Must See Sights and Landmarks in Windsor Castle Area

"Standing proudly next to the Westminster Houses of Parliament, the home of British politics, is the beautiful and hugely significant Westminster Abbey. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site back in 1987, this church is one of the most important in the UK and dates back to around 800AD. Westminster Abbey is steeped in history and has been the scene of royalty since William the Conqueror in the 1000s."

"Another iconic London building, Westminster Abbey is a royal church and UNESCO World Heritage site with over 1000 years of history. But it’s the stunning exterior and well placed red phone boxes that make this one of the most Instagrammable places in London!. Walk away from Westminster Abbey to the corner of Tothill Road where you’ll find red phone boxes gracing each side."

"If walls could talk, Westminster Abbey would have plenty to say!. The site of every coronation since 1066, this Gothic church is the final resting place for 17 monarchs, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Sir Laurence Olivier, and many, many others. It’s also a favourite for royal weddings—in 2011 Prince William married Kate Middleton here."

"In a city like London with strict codes, decent architecture and access to the world’s leading architects, is not so easy to actually get things to be built. Big teams of lawyers, political figures and the general public are involved in what gets or doesn’t get built in the capital. So the fact that the Shard, the EU’s tallest building, got approved and erected means a great deal."

"The Tower of London is one of the top tourist activities in London and a great one for families. This is where you’ll see the Crown Jewels and tour the tower with a yeoman warder. The Tower may be better suited for older children, but younger children will enjoy playing make-believe in this real-life castle and fortress."

"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."

"One of London's most recognisable sights, familiar from dozens of movies, Tower Bridge doesn’t disappoint in real life. Its neo-Gothic towers and sky-blue suspension struts add extraordinary elegance to what is a supremely functional structure. London was a thriving port in 1894 when it was built as a much-needed crossing point in the east, equipped with a then-revolutionary steam-driven bascule (counterbalance) mechanism that could raise the roadway to make way for oncoming ships in just three minutes."

"Topping our list of must-see London attractions is the iconic Tower Bridge. Completed in 1894, Tower Bridge is one of the world’s most famous bascule (a French term for “see-saw”) bridges: It opens in the middle to allow tall boats on the Thames to pass through. Catch a glimpse of the bridge opening (lift times are posted on the Tower Bridge website), and walk across its high-level glass floor walkways 42 metres above the Thames!"

"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."

"Big Ben & The Houses of Parliament – Iconic Big Ben is the name of the bell in the giant clock tower at the end of the Houses of Parliament, where the UK Parliament meets. This iconic sight is best viewed from the Westminster Bridge or from the south side of the Thames."

"The blood and viscera has long since been scoured away, making this museum a fascinating place to visit. Pioneering medical techniques were trialled here back in the day, and today, it holds the crown as the oldest surviving surgical theatre in Europe. Tickets for adults are £7.50."

"Alternatives (or additional spots) in the area to the above attractions: Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market (one of London’s most famous food markets), The Old Operating Theatre Museum (fee*), The Monument (fee*), and The View from the Shard (fee*)."

"PRACTICAL INFORMATION: The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. Tickets cost £20 GBP (around $26 USD). Make sure to book your tickets and pick a time-slot in advance directly on the museum website."

"Lambeth Palace is the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England on the banks of the River Thames. The palace has served as the archbishop's home for more than 800 years. While the palace opens to the public via guided tours, it is not open to the public only a daily basis."

"The Cinema Museum in London was founded in the 1980s by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries. Grant and Humphries filled the museum with objects from their private collection of cinema memorabilia. The museum is housed in the workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived during his childhood."

"London’s Cinema Museum is devoted to keeping alive the spirit of cinema from the days before the multiplex. Admission is only via joining one of their regular guided tours, which costs £10."

"In spite of their best efforts not to categorise the work they show, StolenSpace has quite a name for showcasing the best street art in the city. This unique artist-run area lies in the famous Truman Brewery building on Osborn Street and has a history of entertaining energetic and high-profile programs. Over the years, the likes of Shepherd Fairey, D*Face and David Bray have all exhibited here at some time."

"London's vegan restaurant scene knows no bound, and Genesis is right up there with one of the prettiest places to grab a bite. Not only are plates filled with healthy vegan burgers and bites, the interiors are a dream all their own thanks to pastel pink walls, flashes of cactus green and neon aplenty."

"Restaurants Taiwanese Tooting. A spin-off from Peckham’s popular Mr Bao, this hip Asian hangout is a dark, buzzy, atmospheric spot dedicated to fluffy Taiwanese buns and more. Weekend brunch (11am-4pm) is served alongside the regular menu, and there’s some classic stuff on show – including two bao benedict dishes and a ‘Full Taiwanese’ – a spring onion pancake, Taiwanese sausage, smoked bacon, Asian beans, spiced eggs and a bao bun."

"Restaurants Chinese Shaftesbury Avenue. This buzzy Chinese restaurant on the northern edge of Chinatown is a hotspot for hotpots. Choose your broth (they range from the healthy-sounding herbal tonic all the way through to the ‘hot and numbing pot’, heady with the smell of Sichuan pepper), your raw ingredients (pork, beef, lamb, squid, fish balls) and get cooking at the table."

"Restaurants Chinese Bayswater. Bite-sized dim sum is brilliant for children, and Royal China’s distinctive black-and-gold restaurants are old hands at welcoming families – Chinese or otherwise. Challenge your offspring with chewy chicken’s feet, squid balls and glutinous rice or keep them sweet with delicious dumplings, char sui buns, crispy spring rolls and luscious custard tarts."

"This classic Cantonese restaurant is renowned for its dim sum. Don't be put off by the seemingly formal atmosphere - once the food arrives all pretension is thrown out the window as the room is filled with oohs and ahhs of content. Book ahead to avoid the queue that often snakes its way down Baker Street, and settle down to order plates of fried gyoza, soft dumplings, roast pork buns and crispy spring rolls."

"The Royal China in Baker Street is the best Chinese restaurant in the country by a mile. Either that or it's the best Chinese restaurant in London by a country mile. Some might say that their branch in Queensway is the one to frequent, but then they would be sad losers with no taste or style."

"If you're an indecisive vegan who likes pictures of their food to solicit fascination on Instagram, Beza – an Ethiopian restaurant in Elephant and Castle – is the al fresco establishment for you. Here's to food that's healthy, delicious and affordable – and to eating it in the sunshine, too."

"About: Enjoy a fun, relaxed dinner at Alto Lounge where 'Little Loungers' can choose dishes from the kids' menu. From morning to night Alto Lounge pretty much has every base covered - so even the fussuiest of eaters are sure to find something they like. Each Kid's meal includes a 'Feel Good’ Juice Drink - 1 of your 5 a day."

"Alto Lounge is always ready to welcome its Littleloungers, with board games for families to play. Options include chicken lollipops, pesto pasta and sausage and chips. All mains are also served with a pot of breadsticks, crunchy carrot, cucumber and red pepper sticks."

"Where: Church Street in Caversham or Crockhamwell Road in Woodley. Full menu: thelounges.co.uk/menus/. Laura recommended the black bean burrito, saying: "Bosco Lounge in Woodley and Alto Lounge in Caversham have a separate vegan menu that you can request at the bar."