Travel and Leisure

If you wish to be part of the merriment without the hassle of long queues and the stress of paying too much money for entry fees and transportation, you'd better familiarize yourself with the London Pass.

The Pass is a sightseeing pass for tourists, entitling the holder access to more than 55 London destinations. When you avail of a sightseeing pass, not only are you given free admission, you are also given priority access at selected locations so you don't have to fall in line along with hundreds of other tourists.

With the Pass, you will receive a 160-page, full-color guidebook that will enhance your knowledge on the attractions you will visit. There's also an option that entitles you to free transportation. Aside from that, you can also avail of over 20 exclusive offers that include discounts in shops and cinemas. Definitely, you will make substantial savings with the use of the Pass!

Of course, in a sightseeing tour, what could be more important than the places you will be seeing? As mentioned, the Pass gives the user a wide selection of tourist attractions to visit, from museums and art galleries to castles and cathedrals. The following are only a few of the world-famous London attractions you can visit for free:

Windsor Castle

The Windsor Castle is the official residence of the Queen. It is also the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, covering over 480,000 square feet. Housing an important Diamond Jubilee exhibition, the castle contains over 60 photographs of the Queen for the visitors to see. Aside from the physical tour, Pass holders can also avail of a 2-hour audio tour of the castle.

Tower of London

Now displaying the Queen's Crown Jewels, the Tower of London used to be a royal palace, a prison, an armory, and a zoo. The fortress was also used as a refuge by the Royals. Visitors can see an exhibition of Royal arms and armors, two of which were Henry VIII's and Charles I's. Apart from free entry, Pass holders can also avail of a 20% discount at the Armouries Cafe at the Tower of London.

St. Paul's Cathedral

A widely recognized London landmark, St. Paul's Cathedral was built between 1675 and 1710. For its 300th anniversary last year, the cathedral underwent a £40 million restoration project, where both the interior and exterior of the building were repaired and transformed. Popular features of the cathedral include The Aspe, The Quire, the Golden Gallery and the Whispering Gallery. Pass holders can avail of a 10% discount in the shop on purchases over £10.

London Zoo

Said to be the world's oldest scientific zoo, the Zoo has been open to the public since 1847 and houses the largest collection of animals in the United Kingdom, with over 16,800 individuals. London Zoo attractions include the African Bird Safari, the Butterfly Paradise, Gorilla Kingdom, "Into Africa," the Penguin Beach, and a lot more exhibits guaranteed to bring out the child in you.

Thames River Boat Cruise

One of the best ways to see many of the famous attractions of London is through a river boat cruise along the Thames. If you are not a fan of trudging on foot or sightseeing on wheeled vehicles, you will surely enjoy a leisurely cruise where you can view tourist attractions such as the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe, the Tate Modern, Westminster Abbey, and the Big Ben.

Travelers can avail of the London Pass alone or a Pass with the Travelcard. Passes also come in four options: 1, 2, 3, and 6-days. A one-time payment for the Pass or Pass with Travelcard is a one-time thing that will save you money, time, and effort.