Being such a popular city, it can be difficult to arrange what to do for a full day, for the simple fact that there are so many different sights and attractions to take in.
Without taking into account the specific interests of different people, the following schedule is considered to be a great way to spend a full day London break, encompassing a taste of a variety of popular attractions.

Waking early, a stroll around Hyde Park is always strongly recommended. One of the largest parks in London, Hyde Park covers over 350 acres of land (around half of the size of Central Park in New York) and a range of different attractions in itself. From the Holocaust Memorial to the rose garden and plenty of beautiful lakes, an early morning walk through Hyde Park is a perfect way to start the day.

Leaving Hyde Park in the south east corner, you can walk east along Constitution Hill and within a matter of minutes end up at the official residence of the Queen of the United Kingdom, Buckingham Palace.

A beautiful and breathtaking building, part of the palace is open to the public and with the knowledge of a tour guide, you can view the inside of Buckingham Palace and receive information on this wonderful property.

Walking up the Mall and turning north at Trafalgar Square until you are at Piccadilly Circus, jump on the tube here at head to Covent Garden for a late breakfast in one of the many cafes, bistros or restaurants that are available.

After eating, you can take in the nearby sights, including the indoor market and street acts, before taking the tube to either South Kensington or Gloucester Road, both of which are only a small walk away from the National History Museum.

If you are planning to spend time in the National History Museum, it is highly recommended not to plan anything else for the rest of the day, as there are so many different exhibits that several days can be taken up exploring them all.

After finishing at the National History Museum, it is recommended to head back to your hotel and freshen up, before getting a black cab to Leicester Square for an early meal.

The boom in car ownership occurred in the 1950s and 60s. Car ownership in London quadrupled between 1950 and 1970 as standards of living rose and car prices fell. By the mid-1960s, there were 1.5 million cars registered in London and the numbers continued to rise until the end of the century when 2.2 million cars were registered at London addresses.

Increasing car ownership meant increasing traffic congestion. By the 1960s, London’s traffic problem was considered to affect only the evening and morning rush hours in central London. It was not until the 1980s that congestion came to be a problem across London at more or less all hours of the day. This culminated in 2003 with the introduction of the controversial London congestion charge, a fee for motorists traveling within those parts of London designated as the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ). The main objectives of this charge were to reduce congestion, and to raise funds for investment in London’s transport system.

Nowadays, with the rising cost of oil resulting in higher petrol and diesel prices, the cost of owning a car in London is higher than ever. According to the AA, the average cost of a litre of unleaded petrol was 104.2p at the end of 2007; a litre of diesel would have set you back 109.2p.

But the rising price of fuel is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the cost of motoring. According to Sainsbury’s Bank, the average cost of running a car, excluding petrol, is now just over £1,000 a year. And if you have borrowed money to buy your vehicle, as most car owners have, the costs are even higher.

The astronomical expense of motoring has encouraged many people to reconsider whether they need to own a car at all. If you live in a city and only have the occasional need for a set of wheels, it could work out considerably cheaper to ditch your vehicle and instead consider car hire. Rental vehicle companies and city car clubs provide a service that allows you to hire cars near your home for anywhere between half an hour and a month at a time, with the end result is that for a fraction of the cost of running your own car, you could enjoy similar access to a set of wheel whenever you need them.