London is certainly one of the most famous cities in the world. Many things can be connected with the name London such as; late Princess Diana, The Queen of England, Big Ben, Baker Street, the River Thames and the Greenwich Observatory to name but a few. The exciting history of London is waiting to be explored around every corner.

Life in London can be harsh sometimes. London has survived the Black Death, in 1348, that is said to have halved London's population to 30,000. In 1665, the Great Plague killed 100,000 - over a fifth of the population. The cholera epidemic in 1849 killed 14,000, and yet London continues to thrive and is now home to over 7 million of people making it by far the largest city in Europe (and one of the largest in the world). These figures are from Census 2001.

London is a cosmopolitan type of city, it consists of so many different communities where different nationalities and cultures live side by side.

You can find Irish people inhabiting one London area next to Jewish and Muslim people. In certain parts you will meet Greeks, Americans, New Zealanders, Germans, Africans etc. With so many people living here there is a great percent of foreigners and you can say that when you venture to London centre (Piccadilly Circus) you stand more chance of hearing any kind of language but English. Considering beauty, fame and the size of London it is no wonder that so many people choose to stay, work and live here.

Travelling across London can at times be difficult, particularly by car - the average traffic speed in the West End is just 8 miles per hour! The large tube system makes travel through London rapid though at certain times of day it can be overcrowded. There is a downside to London - it can sometimes seem dirty, noisy or overcrowded. Despite these things you WILL have a great time staying in London and may find yourself returning again and again for the unique city experience of London.

Londinium -

There is evidence of scattered Celtic settlements along the Thames, but no firm proof that central London was permanently settled by the Celts before the arrival of the Romans. Julius Caesar led several small cross-Channel incursions in 55 and 54 BC, but it wasn`t until nearly a century later, in 43 AD, that a full-scale invasion force of some 40,000 Roman troops landed in Kent.

In 60 AD , the East Anglian people, Iceni, rose up against the invaders under their queen Boudicca and sacked Camolodunum (modern Colchester), slaughtering most of the Legion sent from Lindum (Lincoln), and making their way to the ill-defended town of Londinium. According to the archeological evidence, Londinium was burnt to the ground. Iceni were eventually defeated and Boudicca committed suicide.

The evidence suggests that Londinium later on emerged as a new commercial capital, and was at its most prosperous and populous from around 80 AD to 120 AD. When Rome was sacked by the Visigoths in 410 AD, Romans officially abandoned the city never to return.

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