Five Facts About London That Will Impress Your Friends

Visiting the big smoke? Here are our five facts about London that will impress your friends…

1. London was the first city to have an underground railway line

London has long been synonymous with its underground railway or Tube as it is better known. But did you know that London was the first city to have a metro system? Now running through the night on some lines, London’s tube takes many actors and theatre-goers to and from their favourite West End venues week-in, week-out, and it is a vital part of London’s ever growing transport network.

2. Harry Potter has arrived

Harry Potter has arrived in London’s West End, and he is here to stay. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has received rave reviews across the board, and families are being ‘wowed’ by Jack Thorne’s terrific new play. For more information on tickets and show times, visit: http://www.harrypottertheplay.com/

3. Museums are free

Yes, that’s right! It hasn’t always been the case, but now many museums in London are free to enter, and simply request a donation in order to help with their upkeep. The V&A, National Gallery, and Natural History Museum are all amongst London’s free museums and although there are plenty of things to see and do in the capital, the city’s wide range of museums should still find their way somewhere onto the top of the list.

4. London was the first city to host the Summer Olympics three times

Many cities have hosted the Olympic Games on more than one occasion, but London was the first city to have hosted the Olympic games on three separate years. The capital held Olympic Games in 1908, 1948 and more recently in 2012. This year’s Olympic Games in Rio saw tremendous results again for Team GB, who came away with an impressive 67 medals, 27 of which were gold. Well done, Team GB!

5. The rebuilt Shakespeare’s Globe was the only building allowed to have a thatched roof in London since the Great Fire in 1666

In order to try and maintain authenticity, The Globe had to receive permission to build a thatched roof as a law had been put in place in London after the Great Fire of 1666. The Globe is now one of the most reputable performances spaces in London, and opens its doors to a global audience of Shakespeare enthusiasts. For more information on The Globe’s current season, visit: http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/

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