Sunday, March 13, 2011

London Hotels: A Great Starting Point for a Walking Tour of the City


Walking tours enable you to see much more of the city than you normally do when whizzing by in a car or bus. You can discover hidden nooks and crannies of the city where you might stumble upon an amazing fountain or sculpture. Walking tours also allow you to focus carefully on certain times, people or events that you find fascinating or intriguing. Since walking tours can be an exhausting endeavor, make sure you book a stay in one of the comfortable, convenient London hotels so you can rest up after your journey. Some of the best cities to tour by foot are London, Paris and Rome. Despite their modern-day sprawl, the central parts of the cities are quite compact and easy to walk.
One of London's most popular walking tours revolves around the whereabouts of the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper. If you are interested in this type of walking tour, consider booking a guided tour. Your tour guide will have an in-depth knowledge of London during the Ripper's time and might even have additional insight into his identity. Some other great walking itineraries in London include a tour of Greenwich, where you can see the Greenwich Line, a brief walk around Trafalgar Square and a walk along Regent's Canal from Little Venice to Camden.
Walking is one of the best ways to explore the "city of light." For a brief bohemian get-away, explore the artist center of Montmartre. Starting at the Place Pigalle, make the 4km trek through the area where you can see the Sacré-Coeur church, as well as the Musée Montmartre. Stop for lunch at the Place du Tertre old town square where cafes, as well as indoor and outdoor art galleries, are filled with tourists and locals. Don't miss a stop at the infamous Moulin Rouge nightclub where you can see its famous windmill and watch a cancan dance. Other great walks include around the Place de la Bastille where you can see some of the landmarks of the French revolution, and through the Latin Quarter, an area frequented by Sorbonne students and booksellers. Venture away from the posh Paris hotels and into the streets where you can find the heart and soul of the city.
Wandering the streets of Rome - and ending up just a tiny bit lost -- is sure to be among your favorite memories of the city. Explore ancient Rome by making a trek from Via Sacra in the Roman Forum to the Circus Maximus. This trek can be hot so plan to retire to one of the comfortable Rome hotels for some rest and relaxation afterward. Meander through Trastevere, one of Rome's most colorful neighborhoods, to explore crumbling medieval churches, ancient bridges and charming piazzas. Make sure to include time on your tour for a coffee break in one of Trastevere's sidewalk cafes where you can sit and watch the fascinating city life pass by.
Chris Brown is a travel journalist based in London who writes articles on top hotels, holidays and destinations. For more information please visit http://www.hotels4u.com

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