The official London residence of the monarch of the United Kingdom, Buckingham Palace was completed in 1850 and remodelled in 1913. The famous front of the Palace, which faces the Mall, and on which the Royal balcony is situated, is known as the East Front. Members of the public may visit the state rooms at Buckingham Palace during August and September. There is also an art gallery. The Palace remains a tourist attraction year round, even when its gates are not open – hundreds of thousands of tourists come every day to visit the site, and have their pictures taken with the famous Beefeater guards.

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The Tower of London is one of the most historically important buildings in the country. Controlling its battlements, for many centuries, was synonymous with control of England itself. Today, the Tower is a popular tourist attraction, which houses the Crown jewels and of course the White Tower itself, for which the whole fortress is named. Yeoman Warders, in their iconic red and gold liveries, take tourists around the grounds and through the rooms to the Jewels. Learn more bloody history than you thought possible in one afternoon – and be sure to say hello to the ravens, which legend says will fly away the day London falls.

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The Natural History Museum is the jewel in the crown of “Albertopolis”, otherwise known as Museum Mile: the stretch of Gothic buildings in South Kensington housing the wealth of Britain’s scientific and artistic collections. From the complete dinosaur skeletons (including the famous Diplodocus) to the interactive diversity displays, this is the wild world at its brilliant best. Older kids and adults should also visit the Darwin Centre, a fascinating working laboratory tacked onto the side of the building in recent years. Admission is free, and the museum is open all year round. Expect to queue for extended periods if you visit during school holidays – particularly when you get to the Dinosaur Hall. You can visit many times without seeing everything!

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