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Now more commonly known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace of Westminster began life as a royal residence in 1042. Following a fire in 1512 Henry VIII abandoned the palace and the building became home to the two seats of parliament - the Commons and the Lords.

Following another fire in 1834 everything was lost except the Jewel Tower and Westminster Hall (which was built between 1087-1100 and is one of the largest medieval halls in Europe with an unsupported hammerbeam roof). Following the fire a competition was launched to redevelop the whole site resulting in the mock gothic building that has become such a familiar landmark today; including the Clock Tower that houses Big Ben (the bell that chimes the hour) and is home to the largest clock face in the country.

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The Tower's first foundations were laid in 1078 and the site also happens to be the exactly the same place that the Roman Emperor Claudius had built a fortress 1000 years before. The White Tower is the only remaining Norman building. You can see the crown jewels, take a Beefeater tour and see the executioner's block that dispensed with troublesome heirs to the throne and a couple of Henry VIII's wives.

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The official residence of Queen Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace was originally acquired by King George III for his wife Queen Charlotte, Buckingham House was increasingly known as the "Queen's House" and 14 of George III's children were born there. On his accession to the throne George IV decided to convert the house into a palace.

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Tower Bridge has stood over the river Thames since 1894 and is one of the finest, most recognisable bridges in the world. At the Tower Bridge Exhibition you can enjoy breath-taking views from the high-level Walkways and learn about the history of the Bridge and how it was built. You can visit the Victorian Engine Rooms, home to the original steam engines that used to power the bridge lifts.

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HMS Belfast is the largest surviving example of Britain's twentieth century naval power and is now a museum moored on the Thames between Tower Bridge and London Bridge. Best known for her role in supporting the advancing Allied troops as they made their way onto Gold and Juno beached in the morning of D-Day, 6 June 1944, HMS Belfast is now a naval time capsule, providing nine decks of living history to explore.

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This mamouth museum is housed in a giant and wonderful Victorian, neo-Romanesque building. Built in the 1870s specifically to house the huge collection (50 million specimens), it presents itself in two halves: the Life Galleries (creepy-crawlies, human biology, the origin of the species and dinosaurs) and the Earth Galleries (meteors, volcanoes, earthquakes).

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The National Gallery's permanent collection houses some of the world's most important paintings from as far back as the 13th century from great artists such as Titian, da Vinci, Rembrandt, Monet, Renoir, Cezane, Raphael, and Van Gogh. The important thing in planning your visit is not to try to see everything: you could spend a week wandering through its halls and still miss many of the greatest works of European art.

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Notes

Spend an afternoon exploring the ancient Egyptian and Greek antiquities and come face to face with mankind's greates cultural achievements, including the Rosetta Stone from Egypt and the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon in Athens. The museum is a treasure trove of objects from the whole world and the entire span of human history and prehistory.

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Westminster Abbey has been the place where England's kings and queens have been crowned and buried since 1066. A thousand years of English history - 3000 tombs, the remains of 29 kings and queens, and hundreds of memorials - lie within its walls and under its stone slabs.

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Sir Christopher Wren's mighty cathedral draws the eye like nothing else in London, even though the City's skyscrapers now tower above it. The centrepiece of the great reconstruction of London after the Great Fire in 1666, it is still the spiritual focus of Great Britain: Royal weddings and birthdays, the funerals of Britain's leaders and services to celebrate the ends of wars all take place beneath the famous dome. The cathedral miraculously survived the Blitz in World War II as the surrounding area was flattened by German bombing raids. It served as an inspirational symbol of British strength in the nation's darkest hour.

From the medieval relics in the crypt to the gorgeous Victorian mosaics, up to the staggering views from the top of the dome, St Paul's is both a fascinating store of British history and an architechtural triumph.

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Britain's most famous store and possibly the most famous store in the world, Harrods features on many tourist "must-see" lists - and with good reason. Its humble beginings date back to 1849 when Henry Charles Harrod opened a small grocery shop that emphasised impeccable service over value. Don't miss the spectacular "Egyptian Escalators"

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Notes

Mix with the famous at the world famous collection of realistic wax figures in specially designed settings which include The Garden Party, 200 Years, Superstars, Sports Heroes, Famous Actors, The Grand Hall, The Chamber of Horrors and the Spirit of London.