Story of London Festival
 Museum of London, EC2Y 5HN
 1st June - 30th June 2009
 http://www.london.gov.uk/storyoflondon/

 This major festival organised by the mayor's office takes us on a tour of London's rich heritage from the city's architecture and art to its theatres, music, food, film and fashion. 

This festival celebrates London is an all its glory - past, present and future, with events on everything from art and architecture, to fashion, film, history, literature, music and theatre aiming to help Londoners trace their history and heritage. A must do.


 Hampton Court Palace Festival
 Hampton Court Palace, KT8 9AU
 2nd June 2009 - 13th June 2009
 http://www.hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace/

 Expect a spectacular music extravaganza as Hampton Court Palace returns for the 17th year celebrations. Featuring top pop music celebrities like Lemar and Beverly Knight injects a bit of soul and the Catalan tenor Jose Carreras to appease the Classical Brits and visitors from other countries alike whilst admiring the grandeur of the Tudor and enjoying an evening picnic in its magnificent gardens.


 Bike & Kite Festival
 Blackheath Common, SE3 7AS
 13th & 14th June 2009

 Following an impressive turn out of 15,000 people last year, the family day out is set to be even bigger this time around with kite fighting teams from around the world challenging one other. Look out for aerial tricks, demonstrations and kite ballet performances. Expect lots of kite acrobatics and colourful skies and bring your bike!






 Royal Ascot Festival
 16th June - 20th June 2009
 http://www.ascot.co.uk/royal/royal09.html

 Enjoy the summer sun in glamorous style this year and witness the world renowned five-day festival Royal Ascot from Tuesday 16th to Saturday 20th June. The Betfair Weekend on Friday 24th to Sunday 26th July provides one of the top races of the world with the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the Saturday. 


 King Henry's Tudor Joust 
 Eltham Palace, SE9 5QE
 20th & 21st June 2009
 http://www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace/stories.aspx

 Thundering hooves, courtly music and costumed characters show the palace and grounds as they would have been 500 or so years ago at Eltham Palace.

Engaging in battle on foot and horseback was one of Henry's favourite pasttimes - he spent much of his reign at war with France - and this show of pagentry harks back to the Tudor way of life once seen here.


 Wimbledon 2009
 Church Road, Wimbledon,
 London SW19 5AE  
 22nd of June - 5th July 2009
 http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/index.html

Watch as it happens as world-famous tennis titans and Goliath's David battle it out under the new Wimbledon centre court roof. Will Nadal hit it again? Can Roger Federer reclaim lost glory? Is it the Brit Murray's time to bag the most coveted price? That's for you to find out so don't miss the excitement.


 Nottinghill Festival
 Ladbroke Grove, W10 5QZ 
 30th & 31st August 2009
 
 Originally a local affair for west London's homesick Caribbean community, this has evolved into Europe's biggest street party. Carnival sets London on fire in a blaze of Caribbean spirit as extravagantly costumed dancers, calypso and soca musicians, giant soundsystems and steelbands are joined by over a million revellers of all ages. Don't miss out.






About London

It's a cosmopolitan mix of Third and First Worlds, chauffeurs and beggars, the stubbornly traditional and the proudly avant-garde. But somehow - between 'er Majesty and Boy George, Damien Hirst and JMW Turner, Bow Bells and Big Ben - it all hangs together. 

Geography

Area - 1572 Sq. Km.
Populaton - 7 200 000 
Latitude - 51° 30'N

Orientation
The main geographical feature of the city is the river Thames, which meanders through central London, dividing it into northern and southern halves. The central area and the most important sights, theatres and restaurants are within the Underground's Circle Line on the north bank of the river. The trendy and tourist-ridden West End lies within the western portion of the loop and includes Soho, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Regent St. The East End, so beloved of Ealing comedies, lies east of the Circle Line; it used to be the exclusive preserve of the Cockney but is now a cultural melting pot.

Society

People  - Anglo-Saxons, Scots, Welsh, Irish, West Indians, Pakistanis, Indians 

Religion - Church of England, Catholic, Methodist, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Hindu.

General

Daylight savings start  - last Sunday in March
Daylight savings end - last Sunday in October
Weights/Measurements system - Metric

Pre Departure

When to go
London is a year-round tourist centre, with few of its attractions closing or significantly reducing their opening hours in winter. Your best chance of good weather is, of course, at the height of summer in July and August, but there's certainly no guarantee of sun even in those months - plus it's when you can expect the biggest crowds and highest prices.

Visas
Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa do not need a visa for stays in the UK up to 6 months, but they are prohibited from working. Citizens of the European Union (EU) don't need a visa to enter the country and may live and work here freely.

Electricity Voltage - 240V
Electricity Hertz - 50Hz 

Special adaptors are required for visitors from Europe and USA.

Weather

London's climate is among the mildest in England, with damp but mild winters and moderate summers. Yet London's weather is nothing if not fickle - expect clouds and rain even in high summer.

Temperatures in July and August average around 18°C(64°F) but can occasionally soar to 30°C (85°F)or more.
In spring and autumn temperatures average 11-15°C(50-58°F). 

In winter they hover just below 6°C (42°F); it very rarely freezes in London. That may seem mild, but the dampness can often make it feel two or three times as cold.

Events

There are countless festivals and events in London. It all kicks off with the New Year's Eve fireworks and street party in Trafalgar Square, followed by the New Year's Day Parade. On Shrove Tuesday pancake races are held in Covent Garden, and in early May more serious racers take part in the London Marathon.

All London gets its colours on for the FA Cup Final in mid-May. There's even more colour at the Chelsea Flower Show, held in the last week of May. 

Trooping the Colour, the Queen's birthday parade, is held in June; Wimbledon runs for two weeks in the same month and London Pride, Europe's biggest gay and lesbian festival, also hits the streets. In July the world's biggest military tattoo, the Royal Tournament, is held in Earl's Court, and the raucous Notting Hill Carnival takes over the streets in August.

Horsy folks can't resist late-September's Horseman's Sunday in Hyde Park, with more than 100 horses receiving the blessing from a vicar on horseback, followed by show jumping in Kensington Gardens.

Things wind down as the weather gets colder, though there are plenty of bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night, on the 5th of November. The Lord Mayor's Show is held in late November, complete with floats, bands and fireworks. Trafalgar Square lights up in December with the Lighting of the Christmas Tree. 

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