No tour of the great capitals of Europe is complete without a stay in London, the vibrant (jaudinanti) capital of England. Situated in the southeast of the country, London it famous for its cultural and social diversity (įvairovė).
These days very few people live in the city centre, London has spread further outwards (į išorę) into the country, including surrounding villages. The gradual growth of the city helps to explain the fact that London does not have just one centre, it has a number of centres, each with a distinct (individualus) character: the financial and business centre called the City, the shopping and entertainment centre in the West End, the government centre in Westminster.
The City of London is one of major banking centres of the world and you can find the banks of many nations in the famous Threadneedle Street and the surrounding area. During weekdays in the City you can see the City gents with their bowler(katiliukas) hats, pin-striped(dryžuotas) suits and rolled umbrellas. This is the ‘uniform’ only of those men involved in banking and business in the City, and outside this small area you will probably not see anyone dressed like this.
An increasing number of London‘s visitors arrive by air at Heathrow, one of the most busiest international airports. The easiest way to travel around London is by a London Regional Transport bus or underground train. These run from the centre of the city right out into the countryside. The London Underground has nine lines. It’s very fast, and in Central London you’re never more than a few minutes’ walk away from a station.
London is home to races and traditions from around the world. One can listen to the lively music or taste the exotic food of a hundred nations without leaving the city limits(riba). The city‘s architecture is best seen from one of London‘s famous open-topped red boubledecker buses. These tours proceed along the river Thames, passing by the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Buckingam Palace. London also has some of the best art galleries in the world, including the Tate and National galleries, the former housing impressive collection of Turner paintings.
London by night is an even more enchanting(žavintis, kerintis) experience, with every streetlight glowing(spindėti,žėrėti) in the misty evening air. A tremendous(didžiulis) variety of entertainment is available. Numerous pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres await the eager visitor.
London is a city which offers a wealth(gausumas) of attractions. Samuel Johnson once said „When a man is tired of London, he is tired of live“, a statement which is still true today.
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