This 3-day itinerary concentrates on the East End of London, close to the main Olympic venues, and coincidentally close to the city’s Roman origins as Londinium. It is a celebration of all that is quintessentially British and takes a side trip to visit Greenwich. Location for the Olympic equestrian events, it reveals the United Kingdom’s great maritime history, and is of course from where all time is measured.
It is fitting that London should be the Host City for the Olympic Games in 2012, making it the first city ever to host the games three times. The year also marks the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, as only the second British monarch to celebrate 60 years on the throne. The last Olympic Games to be held in London took place in 1948, after the Games had taken an involuntary 12-year absence due to World War II, but the first London Olympics took place in 1908. Originally due to be held in Rome, they were relocated at the 11th hour following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906.
In 1948, the United Kingdom won almost 100 more medals than its nearest rival, the United States. While it seems unlikely to achieve such accolades again any time soon, one thing is for certain; in tourism terms, the United Kingdom is a definite medal winner, and London has taken the gold in 2012.
