London
【City description】
London is the capital of the United Kingdom and England. It is a world-class metropolis where modern and ancient buildings coexist. There are so many sights to see, such as the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, and Big Ben, that it is impossible to see everything in one day, so we will introduce several different courses. Here, we will introduce a course (① on the map below) that starts from the Tower of London, crosses Tower Bridge, walks along the River Thames, and then visits St. Paul’s Cathedral and the museum.
【Overall rating】
★★★★★
【Time required】
9h30
【Budget】
￡78.30
【Fatigue】
★★★★★
Check out other courses in London here!
Itinerary Map
Navigation
【Start】①Tower Hill Station
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Leave the subway station and head towards the square ⇒ Buy your castle ticket at the ticket office inside the square
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Turn left after leaving the Tower of London ⇒ Turn left when you reach the river ⇒ Continue along the river ⇒ Cross Tower Bridge ⇒ Go to the ticket booth on the right hand side of the first tower
★Route Time required: 20 minutes
After crossing Tower Bridge, turn right ⇒ walk along the river ⇒ go up the stairs and when you reach the bridge, turn left ⇒ you will see a church on your right at the intersection ⇒ there are stairs nearby, so go down them to reach the market
★Route Time required: a few minutes
Leave Borough Market and head to the church.
★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Turn right after leaving the cathedral ⇒ turn left at the first fork ⇒ turn right ⇒ turn left at the end ⇒ turn right after passing under the overpass ⇒ continue along the river ⇒ go under the bridge and you will see the theater on your left in the square
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Return to the river and turn left ⇒ Cross the bridge (Millennium Bridge) ⇒ Go straight after crossing the bridge ⇒ You will see the church in front of you
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Turn right after leaving the cathedral ⇒ Follow the road next to the cathedral ⇒ When you reach the street, turn left ⇒ At the first fork in the road, follow the one-way road on the right ⇒ When you reach the roundabout, enter the building from the surrounding area
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Go back down the road and you will see the subway station in front of you.
⑨St. Paul’s Station
Click the square mark on the top left of the map to see a list of tourist spots. If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information. You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).
【Start】
①Tower Hill Station
This station is on the Circle and District Line.
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Leave the subway station and head towards the square ⇒ Buy your castle ticket at the ticket office inside the square
②Tower of London
Time required: 2h30
Admission fee: ￡29
Opening hour: 9 am – 5h30 pm
Close: No
This medieval fortress on the banks of the Thames was ordered to be built by King William in 1078 to protect the city from foreign enemies. After its completion as a fortress, it has played various roles such as a royal palace, bank, observatory, zoo, prison, and execution site, and is registered as a World Heritage Site.
The White Tower is located in the center of the site, and displays the armor and weapons of past kings. It is also the place where the bodies of 12-year-old Charles V, who was supposed to be the heir to the throne, and his brother were discovered here, which is a tragic event.
There are also other places that you would not expect to see in a palace, such as the Torture Museum, which displays many torture instruments. Meanwhile, the Crown Jewels, a treasure vault opposite the White Tower, displays items still used in coronations, including the world’s largest diamond, the Cullinan, and the official coronation crown, St. Edward’s Crown, which is made up of 444 gems.
There are many other things to see, such as the archives in the castle walls and the watchtower, and guided tours by the Yeoman Warders, the guards of the Tower of London. In addition, the Tower of London protects its ravens because a fortune teller once told them that London would be destroyed if the ravens disappeared.
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Turn left after leaving the Tower of London ⇒ Turn left when you reach the river ⇒ Continue along the river ⇒ Cross Tower Bridge ⇒ Go to the ticket booth on the right hand side of the first tower
③Tower Bridge
Time required: 1h
Admission fee: ￡10.60
Opening hour: 9h30 am – 6 pm
Close: 12/24, 25, 26
It is a drawbridge over the River Thames that opens upwards when a ship passes. It is made up of two 65m-high towers, and the tour involves taking an elevator to the top of the tower, going down through the observation walkway that connects the two towers while looking at the museum, and then going to the bottom to view the engine room once you have crossed the bridge. The observation walkway has glass sections at your feet, so you can really get a sense of how high it is. In the museum, you can learn about the history of Tower Bridge through photos and other information. In the engine room, you can see the power that opens and closes the bridge.
★Route Time required: 20 minutes
After crossing Tower Bridge, turn right ⇒ walk along the river ⇒ go up the stairs and when you reach the bridge, turn left ⇒ you will see a church on your right at the intersection ⇒ there are stairs nearby, so go down them to reach the market
④Borough Market
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: ￡0
It is the largest market in Japan and has a history of over 1000 years. In addition to being a wholesale market for fresh produce, there are many restaurants for tourists lined up under the elevated railway lined up, so we recommend having lunch here.
★Route Time required: a few minutes
Leave Borough Market and head to the church.
⑤Southwark Cathedral
Time required: 30 min
Admission fee: ￡0
Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm
(until 5 pm on Sunday)
Close: No
This cathedral dates back to the 12th century and although it has undergone expansion since then, it is still based in the Gothic style. It is also a place that has ties to many famous people, such as Shakespeare once living here and the founder of Harvard University being baptized here. In contrast to the dark exterior, the interior has a sacred atmosphere with its white marble.
★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Turn right after leaving the cathedral ⇒ turn left at the first fork ⇒ turn right ⇒ turn left at the end ⇒ turn right after passing under the overpass ⇒ continue along the river ⇒ go under the bridge and you will see the theater on your left in the square
⑥Shakespeare’s Globe
Time required: 1h30
Admission fee: ￡18.70 (for guide tour)
Opening hour: 10 am – 6 pm
(until 5 pm on Sunday)
Close: No
This is a complex that recreates the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare’s works were once performed. The original Globe Theatre has already been demolished, and the stage has now been rebuilt here, a short distance away, based on materials from the time. The tour is divided into an exhibition space that you can freely look around, and a guided tour. In the exhibition space you can see costumes and materials, and on the guided tour you can see the rebuilt stage. The exhibition space takes 30 minutes, and the guided tour takes 1 hour. The guided tour times vary depending on the day, but please note that there are days when the tours are only available in the morning.
Guide tour reference site
https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/globe-theatre-guided-tour/#book
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Return to the river and turn left ⇒ Cross the bridge (Millennium Bridge) ⇒ Go straight after crossing the bridge ⇒ You will see the church in front of you
⑦St. Paul’s Cathedral
Time required: 40 min
Admission fee: ￡20
Opening hour: noon – 4h30 pm
Close: No
This is a cathedral in the City of London, the financial district of London. The first church was built in 607, but due to repeated fires and destruction, it was not until the 17th century that it took on its current form. It is said to be a masterpiece of Baroque style with a large dome-shaped roof and two towers, and is called the “Citizen’s Cathedral” in contrast to Westminster Abbey, which is the “family temple of the British royal family.” Photography is prohibited inside, and the black and white checkered floor and luxurious gold decorations are applied to the walls and ceiling. You can climb up to the dome, which is called the “Whispering Gallery,” where if you whisper into the wall, your voice will be reflected and reach the person at the opposite end. You can get a panoramic view of the city by climbing up the dome further.
★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Turn right after leaving the cathedral ⇒ Follow the road next to the cathedral ⇒ When you reach the street, turn left ⇒ At the first fork in the road, follow the one-way road on the right ⇒ When you reach the roundabout, enter the building from the surrounding area
⑧Museum of London
Time required: 2h
Admission fee: ￡0
Opening hour: 10 am – 5 pm
Close: Monday, Tuesday
This is a museum where you can learn about the history of London from prehistoric times to the present day. The exhibits are arranged in chronological order, making it a good place to learn about the changes in London. There is also an area inside that recreates the old streets of London, making you feel like you’ve traveled back in time.
★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Go back down the road and you will see the subway station in front of you.
【Goal】
⑨St. Paul’s Station
This is a station on the Central Line.
Check out other courses in London here!
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