LONDON

A tourist's paradise - from the famous Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Whitehall and St James Park, London Eye to Trafalgar Square via the cabinet war rooms and the horse guards. Westminster, St James Square and Trafalgar Square in London is an important stop for any tourist or foreigner staying and working in London.

With a population of just under eight million, London is Europe's largest city, spreading across an area of more than 620 square miles from its core on the River Thames. Ethnically it's also Europe's most diverse metropolis: around two hundred languages are spoken within its confines, and more than thirty percent of the population is made up of first-, second- and third-generation immigrants. Despite Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish devolution, London still dominates the national horizon, too: this is where the country's news and money are made, it's where the central government resides and, as far as its inhabitants are concerned, provincial life begins beyond the circuit of the city's orbital motorway. Londoners' sense of superiority causes enormous resentment in the regions, yet it's undeniable that the capital has a unique aura of excitement and success – in most walks of British life, if you want to get on you've got to do it in London.

For the visitor, too, London is a thrilling place – and in the last few years, the city has been in a relatively buoyant mood. Thanks to the national lottery and the millennium-oriented funding frenzy, virtually every one of London's world-class museums, galleries and institutions has been reinvented, from the Royal Opera House to the British Museum. In the Tate Modern and the London Eye, the city can now boast the world's largest modern art gallery and Ferris wheel, and the first new bridge to cross the Thames for over a hundred years. Furthermore, following sixteen years of being the only major city in the world not to have its own governing body, London finally acquired its own elected assembly in 2000, along with a mayor who's determined to try and solve one of London's biggest problems: transport.

In the meantime, London's traditional sights – Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London – continue to draw in millions of tourists every year. Monuments from the capital's more glorious past are everywhere to be seen, from medieval banqueting halls and the great churches of Christopher Wren to the eclectic Victorian architecture of the triumphalist British Empire. There is also much enjoyment to be had from the city's quiet Georgian squares, the narrow alleyways of the City of London, the riverside walks, and the quirks of what is still identifiably a collection of villages. And even London's traffic problems are offset by surprisingly large expanses of greenery: Hyde Park, Green Park and St James's Park are all within a few minutes' walk of the West End, while, further afield, you can enjoy the more expansive countryside of Hampstead Heath and Richmond Park.

You could spend days just shopping in London, too, mixing with the upper classes in the tiara triangle around Harrods, or sampling the offbeat weekend markets of Portobello Road, Camden and Greenwich. The music, clubbing and gay/lesbian scenes are second to none, and mainstream arts are no less exciting, with regular opportunities to catch brilliant theatre companies, dance troupes, exhibitions and opera. Restaurants, these days, are an attraction, too. London is now on a par with its European rivals, and offers a range from three-star Michelin establishments to low-cost, high-quality Chinese restaurants and Indian curry houses. Meanwhile, the city's pubs have heaps of atmosphere, especially away from the centre – and an exploration of the farther-flung communities is essential to get the complete picture of this dynamic metropolis.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is regarded as an architectural masterpiece of the medieval period. It has been the venue for most of the country's coronations since 1066 and for numerous other Royal occasions. At present, it is still a church dedicated to regular worship and to the celebration of great events in the life of the British nation.

Hours below are for the main entrance; call for specific hours for the Chapter House and Pyx Chamber, both of which charge a small additional entrance fee. Please note that last admission is one hour before closing.

Big Ben

"Big Ben" is the name of the clock inside this famous tower that also forms part of the Houses of Parliament. Its impressive mechanism weighs in at over 13.5 tons, and the pendulum, which beats once every two seconds, is 13 feet long and weighs 690 pounds. The clock was named "Big Ben" after the First Commissioner of Works, and since 1885 a light above it has been lit while the House of Commons is in session.

Although the name ‘Big Ben’ is commonly used to refer to the famous clock at the top of St. Stephen’s Tower of the Houses of Parliament, the nickname is more correctly applied to the bell within the tower. It was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was the Chief Commissioner of Works at the time.

The original bell, cast in 1856 and weighing some 15 tons, was being tested in Palace Yard when it developed serious cracks and had to be scrapped. The new bell, weighing a mere 13 tons, was installed in 1858. There are also four Quarter bells in the clock tower weighing between 4 tons and 1 ton.

The Tower of London

The Tower of London is the most important and best preserved medieval fortress in Britain. Home to the Ravens and the Crown Jewels, the scene of many dark and bloody deeds during more than 900 years of royal history.

The Tower of London is mainly perceived as a medieval place of imprisonment and execution. Nine hundred years of history are embraced within the thick, turreted walls. Even though the Tower's violent years are long gone, an aura of death and medieval torture remains. Today, guided tours are available. The main attraction for most visitors are the breathtaking Crown Jewels. It is also a chance to see the legendary ravens who live within the walls. Charles I decreed that six ravens should always inhabit the Tower. Folklore has it that if they ever leave, Britain will again fall to foreign invasion. Interestingly enough, orders have been received to clip their wings!

St Paul’s Cathedral

The masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren, the present St Paul’s Cathedral was completed in 1710. As well as Wren himself, many other famous people are buried here including Wellington and Nelson.

Madame Tussaud’s

Today, a place in Madame Tussaud’s is one of the ultimate accolades of fame, and the current celebrity list includes around 400 stunningly life-like figures. Add to this the dazzling ‘Spirit of London’ time travel ride and the chillingly eerie Chamber of Horrors, and you have a truly original and memorable experience, enjoyed by over 2 million visitors per annum.

The famous waxworks, started by Madame Tussaud in 1835, are one of the most popular tourist attractions in London, and usually have queues to match. Now they've introduced a fast-track booking scheme, you should be able to bypass the queues by pre-booking a time slot for a £1 surcharge. Madame Tussaud learned her trade making death masks during the French Revolution, and those of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are displayed beside the actual blade that beheaded them. There are wax models of the famous and the infamous from every walk of life, some of which are amazingly lifelike.

The newest area is the Spirit of London where London's heritage is brought to life, guiding the visitor through major events in London's history.

The Houses of Parliament

For over 900 years this impressive assemblage of Gothic buildings has been the home of English government. Indeed, no other place so potently symbolises democracy in the Western world. The building covers an area of eight acres and consists of 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, 11 courtyards and over three kilometres of passages. The House of Lords occupies the southern end of the building whilst the House of Commons occupy the northern end. Within the Houses of Parliament there is also Westminster Hall, the Crypt Church, Members' Lobby, the Commons Library and the Peers Library. Outside, the tower containing Big Ben remains the single most celebrated structure in this very picturesque riverside seat of British government. In order to attend PMQ (Prime Minister's Question Time) in the House of Commons' Strangers' Gallery, UK citizens need to contact their local MP in advance to ensure entry. Alternatively one can queue at St Stephen's entrance but this may not prove successful.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace has been the official abode of British royalty since 1837. The forecourt is the setting for one of London's most popular and spectacular tourist events: The Changing of the Guard. The Mews are working stables, where you can see the Queen's horses and state carriages. The Buckingham Palace state rooms are only open during certain days in August and September in.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square was built following the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The man responsible for this famous naval victory, which finally destroyed French naval power and secured Britain from invasion, was Admiral Horatio Nelson. A column, with an 18ft statue of Nelson at the summit, is the centrepiece to the Square. At the base of the column are the renowned Landseer lions. The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery border one side of the Square, and it's a good place to sit and soak up the atmosphere on a sunny day. The Square is also famous for the large number of pigeons that congregate there. It's one of the main places that overseas visitors come to in order to be photographed.