Nelson Mandela's Capital Show

The most iconic statesman in the world will celebrate his 90th birthday in Hyde Park, London, today (Friday, 27 July) before an adoring crowd. Acts including Annie Lennox, Leona Lewis, Razorlight, Jamelia and Simple Minds will perform in an event which the Queen, Gordon Brown and Bill Clinton will attend. Nelson Mandela has arrived in the British capital for his birthday bash - even though his birthday is not until 18 July - which is designed to raise money for his 46664 campaign which promotes awareness of HIV-Aids in his native Africa. The number 46664 denotes Mandela's prison number while he was incarcerated on Robben Island, during Apartheid.

Prior to his imprisonment as leader of the ANC, Nelson Mandela, visited London in the 1962. Mandela recalled how on a visit to Parliament Square in 1962 he and his friend and fellow civil rights activist, Oliver Tambo, had joked about the prospect of a statue of a black person being erected here. Two years later he was imprisoned for his anti-apartheid activism and remained there for 26 years, until 1990. The plaudits have come thick and fast for Nelson Mandela since, who is now rightly lauded as a man of peace and reconciliation. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1993 and the following year he made history when he became South Africa's first black president.

In August 2007, Mandela unveiled a 2.7 metre high statue of himself in Parliament Square. Things have not all been plain sailing for Mandela he has lost a son to HIV-Aids and has recently been criticised for failing to speak out sooner, and in more vocal terms, about the violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe.

Independent travellers in London might not be able to secure a ticket to the Hyde Park concert, but they can still see Mandela's statue and learn about some of the other greats commemorated in Parliament Square with the Palace Trail, audio downloadable walking tour. To hear an audio sample (featuring a put down by Winston Churchill) from the Palace Trail, mp3 guided tour, please click here.

The Palace Trail begins outside Westminster Abbey. Listeners hear about plotting, fires and politics at the Houses of Parliament and learn about the iconic Big Ben, before hearing about Parliament Square. Walk Talk Tourists will hear about the Cenotaph, Downing Street and Horse Guards site of Mounting the Guard. The tour continues via Charing Cross to Trafalgar Square - where another famous Nelson, Admiral Horatio, is commemorated. The tour then continues under Admirality Arch to St James's Park before ending in front of Buckingham Palace. Sounds a lot? The tour can comfortably be completed in two hours, but with a Walk Talk Tour, you're free to spend as little or as long exploring the attractions en route. You can always consult our Where & When pages, which provide information on the opening times of attractions along each tour's route.

There are five Walk Talk Tours of London, which are available in English, French, German and Spanish. With a Walk Talk Tour, London travel guide, you're in charge. No need to stick out like a sore thumb with a guidebook in your hands, or struggle to follow like a lemming the man with the umbrella. Let alone hear what he or she says.

Each Walk Talk Tour podcasted guided tour comes complete with an easy to follow downloadable map - for you to print off - so you won't miss a thing.

Walk Talk Tours represent excellent value for people travelling in groups and parties. Each individual Walk Talk Tour of London costs just £5.95.

In addition there are two Walk Talk Tours of Edinburgh, and a Walk Talk Tour of York and a Walk Talk Tour of Manchester.