So the weather stinks, no one smiles, and it takes far too long to get around—just what is it that makes London such a great place to be?

To be sure, London is not an easy city for the visitor: most Londoners have about as much time for tourists as they do for toxic waste. But this, bizarrely, can be the city’s greatest charm. Without the attention of strangers, you can lose yourself in London like in no other city in the world. A million different Londons exist cheek by jowl: from beggars on Bond Street to penthouses in Peckham, the extremes—of rich and poor, tranquility and raucousness, style and squalor—can be found right on top of one another. Despite its enormous size, London is still the fastest-growing city in Europe, which means about the only certainty is that it will not stay still.

When to Go

The heaviest tourist season runs mid-April through mid-October, with another peak around Christmas—though the tide never really ebbs. Spring is the time to see the countryside and the royal London parks and gardens at their freshest; fall to enjoy near-ideal exploring conditions. In late summer, be warned: air-conditioning is rarely found in places other than department stores, modern restaurants, hotels, and cinemas in London. Winter can be rather dismal, but all the theaters, concerts, and exhibitions go full speed.

Top London Attractions

Westminster Abbey
The most exciting church in the land is the final resting place for the men and women who built Britain. Its great Gothic hall continues to play a part in the formation of the kingdom, having hosted nearly every coronation since 1308.

Buckingham Palace
Not the prettiest royal palace, but a must-see for the glimpse it affords of modern royal life. The opulence of the state rooms open to the public provides plenty to gasp at, and don’t forget the collection of china and carriages at the Queen’s Gallery and Royal Mews next door.

St. Paul’s Cathedral
No matter how many times you have been before, the scale and elegance of Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece never fail to take the breath away. Climb the enormous dome, third largest in the world, to experience the freaky acoustics of the Whispering Gallery, and higher still for fantastic views across London.

Tower of London
The Tower is London at its majestic, idiosyncratic best. This is the heart of the kingdom—with foundations dating back nine centuries, every brick tells a story, and the axe-blows and fortunes that have risen and fallen within this turreted mini-city provide an inexhaustible supply of intrigue.

British Museum
If you want to journey through time and space without leaving the confines of Bloomsbury, a visit to the British Museum has hours of eye-catching artifacts from the world’s greatest civilizations, including the Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, and the Sutton Hoo treasure.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
You can catch a Shakespeare play almost every night of the year in London. But standing on a floor of leaves and sawdust, in a painstakingly re-created version of the galleried Tudor theater for which he wrote is a special thrill.

Tate Modern
More of an event than the average museum visit, Tate Modern, housed inside a striking 1930s power station, is a hip, immensely successful addition to the London gallery landscape. Passing judgment on the latest controversial temporary exhibit inside the giant turbine hall has become almost a civic pastime among art-loving Londoners.

National Gallery
Whatever the collective noun is for a set of Old Masters—A palette? A canvas?—there are enough here to have the most casual art enthusiast purring with admiration. When you’ve finished, enjoy pedestrianized Trafalgar Square on the doorstep.

Hampton Court Palace
This collection of buildings and gardens won over Henry VIII to become his favorite royal residence. Its Tudor charm, augmented by Wren’s touch, and a picturesque upstream Thames location make it a great day out—not even dour Oliver Cromwell, who moved here in 1653, could resist its charms.

Getting Around

By far the easiest and most practical way to get around is on the Underground, or “Tube.” This underground train system runs daily from early morning to night and provides a comprehensive service throughout the center with lines out to the suburbs. Tube fares can work out to be higher than bus fares, but if you’re traveling a lot around town, you should buy a Travelcard pass (£4.50-£7 per day), which offers unlimited use of the Tube, buses, and the commuter rail.

All transport in London is priced according to zone. Central London, including most tourist sights, is Zone 1, which happens to be the cheapest option. There are six zones altogether, and the farther out you travel, the more your ticket or travelcard will cost. Kew Gardens, for example, are in Zone 4, so if you plan to visit Kew, remember to buy a Zone 1-4 travelcard for that day.

The overground rail system is a network that connects outlying districts and suburbs to the center. Prices are comparable to the Underground, and you can easily transfer between the Underground and other connecting rail lines at many Tube stations. Travelcards are also accepted on the overground commuter trains.

Buses crisscross all over town, and are a great way to see the city. Their routes are more complicated than the Tube, but by reading the route posted on the main bus stop and watching the route on the front of the bus, you won’t go far wrong. Services are frequent. Bus-travel prices are cheaper than the Tube the farther you travel, but be prepared to get stuck in traffic, even though designated lanes for buses and taxis should speed up the journey. A taxi ride can clock up to three times the price of a similar bus fare for the same distance. If you’re traveling with several people, however, riding in a taxi is relatively inexpensive and is more comfortable and convenient.

Finally, there’s the River Thames, which makes a great way of getting around the city—no traffic, no claustrophobic tunnels, less pollution, and great views of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, and St. Paul’s. There are several places where you can access boats, which operate under an agreement with the city’s public-transportation agency, Transport for London. As many as 16 boats are in service in summer; seven boats ply the river in winter. You can purchase a Rivercard from kiosks at the boat piers near the South Bank, the London Eye, the Embankment Tube station, and elsewhere throughout the city. Rivercard prices vary from £4.20 to £16, depending on how many zones you wish to traverse. Rivercards are cheaper if you already have a regular Travelcard for that day.