By Vineetha Pathrose, Account Executive, Consumer
I’m officially sick of hearing about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal wedding. What finally made it official? One of my favorite fashion blogs, The Cut, had a post about a jelly bean that someone found with splotches resembling Kate Middleton’s face. This has just gotten out of hand!
I recently returned from a wonderful two-week vacation in London, where my parents, my best friend and I visited my brother, who lives in Covent Garden. As expected, Royal Wedding-themed coffee mugs, flags with the couple’s picture and William & Kate tea bag holders were sprinkled throughout the city. We even caught a glimpse of the fake wedding procession that made headlines on April Fool’s Day. |
Royal Wedding Sick Bag by Lydia Leith
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In honor of the Royal Wedding, there’s a lot going on in London to allow locals and tourists take part in the celebrations; a few of them include The Will and Kate Royal Wedding Walk, live public screenings of the wedding, and of course the Royal Wedding Procession. Royal Wedding super fans can even explore Kate Middleton’s London to see the future princess’s favorite spots in town.
My client, Travelocity, often compiles great lists for travel, such as top spring break destinations or cheapest summer beach destinations. Whether you’re visiting before or after the wedding, I’ve put together my own list to help travelers enjoy some of the great things London has to offer outside of the Royal Wedding chaos.
1. Tower of London
This popular attraction is always crowded with tourists, but the good news is that it’s far away from Westminster, the live screenings and the wedding procession. Thanks to Showtime’s The Tudors, I’ve become fascinated by British history (particularly their scandalous royals), which is why I loved the Tower of London. It’s one of the oldest parts of London where prisoners, executions and political debauchery took place. It’s also burial ground for those who were executed, including King Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn. Be sure to join one of the Yeoman Warder’s tours to hear some of the captivating tales from The Tower. The Tower of London also houses the Crown Jewels, one of the more popular attractions at The Tower.
2. Tate Modern
Britain’s national museum of modern and contemporary art used to be a power station; so many visitors come to see the design and architecture of the building itself. The museum is home to many well-known contemporary artists like Andy Warhol, Picasso and Jackson Pollock. The Tate Modern sits on the south bank of Thames River, just off the Millennium Bridge. Another thing I like about the Tate is that admission is free and it’s located nowhere near the main Royal Wedding festivities.
3. St. Paul’s Cathedral
Just across the Millennium Bridge from the Tate Modern, you’ll find St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is one of London’s famous churches for both its design and history. Many historical events took place here, including the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, as well as the funeral of Winston Churchill. While many visitors are sure stop by and see where the last famous royal wedding took place, this beautiful cathedral is a comfortable distance away from Will and Kate’s festivities.
4. The London Eye
The London Eye is one of the world’s tallest observation wheels, and has won numerous awards for its design and engineering. It’s located a little too close for comfort to Westminster Abbey and the Royal Wedding Procession route, so I suggest you hop on the Eye in the evening just before the sun sets. That time of day boasts beautiful views of London, and what’s even better, the wedding and the procession will be over by then!
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