Tom Masters - Lonely Planet London City Guide

Tom has lived, studied and worked in London for over a decade, calling both Stoke Newington and Clerkenwell home in the past five years, before that being geographically scattered all over the city. Despite now residing in Berlin, London will always be home, and it was a great pleasure coming back home and seeing the capital from the perspective of a visitor for this update in 2009. You can see more of Toms work at www.mastersmafia.com.

Tom was the coordinating author and wrote the Introducing London, Getting Started, Background, Gay & Lesbian London and Directory chapters. He also cowrote the Highlights, Neighbourhoods, Shopping, Eating, Drinking, Sleeping and Excursions chapters.

After almost a decade of living in the centre of the known universe East London Steve rhymes in his sleep, eats jellied eel for brekkie, drinks lager by the bucketful and dances round the occasional handbag. As always, for this edition of London he did everything the hard (read: fun) way: walking the walks, seeing the sights, taking (some) advice from friends, colleagues and the odd taxi driver, and digesting everything in sight.

Steve wrote the Architecture, River Thames, The Arts and Transport chapters. He also cowrote the Highlights, Neighbourhoods, Shopping, Eating, Drinking, Sleeping and Excursions chapters.

In this picture, I am standing next to the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, one of my favourite areas in London, on a winters day. Im a passionate Londoner and even after 12 years in this incredible city, my love for it grows every season in fact Ive come to the conclusion that the longer you spend here, the more youll love it. Londons parks are one of the best things about the place, though the museums, galleries, restaurants and nightlife are equally irresistible.

Vesna wrote the Nightlife and Sports & Activities chapters. She also cowrote the Highlights, Neighbourhoods, Shopping, Eating, Drinking, Sleeping and Excursions chapters.

London is a very straightforward destination and little forward planning is required, with the glaring exception of accommodation, which is always best booked in advance, and even then will take up way more of your budget than youd ideally like. The city is a year-round destination where youll always find more things to do than your time will ever allow.

You might imagine that in a country with such a temperate and mild climate as England, the weather is not much of a topic for conversation, and yet, like their middle-England cousins, Londoners are relentless weather-watchers and every rise or fall of the mercury will provoke smiles or gloom respectively. Its good, therefore, that London is not a city where fun depends on the weather do as Londoners do, expect overcast skies and rain (even in summer) and then be elated when the sun comes out.

While summer is a great time to visit (and recent years have seen some very Continental heatwaves), spring and autumn are also good times to come, when the crowds are far thinner and sights less crowded. Winters all cold, wet and dark, although if youre after outdoor pleasures, youll have them largely to yourself.

For a full list of events in and around London, look out for Visit Londons bimonthly Events in London and its Annual Events pamphlet. You can also check the website at www.visitlondon.com.

London is a vibrant city year-round, with no end of annual events, both traditional and modern. Some of our very favourites are below, and prove that from New Years Day to New Years Eve there will be festivities and activities aplenty in the British capital.

On 31 December theres the famous countdown to midnight on Trafalgar Sq Londons biggest bash, but one worth avoiding unless you love crowds.

www.londonartfair.co.uk; Business Design Centre, Islington

Over 100 major galleries participate in this contemporary art fair, now one of the largest in Europe, with thematic exhibitions, special events and the best emerging artists.

Chinatown, Soho

In late January/early February, Chinatown fizzes, crackles and pops in this colourful street festival, which includes a Golden Dragon parade, and eating and partying aplenty.

Spitalfields Market, Covent Garden & Lincolns Inn Fields

On Shrove Tuesday, in late February/early March, you can catch pancake races and associated silliness at various venues around town.

www.horr.co.uk; Thames, from Mortlake to Putney

Some 400 crews participate in this colourful annual boat race, held over a 7km course.

www.bfi.org.uk/llgff

This vibrant event is one of the best of its kind in the world with hundreds of independent gay-themed films from around the world shown over a fun, party-intensive fortnight at the National Film Theatre.

www.virginlondonmarathon.com; Greenwich Park to the Mall

Some 35,000 masochists cross London in the worlds biggest road race.

www.theboatrace.org; from Putney to Mortlake

Big crowds line the banks of the Thames for this annual event, where the countrys two most famous universities go oar-to-oar. Dates vary each due to the universities Easter breaks, so check the website.

www.rhs.org.uk; Royal Hospital Chelsea

The worlds most renowned horticultural show attracts the cream of West London society and is never far from controversy the ban on garden gnomes was, shock horror, broken by exhibitor Jekka McVicar in 2009, making national headlines. Only in Britain

www.royalacademy.org.uk; Royal Academy of Arts

Beginning in June and running through August, this is an annual showcase of works submitted by artists from all over Britain, distilled to a thousand or so pieces.

www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk; Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall

The Queens official birthday (she was born in April but the weathers better in June) is celebrated with much flag-waving, parades, pageantry and noisy flyovers.

www.wimbledon.com

For two weeks the quiet south London village of Wimbledon is the centre of the sporting universe as the best players on earth gather to fight for the championship. While its as much about strawberries, cream and tradition as smashing balls for those in attendance, the rest of the capital is riveted by the women and mens finals that take place on the final weekend of the tournament.