Greater London

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Greater London & City of London

There is only one London and yet there are many!

Greater London refers to the conurbation of London, made up of 32 ‘boroughs’ and the ‘City of London’. It covers an area of over 600 sq miles and has a population in excess of 7.8 million (in 2010), it is the largest urban area in Europe.

Greater London can be thought of as Inner London and Outer London

Inner London the boroughs of Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and the City of Westminster. (Yes, Westminster is a city within a city)

Outer London - being the surrounding suburban boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton and Waltham Forest.

The City of London, also known as "The City" or "Square Mile" is an area of approximately one square mile in the centre of ‘London’. It is the historic heart of London and is one of the world’s financial centres (and yes like Westminster is a city within a city)

Please be aware that for security bag searches are common when entering public buildings and venues as are surveillance cameras, armed police are not the norm in the UK however in large public areas such as Railway Stations or around Government buildings armed officers may be on duty.

London is one of the most multi-cultural cities in the world with about one-third of its population being born overseas (and something like 200 languages spoken). Foreign travellers are welcomed and you may find it difficult to tell who is a visitor and who is a local.

Greenwich - Old Royal Naval College from Visit Greenwich - www.visitgreenwich.org.uk

Greenwich - Royal Observatory from Visit Greenwich - www.visitgreenwich.org.uk

The Tower of London: an introduction from Historic Royal Palaces - www.hrp.org.uk

UK Parliament tour - Welcome to the Houses of Parliament from UK Parliament

Welcome to Westminster Abbey from Westminster Abbey - www.westminster-abbey.org

Visit Richmond from Visit Richmond

Transport in London

Transport for London - Underground (Tube), Buses, River Buses, Trams, Rail, Cycle Hire www.tfl.gov.uk
for info on visitors tickets see visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk

London Taxis are famous the world over and can be 'hailed' in the street - A Black Cab will display a Hackney Carage Licence and the driver will display an official ID - all London Cabs are wheelchair accessible - The drivers are extremely knowledgeable and generally happy to advise visitors. Fares are regulated and metered -
www.tfl.gov.uk

Private Hire or Mini Cabs are also licensed but use a variety of vehicles, may not be wheelchair accessible and must only pick up by appointment (not be 'hailed' from the street)

River Transport

Thames Clippers are a fast and frequent boat service between Embankment and the London Eye to Woolwich, via Canary Wharf, stopping at Tate Modern, London Bridge, Tower of London, London Docklands Riverside, The O2 and Greenwich - they also provide a boat between the Tate Britain and Tate Modern. - www.thamesclippers.com

(London's piers and most river buses are wheelchair accessible)