Speaking of transportation, you can get a solid grip on London with the famous double-decker bus tours. These typically red busses are a classic London institution. While the first double-deckers originated in France, they gave up on them in the early 19th century. London, however, took the idea and ran with it. Originally serving an exclusively practical purpose for teeming throngs needing rides, the busses are now exclusively running on a couple of “heritage routes,” and are packed mainly with tourists.