London--one of my favorite places in the world!

The British Museum and the National Gallery are my favorite culture spots. Both are stunning examples of world-class museums, displaying incredible art and historical pieces.

Quick Tips:

Have fun! Listen for all the different accents and cultures--London is a true worldly metropolis.

The shopping is great and extensive. Plus, expensive. :) So be careful.

Best Way To Get Around:

London is a lovely place to walk around, especially around Parliament Square, with gardens and parks surrounding it.

The London Underground is fabulous. It's clean, quick, and efficient. It gets stuffy and packed at rush hour (4-7pm), so try to get in your exploring before the crowds join you.

Taxis are everywhere, and they're good if you have lots of luggage or not very much time. But the tube does just fine otherwise.

Oxford and Regent Streets are home to some of the best high-class shopping in London. Visit clothing stores of all kinds.

Knightsbridge is where you can find some great museums, but it's also the home of the world-famous Harrod's. Gourmet food (meats, cheeses, pastries), jewelry, fragrance, toys, accessories, and of course lovely apparel for men, women and children. You can quite literally find anything here, and if they don't have it, they will find it and get it for you. Wow!

Travel to Camdentown (via the Northern Line) on the weekends for the famous Camden markets. Antiques, unique clothing, trinkets, food, etc. Come here for a new shopping experience and great people-watching, not to mention bargains that you can't find elsewhere.

The National Gallery is the huge building that looks out onto Trafalgar Square, Lord Nelson and his guardian lions.

This museum is truly breathtaking, in its physical size, collection names, and collection size. It covers several hundred years of important artwork and artists.

One of my favorite paintings of all time is here. It's one of da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks. Mary and the Angel positively glow. Don't miss the huge da Vinci cartoon of Mary and Saint Anne, in a special darkened alcove just behind the Virgin of the Rocks.

Other must-see's: van Gogh Sunflowers, some Michelangelo, and some of Renoir's first pointillism studies.

Plus, the museum is open late one day each week (Wednesday last time I was there), and, being free all the time, encourages repeat visits and hours of awe-struck wanderings.

A breathtaking collection of the now-defunct British Empire.

Half of the ancient world (Rome, Greece, Egypt) is here, most notably: the Rosetta Stone, which unlocked the mystery of Egyptian heiroglyphs; the friezes of the Parthenon in Athens; a huge assortment of Egyptian funerary work: writings, sarcophagi, and actual unwrapped mummies; another huge assortment of ancient vases and urns depicting Greek myths, legends and other stories.

The museum also has an important and extensive collection of Orient artwork.

Also free, but often crowded, this is a sight you cannot miss.