Introduction to London

This is London. Here are the best museums and theatres in the world. Here are the palaces, the national monuments and the great cathedrals. Here is teeming nightlife, here are the greatest restaurants; uber-cool bars and ancient pubs, streets of luxury and pure street theatre. Hip, happening and on your doorstep.

Each period of England's past, has made an indelible imprint on the capital city. Yet even while embracing its history, London is a forward-looking, modern city. Witness sensational views from the Millennium London Eye, which joins Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and the Houses of Parliament as world-recognized icons of this rich in history city.

The renowned National History Museum and British Museum houses some of the world's finest and most varied collections of art and artifacts. While dozens of art galleries exhibit the most recent works by emerging artists, and if contemporary art is your thing, the Tate Modern is the best in Europe.

Get up to Camden Town for Europe's biggest street market. As you go, grab the ingredients for a picnic. Stroll along the eastern side of Regent's Park, take in the zoo if you please, or watch one of the countless football, cricket or baseball games. Climb up to lofty Primrose Hill and pick a picnic spot, with the whole of London spread out before you.

Absorb the London lifestyle in and around Covent Garden. Wander Neal Street (don't miss the cheese shop in Neal's Yard) and Floral Street where Paul Smith sets the tone. After a busy morning of shopping visit St Martin-in-the-Fields-London's most loved parish church - a masterpiece by James Gibbs. Refresh your spirit and step inside at lunchtime for a Bach or Mozart recital.

After lunch, Stop at venerable Harrods of course, but then hotfoot it over to Canarby Street for trendy boutiques, loose yourself in the numerous flagship stores on the world's famous Oxford Street before hopping on a short tube ride to London's Westfield Shopping centre where Hackett London, Burberry, Louis Vuitton and many other designers maintain retail space here.

Explore the heart of London's West- End-Leicester Square which never sleeps. By day, experience the atmosphere, sights and sounds of true London and by night, treat yourself to one of London's illustrious musicals and experience a night you will never forget. If you're more the "premier" type catch the latest movies and witness iconic stars walk down the celebrated red carpet. If you are more lured by London's nightlife, a profusion of cutting edge clubs and stylish bars in Piccadilly Circus assure a high "hip" factor.

For the quintessential Covent Garden rendezvous, a stay at the newly transformed Radisson Edwardian Mercer Street is a must. A boutique beauty in Covent Garden's hidden village. This is a chic retreat on the doorstep of London's most celebrated theatres, its beautifully designed rooms equipped with next-generation technology. Opening in Spring 2011, Be one of the first guests and make your trip to London, one to remember!

Alternatively, the ever popular O2 Arena is just the place to be if you're heading to see a superstar in-concert during your stay in London. Not surprisingly, London, balancing old and new with ease, is regarded as one of the world's most intriguing cities.