England
Independent London: Story of a City
Program No. 25325RJ
Discover how an obscure trading post on the edge of the Roman Empire became a world capital as you experience London like a local, with plenty of time for independent exploration.
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9 days
8 nights
14 meals
7B 4L 3D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
2
Arrive London, Check-In, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
London, England
3
Temple of Mithras, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall
London, England
4
Tower of London, All Hallows by the Tower, Smithfield.
London, England
5
St. Paul’s Cathedral.
London, England
6
Thames River Trip, London Museum Docklands, Greenwich Walk
London, England
7
Lecture, Victoria and Albert Museum, Imperial War Museum
London, England
8
Palace of Westminster, Free afternoon, Farewell Dinner
London, England
9
Program Concludes
In Flight
At a Glance
From Roman roots to the modern monarchy, London’s story goes back millennia and includes fascinating characters, iconic monuments and riveting events. Along this educational adventure, get valuable insight from your expert instructors and then independently discover the corners of London that call to you most. Explore across the city as you ride a boat along the Thames, journey to Whitehall and Kensington via a coach and walk through historic treasures such as Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London. Experience history firsthand in museums including the Museum of London Docklands and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Between lectures and discussions with your fellow Road Scholars and plenty of time for independent exploration, you’ll get an entirely new perspective on the story of London.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to 3 miles and 3 hours per day with periods of standing, many times in crowded areas. Getting on and off public transportation/motorcoach. Terrain includes cobblestones and some stairs.
Independent City Discoveries
Learn with a Group Leader and enjoy educational programming while also getting substantial independent time to explore on your own. Most Independent City Discoveries include lectures, self-guided excursions and passes for public transit and museums.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Explore the Roman and Saxon origins of London by discovering the remains still visible in the 21st century city.
- Visit the world-famous Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London as well as lesser-known and overlooked sites to uncover London's amazing 2,000-year story.
- Explore independently with detailed advice from local scholars, resident experts and personalized leaders.
Suggested Reading List
(8 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Independent London: Story of a City
Program Number: 25325
London: The Illustrated History
One volume introduction to London’s history from the Thames Valley area before London’s foundation to plans for 2012 Olympic Games. Good for historic images, maps and infographics
London, A Literary Anthology
Ranging from the 15th century to the present day, the British Library’s generous selection of poems and novel excerpts evokes the spirit of London through the ages. Full-color works of art from the library's collection are interspersed throughout.
Greater London: The Story of the Suburbs
Hugely detailed but very readable account of the development of London from the Roman’s one square mile to over 600 square miles today.
Eyewitness Guide London
This superb guide to London features color photography, dozens of excellent neighborhood maps and a district-by-district synopsis of the city's attractions. Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this is the guide to carry.
London - The Biography
Probably there is no one better placed than Ackroyd--the author of mammoth lives of Dickens and Blake, and novels such as Hawksmoor and Dan Leno and the Lime House Golem which set singular characters against the backdrop of a city constantly shifting in time--to write such a rich, sinewy account of "Infinite London".
Ackroyd's London is no mere chronology. Its chapters take on such varied themes as drinking, sex, childhood, poverty, crime and punishment, sewage, food, pestilence and fire, immigration, maps, theatre and war. We learn that gin was "the demon of London for half a century", and that "it has been estimated that in the 1740s and 1750s there were 17,000 'gin-houses'." Fleet Street was an area known for its "violent delights" where "a 14-year-old boy, only 18 inches high, was to be seen in 1702 at a grocer's shop called the Eagle and Child by Shoe Lane." By the mid 19th century "London had become known as the greatest city on earth." By 1939 "one in five of the British population had become a Londoner."
Londoners
Drawing on the unforgettable stories of nearly 100 Londoners, Taylor provides a rich and vivid kaleidoscopic view of modern-day London through the diverse voices of those who, regardless of whether they love or hate it, capture the heart and soul of one of the world's greatest cities.
London Stories
Collection of 26 stories capturing the essence of London through time. Includes work by Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, Muriel Spark and a host of famous and lesser known authors.
The Making of Modern London
History of London from 1815 to the modern day. The overarching narrative is supplemented with personal accounts by Londoners over the past 200 years which bring the story alive.
