London 2

London is the capital of England and home to Westminster Palace, where the UK government sits. The river Thames flows through the city centre. With its 43 universities, London has the highest concentration of higher education institutions in Europe. The city’s famous buses have not always been red. Crows have lived in the Tower of London since the 17th century and legend has it that when they take flight the crown collapses. The London underground, known by locals as the tube, is the oldest underground railway network in the world. It is composed of 274 stations and 16 lines, stretching over a total of 253 miles. London is considered one of the greenest capital cities in the world with 14,000 hectares of public parks, woods and gardens. Oxford Street is often described as the longest shopping street in the world with more than 300 shops on a 1.2 mile stretch running from Marble Arch. It welcomes around 200 million shoppers each year. Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper and Oliver Twist are all tied up in the city’s cultural heritage.