London

From Roman times via the Elizabethan Age to its Victorian incarnation as the seat of Empire and on to the present day, London has constantly re-invented itself. Take a ride on the Tube and on your journey you’ll hear twenty different languages spoken; browse one of the many markets and you’ll discover foods from every corner of the planet.

Yes, of course, a ride on the London Eye, a peek inside Buckingham Palace or temporary imprisonment in the Tower of London is great fun; and it’s hard to imagine an afternoon better spent than exploring the museums and galleries, or a morning of shopping and spa treatments in Knightsbridge. But sometimes it’s the small moments that count: a lazy summer picnic in St. James’ Park; the glimpse of a Hawksmoor church between the steel and glass canyon walls of the City; a stroll among the botanical riches of Kew Gardens; the night skyline from Waterloo Bridge.

And just when you think you might flag, a traditional English afternoon tea will always come to the rescue. Rejuvenated, you can head out and enjoy world-class entertainment: a daring stage production? An evening of comedy? Or maybe an evening getting to know the locals at a sixteenth-century riverside pub? If only walls could talk…and even if you spend a day outside the capital, exploring colleges, castles and megalithic monuments, the magic will still be waiting when you return.