Few vacations can rival staying in elegant London hotels and exploring the history of the British Empire. Think of yourself, after listening to a classical music concert in Royal Albert Hall, crossing the street to the north to view a marvelous monument to the Prince Consort, Prince Albert. With the last notes of Vivaldis Four Seasons still playing in your mind, you gaze up at the centerpiece of the Albert Memorial, a seated figure of Prince Albert covered in gold leaf. Then, you take your time, strolling around to view the impressive sculptural Frieze of Parnassus, which depicts 169 composers, poets, architects, painters, and yes, sculptors. You return to your hotel, stopping first for a cup of tea in the lobby, and then go on up to your elegantly appointed room for the night.
Strolling through Hyde Park the next morning, you gaze up at Wellington Arch, also known as Constitution Arch. Planned in 1825 by George IV to commemorate Britain’s victories in the Napoleonic Wars, you are told by a local Londoner that it was conceived as a grand entrance into central London from the west. Also within the park, south of Serpentine Lake, is the Diana, Princess of Wales...