Top 10 Things To Do, Activities and Attractions in London Borough of Islington

"A post shared by Constantine Konovalov (@ckonovalov) on Jun 12, 2017 at 2:01pm PDT. Be wowed by more than a thousand years of history at the world-famous Westminster Abbey. One of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the United Kingdom, the London landmark began its life in 1245 and its history traces back to 10th-century Benedictine monks."

"London’s most famous and beautiful church is a definite must-see in the city. Rebuilt in the 13th century (but with a history that goes back even further), it is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List. To visit as a tourist you’ll need to buy a ticket either online or at the abbey, but you can enter free as a worshipper."

"The Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor, and William the Conqueror was crowned in it on Christmas Day 1066. Thousands of people are buried, or have their ashes interred, in it. Many others have plaques."

"The Shard has one of the most beautiful and photogenic views over London (if you manage to go on a sunny day, unlike the one when I went and snapped the photo below). My advice for visiting The Shard is to go enjoy the view from the cocktail bar, instead of the viewing floor. As you can imagine cocktails are expensive, however they are only a couple pounds more expensive than the entry ticket to the viewing deck."

"Last on my list, and another one where you unfortunately can’t use a tripod if you go inside – the Shard. A relatively new addition to the London Skyline, the Shard offers an incredible view of the London skyline from far above the ground. Like the London Eye, it’s also best visited for sunset – we advise booking your ticket in advance to be sure to get the right time slot for your visit."

"The Shangri-La Suite is the top suite at the Shangri-La at The Shard, designed to maximise the view of London’s skyline from every direction possible. The 2,000 square foot one bedroom suite is plush and homely with one of the best views you’ll see from any hotel room. Click to read about the Shangri-La Luxury Circle programme which gives guests access to a host of added value amenities."

"While visiting the historically important Tower of London does require a paid entrance ticket, the daily Ceremony of the Keys – the traditional ‘locking up’ of the Tower – is completely free to watch. At exactly 21:53 each evening, the Chief Yeoman Warder (or ‘Beefeater’) marches through the Tower carrying the Queen’s Keys. Escorted by four armed guards, he performs a series of specific rituals as he locks the gates to the Tower for the night before returning the keys to the Queen’s House at 10pm."

"Day 1: Arrive in London, Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the London EyeDay 2: Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Whitehall, Covent GardenDay 3: Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Borough Market, Tate Modern, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Sky GardenDay 4: National Gallery, Greenwich, Prime Meridian, Up at the O2Day 5: British Museum, Portobello Road Market, Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrod’s"

"Now home to the British Crown Jewels, the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. It served as a prison from 1100 to the mid twentieth century. This has led to the phrase “sent to the Tower”, meaning imprisoned."

"From prison to palace, treasure vault to private zoo, the magnificent Tower of London has fulfilled many different roles down the centuries. One of Britain's most iconic structures, this spectacular World Heritage Site offers hours of fascination for visitors curious about the country's rich history - after all, so much of it happened here. Inside the massive White Tower, built in 1078 by William the Conqueror, is the 17th-century Line of Kings with its remarkable displays of royal armaments and armor."

"The best view of Tower Bridge (in my opinion) is from the water; however, not everyone has a chance to do a Thames River Cruise. If that’s not on your itinerary, try to get a photo of Tower Bridge from afar, featuring something else iconic – perhaps City Hall?. Alternatively, a head on shot crossing the bridge is pretty incredible, too!"

"After the houses of Parliament, this bridge is London’s most well known site. There are several excellent angles to photograph this bridge from. – A very popular photo to take is traffic light trails going through the archways of the bridge."

"More than 1000 years of history can be discovered at London’s magnificent Houses of Parliament, stretching beautifully around the corners of Westminster and housing Big Ben. View it from the bank of the Thames and admire a building that continues to remain one of the capital’s biggest attractions, or head inside to delve into its past and present on a Houses of Parliament audio tour. You can also learn more about Big Ben with a free Elizabeth Tower talk."

"The Houses of Parliament, or the Westminster Palace, is designed in the gothic-architectural style. It is the meeting place for the two Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The current palace was built in 1847 after a fire destroyed the original building."

"St Mary Woolnoth was said to have been founded originally by Wulfnoth, a Saxon noble, on a Roman Temple to Concord. The church is famous among architects. It was built by Nicholas Hawksmoor in 1716-1721."

"This bizarre looking Anglican church was designed by Hawksmoor – his only City of London church. The original dated back to Norman times"

"More of a yard than a proper park, Postman’s Park is still one of the largest green spaces in the City of London yet it remains a hidden gem. It’s also full of plaques dedicated to everyday heroes – these stories of self-sacrifice were collected by artist George Frederic Watts and turned into a memorial in 1900 – making it a very peaceful spot."

"Valentines Mansion & Gardens is a Grade II on the National Heritage List for both building and garden. Built in 1696, the mansion was for the widow of Archbishop of Canterbury John Tillotson's widow, Lady Tillotson. It later was the home of Sir Charles Raymond."

"Fleet Street is the former home of London’s printing and publishing industry. It has an old-timey appearance, with tall grey buildings stacked high on either side of the street. It’s a great spot for raw street photography."

"This Chinatown bakery has taken a classic Japanese sweet treat and made it both bigger and (possibly) better. Bake’s signature serve is inspired by taiyaki cakes – tiny cakes made in a waffle iron that are shaped to resemble a Japanese fish called a tai. Bake makes relatively massive taiyaki, opens their mouths, and uses them as cones for its green tea-flavoured soft serve."

"Ice Cream , Bakery/Cafe"

"Restaurants Ice-cream parlours Bayswater. ‘Serving happiness’ by way of sorbetti and gelati, this light, bright, faintly space-age parlour has come into its own since Exhibition Road’s pedestrian-friendly revamp. More than 40 flavours are available behind the counter, plus chocolate-dipped mini cones, sundaes, waffles and crêpes."

"Where: Selfridges, Westfield, Bayswater, South Kensington, Marble Arch, Soho & The O2. Winner of no less than 25 Good Taste Awards, founder Asad and gelato chef Paolo named their ice-cream company Snowflake because all their ice-cream is made by hand, no two batches are the same."

"If you want a casino that is centrally located but doesn’t have quite to draw that the Casino at the Empire offers then you might want to consider the Hippodrome Casino. It’s also in Leicester Square and opened its doors for the first time in 2012. That means that it’s quire modern in style, as well as being one of the country’s biggest in terms of square footage."

"The London Hippodrome has been a centre of London entertainment since 1900. It was originally a music hall, which put a young Charlie Chaplin on stage for its debut show. It then became a nightclub named The Talk of the Town, which saw a roll call of big names grace its stage, from Frank Sinatra to Ella Fitzgerald."

"A grand casino in the centre of Leicester Square, the Hippodrome Casino is more than an oasis for gamblers and has a number of different features for guests of all kind. Boasting six bars (with 24 hour license), a restaurant and a 24-hour food service, it provides the whole package right in the heart of the City."