Visit London for a Big Helping of History Print

London is a place of never-ending sights, sounds and history. Super-patriotic American song writer George M. Cohan wrote “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, “Give My Regards to Broadway” and "Over There". The author of “You’re a Grand Old Flag” said as he toured London, "If I had been born in England, I would've waved myself to death." 

You can’t help feeling the proud British traditions when you tour London. We've visited Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus, the British Museum and many, many other historic buildings, castles and historic sights.

We watched the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace and had lunch in a charming tearoom built in the catacombs below St. Martin in the Fields church. On several quiet afternoons we sipped tea and munched fish and chips in Hyde Park, as political speakers ranted above us.

London's theater district rivals New York's in both quality and quantity, and the prices were considerably lower, at least when we were there and the dollar still had some value. England also has a bad rap reputation for having awful restaurants when compared to France and Italy. It just ain't so. In fact, there are many excellent French, English and Italian restaurants in England, along with Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and even some good ole American McDonalds.

If you're planning your spring vacation now, check in on the great variety of offerings in the British Isles at your travel agency and/or on the internet. Don't forget to pack some warm clothes. Despite what poet Browning wrote, April in England is wonderful, if you like walking in rainy, chilly London fog.