The temporary exhibitions are always worth a look, no more so than the current Maps exhibition. Reasonably good for free wifi, but can be patchy. Love the quirky gift shop.
The British Museum has more than 7 million objects from every continent, some of which have been controversial. Read more.
Yeah, it looks all shiny now, but go back 230 years and you'd be watching graverobbed corpses being dissected by the Hunter brothers. How quickly people forget.
Our favourite bit: Room 5 - Sargent and Lawrence. Remarkable portraits from the early 20th Century. Then move into neighbouring Room 4 for Hogarth and London pictures.
The Bankside Power Station was built as a ‘cathedral of power’ in 1963, but closed in 1981. It reopened as one of Europe’s finest modern art galleries in 2000. The Turbine Hall is 35m high.
Do visit this bustling food market where top London chefs come to buy their ingredients. If you don’t find it here, where will you? Open from Thursday to Saturday, but come early to avoid the crowds! Read more.
The name of this place has nothing to do with birds, but with the exotic goods that were once brought here from the Canary Islands. Canary comes from the Latin ‘canaria’, so ‘Islands of the dogs’.
Our favourite exhibit is the scale model of Cook's first voyage, including tiny, named figurines of all the crew on board.
Set in a stunning park, and sitting precisely on the Prime Meridian of the world, the Royal Observatory is a great way to spend an afternoon in South London.
In 1894 a French anarchist named Martial Bourdin was carrying a bomb through the park to the Observatory when it exploded and killed him. No one knows why he had decided to target the Observatory.
Forget the view from the top. Head a little down the southern slope where you get still-good views but far fewer people.
Take a few minutes, even in winter, to explore the central Rose Garden. Lots of flowers with silly names, and plenty of sculpture.
Hyde Park was a favourite venue for duellists in the 18th and 19th century, including the brutal 1712 duel between the Duke of Hamilton and Lord Mohun in which they hacked each other to death.
Known as London's first 'Pop Art Building' it was notorious for being empty for 15 years, Centre Point was then rumoured to be a secret home to Governement HQ to prepare for a biological war.
Check the statue of the world famous detective Sherlock Holmes outside Baker Street underground station.
