18-19 july 2014 - fitpro · beautiful paintings and architecture. to go inside costs £16 but it...

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LONDON While in London for FitPro Live, why not have a look around the city? Being a visitor to London myself, I find it can be difficult to pick out the places to visit and things to do – there’s so much to see! Still on my personal list to see are places like Portobello Road, Harrods, Old Bone Street, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels. With myriad attractions, restaurants and sightseeing destinations, I have picked out a few of my favourites to highlight. RULES THE BREAK Book your place at FitPro Live at fitpro.com/live14 18-19 July 2014 4412

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LONDONWhile in London for FitPro Live, why not have a look around the city? Being a visitor to London myself, I find it can be difficult to pick out the places to visit and things to do – there’s so much to see! Still on my personal list to see are places like Portobello Road, Harrods, Old Bone Street, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels. With myriad attractions, restaurants and sightseeing destinations, I have picked out a few of my favourites to highlight.

RULESTHEBREAK

Book your place at FitPro Live at fitpro.com/live14

18-19 July 2014

4412

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tips and advice

Feel free to explore London

beyond this brochure and enjoy all the beautiful and fun sights this city has to offer.

• Although the weather in July is meant to be nice, it can be unpredictable, so you may want to carry an umbrella with you.

• When going up or down escalators in tube stations, make sure you keep the left side open for walkers.

• Carry a tube map, which you can get at a station or from tfl.gov.uk – a map helps a lot, especially if you get lost.

• There are restaurants all around. I often pick one at random, based on the name or the look as I walk by. However, if you want to plan a little more than I tend to, there are various websites that list and review some of the best eateries in London; timeout.com/london/restaurants and toptable.co.uk/london-restaurants are two of the websites I check for reviews and recommendations.

• London has some great theatre shows on offer. Check officiallondontheatre.co.uk for the latest shows.

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getting aroundDepending on how much sightseeing you want to do, you may want to get an Oyster card, which can be loaded with money that is deducted as you swipe in and out of the tube, or a Travelcard, which is available for one, three or seven days.  There is also the option of getting The London Card, which saves you money on sightseeing. It is available for one, two, three or six days. If you buy online, you can get a two-day pass with travel for £82. That means you can visit up to £90 worth of attractions each day and have unlimited use of the London Underground. The drawback is that The London Card with travel must be purchased online and you can only use the Underground after

09:30. If you just want a regular two-day London card, you will pay a flat rate of £64 and you’re allowed to visit £90 worth of attractions each day. Places you can use The London Card include the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, London Zoo, Thames River Boat Cruise and many others. In a select few places the card allows you to bypass the lines and be moved to the front of the queue. The pass also comes with additional special offers, such as discounts on West End theatre shows.

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Big Ben, Palace of Westminster

and the London EyeClosest tube station: Westminster

All three of these places are prime destinations. Big Ben is the name of the big bell in

the clock tower at the far end of the Palace of Westminster. The Palace of

Westminster is also known as the Houses of Parliament because it is

the meeting place for the House of Commons and the House

of Lords. A short walk away from Westminster and Big Ben is the London Eye, a giant, enclosed Ferris wheel. A ride on the London Eye gives you a great view of the huge expanse of London. The cost of a 30-minute trip starts at £19.95 but, if you order the tickets online, you can save up to 10%.

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visit a marketVisiting a market is always fun. With a vibrant market scene, London has some of the best markets in the world. Whether you want to walk around, grab a bite to eat or purchase something, the dozens and dozens of markets in the city will have something that grabs your attention. Wherever you are staying will have a market nearby if you ask the hotel or search on the internet. I have had some of

my favourite food in London from the stalls at various markets. A couple of the more popular markets are Brick Lane market, which is where I got the best grilled halloumi cheese and chicken wrap I have ever eaten, Columbia Road flower market and Camden market.

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explore the British Museum

Closest tube stations: Russell Square, Tottenham Court Road, Holborn

For the history enthusiasts, London is filled with many high-quality museums – best of all, most are free. I have visited many museums throughout my schooling but I can honestly say that visiting the British Museum has been a highlight of my time here so far. Not only is it free but, for a low cost, you can rent headphones that will describe to you the history of each exhibit you pass. It was amazing to see the Parthenon sculptures and the Rosetta Stone in person. Each wing of the museum offers something different, unique and educational, which makes it easy to find something that holds your interest.

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Being from the United States and therefore not having a monarchy, seeing Buckingham Palace was something I was particularly excited about. The Changing of the Guard occurs every other day, so make sure you check royal.gov.uk to ensure you are visiting on a day when a guard change is scheduled. If you happen to be on the website, it is interesting to browse the history of the guards and look at the chart, so you can identify which of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army they come from.

Buckingham Palace and the

Changing of the GuardClosest tube station: Victoria

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Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is the sporting centre that was built for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Located within Olympic Park are many of the sporting complexes, as well as the Olympic Village. Going to Olympic Park is definitely on my places to go list.

I can’t even imagine how crowded it was during the Olympic Games. Someday, I want to go to the Olympics but, in the interim, seeing the place that hosted the most recent summer games is a fun opportunity.

Olympic ParkClosest tube stations: Hackney Wick, Stratford

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The National Art Gallery is free and, like at the British Museum, for a small price you can buy a headphone set that tells you about each piece of art as you walk through the gallery. The gallery holds over 2,300 paintings. With so many pieces of art, I could wander around the gallery for hours.

Outside the National Gallery is Trafalgar Square. The square is filled with people, statues (including Nelson’s Column) and an impressive fountain. A bit of advice: don’t climb on the lions to take a picture – you will get yelled at. You can walk along The Mall from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace (passing William and Kate’s place, Kensington Palace) and take a detour through Horse Guards Parade and St James’s Park. Not far from Horse Guards Parade you’ll also find Downing Street, where the Prime Minister lives.

Closest tube stations: Charing Cross, Embankment,

Leicester Square

Trafalgar Square and the National Art Gallery

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Olympic ParkSt Paul’s CathedralSt Paul’s CathedralClosest tube station: St Paul’s

St Paul’s Cathedral is a significant and recognisable sight in London. With its tall stature and spires, it is a sight that is impossible to forget. St Paul’s is the second largest cathedral in the United Kingdom and it’s filled with beautiful paintings and architecture. To go inside costs £16 but it feels like you’re walking into a piece of art, looking at an untouched place – except, of course, there have been a few restorations and electricity has been added.

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London Zoo is located on the edge of Regent’s Park. Not only is the park beautiful but so is the zoo. Any time I can go to see a zoo in a new place, I do! London Zoo is highly regarded and, if you are a Harry Potter fan, you can see where the Burmese python scene from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was filmed. Although the actual snake in that exhibit is not a Burmese python, there is a plaque to commemorate that scene. The cost for admission into the zoo is £26 at the gate and £24 if you order online. The zoo is home to a host of well-designed exhibits and hundreds of species of animal.

London ZooClosest tube station: Camden Town

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Greenwich Closest tube station: North Greenwich

Greenwich is most globally recognised for Greenwich Mean Time, which refers to the global time standard. Also listed as a World Heritage Site, Greenwich is known for many notable maritime accomplishments, and walking along the

docks and admiring the boats on the river is a popular tourist activity. You can visit the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich market and the Royal Observatory, and you can wander along the riverfront and through the park.

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Canary WharfClosest tube station: Canary Wharf

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Known as one of the two main business districts, Canary Wharf is filled with inviting cafés, restaurants and shops. Canary Wharf is home to some of the tallest buildings in London. If you like the

more modern look, you can walk around and admire all the tall glass and chrome buildings. There are some great shops and all of Canary Wharf has a clean, modern feel to it.

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w the author

a note from

I have been in London for the past month. As an American university student, it has been an interesting first month exploring and adjusting to life in London. Currently an events intern for FitPro, I have three more months in London before returning to my home in the United States. Being a visitor in a new place at first overwhelmed me, but I’ve had fun exploring London and finding new things to do.

Clare Soderling

For more about FitPro Live visit fitpro.com/live14

C lare