Where to begin with London? This vibrant, mutlicultural, 24-hour city where over 300 languages are spoken is like nowhere else on the planet. When it comes to new trends, unconventional ideals, counter-culture, sub-culture, you-name-it-whatever-you-like culture, London screams and the world listens. But on the other side of the coin is a city so sophisticated, so chic, so utterly charming it’ll make you feel like a film star playing the lead role in your very own movie – but without spending a movie star salary.
To some, this is just mindless graffiti. To others, the less conventional and more open-minded to the concept of beauty, it makes every street an art gallery. Take a guided tour (www.ooh.com/blog/general/1653/), or find locations to see street art for free (www.ukstreetart.co.uk/).
Dine out with a difference at a "pop-up" restaurant (www.savoytrufflesupperclub.com/), which is essentially a restaurant set up in a private home. These underground eateries offer a sense of adventure and surprise, and are the coolest way to eat out right now.
Portobello, Camden, Spitalfields, Borough – there are markets at every point of the compass in London. Great for one-off clothes, unique homeware, handmade jewellery, antiques and quirky gifts – and always bargain prices.
Ingenious club promoters have been setting up nightclubs in strange London locations for years. Check out Shunt (www.shunt.co.uk/) in London Bridge tube station, The Bathhouse (www.thebathhousevenue.com/) in a Victorian bathhouse and Ginglik (www.ginglik.co.uk/index.php?id=fridays.html) and Public Life (www.publiclife.org.uk/) both in public toilets!
London is the freerunning centre of the world with Urban Freeflow (www.urbanfreeflow.com/) in the driving seat. London’s Trafalgar Square played host to the Barclaycard World Freerun Championship 2009 and you can watch the athletes practising (www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dh0b9ywOs) at South Bank.
London’s newest and largest in-town mall, housed in a cutting-edge new construction, has over 260 shops including 40 designer stores. Head down to the sales (summer, winter and mid-season) for up to 75% off luxury brands.
This glossy champagne bar oozes chic with its mirrored corridors and slick furnishings, but what’s really special is what’s outside – at 590 feet above street level it offers unsurpassed views of capital from specially designed glass ledges.
London is where fashion ideas start, creative talents bloom and trend-setting labels begin. If you visit during London Fashion Week (www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/), in February and September, you’ll sense that the whole city alive with the buzz of the industry.
Michelin-starred restaurants (www.visitbritain.com/en/things-to-see-and-do/interests/food-drink/features/celebrity-chefs/michelin-star-miniscule-price.aspx) now offer amazing low-cost meals, particularly on their lunch menus where you can dine in luxury for as little as £7. Even our favourite celebrity-chef restaurants have joined in.
London offers some of the world's best theatre and musicals. As well as long-running London theatre shows like Billy Elliot, The Lion King, Joseph and Mamma Mia, visitlondon.com shows current highlights of London's world-class theatre offerings.
See it for Yourself See all that London has to offer on a fully guided hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tour with The Original London Sightseeing Tour (visitbritain.e-line.nu/servlet/us_pyra?wts.PAGE=h_ix3.htm&$GUEST=FI&wts.ACTION=loginguest&$echoType=VU&$echoCode=440&p=H). If you’d rather go sightseeing on your own, we can recommend you to visit our webshop (www.visitbritain.fi/shop) for tickets to various attractions, London Sightseeing Passes (visitbritain.e-line.nu/servlet/us_pyra?wts.PAGE=h_ix3.htm&$GUEST=FI&wts.ACTION=loginguest&$echoType=VU&$echoCode=447&p=H), train passes (visitbritain.e-line.nu/servlet/us_pyra?wts.PAGE=h_ix3.htm&$GUEST=FI&wts.ACTION=loginguest&$echoType=VU&$echoCode=304&p=H), Oyster Cards (visitbritain.e-line.nu/servlet/us_pyra?wts.PAGE=h_ix3.htm&$GUEST=FI&wts.ACTION=loginguest&p=H?url=/shop) and much more. See London Destination Guide
Fly to Britain in style with great value British Airways flights. All British Airways flights include complimentary refreshments, online check-in and luggage allowance at no extra cost.