Take time out in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan 24-hour cities
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Museums and galleries:
London is home to more than 200
museums and
galleries hosting everything from blockbuster art shows to crowd-pulling interactive displays.
Start with the world-famous Tate Modern art gallery, the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert
Museum and plot your route from there
- Heritage and days out: popular attractions include the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, Greenwich’s Royal Observatory and the Houses of Parliament. Find out more about:
- Europe’s best nightlife: around half a million people go clubbing in London every Saturday night. Choose from superstar DJ hangouts such as Pacha, Fabric and the Ministry of Sound to cutting-edge smaller venues such as Favela Chic and 333
- Theatres and music halls: West End musicals such as the Sound of Music and Spamalot, Chekhov at the Royal Court, opera at the Hackney Empire, hilarious acts at the Comedy Store, contemporary dance at Sadler’s Wells… choose from more than 100 venues
- Multicultural London: more than 300 languages are spoken in the capital; sample authentic Chinese cuisine in Chinatown or Bengali curries on Brick Lane, Turkish life on Green Lanes, Lambeth’s ‘little Portugal’, French couture in Notting Hill and much more
- World-class classical music: London is home to five symphony orchestras, two leading opera houses — the restored Royal Opera House at Covent Garden and the nearby London Coliseum — plus a huge choice of concerts at multi-arts centres such as the Barbican, the Royal Albert Hall and the refurbished Southbank Centre. Find out more about what London has to offer
- Shops galore: choose from big name stores such as Harrods, Selfridges, Fortnum and Mason, Liberty’s and Lilywhites, vibrant markets including Portobello Road, Spitalfields and Camden, and some of the world’s most fashionable shopping areas such as Covent Garden, Kings Road and New Bond Street
- Beautiful parks: green space makes up some 30% of London, with the royal parks of Kensington Gardens, Regents Park, Hyde Park, St James Park and Richmond Park among the most popular. Boating lakes, zoos, open-air theatres, fountains, lidos, woodland and sports grounds abound. Find out more about:
- Unrivalled sport: spectator highlights include tennis at Wimbledon, football at the new Wembley Stadium, cricket at Lords, rugby at Twickenham, racing at Ascot and, in 2012, the Olympics at Stratford. Try ice-skating, roller blading, swimming, biking, sailing, climbing, bowling, basketball, golf and much more
- Spectacular festivals and events: highlights include the Notting Hill Carnival, Chinese New Year celebrations, the Oxford and Cambridge boat race, the London marathon, Chelsea Flower Show, Trooping the Colour, the BBC Proms, Open House architecture week and the London Jazz Festival and much more.
