Visitors to London can spend several weeks touring the capital's historic sites. The Tower of London, a medieval fortress on the banks of the Thames River, contains a collection of crown jewels, a medieval armory and dungeons that have held some of the most famous prisoners in English history. The historic Tower Bridge crosses the river near this site, and a short distance upriver stand the Houses of Parliament and the famous clocktower known as Big Ben. London is home to several royal palaces including Buckingham Palace, the seat of British royalty, which offers tours in August and September and a regular changing of the guard at the main gate. Hampton Court Palace holds many treasures associated with the British Monarchy, while Kensington Palace was a more modest country home that was used by Princess Diana as a residence during the 1980s and '90s.
Visitors can enjoy a different view of London by trying the RIB Experience, a high-speed watercraft that zips up and down the river Thames. Rising above the river's southern embankment is an enormous Ferris wheel, the Millennium Wheel, also known as the London Eye, which gives visitors a sky-high view of the city's many landmarks. The familiar red double-decker buses are a good way to take an inexpensive tour of the city's neighborhoods.
One of the best-known stops for visitors has been Madame Tussauds wax museum, which fascinates with its full-size, lifelike sculptures in wax. The London Dungeon is an underground attraction in the Southwark neighborhood that recreates some of the more gruesome true events in English history. More traditional museums include the British Museum, which hold objects and artworks spanning more than 3,000 years, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and The Tate, a series of four galleries holding British works from the 16th century to the modern era. The Royal Maritime Museum in Greenwich allows visitors to inspect the famous clipper ships, the Cutty Sark and the Gipsy Moth.
London also presents a collection of beautiful parks and gardens, including a series of royal hunting preserves that are now Hyde Park, Green Park, Regents Park and Kensington Gardens. The elaborate Royal Botanic Gardens, also known as the Kew Gardens, showcase a stunning display of carefully cultivated flora and manicured green spaces. Russell Square and Soho Square are smaller garden squares that allow pleasant, calming walks in the city center.
