Serving as both the office and London residence of The Queen, as well as admin headquarters for the Royal Household, Buckingham Palace is one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today. The State Rooms are used extensively by The Queen and members of the Royal Family to receive and entertain guests for ceremonial, state and official occasions. When the Queen takes her annual visit to Scotland, the Palace’s nineteen State Rooms are open to visitors. The visitor route also includes a nice walk along the west side of the palace garden with views of the garden, palace and nineteenth-century lake.

Forming the heart of the working palace, the State Rooms are exquisitely furnished with some of the Royal Collection’s greatest possessions. This includes paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin and Canaletto, as well as English and French furniture.

Special Exhibitions 2011

Royal Fabergé

Bringing together masterpieces by Carl Fabergé from Imperial Easter Eggs and jewel-encrusted boxes and even miniature carvings of royal pets, the exhibition at the annual Summer opening of Buckingham Palace is interesting to say the least.

Kate Middleton’s Wedding Dress

Designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, Kate Middleton’s wedding dress will go on display during Buckingham Palace’s annual Summer opening (July 23 to October 3, 2011). Middleton chose british brand, McQueen for its beautiful craftsmanship and technical construction. She worked closely with Sarah Burton in carefully constructing the dress. It will go on display alongside the shoes, earrings and Halo Tiara she wore on April 29.

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Image by: shining.darkness

There are, of course, plenty of reasons to visit London that have nothing to do with the monarchy – stunning collections in art galleries, spectacular cathedrals, top-notch theater offerings, countless pubs, and perhaps the world’s most famous clock, to name but a few – but a simple poll of Americans to find out how many of them got up pre-dawn to watch televised coverage of Prince William’s recent marriage (or, for that matter, his parents’ wedding) shows just how highly we still think of the British royal family.

When you’re planning a London itinerary, then, it’s likely to include plenty of royal attractions.

Travel Tip: No matter what your itinerary includes, don’t forget to plan your accommodation ahead of time – especially if you’re visiting during the summer high season. The hotels in London can book up well in advance during the city’s busiest months.

Buckingham Palace

There are the obvious ones that will probably be on your must-see list already. There’s Buckingham Palace, the royal residence, part of which you can visit when the royal family is on vacation. One of the Buckingham Palace attractions, however, is outside and year-round – the famous changing of the guard ceremony happens every day during the summer, and every other day during the rest of the year.

Tower of London

Then there’s the Tower of London, combining the monarchy with history. The Tower is an 11th century castle that’s most commonly known as a prison and the site of more than a few executions, but since many of the prisoners and those sentenced to death were members of the royal family it’s an historic site in London that’s impossible to visit without reflecting on royal history, too.

Beyond the obvious royal attractions, however, there are things like the Queen’s Walk – a lovely, tree-lined walking path along the South Bank of the Thames that was built for the Queen’s “Silver Jubilee” in 1977. Westminster Abbey has clear royal ties as the site of coronations as well as royal tombs, but don’t overlook St. Paul’s Cathedral’s royal relations – it’s the cathedral where Prince Charles married Lady Diana in 1981.

What’s your favorite royal attraction in London?

- by Jessica of BootsnAll

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photos by PhillipC, xeddix

Visiting just about anywhere in Europe for spring is sure to be a pleasant experience – the streets, bars and restaurants are filled with enthusiastic locals, the French are packed into their neighborhood bistros while the British are packed into their traditional pubs for lunch, the Dutch linger over strong coffee while the Italians gesture over tiny espressos and the Spanish fill the evening streets for their paseo and tapas.

Concert series are fully underway. Unique art collections are on display at museums, local castles and palaces and everywhere you go, you will find locals enjoying regional specialties and vino from nearby vineyards.

Residents truly cherish this time of year because it’s when they can enjoy their cities without being crammed into small spaces by the rush of travelers. This is also the time that seasoned travelers will want to take in the enjoyment of these same places.

Here are a few spring destinations to choose from for 2011.

Holland

An easy daytrip from Amsterdam, the gardens here are truly worth a visit. A riot of tulips and crocuses, spring in Holland is the most colorful time of year.

Springtime means the Dutch fields will be rainbow colored and the farmer’s markets will sell 50 tulips for less than 10 euros. In spring, the Keukenhoff gardens are truly at their very best.

Paris

Avoid hyped prices and wicked long lines by taking your travels to Paris in the spring instead of summer. Overbearing crowds really put a damper on a romantic visit to the Eiffel Tower and can really thwart all your efforts at a romantic experience. Take a visit to the Palais de Versailles to see the legendary gardens in bloom or take a stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries to admire the well-maintained gardens surrounded by palaces and ponds. Often a spot for picnics, don’t miss out on a visit to Le Pont des Arts for some photogenic moments and people watching. Tip: if you are planning a visit to a popular museum, reserving online before arrival is worth it during springtime too. No matter what season, lines are bound to form and while a half-hour wait in spring is much better than a two-hour wait in summer, no line at all is even better.

London

While the winter months in London bring drab weather and heavy clouds, the spring is filled with warmth and sun. Pub terraces reopen, magnolia trees spring all over the city, contrasting against the drab grey buildings, and the weather shifts from blustery to balmy. One to check out is Edinboro Castle, which is located near Camden Town.

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University of Oxford

So, where is Oxford University and how do you visit it? The answer is not as straightforward as you expect, and visitors expecting a unified complex of buildings in the city centre will be surprised. Unlike most modern universities, Oxford University is divided into departments, libraries and colleges, all scattered across the city. A wander around town will take you past many parts of the University, but a good starting point is the Bodleian Library on Catte Street. Situated in the heart of the city, this venerable reference library has been providing materials to students since 1602. Some of its quadrangles (courtyards) are open to the public free of charge, but to get inside the library itself, it’s worth taking the tour, which includes a visit to the University’s oldest examination and teaching room.

Christ Church

Now you’ve seen where they study, take a look at where the students live: the colleges. These buildings are more than mere halls of residence; each has its own teaching staff, social and sporting activities, and its own identity. For those seeking a glimpse of the picture-postcard image of Oxford, avoid 1960s-style St Catherine’s College and choose the grandeur of Christ Church or Magdalen – the former’s dining room might be familiar to you from the Harry Potter movies, while the latter has its own deer park. Some smaller (or less famous) colleges can be visited free of charge: details can be found here.

Modern Art Oxford Gallery

After lunch at one of Oxford’s many cafes (try the Covered Market or Vaults & Gardens in Radcliffe Square), bring yourself back up to date with a visit to Modern Art Oxford, a gallery focusing on modern and contemporary visual art. Like most of Oxford’s museums, admission is free. On a sunny day, it’s well worth heading down to the river: take a picnic to University Parks and position yourself by the river bank to chuckle at the antics of the students careering past in punts.

If you have time to spare before heading back to the big smoke, take a stroll around the city’s shops, particularly the chic boutiques such as Aspire Style on High Street, before rounding off your day with afternoon tea or an early cocktail at the Grand Cafe.

Trains from London Paddington to Oxford depart approximately every half an hour. The Oxford Espress and the Oxford Tube also operate a 24-hour bus service between central London and Oxford.

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Images: Kate Turner, Hugo Pardo Kuklinski at http://www.flickr.com/photos/18016623@N00/, and Omassey at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ModernArtOxford.jpg

Internet Week Europe is an open event, meaning anyone who wants to throw a function is permitted to do so. The many events taking place will focus on various subjects, from software development to advertising. Many of the events will feature panels, which will discuss issues of importance for the technology community. Others will primarily focus on interaction amongst the attendees. As the week will not focus on one technology domain alone, the festivities are expected to draw everyone from iPhone aficionados to diehard PC developers.

Furthermore, the unique structure of this conference means that unlike other events where attendees spend their day in one location, participants will be traveling across the city throughout the day. Each event will be outlined differently, and some will cost money to attend, while others will be free. Conference organizers have suggested plotting out a schedule for the events that one would like to attend, and making the necessary reservations in advance.

For individuals unfamiliar with London, there are several tools available for getting around the city in a timely fashion and staying up to date on what’s going on throughout the week. Twitter users can follow @internetweekeu for all of the latest updates. Attendees can also sign up for the newsletter on the official Internet Week Europe site where maps and addresses for the different locations are also available. Attendees navigating Europe with their smartphones may consider downloading the mTrip Travel Guide London iPhone application, which will provide updated information and travel planning tools for getting around London during your week stay.

For individuals hoping to get involved with Internet Week Europe, visiting internetweekeurope.com will provide all of the different avenues for doing so. Organizers hope that companies will take this opportunity to spread the word about their unique organizations, utilizing this week as a great PR opportunity. All of the events are being promoted equally by Internet Week Europe in an attempt to bring attention to companies both big and small.

The event has been organized by a varied group of individuals who make up the Executive Council of Internet Week Europe. From members of the mainstream media to technology developers, the many volunteers have contributed to make Internet Week Europe one of the prominent events for technology promotion in Europe. Organizers hope that Internet Week Europe will have the same success that the original continues to enjoy each year in New York City.

Sarah Danielson writes for Remote Desktop where you can read over the benefits of remote desktop software and receive a free 30 day trial.

Towering above the River Thames, the London Eye is the world’s tallest observation wheel, with impressively far-reaching views of England’s capital. It’s also the fourth-tallest structure in London, and a firm feature on the city’s skyline. From November 20 until January 5, visitors can skate in its shadow, enjoying the trendy South Bank setting and vistas of Westminster’s parliament buildings. A ride on the Eye can be followed with a skate, or if you’re not feeling quite so flash with the cash, you can skip the sightseeing spin and head straight for the ice. For the best prices, book online.

Image source: beatbull at http://www.flickr.com/photos/beatbull/

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Image source: A. Vente at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jimi_Hendrix_1967.png

Image source: j_silla at http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_silla/

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