Aefa Mulholland

London can rightly claim to be one of the planet's most tempting shopping cities. Whether it's for a serious spree or you seek a specific, almost impossible to find souvenir of the British capital, London has an amazing array of options even for the most hard-to-please shopper.

London's dynamic restaurant scene is equaled only by New York's in its diversity. Modern British cuisine takes its influences from the world -- from California to Thailand by way of the Mediterranean -- but the emphasis in the best restaurants is increasingly on the seasonality and quality of the produce, meat, and fish on offer.

London offers an almost bewildering range of museums and galleries. While several of Britain's most esteemed museums are clustered round South Kensington, delve further and you'll find fascinating and obscure collections hidden in all corners, nooks, and neighbourhoods of the city.

Gay and lesbian nightlife in London is renowned for its diversity. From rubber "gummy bear" nights to preppie "high-tea dances," London sports a club, pub, disco, or temporary basement venue for every taste.