London- the very name suggests history and a powerful past. However this isn’t all that London is about. Vibrant, pulsating and dripping with opportunities for entertainment or sightseeing by day or night, it's a city that exhilarates and intimidates, stimulates and irritates in equal measure.
The River Thames divides the city into northern and southern halves making navigation reasonably easy. The central area and the most important sights, theatres and restaurants are within the Underground's Circle Line on the north bank of the river. Trendy West End lies within the western portion of the loop and includes Soho, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Regent St.
The East End (lying east of the Circle Line) is now a cultural melting pot. There are interesting inner-city suburbs in North London, including Islington and Camden Town. South London includes suburbs, such as Brixton, which have vibrant sub-cultures of their own and are in many ways where the real vitality of London lies.
Theatre lovers will be inspired by the productions held here, musicians will love the variety of sounds, artists will delight in the age and colour of the place, the galleries and museums. Sports enthusiasts too, won’t be disappointed by the action on offer. Historians can get lost in a time warp and the young at heart will find plenty of opportunity to party the night away.
No matter what type of holiday destination you seek, London can almost guarantee a taste (if not the full course) of anyone’s dream holiday. Wherever your meanderings take you, you’ll find the place overflowing with interesting sights, activities and adventures. There really is so much to do that you are best advised to discover it yourself. Even if you only have a few days in town, you’ll still be able to absorb the atmosphere and see a few famous sights - enough to keep you coming back for more.
Weather
London's climate is among the mildest in England, with damp but mild winters and moderate summers. Yet London's weather is nothing if not fickle - expect clouds and rain even in the summer.
Temperatures in summertime (June to August) average around 18°C but can occasionally rise to 30°C or more. In spring (late March to May) and autumn (September to October), temperatures average 11-15°C.
In winter (November to mid-March) they hover just below 6°C. It very rarely freezes in London, but the dampness can often make it feel two or three times as cold.
London is a year-round tourist centre, with few of its attractions closing or significantly reducing their opening hours in winter. Your best chance of good weather is, of course, at the height of summer in July and August, but there's certainly no guarantee of sun even in those months - plus it's when you can expect the biggest crowds and highest prices.
History
The Romans founded London about 50 AD. Its name is derived from the Celtic word Londinios, which means ‘the place of the bold one’. After they invaded Britain in 43 AD the Romans built a bridge across the Thames. They later decided it was an excellent place to build a port. Around 50 AD Roman merchants built a town by the bridge. So London was born.
Then in 61 AD Queen Boudicca led a rebellion against the Romans. Her army marched on London. No attempt was made to defend London. Boudicca burned London but after her rebellion was crushed it was rebuilt. Rich people built houses of stone or brick but most people lived in wooden houses.
By the end of the 2nd century, a 6-metre stone wall was erected around London. The population of London rose to perhaps 45,000, making it the largest town in Britain at the time.
The last Roman soldier left Britain in 407 AD and London was probably abandoned. There may have been a few people living inside the walls by fishing or farming but London ceased to be a town. But soon it rose again. A new town appeared outside the walls on the site of Covent Garden. It was much smaller, with perhaps 10,000 inhabitants.
In 597 monks from Rome began the task of converting the Saxons to Christianity. In 604 a bishop was appointed for London. By the 640's there was a mint in London making silver coins.
The Danes invaded London in 842 and again in 851, burning and looting most of the town. They conquered northern and Eastern England including London.
Then in 878, the Danes were defeated by King Alfred the Great and they split the country between them. The Danes took eastern England including London while Alfred took the South and West. Despite the peace treaty, Alfred's men took London in 886. Alfred repaired the walls of the old Roman town. Until then Londoners lived outside the Roman walls but during Alfred's reign they moved inside the walls for protection. The Danes returned in 994 but this time the Londoners fought them off.
On the 25th of December, 1006, William was crowned King of England at Westminster King William gave London a charter, a document confirming certain rights.
In the early 17th century rich men continued to build houses west of the city. On the other side of London hovels were built. All this happened despite outbreaks of bubonic plague in 1603, 1633 and lastly in 1665, but each time the population of London quickly recovered.
In 1642 civil war began between king and parliament. The royalists made one attempt to capture London in 1643 but their army was met 10km west of St Paul’s Cathedral by a much larger parliamentary army. The royalists withdrew.
In 1666 came the great fire of London. About 13,200 houses had been destroyed and 70-80,000 people had been made homeless. The king ordered the navy to make tents for the homeless who were camping around the city. To prevent such a disaster happening again the king commanded that all new houses in London should be of stone and brick not wood.
In the late 17th century fashionable houses were built at Bloomsbury and on the road to the village of Knightsbridge. Several hospitals were founded in this century including Westminster (1720), Guys (1724), St Georges (1733), London (1740) and Middlesex (1745).
In 1834 Parliament was destroyed by fire. The new parliament included a great clock, which is now known as Big Ben.
There were outbreaks of cholera which lead to the construction of a sewer system from 1859 until 1875. After that, deaths from disease fell drastically.
In the 19th century new museums were created in London such as the Victoria & Albert (1852), the Science Museum (1857), and the Natural History Museum (1881). New Scotland Yard was built in 1891.
In 1944 a plan for post war London was published. The authorities felt the city was overcrowded and they planned to create a ring of satellite towns 20-30 miles from London, attracting skilled workers away from London.
In the 1950's London boomed. Car and aircraft factories were very busy. The docks were also very busy, employing 30,000 men. But in the 1960's the docks began to suffer from the break up of the British Empire.
Despite immigration the population of London fell after 1945. However, in the last years of the 20th century the population began to grow rapidly again.
Today the population of London is 7.2 million. The 2012 Olympics will be held in London, confirming its status as one of the world's greatest cities.
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