This week we present to you LONDON

Overview

London is an ancient city whose history greets you at every turn. To gain a sense of its continuity, stand on Waterloo Bridge at sunset. To the east, the great globe of St. Paul's Cathedral glows golden in the fading sunlight as it has since the 17th century, still majestic amid the modern towers of glass and steel that hem it in. To the west stand the mock-medieval ramparts of Westminster, home to the "Mother of Parliaments," which has met here or hereabouts since the 1250s. Past them both snakes the swift, dark Thames, following the same course as when it flowed past the Roman settlement of Londinium nearly 2,000 years ago. If the city contained only its famous landmarks -- the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace -- it would still rank as one of the world's top cities. But London is so much more.

For much of its history, innumerable epigrams and observations have been directed at London by enthusiasts and detractors. The great 18th-century author and wit Samuel Johnson said that a man who is tired of London is tired of life. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "No person can be said to know London. The most that anyone can claim is that he knows something of it." In short, the capital of Great Britain is simply one of the most interesting cities on earth. There's no other place like it in its agglomeration of architectural sins and sudden intervention of almost rural sights, in its medley of styles, in its mixture of the green loveliness of parks and the modern gleam of neon. Thankfully, the old London of Queen Anne and Georgian architecture can still be discovered under the hasty routine of later additions. A city that loves to be explored, London beckons with great museums, royal pageantry, and history-steeped houses. Discovering it takes a bit of work, however. Modern-day London largely reflects its medieval layout, a willfully difficult tangle of streets. This swirl of spaghetti will be totally confusing to anyone brought up on the rigidity of a grid system. Even Londoners, most of whom own a dog-eared copy of an indispensable A-Z street finder, get lost in their own city. But the bewildering street patterns will be a plus for anyone who likes to get lost in atmosphere. London is a walker's city and will repay every moment you spend exploring on foot. If you want to penetrate beyond the crust of popular knowledge, you are well advised not only to visit St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London, but also to set aside some time for random wandering. Walk in the city's backstreets and mews, around Park Lane and Kensington. Pass up Buckingham Palace for Kensington Palace. Take in the National Gallery, but don't forget London's "time machine" museums, such as the 19th-century homes of Lord Frederic Leighton and Sir John Soane. Abandon the city's standard-issue chain stores to discover the gentlemen's outfitters of St. James's. In such ways you can best visualize the shape or, rather, the many shapes of Old London, a curious city that engulfed its own past for the sake of modernity but still lives and breathes the air of history.

Today, that sense of modernity is stronger than ever, as swinging-again London holds its own as one of the coolest cities in the world. Millennium fever left its trophies on the capital, with the opening of buildings and bridges and impressively revamped museums, and the city's art, style, fashion, and dining scenes make headlines around the world. London's chefs have become superstars. Its fashion designers have conquered Paris, avant-garde artists have caused waves at the august Royal Academy of Arts, the raging after-hours scene is packed with music mavens ready to catch the Next Big Thing, and the theater continues its tradition of radical, shocking productions. On the other hand, although the outward shapes may alter and the inner spirit may be warmer, the base-rocks of London's character and tradition remain the same. Deep down, Britons have a sense of the continuity of history. Even in the modern metropolis, some things rarely change. The London you might discover may include some enthusiastic recommendations from this guide, but be prepared to be taken by surprise. The best that a great city has to offer often comes to you in unexpected ways. Armed with energy and curiosity, you can find, to quote Dr. Johnson again, "in London all that life can afford."

When to Go to London

The heaviest tourist season runs mid-April through mid-October, with another peak around Christmas -- though the tide never really ebbs. Spring is the time to see the countryside and the royal London parks and gardens at their freshest; fall to enjoy near-ideal exploring conditions. In late summer, be warned: air-conditioning is rarely found in places other than department stores, modern restaurants, hotels, and cinemas in London, and in a hot summer you'll swelter. Winter can be rather dismal, but all the theaters, concerts, and exhibitions go full speed. It's virtually impossible to forecast London weather, but you can be fairly certain that it will not be what you expect. It's generally mild -- with some savage exceptions, especially in summer. In short, be prepared for anything: layers and an umbrella are your friends. The following are the average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for London.

And the most beautiful places to visit are:

Westminster Abbey : The most exciting church in the land is the final resting place for the men and women who built Britain. Its great Gothic hall continues to play a part in the formation of the kingdom, having hosted nearly every coronation since 1308.

St. Paul's Cathedral : No matter how many times you have been before, the scale and elegance of Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece never fail to take the breath away. Climb the enormous dome, third largest in the world, to experience the freaky acoustics of the Whispering Gallery, and higher still for fantastic views across London.

Tower of London : The Tower is London at its majestic, idiosyncratic best. This is the heart of the kingdom -- with foundations dating back nine centuries, every brick tells a story, and the axe-blows and fortunes that have risen and fallen within this turreted mini-city provide an inexhaustible supply of intrigue.

Buckingham Palace : Not the prettiest royal palace, but a must-see for the glimpse it affords of modern royal life. The opulence of the state rooms open to the public provides plenty to gasp at, and don't forget the collection of china and carriages at the Queen's Gallery and Royal Mews next door.

British Museum : If you want to journey through time and space without leaving the confines of Bloomsbury, a visit to the British Museum has hours of eye-catching artifacts from the world's greatest civilizations, including the Elgin Marbles, the Rosetta Stone, and the Sutton Hoo treasure.

Greenwich Meridian Line : Home of maritime London, Greenwich has a special charm. Most fun is climbing up to the Royal Observatory, surrounded by acres of green and magnificent river views, and straddling western and eastern hemispheres at 0° longitude.

Hampton Court Palace : This collection of buildings and gardens won over Henry VIII to become his favorite royal residence. Its Tudor charm, augmented by touches from Wren, and a picturesque upstream Thames location make it a great day out -- not even dour Oliver Cromwell, who moved here in 1653, could resist its charms.

Tate Modern: More of an event than the average museum visit, Tate Modern, housed inside a striking 1930s power station, is a hip, immensely successful addition to the London gallery landscape. Passing judgment on the latest controversial temporary exhibit inside the giant turbine hall has become almost a civic pastime among art-loving Londoners.

National Gallery: Whatever the collective noun is for a set of Old Masters -- A palette? A canvas? -- there are enough here to have the most casual art enthusiast purring with admiration. When you've finished, enjoy the newly pedestrian Trafalgar Square on the doorstep.

London's central parks : With London's green spaces so broken up, it seems churlish to pick out only one.. The four central parks are all within walking distance: pick St. James's Park for fairytale views; Green Park for hillocks and wide boulevards; Regent's Park for its open-air theater and the London Zoo; and Hyde Park for rowing on the Serpentine Lido.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre : You can catch a Shakespeare play almost every night of the year in London. But standing on a floor of leaves and sawdust, and watching an offering from the Great Bard in a painstakingly re-created version of the galleried Tudor theater for which he wrote is a special thrill.

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