The glorious spring at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

  The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, or also known as Kew Gardens, is the world's largest collection of living plants. It makes a good half day or day trip from London, a break from the concrete city if you are already tired of statues and buildings and galleries and museums. People like me who likes to poke around every nook and corner will take almost whole day here because Kew Garden really has a lot to offer, even if you are not a botany enthusiast. And it's really, really huge... 121 hectares of land.

Banqueting House, Whitehall

 

If you like palaces and grand places, take a peep into Whitehall Banqueting House. It's not that far from Trafalgar Square, along the Whitehall road. It doesn't appear any grander from the other buildings on the outside and you may miss it. This is how the entrance looks like, and that's James' I bronze bust head, Charles' I father.

Whitehall was in my itinerary partly because of my fascination with King Henry VIII. Supposedly it was taken away upon the fall of Cardinal Wolsey (as he did with Hampton Court) and revamped to be a grander version that suited his taste better (well, he was known as one of the fashionable monarch last time). Originally it was named as named York place.He married Anne Boleyn here. Pocahontas was among the celebrated guest here.

Currently it is under the care of Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that also took care of Tower of London, Hampton Court, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. So in your ticket price you may or not add in the donation portion. Some may feel that the admission rate is rather pricey but I guess it takes a lot of effort to maintain the beautiful ceiling paintings and the hall itself. Plus, what is not expensive in London? :p