This paper offers a traveler's overview of London, England, written from the perspective of an American planning a leisure visit. It examines London's natural landscapes and urban scale, the political climate under Gordon Brown's Labour government, the religious makeup and daily customs of British society, how Britons tend to perceive Americans, and a curated list of must-see historical sites including Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, the National Gallery, and Big Ben. Drawing on sources ranging from early twentieth-century travel writing to contemporary journalism, the paper provides cultural context useful for any prospective U.S. visitor.
The primary motivation for this leisure visit to London is to experience the spectacular countryside and the vast stretches of natural beauty that Britain has to offer. The British take great pride in their natural environment and maintain it carefully. Travelers can find magnificent nature reserves and national parks throughout Britain, offering a genuine chance to discover the country's natural splendor ("Gardens & Countryside," n.d.).
London stands on the River Thames and holds the distinction of being the largest and most prosperous city in Britain — one that history has had an extraordinary opportunity to shape. London stretches at least a dozen miles in both length and breadth, and its population has historically numbered in the millions, with its outer areas adding considerably to that figure. The city contains approximately one million houses, and its countless streets, if placed end to end, would reach across Europe. It encompasses about 16,000 acres of open spaces, adds roughly 20 miles of new pavement each year, and welcomes enough new residents annually to populate an entire country town. For the statistically minded, over 20,000 ships from nearly every nation enter its ports each year, and 9,000 trains run into its stations daily (Moncrieff, 1910).
Following the end of Tony Blair's decade-long tenure in power, Gordon Brown of the Labour Party — who had served as Finance Minister in Blair's government — became the new Prime Minister of England. Brown was widely regarded as among the most knowledgeable pro-American politicians to hold that office since Winston Churchill. A thoughtful admirer of America and its superpower status, he took pride in his close ties with American leaders and had deliberately sought to emulate much of what the United States had been doing in public policy over the preceding decade.
However, Mr. Brown found himself compelled, for domestic political reasons, to distance himself from the United States. The Iraq War placed his Labour Party in serious difficulty, and the previously waning Conservative Party had reinvigorated itself and once again appeared a credible challenger. Brown faced a charisma contest against Conservative leader David Cameron. With Labour's left wing angry over the party's entanglement in Bush-Blair foreign policy, Brown had to put considerable distance between himself and Washington (Baker, 2007).
Christianity is the dominant religion in the United Kingdom, with approximately 72% of the population identifying as Christian, though roughly 66% have no meaningful connection to any religion or church, regardless of what they declare on official forms. Religion in Britain has experienced a significant decline since the 1950s, and all indicators point toward the continued secularization of British society, in line with trends in other European countries such as France. Among other faiths, London has the highest proportions of Muslims (8.5%), Hindus (4.1%), Jews (2.1%), Buddhists (0.8%), and people of other religions (0.5%). Christianity is practiced by 58% of Londoners, with the highest concentration in the borough of Havering. Sixteen percent of London's population state that they do not belong to any religion (Crabtree, 2007).
Traditionally, daily British life and customs differed markedly between urban and rural areas. Much of English literature and popular culture has explored the tensions between town and country, and between farm and factory. Even today, the English remain among the world's most cosmopolitan and well-traveled people, yet their connection to the rural past remains strong. Urban dwellers, for instance, often retire to villages and country cottages, and even the smallest urban dwelling is likely to have a garden.
Many English holidays — such as Christmas — are celebrated around the world, though the traditional English Christmas is a less commercialized affair and more an occasion for singing and feasting. Remembrance Day is observed every November 11 to honor British soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War. In terms of food, English cuisine has traditionally been based on beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and fish, typically prepared simply and served with potatoes and one other vegetable, or, in the case of fish, as cod or haddock ("Cultural Life, Daily Life and Social Customs," 2007).
Fish and chips has long been one of England's most popular takeaway dishes. For middle-income households, the centerpiece of the weekly family meal was traditionally the Sunday joint — a substantial cut of beef, lamb, or pork roasted in the morning and served at midday. By the 1980s, American-style fast food establishments had spread across the country, and the rapid postwar growth of holiday travel to Europe — particularly to France, Spain, Greece, and Italy — introduced the English to new foods, flavors, and ingredients ("Cultural Life, Daily Life and Social Customs," 2007). Comparing New York and London, both cities display the influence of an unbroken succession of individualistic impulses, sometimes correcting and sometimes amplifying each other. Each city was largely built at the discretion of private individuals, with the community periodically intervening to reclaim shared advantage (Howells, 1911).
America is undeniably indebted to European and particularly British cultural forces and forms; nevertheless, through recognition of an Anglo-American cultural unity, it is also possible to appreciate the significant contribution of African Americans to Victorian-era stage entertainment in Britain (Riis, 1986). The British tend to perceive Americans through a lens of what might be called "American Excess" — a product of a background of abundance that those with less could never fully identify with (Gladkowski, 1994).
The connection between the United Kingdom and the United States is, in fact, far stronger and closer than most Britons acknowledge. To a considerable extent, British perceptions of Americans are shaped by Americans themselves. It has been noted that just as Wales differs from England along ideological lines, the United States could theoretically be understood as comprising several distinct cultural nations ("Dancing the Polka with Miss El Cajon," 2007).
Any visit to England in general, and London in particular, would be incomplete without exploring its places of historical interest. Several landmarks stand out as essential destinations for any traveler.
Westminster Abbey has a long and storied history. It was built upon what was once an island — Thorney Island — a marshy retreat from the City of London. St. Paul's Cathedral occupies a site where the first church was built in 604 AD, just eight years after the first Christian mission under St. Augustine arrived in Kent. That original wooden church was established by King Ethelbert of Kent as the seat of Mellitus, the first Bishop of the East Saxons.
The Tower of London, founded nearly a millennium ago, has been expanded by numerous monarchs across the centuries. Its first foundations were laid in 1078, and the castle has been augmented and extended ever since. It holds the distinction of being the oldest palace, fortress, and prison in Europe. The Museum of London is among the largest and most comprehensive city museums in the world. It houses artifacts spanning half a million years of human history across 14 galleries covering every aspect of London's life. Items are carefully arranged from the prehistoric period to the present and include costumes, decorative arts, oral histories, photographs, paintings, toys, watches, weapons, ceramics, coins, glassware, and much more ("London Travel Guide," 2007).
The National Gallery houses one of the greatest collections of Western European paintings in the world. More than 2,300 paintings are on display, representing the period from 1250 to 1900. To help visitors navigate the collection, themed trails and audio guides are available. Notable works include paintings by Monet, Rembrandt, and Leonardo da Vinci, as well as Van Gogh's Sunflowers and John Constable's The Hay Wain. Works by Michelangelo and Van Dyck are also part of the collection.
"British attitudes and perceptions toward Americans"
"Top London sites for visiting tourists"
"Cited sources and bibliography"
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