Kew Palace and Gardens
“It’s good to be king!” announced the Austrian ruler in Amadeus. Well, it wasn’t so bad to be a wealthy merchant either. Kew Palace, known at Dutch House until 1827, was built in 1631 for the Dutch merchant Samuel Fortrey.
Mr. Fortrey’s descendants wisely leased the Jacobean mansion to Queen Caroline in 1728 for 99 years for ‘the rent of £100 and a fat doe’. The Queen made an excellent bargain. Read more
Royal Observatory in Greenwich
To most, the question “What time is it?” is mundane. But to the men and women whom, over the centuries since 1675, have worked at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich it is of huge importance. Read more
The West End, London
For the London traveler looking for variety, the West End is the place to be. Piccadilly Circus is next door, where antique book shops mix with the latest restaurants and Covent Garden is not far. And, then of course, there’s the world-renowned theater – the rival (some would say tutor) of Broadway. Read more
Hyde Park in London
Perhaps most famous for the Speaker’s Corner, where citizens stand atop a soapbox and shout their views to the crowd, there’s much more to see and do here than listen to political opinions.
The land forming the park was first acquired by Henry VIII from the monks of Westminster Abbey in 1536. While Henry used the park for deer hunting, the horseback riding today is strictly not for sport. Read more