1. Windsor Castle
The official country residence of the English monarchs, built more than 900 years ago and has become a tomb for many British rulers, is just a 40-minute drive from London. Most of the rooms, with the exception of those where members of the royal family live, are open. In addition to the magnificent interiors, the spacious halls exhibit paintings by great artists, including Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Raphael and Rubens. No less popular is the 40-room dollhouse of Queen Mary, the stunning 1:12 scale miniature in terms of complexity is a constant delight for both children and adults. One of the most vivid memories from visiting Windsor Castle, of course, will be the colorful ceremony of changing the guard of honor. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of walking through the Large Park, where hunting grounds used to be located, and enjoy the views of the Jubilee Garden, laid out in honor of the golden jubilee of the Queen. If you’re lucky, you’ll find …. black gold. Yes, yes. Unbelievable, but a fact. In 1994, oil deposits were discovered on the territory of Windsor Castle!
2. Trafalgar Square
Even if you haven’t been to London yet, you’ve probably seen Trafalgar Square on TV many times. Big celebrations are held here, rallies are raging, music festivals are thundering, so its other name is “The Heart of England”. It was here in May 45 that Churchill declared victory over Hitler. The key figure of the square is a giant granite column topped with a 5-meter statue of Admiral Nelson, who led the Battle of Trafalgar. In the heat, it’s nice to sit by the cool fountains decorated with bronze mermaids and fish, marvel at the unusual installations of modern artists. On the square, by the way, there is an excellent view of Big Ben, next door is the London National Gallery and the zero kilometer is located, from where all the transport routes of the British capital take off.
3. The London Eye
You can see it from afar, and being in it, you can see the whole city. No wonder he got the name “London eye”. A 135-meter attraction built by the turn of the century (this is about a 45-storey building!) quickly entered the list of iconic objects in London. Transparent egg-shaped capsules are illuminated with different colors at night and resemble a real space structure. The speed of movement of the cabins is low – 26 centimeters per second, the wheel makes a full circle for a little more than half an hour, so this time will be enough to slowly see all the sights of foggy Albion. In addition, you can order a private capsule for a romantic dinner or champagne tasting. Having taken a ride on the London Ferris Wheel, you can say with confidence that you have seen all the main sights of the capital of Great Britain.
4. Stonehenge
A place where goosebumps run. The first mention of Stonehenge, whose name can be translated as “hanging stones”, dates back to the 12th century. Why and by whom these multi–ton blocks of stone were delivered, and how they were transported – and scientists have proved that some specimens were brought hundreds of kilometers away – it does not fit into my head. And all the time the question is spinning: how could 25-ton blocks be transported in the absence of special equipment – road trains and tractors? The builders of the mysterious structure, alas, did not leave any records. It is known for certain that originally there was a cemetery here – 64 Neolithic people were found buried in Stonehenge. But versions are also being put forward about the presence of an ancient observatory, a druid sanctuary, and even an alien footprint. There are also horror stories about the intervention of the devil himself. A visit to this monument, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, sets up a philosophical mood, makes you think about the fate of humanity and, of course, contributes to the activation of the brain.
5. The Edem Project
“Die, but not now” – it was in these futuristic landscapes resembling giant honeycombs that the filming of the next series of “Bond” took place. The innovative Eden garden “Project Eden” in the bio-tech architectural style, which is gaining momentum, “is located on the site of a former clay quarry on an area of 22 hectares as a symbol of rebirth on a man-torn earth. To do this, 2 million tons of compost were delivered here. More than 12 thousand plant species from all over the world are collected under unusual geodesic domes capable of accommodating the Tower of London! In the greenhouses, a scorched tropical forest is simulated, a 150-year-old olive grove bears fruit, palm trees and cocoa grow, lavender blooms and sunflowers turn yellow. Electricity is generated by electric generators, and purified rainwater from the bottom of the quarry is used to maintain the necessary humidity level. The mission of the project is to change people’s attitude to environmental conservation.