Do you think that London is a ‘must see’ city? London is the 2nd most visited city in the world, and more than 200 million people visit Oxford Circus and Trafalgar Square in London each year. When people think of London they usually first think of its history. But it is also a major international city- the biggest business centre in Europe and one of the three financial centres of the world. Because of this London has a mixture of new and old right next to each other. The best example of this is in ‘the city’, which is the financial district where, incredibly, skyscrapers and medieval churches stand right next to each other. Less than half a mile away, at Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane markets there is a different kind of trader. You are more likely to find exotic spices at their bazaars and market stalls than exotic investment instruments!

London is famous for its number of parks, the largest number of almost any city in the world. These peaceful spaces are sometimes in the busiest areas of the city as well! Take for example Green Park, right in the centre of London, surrounded by busy Piccadilly, Victoria and Westminster. Standing in the centre of it you are completely unaware of the chaos and traffic outside.

There is also the biggest mix of people in London, arguably, of any city, which is the reason for the wide range of food that can be found here. The different kinds of restaurants and quality of the food are amazing. Every type of food is available in the centre, but for the best quality and price one should take a trip to the areas famous for different cultures and nationalities. For Turkish food go to Seven Sisters, and for Indian – try Brick Lane! For Chinese try… Chinatown!

London is a mix of rich and poor as well, but it is interesting to see both living so close together. Much of west London is wealthy, including areas such as Notting Hill (famous for the film of the same name), Kensington and Chelsea. The houses and buildings here are grand and interesting, and the streets are very pleasant to walk around. The buildings change in close by Shepherd’s Bush and Acton but the area is improving with the opening of the largest indoor shopping centre/mall in London- Westfield.

Possibly the only thing that is almost the same across London is the price of a beer, perhaps because it is seen as a necessity in Britain. Wherever you go, whether it is trendy Sloane Square and Kings Road in Chelsea, the banks of the river Thames or a typical student area such as Old St and Hoxton, you will pay almost the same price. This is quite a contrast to most other European cities where the price varies a lot, depending on whether you are in a touristic area or with the ‘locals’, and this is perhaps one of the reasons why London is so popular with tourists.

Where else do you get such a mixture of things to do and see as in London? Many cities are known for something in particular, such as the ancient ruins in Rome, or the canals in Amsterdam. London certainly has its history for which it is famous, but it also has so many other attractions. It is also world class for shopping, nightlife and modern attractions such as the Madame Tussauds wax museum and the Tate Modern art gallery. When you are in one place for some time studying English it is easy to run out of things to do and see in your free time. With the variety in London perhaps it’s safe to say that you won’t get bored!