Must See Sights and Landmarks in Hounslow West Area

"Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London are my personal recommendations for travellers interested in English history, though a walk by Buckingham Palace might be a better place to spot one of the royals (or at least some handsome guards!). Art-lovers can spend hours inside the Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery, while theater-goers will want to buy tickets for Shakespeare’s Globe or the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Walking through one of London’s numerous parks is also an option, and so is admiring the architecture of Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, or St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the evenings, have some fish and chips in a pub or enjoy London’s multicultural dining options."

"Another location with a long association with British royalty, Westminster Abbey stands on a site that's been associated with Christianity since the early 7th century. Officially known as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter in Westminster, Westminster Abbey was founded by Edward the Confessor in 1065 as his place of interment. From his burial in 1066 until that of George II almost 700 years later, most sovereigns were not only crowned here but were buried here, too."

"It's been the coronation church since 1066, where William the Conqueror was crowned King of England. It is, of course, a hub for tourists these days and sightseeing passes are £22 when purchased in person on the day. If you’re planning to attend it’s definitely worth booking online too — tickets bought online are £2 cheaper and entitle the holder to fast track access."

"Another building that took no time establishing itself as a London icon is the Shard, aka the United Kingdom’s tallest building. At over 309 metres tall, it towers over the rest of London with its unique pyramid shape and sharp point. Its unique and imposing design means there are endless options for capturing dramatic and beautiful shots featuring the Shard."

"Scraping the sky at 306 metres, western Europe’s tallest building boasts a high-end hotel, restaurants and bars and London’s highest viewing platform—an unobstructed 360-degree view stretching as far as 64 kilometres. Here are 12 more observation decks with thrilling views."

"For a truly spectacular view of London, you’re going to want to head up London’s tallest building, the Shard. This 95 storey skyscraper was opened in 2012, with the viewing deck opened in 2013."

"With magnificent exhibits including the Crown Jewels and ravens around the grounds, the Tower of London is a showcase of British history and culture. During a visit to the tower, you can see where prisoners were kept before they were hung, drawn and quartered as well as walk around rooms which used to be the royal palaces. Dating back to 1075, the Tower of London brings six palaces together into a historical landmark right in the centre of London, which continues to attract those who want to learn all about British history."

"The Tower of London – Built by William the Conqueror in 1078, the Tower of London was turned into a prison in 1100. Some of its most famous prisoners included King Henry VI, the wives of King Henry VII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and Sir Thomas More. These days the Tower is a museum rather than a prison. A great way to see some of the grounds is with an entertaining tour hosted by the Yeoman Warders who will frighten and dazzle you with tales of the Towers past."

"The Tower Of London is an iconic London stop so make sure to see it during your 4 day London itinerary. Skip The Line At The Tower Of London And Crown Jewels and buy advance tickets here!"

"Tower Bridge is one of the most beautiful bridges in London, and one of the great London icons. This twin-towered bascule and suspension bridge was built in the late 19th century, and is one of the most recognisable symbols of London all over the world. If you visit the Tower Bridge Experience, you can climb one of the towers for an outstanding view of the city and river."

"London is an eminently walkable city, and you’ll be able to take in the majority of the key highlights, from the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace through to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. Then, on your second day, take advantage of that car and head out to some of the attractions outside of London. I’m thinking Windsor Castle, or Hampton Court Palace – both eminently explorable, and easy to reach with a car."

"Home to the world’s most famous clock, Big Ben (officially the Queen Elizabeth Tower, but no one calls it that), the Houses of Parliament is a neo-Gothic wonder built in the mid-19th century. All tours are currently suspended, so for now would-be visitors will have to make do with a 360º virtual tour."

"The palace of is an iconic building not just in London, but around the world. You can photograph it in various ways, and from several locations. – You can take an iconic photo of the palace of Westminster from the bridge."

"67 km from city center 8 out of 40 places to visit in London. In the fictional yet captivatingly magical world of Harry Potter, Platform 9 and ¾ signifies the mystical train platform between the ordinary world platforms 9 and 10, through which young wizards and witches could jump over to hop aboard the Hogwarts Express to reach the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"If you’re a Harry Potter fans you have to go see platform 9 and 3/4. Actually, you should go see it even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan!. It’s inside Kings Cross station, but not between platforms 9 and 10 sadly, these are only accessible if you have a valid train ticket."

"Relive you Harry Potter fantasies by visiting the station platform made famous by the books and movies. It’s located at Kings Cross Station and you can’t miss the trolley half sticking out of the brick wall."

"Sir Christopher Wren’s baroque masterpiece in Greenwich and indeed Britain’s largest ensemble of baroque architecture, the Old Royal Naval College contains the neoclassical Chapel of St Peter and St Paul and the extraordinary Painted Hall. The entire Old Royal Naval College, including the chapel, the visitor centre, and the grounds, can be visited for free. Volunteers lead free 45-minute tours throughout the day from the visitor centre."

"Old Royal Naval College This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Greenwich. It once served as a naval hospital and later as a naval college. Now, this site is being used as a filming location for many famous movies such as The King’s Speech, Patriot Games, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Avengers, and The Dark Knight Rises."

"The Old Royal Naval College is a set of buildings designed by Christopher Wren whose original purpose was to serve as a place to care for and house retired seamen. Later the large building complex was used as a naval training college and today is used for a number of functions, and many of the buildings are open to the public."

"The gothic tower of St. Michael Cornhill is sometimes called Wren’s last work (it was finished in 1721) but was actually designed by his pupil Nicholas Hawksmoor. The rest of the church is by Wren. Thomas Gray, the author of Elegy in a Country Churchyard, was baptised here, and the church has his walking stick."

"Of all the restaurants in the list, it’s possible that Casse Croûte is the most French. A small wine bar turned restaurant on Bermondsey Street, the successful formula here is to keep things simple and do them well, with a short daily-changing menu of home-cooked French classics on hand as if only really to accompany a notably good value all-French wine list. But the dishes are much better than that would suggest: well-sourced, well-cooked and utterly, effortlessly delicious in the way that only truly foodie countries can manage."

"Restaurants French Bermondsey. A teasing spoonful of provincial France in all its rustic warmth, this infectiously cosy eatery is a delightful squeeze. Chatty personal service sets the tone, while the brief blackboard menu (scribbled in French) promises big-hearted, boldly chosen and smartly executed takes on the bourgeois classics."

"Restaurants French Bermondsey"

"This high-ceilinged, architecturally stunning former chapel makes an impressive backdrop for French-minded fine-dining, with doting but not disruptive service sealing the deal. This Spitalfields spot is romance at its most classic, and is a haven from the busy streets of east London. Lovely lighting and a particularly good wine list make it an alluring room to while away hours over a glass or several."

"Chris and Jeff Galvin deliver French fine dining that’s both sophisticated and approachable. With six restaurants now under their belt, the acclaimed brother duo have proven that the atmosphere and hospitality of family-run businesses always works best. Michelin-starred restaurant Galvin La Chapelle, housed within the beautiful high-vaulted St. Botolph’s Hall, is the crown in their collection."

"If you are looking for a family lunch in a French Michelin Star restaurant, Galvin La Chapelle is a great choice where you won’t have to break the bank. Kids have a lovely set menu for around £12.5 and adults can choose the 3-course Sunday lunch menu for £38. The room is very nice and large with a feeling of grandeur and luxury."

"There are Francophiles behind this nationwide French brasserie group – that much is obvious. Every last detail, from the rattan terrace furniture and ..."

"Like Sushi Tetsu, Wimbledon’s Takahashi is run by a husband and wife, chef and front-of-house team, with the chef both ex-Nobu and named Takahashi. Cornish red mullet and horse mackerel grace a specials card to make anywhere blush. Takahashi-san borrows from the Mediterranean elements of his former employers here, but superlative nigiri and sashimi — served with minute attention to detail to prevent spoilage of the rice at a restaurant with no sushi bar — are the things to come for."

"You could walk past this tiny spot on Merton Road five times before realising that this low-key restaurant is home to some of the best sushi you can get in SW London. It’s a small restaurant with an intimate feel, and a menu of nigiri, sashimi, maki, and small plates. The fish is excellent, and the spicy tuna and shrimp tempura maki are some of the best we’ve had in London."

"This extraordinary Georgian house is set up as if its occupants – a family of Huguenot silk weavers – have just walked out the door. Each of the 10 rooms is stuffed with the minutiae of everyday life from centuries past: half-drunk cups of tea, emptied but gleaming wet oyster shells and, in perhaps unnecessary attention to detail, a used chamber pot by the bed. It's more an immersive experience than a traditional museum; explorations of the house are conducted in silence."

"The remarkable interiors of this extraordinary time machine of a house are the creation of Dennis Severs (1948–99), a performer-designer-scholar…"

"Kings College London only recently opened this permanent site for the Science Gallery, a dedicated space for showing contemporary artwork that explores scientific questions. Its inaugural exhibition is all about addiction, called Hooked, and previous shows in its travelling days have investigated blood, food and orifices. Think of it as looking at science through the eyes of an artist."

"Science Gallery London is an art-science-and-health inspired gallery in London. The free museum has been open since 2018 in London Bridge after a series of pop-up exhibits across London. The gallery aims to bring together scientists, artists, and communities with three themed seasons every year."