Richmond upon Thames in a Day: Royal Retreat and Gardens Galore

·Explore the scientific world behind 50,000 living plants and look back to the elegant palaces and pastoral scenery of the 18th century

·Enter the charming conservatory and experience the Temperate House and Palm House

·Wander through the art gallery of classical and contemporary botanical paintings

Kew Gardens, officially known as the Royal Botanic Gardens, was originally a British royal garden, with a collection of about 50,000 species of plants, accounting for about one-eighth of the known plants. It is a world cultural heritage recognized by the United Nations. The botanical garden is huge, and in addition to the conventional garden design, there is also a special wildlife sanctuary. The reserve is close to the Thames River and has a good ecological environment. The history of Kew Gardens can be traced back to 1759, which is a botanical garden covering an area of only 3.5 hectares in the manor. By 1840, Kew Gardens was handed over to government management and gradually opened to the public. Later, after three donations from the Royal family, by 1904, the scale of Kew Gardens reached 121 hectares.

△ Explore remarkable indoor rainforest and discover tropical plants from some of the most threatened environments in the world from the Palm House

△ Kew Palace was constructed in 1631 and serving as the summer home of King George III in the 18th century

△ Venture into high-altitude territory and experience the cool, dry and windy conditions that allow alpine plants to flourish in Davies Alpine House

△ With ten computer-controlled climate zones, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is a glassy labyrinth leading you through a series of fascinating ecosystems

△ The pads of giant Amazon waterlily (Victoria amazonica) grows up to three metres wide

·Admire the 19 magnificent palaces of Buckingham Palace under the auspices of royal members

·Visit the White Drawing Room, the Music Hall, and the Throne Room, andthe designated venue for the coronations of His Majesty the King and the Queen

· Head to the palace’s garden café to enjoy a variety of snacks and enjoy panoramic views of the lake on the lawn

△ During the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, one guard detachment takes over from another guard detachment and then becomes the King's Guard, marching from Wellington Barracks to Buckingham Palace under the accompaniment of music.

△ At the Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace, visitors can view ever-changing exhibitions of the Royal Collection, including masterpieces by old painting masters, rare furniture, decorative arts and a large collection of photography.

△ The Royal Mews is one of the most prestigious working stables in the world and is home to the Royal Coaches, Windsor Grays and Cleveland Seahorses.The stable is still responsible for travel transportation for the King and other members of the Royal Family nowadays.

The British Museum is one of the three greatest museums in the world. It features a rich collection of rare works. The museum was the first to display the Rosetta Stone in its Egyptian Hall. The stone stele is inscribed with a decree in three different languages, and was the invaluable key to understanding language and culture in ancient Egypt. In addition, there are more than 23,000 Chinese relics housed here, the likes of which are rare even in Beijing’s Forbidden City.

Enjoy the iconic panoramic views of the Tower of London, St Pauls and the Shard from the Tower Bridge.

Step onto the Glass Floors, which is 42metres above the River Thames, to feel the london life from a unique perspective.

Explore the historic Engine Rooms, and discover the stories of workers.

The London Tower Bridge is one of London's iconic landmark structures. It is a bascule and suspension bridge that crosses the mighty Thames. It is also a drawbridge, with two bascules that can lift to an angle of 86 degrees to let river traffic to pass.

△ The scenic Tower Bridge.

△ The thrilling Glass Floors.

△ The moment when the Bridge lifts is lauching.

• Visit the place on the north bank of the Thames where kings were crowned and royal family members held weddings

• Stroll through the British State Burial Mausoleum and visit the resting places of royal family members and legendary figures such as Newton, Darwin, and Churchill

• Explore the magnificent, solemn, and quiet representative of Gothic architecture, and experience the thousand-year history of the majestic church

Westminster Abbey situated on the north bank of the River Thames in London, next to the Houses of Parliament, is a magnificent Royal Catholic Cathedral in the Gothic style, a holy place in England, and prominent among the many churches in the country.

The coronation throne of Edward I is located behind the church altar. This dilapidated seat has witnessed the changes of the British royal family for hundreds of years.