Hi from Rick: London "Yesterday and Today"
I just spent two weeks in London, updating my guidebooks and filming a new public television special. While yesterday's London — with its Beefeaters, red buses, and Big Ben — is still a sightseers' delight, today's London features skyscrapers with attitude and the regeneration of once churning then abandoned industrial sights — like the Battersea Power Station.
A century ago, this brick beast was a symbol of London's coal-fired might, producing one-fifth of the city's energy needs. But its 300-foot-tall smokestacks also pumped out terrible pollution that turned lungs black and helped London earn its nickname, "the Big Smoke" — and as coal fell out of favor, Battersea fell silent. In the 1980s, it was decommissioned and stood for decades as a dark, rusty, and abandoned industrial site, waiting to be demolished.
But that's not how London works. Rather than bulldoze its past — this city recycles it. Battersea is alive again, not as a smoke-belching power plant, but as a sleek, upmarket shopping mall, with modern condos and park-like landscaping stretching down to the Thames. Its piers — originally designed to receive coal shipments — now offload tourists arriving by sightseeing boat eager to ride a glassy pod to the top of its towering chimney for a commanding 360-degree city view.
London is filled with similar "regeneration" projects. The Tate Modern art gallery, filling the shell of another old power station, comes with a dash of Dada and a dollop of Dalí. The Docklands — once the world's biggest shipping port, then a derelict wasteland — is once again churning with commerce. Industrial Age canals with tow paths that once hauled cargo-laden barges are now busy with strollers and picnickers. And plush former banks now house vibrant pubs — casks of real ale filling their vaults. These are not your typical "sights." But in the right context, a visit to any offers inspiring insights into London's industrial past and its innovative present.
On Rick Steves tours, we give you that context. We fine-tune our itineraries to go beyond the big hits, mixing must-see historic sights with modern experiences so you see how a place was…and is. On our Best of London in 7 Days tour, you'll visit the Churchill War Rooms, Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul's Cathedral. And you'll also walk through diverse, up-and-coming East London looking for signs of Banksy; learn how the oldest part of town now hosts a forest of skyscrapers — many with funny nicknames and "sky gardens" open to the public; and have plenty of free time to explore more examples of how, in London, today grows out of yesterday.
And this approach isn't unique to our London itinerary. It's also part of all 40 of our itineraries. In this month's Tour News, we'll share colorful slideshows of what you'll experience (old and new) on our Best of England in 14 Days tour and our Best of South England in 13 Days tour, from ancient stone circles and medieval cathedrals to cute-and-cozy villages and spectacular scenery. We'll also highlight one of our great English guides, Liz Boardman, London's world-class museums, and what our tour members love about traveling in England.
And the inspiring "regeneration" of London is just one of many examples of how Europe is a work in progress. From Helsinki to Lisbon, Dublin to Vienna, and Amsterdam to Istanbul, we love to weave the continent's dynamic cities — always changing, always growing — into your European experience.
Happy travels,
Rick
PS: Whether you're taking a tour or traveling on your own, if you're heading to the United Kingdom, you'll need to get digital entry authorization called an ETA before you arrive. It's quick and easy, but there's a specific procedure you'll need to follow: Learn more about the UK's Electronic Travel Authorization.