The London best: places to hear the bells

1. The historic occasion

Stand on Westminster Bridge and listen to Big Ben chime 40 times to ring in the Games. The last time Big Ben rang out of its regular schedule was at 9.30am on February 15 1952 — it tolled 56 times for the funeral of King George VI. (Westminster Bridge, SW1)

2. Home of the bells

The Whitechapel Bell Foundry made Big Ben and the Olympic opening ceremony’s 23-ton bell. It has arranged to have people chiming away in the foundry courtyard and all the way out onto the street. (Whitechapel Road, E1)

3. The holy peals

The London Boroughs Faith Network will send a blast of bells rippling down the Thames. They will be honouring not only the Games but the Olympic Truce — the ancient tradition that all wars are suspended so that the Games can take place. (Millennium Bridge, SE1)

4. Chimes of the City

Borough Market traders and the Market Choir will ring bells to mark the start of trading and the market’s official opening for the Games. (Borough Market, SE1)

5. The Breakfast Bell

Everyone who comes to the National Theatre’s celebratory breakfast will be allowed to ring the giant bell that was recently used in Danny Boyle’s production of Frankenstein.

(National Theatre, SE1)