UPM SKYPE EXCHANGE 3

In December we run a Skype exchange with students at Madrid Technical University (UPM); here are the practical guides that we created for students in English & Spanish

LEISURE AND CULTURAL GUIDE OF LONDON

London is the capital of the United Kingdom and with nearly eight million inhabitants is one of the most important cultural centers in the whole world.

Therefore you can find some relevant museums or galleries like the British Museum where you can find millions rare things from around the globe, from prehistoric to modern times. In 1824 the National Gallery was founded and nowadays it contains and amassing collection of Western paintings. The national gallery of British art is at Tate Britain, in 2000 this collection moved to Tate Modern. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a more scientific museum you should go to the "Albertopolis", a cultural and scientific quarter. Three major national museums are located there: the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. If you want to meet fake famous people you can also visit Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

London city is also home to many orchestras and concert halls, such as the Barbican Arts Centre, where you can find London Symphony Orchestra, Cadogan Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. London has also two opera houses: the Royal Opera House and the Coliseum Theatre.

However if you are looking for modern music you should go to London’s arenas shuch asincluding Earls Court, Wembley Arena and the O₂ Arena. Several music festivals are held in London for example the Wireless Festival. An important place for music is the Abbey Road Studios where The Beatles recorded many of their hits.

In London there are also huge parks like the Royal Parks of Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens at the West of central London and Regent's Park on the northern part of the city. In the last one you can find the London Zoo the oldest scientific zoo. If you walk a bit you can reach Primrose Hill where you can enjoy one of the best places in the city to view London’s skyline. Hyde Park is popular for sports and sometimes hosts open-air concerts.

             If you are a shopaholic you will be delighted because in London there are loads of different places to go shopping. If you’re looking for 'high street' shops you can go to Oxford Street, which sometimes become really crowded. Alternatively for a less busy, more relaxing shopping experience, you can go to Covent Garden, where you can have an expensive cappuccino, and watch some street theatre at the same time.

Moreover there are some flea markets in London where you can buy whatever you had never thought before. There are flea markets about Arts and antiques, flower etc. It is very famous the one in Portobello Road where you can find great antiques

"Portobello Market" Copyright Rosalind Mitchell

If you travel with friends there are a lot of places to go in our free time. The main attraction for foreign people and native citizens of course, are pubs because there are so many types. For example people can choose between the traditional pubs where you can drink beer and others option like pubs with live music, or gastro-pubs where you can have a good meal with friends.

CLARA FABIANA GONZÁLEZ MIGUEL

JAVIER DOMÍNGUEZ MARTÍNEZ