If you can take a year-long vacation you might be able to see about half of what London has to offer. No matter your tastes - whether modern or classical art, monuments and museums, zoos and gardens, nightclubs, theater, music - you will find it in London.

A perfect blend of ancient and modern, London has over 200 galleries, 300 museums, and 150 events a day to keep any world traveller interested. You can see the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels in the morning and the Tate art museums in the afternoon. Or visit Parliament early then shop at Harrods later.

Westminster Abbey is the burial place of kings, great poets and scientists. And a short distance away, there is the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. London has cathedrals and churches that rival the best of France or Italy. Just one must-see is St. Paul’s Cathedral.

If New York has Wall Street, London has the venerable The City. This modern busy trading center actually has roots that go back thousands of years, since before money was even invented.

There are charming Inns galore also dating back a thousand years or more.  The city also has several outstanding parks, such as St. James, Hyde Park or Regents with the famous gardens and the even more famous zoo. Holland park has an opera house and Japanese gardens. Apart from the gorgeous royal foliage, Kensington Gardens is where you will find the Royal costume collection.

And make sure not to overlook Covent Garden. Not literally a garden, the area has a spectacular array sights, sounds and experiences. Some of the best theaters and shops are here. There are street performers throughout areas with good restaurants, bars and clubs. The Royal Opera house is here as well, for those who prefer a different kind of entertainment.

London’s famous outdoor markets also go back centuries. The antique hunting at Portobello Road is unmatched anywhere. Borough Market has been thriving here for over a thousand years. The atmosphere in some markets is almost like a Moroccan bazaar. 

After all the shopping and sight-seeing you are bound to get hungry and tired. The West End has a variety of pubs and restaurants - from the inexpensive to the high-end.  After a meal, you can see a show that rivals the best of Broadway. Many New York broadway shows actually originated in London. 

Museums are thriving in London. The Victoria & Albert, named for the famous 19th century queen and her consort, the Natural History and Science museums, and the world-renowned British Museum could each form a day’s excursion.

But newer attractions are also worthwhile. The London Eye, built at the turn of the millennium, continues to attract visitors as if 2000 weren’t years earlier. It has the world’s largest ferris wheel and a 30-minute boat ride in a glass gondola that offers the best views of Big Ben and the River Thames. And the Tate Modern, opened in the same year features Picasso, Matisse and other famous names of 20th century art.

So, once you are done with all these ‘things to do in London’, come back and we’ll lay out another year of places to see and things to do in this great city.