WELCOME
TO LONDON

26th March 2010

As the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport I’d like to welcome you to London and wish you a wonderful stay in what I believe is one of the most vibrant and exciting capital cities in the world.

All around you are the finest examples of culture, heritage and history. You have the chance to view the very best in performing arts, from street dance to ballet, or jazz to opera or spend some time looking round one of the capital’s galleries or museums, the most popular of which offer free admission.

But as well as the major attractions and sights there are a wealth of discoveries to be made on every street corner. Try exploring one of the markets at the weekend to get a taste of London that is colourful and full of life. Of course there are the famous markets such as Camden and Portobello Road but there are also lesser known and equally exciting discoveries to be made in Columbia Road’s flower market or the longest outdoor street market in Europe in Walthamstow.

Amidst the excitement and bustle there are also plenty of wonderful parks and open spaces to enjoy. Two of our famous Royal Parks, Hyde Park and Green Park, are right in the centre of town but venture further afield and you will find Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath or Greenwich Park, beautiful open spaces which also offer fantastic views back over the city.

After all this exploring you ’ll obviously need to stop and recharge your energy stocks and London offers you an enormous variety of cuisines from all corners of the world. There is of course traditional British food whether it be a pub meal or fish and chips but a walk round China Town or Brick Lane will also tantalise your taste buds and give you a chance to sample the very best in food from London’s multi-cultural communities.

I’m sure that after just a few days here you’ll appreciate that London has a huge amount to offer with so much to explore. There are many of us who experience London life on a daily basis and still make new discoveries, and I hope that whatever you decide to do in this great capital city you’ll enjoy your stay and leave wanting to return for more in the future.

Ben Bradshaw
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport