London. There is nowhere else on Earth quite like it. All at once big and brash and bustling, cutting-edge yet traditional, historical yet modern, it is the quintessential international metropolis - a world city by all accounts. The world comes to London and what happens here affects every corner of it. A global centre of commerce, retail, finance, entertainment, fashion, transit and trends, London can very often feel like the capital of Earth. London is also one of the world's most identifiable and emblematic cities - the city of Big Ben, double-decker buses, the Queen and the Tube, it quite rightly asserts itself in global consciousness as one of the greatest cities on Earth. It has a plethora of every conceivable activity, and contains something for everyone.
With so much going on, across such a massive city - the biggest in Europe - nobody can expect to be able to do it all. Even life-long Londoners constantly find new surprises in this city. A week should be long enough to give you a taste of what the 'big smoke' has to offer though...
On the first day, one could enjoy his/her love for the fine arts in some of the world's finest museums, such as the British Museum, the National Gallery or the Tate Modern.
The second and third days could be for fun and entertainment. There are streets filled with world-class bars, pubs, restaurants and theatres. And contrary to popular belief, not all bars close at 11.00 pm; there are plenty outside the West End that stay open until 2am on weeknights. Then there is shopping for day four, and not just Harrods. From the more fashionable alternative of Selfridges to the many street markets, London offers second-hand clothes and crafts as well as tasty foods.
Day five can be spent visiting historic buildings, such as the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Catherdral and the Tower of London. You might even want to throw a boat trip in between.
Day six is for visiting the different palaces of London, the most famous ones being Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace.
On the seventh day, one can relax. There are many big parks, where you can linger and sit on the grass; one of the most famous of these is Hyde Park with Speakers Corner.
If you have more time to spend in London, or have been here before, then explore some areas outside the norm. These areas are interesting to wander around in the day and party at night: Brixton, Brick Lane, Notting Hill, Hoxton and Camden town.
During your stay in London you can also enjoy many diverse culinary pleasures. Although native British food does not have a great international reputation, there is plenty of great food from pretty much every country in the world here, and with its large Indian and Pakistani population, London is particularly known for its excellent Indian and Pakistani fare. In general, it's worth noting that London had more top restaurants than Paris and New York in the recent poll of top 50 restaurants in the world.
Whatever you want, you'll find it in London, and like so many others, you will keep on coming back.
