Things to do in London

London packs a thousand years of history into a city that never stops reinventing itself. You can see the Crown Jewels in the morning, wander Borough Market at lunch and catch a West End show by evening. Many of its greatest museums are free to enter, and each neighbourhood, from Notting Hill to Shoreditch, feels like a small city of its own.

May to September brings the longest days and the best chance of sunshine, though showers are possible in any month. Spring and early autumn are quieter, while December is busy with lights and Christmas markets. Pre-book the big sights, which sell timed tickets online.

• Tower of London and the Crown Jewels
• Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace
• Free national museums
• Borough Market and the South Bank
• Day trips to Stonehenge, Windsor and Bath