London

see today. English may be the national tongue, but sometimes it seems that the entire world has come to live in London. Whether you re in the Jewish heart of London at Hampstead and Golders Green, in the Middle Eastern heartland of Edgware Road and the Gallic heart of South Kensington or Afro-Caribbean Brixton with its famous Saturday market, London has a dizzying diversity that makes each of the city s boroughs unique.

With an accumulation of buildings spanning many centuries, the architecture in London is a fascinating hodgepodge of construction materials, styles and eras. The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, London Bridge, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace are some of the world s most recognisable structures, rubbing shoulders with contemporary counterparts such as the Shard, the Gherkin and the London Eye. Down streets and alleyways, charming old pubs stand alongside stately department stores, soaring skyscrapers, majestic cathedrals, charming terrace houses and low rise villages.

A tireless innovator of art and culture, London has some of the finest and most diverse museums and galleries in the world. With museums ranging from popular to quirky, some include the British Museum, Natural History Museum, the Victoria Albert Museum, the Sherlock Holmes Museum and the Old Operating Theatre Museum. Well-known galleries offering unique collections include the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, the National Portrait Gallery and Saatchi Gallery to name but a few.

For performance art, you can t go past London s Theatre district in the West End. For cheaper tickets on the day of the performance, visit the Leicester Square Box Office and purchase last minute seats for matinee and evening performances of the all the popular and lesser known stage shows. There is no shortage of live music venues, nightclubs, bars and concerts to visit of a night time or for a quiet meal, grab a cheap and cheerful bite in the corner pub, dine in a Michelin-starred restaurant, eat cuisine from around the world in a huge range of speciality restaurants and for a late-night snack, the local curry house or kebab shop are an English institution.

The shopping in London is second to none with options ranging from haute couture to high street fashion and colourful flea markets selling vintage, second-hand and the latest, original items by up-and-coming designers. Popular clothing markets include Portobello, Camden and Petticoat Lane while overly populated shopping areas include Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, King s Road and Canada Square in the Dockland s. For the best in luxury and designer clothing and bespoke tailoring, Bond Street, Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Savile Row are your best bets.

Whether you re a monarchist or a staunch republican, it is difficult not to be enraptured by all the iconic representations of Royal London. With a history dating back to medieval times, the British Monarchy is one of the best-known Royal Families in the world. From the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London to the Gold State Coach in the Royal Mews, Kew Palace in the lovely Kew Gardens to the home of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace. See some of Princess Diana s famous dresses on display at Kensington Palace or watch the regimented Changing of the Guards ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

One of the greenest capitals in the world, London has an abundance of wide-open parks, gardens, public greens and leafy escapes all over the city. With no two the same, all of them are crowded places to catch some sun in summer and a peaceful spot to enjoy a picnic or get some exercise and fresh air. Green Park is a leafy-green park that was closed off as a hunting ground until 1826. Hyde Park is one of the largest Royal Parks in London and features Speakers Corner where, on a Sunday, you can listen to people jump up on the soapbox and have their say about anything and everything. Admire the views of Buckingham Palace from St James Park, smell the roses or hire a row-boat in the carefully manicured and pretty Regent s Park or stroll through the wild and untamed grassy sprawl of Hampstead Heath with its 791 acres of woodlands, meadows and swimming ponds.

For sport, London has plenty of world-famous venues. See the cricket in Lord s, the tennis at Wimbledon, join the masses in the London Marathon or take a tour of Wembley and Twickenham Stadiums. With 13 professional football teams, more than any other city in the world, enjoy the atmosphere of a home match where some of England s leading clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspurs attract sell-out crowds at every game. For some friendly rivalry, see the traditional University Boat Race held on the Thames every year towards the end of March beginning of April, where teams from Oxford and Cambridge Universities vie for the winning title. The race has been held since 1829 and annually since 1856 and draws crowds of hundreds of thousands plus millions watching it on TV.

If you still have time, spend the day at Greenwich where you can visit the Royal Observatory and stand astride two hemispheres over the Prime Meridian Line at the home of Greenwich Mean Time. Walk on and beneath the world-famous ship, Cutty Sark. See the striking Millennium Dome, wander around the National Maritime Museum or watch a live band play at The O2.