refers to it). And no day out is complete without riding on a double-decker bus – a real London treat."
London is a major centre of higher education teaching and research and its 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education in Europe. In 2008/09 it had a higher education student population of around 412,000 (approximately 17 per cent of the UK total), of whom around 287,000 were registered for undergraduate degrees and 118,000 were studying at postgraduate level. In 2008/09 there were around 97,150 international students in London, approximately 25 per cent of all international students in the UK.
A number of world-leading education institutions are based in London. In the 2012 in the World University Rankings University College London got the 4th in the world, Imperial College London was the 6th, and King`s College London was 26th. The London school of economics has been described as the world's leading social science institution for both teaching and research. The London Business School is considered one of the
world's leading business schools and in 2010 its MBA programme was ranked best in the world by the Financial Times.
Luxury London
Luxury lovers will adore London's wealth of indulgent delights. We asked the concierge from one of the city's five-star hotels for a taste of what's on offer. Enjoy!
"Mayfair is at the heart of Luxury London. Shopping districts all around, Harrods and authentic restaurants located down cobbled side streets full of character. For a first-time visitor I would recommend visiting the Victoria & Albert Museum, Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace. Afterwards replenish with an afternoon tea, before strolling along the Southbank in the evening, offering incredible views and many cultural attractions. For the best views of London, I would recommend dining at Michelin-starred restaurant Galvin at Windows on the 28th floor of London Hilton on Park Lane for breathtaking 360-degree views."