Monday, 11 September 2006

Sightseeing Tour of London by Open Top Bus – All Day

This tour is a great way to start your visit to London and help you to get your bearings. Starting form the Royal Albert Hall (just outside Imperial College) you can experience the architectural and cultural magnificence of London by travelling on an open-top bus with guides in 7 languages. Enjoy the richness and colour of modern, vibrant London whilst picturing the days of mediaeval splendour.

This is a hop-on and hop-off tour that takes in such highlights as Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London and Madam Tussaud’s. You can leave the bus at any one of a number of stops along the way to explore by yourself the sights that are of interest to you and then get back on to continue the tour. The ticket is valid for 24 hours.

The complete tour without visits takes about 3 and a quarter hours.

In additional to the on-board guide, each bus is equipped with a recorded commentary in 8 languages including Russian, French and German. A walking tour and boat trip on the River Thames are also included in the ticket price of £20.

http://www.bigbustours.com

Visit to the Globe Theatre

For this evening we propose a visit to the Globe Theatre on the South bank of the Thames to see a Shakespeare play in its original setting. The performance will be ‘The Comedy of Errors’ and tickets cost £26 each.

Those with bus tour tickets can use those to get to the theatre. Otherwise transport will be extra.

http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/navigation/frameset.htm

Tuesday, 12 September 2006

Shopping in Knightsbridge with brunch - Morning

No trip to London would be complete without a visit to Knightsbridge to look at or shop in some of the world’s most famous stores such as Harrods and Harvey Nicholls store in Knightsbridge. We propose a leisurely stroll to Knightsbridge and some free time to browse or shop as you please before getting together to enjoy brunch (a cross between breakfast and lunch) and a walk back to Imperial College to join the delegates for the afternoon outing to Greenwich.

There will be no charge. Just pay for what you choose from the menu.

http://www.harrods.com/Cultures/en-GB/homepageindex.htm

www.harveynichols.com

Afternoon Visit to Greenwich

This is your chance to relax after the first day and a half of the conference in congenial company. Travel to Greenwich in the East of London to visit such attractions as the National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory where the world’s Prime Meridian runs (www.rog.nmm.ac.uk), the last surviving tea clipper ‘Cutty Sark’ (www.cuttysark.org.uk), the Gypsy Moth in which Sir Francis Chichester achieved the first solo circumnavigation of the world (www.gipsymoth.org) the Fan Museum (http://www.fan-museum.org/) and other attractions.

For those interested in relaxation there is the Royal Park at Greenwich

http://www.royalparks.gov.uk/parks/greenwich_park/

To round off the afternoon we will have a traditional fish & chip high tea at a riverside pub.

For further details on Greenwich visit >

£25 to cover transport and food

Visit to the Globe Theatre

If you still have the energy after the visit to Greenwich we propose a visit to the Globe Theatre on the South bank of the Thames to see a Shakespeare play in its original setting. The performance will be ‘Anthony & Cleopatra’ and tickets cost £26 each.

Transport is not included.

http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/navigation/frameset.htm

Wednesday, 13 September 2006

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court is thought to be the greatest palace in the UK. We propose to go there by tube and train for an all day visit allowing you to tour the State Apartments at your leisure and enjoy spectacular riverside gardens, including the world-famous maze. Costumed guides are available throughout the palace to provide a flavour of its extensive and intriguing history. Sound guides are available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish

The cost is £20 for transport and entrance to the palace and gardens as well as use of a sound guide. This cost does not include refreshments.

http://www.historicroyalpalaces.org/webcode/hampton_home.asp

Independent Options Available Any Day

Local Places of Interest to Visit at No Cost:

Hyde Park - including the Serpentine Lake and Prince Albert Memorial
http://www.royalparks.gov.uk/parks/hyde_park/

Science Museum
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/

Natural History Museum
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/

Victoria and Albert Museum
http://www.vam.ac.uk/

Other Local Places of Interest:

Kensington Palace
http://www.historicroyalpalaces.org/webcode/content.asp?ID=35

The Royal Albert Hall
http://www.royalalberthall.com/

What’s On in London during your Visit

For a full list of all the options visit:

www.visitlondon.org/whats_on/diary/092006