From Darwin’s discoveries to the largest botanical garden, explore London’s unparalleled diversity
A walk down London’s streets will be punctuated by a range of dialects, from Mandarin to Jamaican patois. As the most culturally diverse city in Europe, one third of its residents are from abroad. The metropolis melds heritage into a celebration of art, history, and science. But there are smaller details to be seen in its famous attractions.
London was nicknamed the Big Smoke for the thick smog that once hung over the coal-powered city. Although it’s still referred to by its air-pollution inspired name, the English capital is working towards being the greenest city in the world by 2050. Three thousand parks are scattered across the city, including Kew Gardens where the world’s largest botanical collection grows. In this UNESCO World Heritage Site, marvel at 50 000 species of living plants, including the rare Indonesian corpse flower and Namibian welwitschia. Among Victorian-era greenhouses, an 18th-century Great Pagoda overlooks the grounds. A trip to the Japanese Landscape in spring will immerse visitors in the iconic cherry blossoms. While rain for more than half the year enables this landscape to flourish, there are an abundance of discoveries to be made indoors.
In the Natural History Museum, findings by Charles Darwin form part of 80 million specimens. Encounter a first edition of his On the Origin of Species in the Treasures Gallery. Other samples preserved at the museum include coral which spawned the biologist’s understanding of the relationship between volcanoes and reefs, and the pigeons that helped develop his theory on evolution. In the Tank Room is his favourite specimen – a palm-sized octopus.
Beyond the immortalised animals of the museum, lions made from melted cannons at Trafalgar Square guard the city’s prime meeting spot. The site of gatherings for centuries, it has seen suffragette rallies, anti-war demonstrations and climate change protests. Today, holiday celebrations including New Years Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, and Diwali attract thousands of people to the square. Join them here and experience London’s unparalleled diversity.
