The borough of Westminster represents not only the heart of Greater London, it is the centre of Great Britain's political life. Named after the Abbey of Westminster, this area became the home of the Kings of England since 1066, the royal court being established in the Palace of Westminster. On Thorney Island, that is the original name of The Thames' island where the Abbey of Westminster was founded, you will see Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street, n° 11 that is the residence of Great Britain's Prime Minister, the Abbey of Westminster, Westminster's Cathedral, St. John in Smith Square, the Tate Britain Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, Piccadilly Street, Piccadilly Circus and St. James Park. If you are looking forward to stay in the borough of Westminster you will have plenty of choices with prontohotel.com. The Plaza on the River Club and Residence hotel for example is really close to some of the most important monuments of this area, the Rubens at the Palace hotel overlooks the Royal Palace, the Best Western Victoria Palace hotel is just around the corner from the Royal Gardens.
Are you looking forward to enjoy a perfect stay in London? Don't forget to go shopping at Covent Garden and to visit "The Strand" one of the most famous streets of London! You will be shopping while gazing on street performers and having the opportunity to relax in the pubs and restaurants of the Covent Garden's district. Covent Garden, anciently known as Convent Garden, stretches into two London's boroughs: City of Westminster and Camden. The heart of this district is the Piazza where you will find the Covent Garden Market where you will find many street performers acting almost all year round, do not expect to see them on the 25th of December though, and remember that the only district were they are allowed to perform is Covent Garden. If you had enough of shopping and street performers don't forget to visit Neal's Street and Neal's Garden, the Theatre Museum, the Royal Drury Lane theatre, the Royal Opera House, all near the tube's stop of Covent Garden, or the Somerset House, St. Mary Le Strand Church, near Temple's tube stop, and Charing Cross and the Adelphi Theatre near Charing Cross tube stop. If you want to have a perfect English meal book a table at Simpson's-on-the-Strand, one of the most known restaurants of English traditional Cuisine.
The so called "City" is the twin sister of Westminster in London. Those two boroughs, even though "The City" is not a proper borough, are the original nucleus of what today is called, the Greater London. "The City", also known as the "Square Mile", is the core of the financial and business activities in London, and is considered as one of the most important business activities centres of the whole world. In The City is pretty easy to see old buildings like for example St. Paul's Cathedral near modern skyscrapers. While strolling in the streets of The City we kindly advise you not to miss the Mansion House, the Royal Exchange, the Old Bailey, the London Tower, the Tower Bridge, the Stock Exchange, St. Paul's Cathedral, St. Magnus the Martyr, St. Stephen Walbrook, the Museum of the Bank of England and to take a look at the markets of Billingsgate and Leaden hall.
Formerly this area before to The Thames River was known as Lambeth and Lower Marsh. Since 1951, year of the Festival of Britain, this area underwent through an extensive requalification and nowadays is constantly growing. This area is well known to skateboarders all over the world for the freedom to skate on stairs and banks and there are some sculptures that have been designed and placed for the skate fanatics. Even if you are not a skater there are lots of things to see in South Bank, the Old Vic, the Museum of Garden History, the Hayward Gallery, the British Airways London Eye, the Country Hall, the Royal National Theatre, all near the tube's Waterloo Station, or the Imperial War Museum, near Elephant 6 Castle tube's stop.
