Big Ben
Things to Do in London
The famous clock, wrongly (curiously) called Big Ben, affixed to the Elizabeth Tower at Westminster Palace, next to the British Houses of Parliament is a major London icon. But Big Ben is actually a bell, one that strikes on the hours, not a clock. Big Ben lives behind the four clock faces on the Elizabeth Tower, and weighs in at 13,760 kg (13 tons).
The clock, 96 metres (just under 300 feet) above ground, can be seen from numerous locations in London. Its large (7 metres or 21 feet), prominent dial, lit up at night, has been watching over the city since May 31, 1859. In 2012, for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee the tower was renamed in her honour.
The clock, being a working mechanism, is occasionally shut down for maintenance and repairs. Even then, visitors are not able to go inside, behind the clock faces, to visit Big Ben the bell. But it’s a comforting sound, the great gong of Big Ben, heard all around the town; it has rung consistently though its years, even through disasters like The Blitz.
Things to Do in London
London Eye
Meant to be more of a moving observation platform than a midway ride, the London Eye (aka the Millennium Wheel) is nonetheless a popular ride...
Tower of London
Few buildings in London, or for that matter in the world, can be truly called as multi-purpose as the Tower of London. Building began on...
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is assuredly one of the most famous buildings on the planet. London is rich with such places, but this one is special; we...
The British Museum
Do not attempt this in one day! A visit to The British Museum, the first (established 1753) and largest public museum of its kind in the...
Westminster Abbey
The formal name for this living, working, royal church is the Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster. It has been, since 1066 when its first...
Big Ben
The famous clock, wrongly (curiously) called Big Ben, affixed to the Elizabeth Tower at Westminster Palace, next to the British Houses of Parliament is a...
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is better than an affordable thing to see and do in London, it’s free! This large, 110 metres by 110 metres (360 feet) public square...
Globe Theatre
To rebuild or not to rebuild, that was the question. The answer? Get it done. Thanks largely to an initiative by American actor Sam Wanamaker...
The O2 Arena
The O2 is a large entertainment district located in the southeast sector of London, known as the Greenwich Peninsula. It has for years been fun-central...
Royal Albert Hall
Contrary to what the Beatles sing, the Royal Albert Hall is not filled with holes, just beautiful music. Guitarist Eric Clapton has played there so...
Things to Do in London
London, England. The words still evoke an era, probably the 1960s and 19670s of mods and rockers, Carnaby Street, youth culture, Princess Margaret, the Beatles...
Destinations to Discover
Things to Do in Venice
In the global battle for most romantic city in the world, the Venice versus Paris finals often switch winners, but here at Affordable Travel, we...
Things to Do in Athens
Athens, Greece, has been the city of cultural imagination and classical history for over three millennia. The largest city in Greece, Athens, the namesake of...
Canadas Most Scenic National Parks
From sea (Pacific) to sea (Atlantic) to sea (Arctic), every province and territory in Canada boasts designated national parks for visitors from around the world...
Things to Do in London
London, England. The words still evoke an era, probably the 1960s and 19670s of mods and rockers, Carnaby Street, youth culture, Princess Margaret, the Beatles...
Things to Do in New York City
New York City is an expensive place to live (it boasts the highest number of resident billionaires of all the cities on earth), with the...
Incredible Must See Sacred Places
Where is your sacred place? What is a sacred place to you? For those of us living in modern times, a sacred place might literally...
Most Amazing Festivals in the World
We humans work hard and when we play, we celebrate. The array and variety of amazing world festivals is an example of how lavishly we...
Amazing U.S. National Parks
The United Sates of America is vast, and not only contiguous; it has offshore islands and territories in faraway locales. Its large northern peninsula, the...
Things to Do in Paris
What more can be written about Paris that has not already been scribed, spoken or filmed? It’s one of the foremost cities of the...
Things to Do in Aruba
Part of the Netherlands Antilles group of Caribbean islands — the “A” in the “ABC” (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) — Aruba is surprisingly affordable. It lacks the...