Benjamin Franklin House

At 87 hectares this is the largest open green space in the district.

The main sights to see in London's Chinatown are the expressions of Chinese culture and Eastern ambience in Chinatown, and for a good Chinese meal. There are few souvenir shops for tourists and no museums or temples. The three ornamental Chinese arches are worth a look. Chinatown does incorporate some entertaining combinations of British and Chinese culture, such as the phone booths with pagoda-style sloping roofs.

All non-classified government documents can be read and photographed here, with a (free) reader's card having been obtained. There is also a small museum, which does not require the card to access.

The ruins of a church dating back to Saxon times, rebuilt by St Dunstan in 950, destroyed in the Great Fire of London, and then rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1697. Most of the church was destroyed during the blitz, leaving only the tower (dating from Wren's time) and hollowed-out walls (from an 1817 reconstruction). The ruins are now overgrown with picturesque vines and trees, and were converted into a public garden in 1967, complete with benches.

The Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale's elegant 17th-century manor house, a mile or so upriver from Richmond riverside.

A modest museum covering local history which relocated in 2010; has an excellent cafe.

A small realm of serenity in the midst of the typical turmoil. It used to be the court of the Knights Templar. You can still visit the beautiful Romanesque church, which is one of the oldest ones in London (opened in 1185) and has connections to the order of Templars. The chancel of the church was built by Henry III. The church still serves the members of Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn and has frequent services open to the public. Fans of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code will recognise the church from both the novel and the film.

Home to the baroque composer George Frideric Handel from 1723 until his death in 1759. Some of the greatest classical music ever composed was done so at this address. The museum charts Handel's life and works and offers recitals of music in the magnificent setting of the period rooms. By contrast, next door was home to Jimi Hendrix when he lived in London in 1969, and entry to this top-floor flat is included.

Named in honour of Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert, this museum has existed for over 150 years. It contains a huge collection of decorative arts from all over the world and far back in time. Trying to see everything in one day would be exhausting, so use the excellent maps the V&A provides to plan where you want to go. There are regular exhibitions concentrating on a particular theme from Chinese art to fashion designers. Frequently they put on children's activities and late DJ nights.

This is a high part of the Heath with clear open vistas, and the views looking south over the city are quite wonderful. Highly recommended on a clear morning, when you can see from Canary Wharf in the east all the way to Battersea Power Station in the west.

Cleopatra's Needle originated in the ancient Egyptian city of Heliopolis, in the Temple of Atum, but the Romans moved it to Alexandria in 12 BC. In 1819, viceroy Mehemet Ali presented Cleopatra's Needle to the British, commemorating military victories in Egypt, but it remained in Alexandria until 1877 when transportation was arranged to bring it to London. On the voyage, the ship capsized in a storm, killing six crewmembers. Cleopatra's Needle was thought to be lost, but Spanish trawlers found it afloat a few days later, and after some repairs, it arrived in London on 21 Jan 1878. The obelisk is flanked by two faux-sphinxes, which show the effects of bombings of London during World War II. Today, Cleopatra's Needle shows some wear from exposure to London's damp weather.

Substantial nature reserve on the old disused Barn Elms Reservoirs. A major wetland habitat for wintering wildfowl and an excellent choice for any keen birders visiting London, and an entertaining place for kids to learn about nature

Former offices of the Greater London Authority. A radically-designed glass fronted and rounded building, previously headquarters for London's Mayor and Assembly. City Hall has now be relocated to The Crystal, a building in Greenwich, near to the cable car. The old building is disused and not open to the public, but can be viewed from the outside.