If there is a city worth visiting in 2012, this is London. It’s difficult to have the opportunity to see in the same place the Olympic Games, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, exhibitions on Leonardo, Picasso and Damien Hirst and festivals dedicated to Shakespeare. According to your interest, choose the month in which to start.

Are you a fan of the Royal Family? 2012 is the year of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, which in June, celebrated 60 years of reign. For this reason the city is still decorated with thousands of Union Jack flags, especially along the Thames and the area around Buckingham Palace. The thirtieth edition of the Olympic Games has already begun and it’s scheduled from July 27th to August 12th (the Paralympics are from August 29th to September 9th).

Opens on August 28th until August 12th an exhibition on the history of the Olympics. It should be very interesting because a lot of material on display comes from the Olympic Museum in Lausanne – now closed for restoration – and you will see many historical objects and documents. There are also many films of the period since 1936 about the Olympic torch and Olympic medals since 1896. An exhibition not to be missed for sport lovers and for those who want to see everything that London offers for the Olympic summer of 2012. The exhibition opens daily from 10 to 19, entry is free and it’s hosted by the Royal Opera House.

Certainly the most controversive initiative that celebrates the Olympics is “Hatwalk”: the most famous statues have lent themselves to a whole show on the road. And here, colorful and extravagant hats signed by 21 different designers appear on the most renowned Londinian monuments. Obviously, strictly British style.

The famous statues of Lord Nelson and King George IV that populate Trafalgar Square have been given some new head wear, thanks to Britain’s finest millinery talent. The Hatwalk project curated by hat designers Stephen Jones and Philip Treacy showcases bespoke creations from established and emerging hat designers using the statues of William Shakespeare, Robert Burns, Queen Victoria and the Duke of Wellington.

Hatwalk was commissioned by Mayor Boris Johnson and the British Fashion Council and aims to encourage the public to look up and learn about the dozens of sculptures of famous figures in the capital.

A significative project, a legalized vandalism or just a brand new hat?

Source: Viaggok, Tg24.

•