The Jewel Tower

Constructed 1672-9 to a design by Sir Christopher Wren and regarded as one of the finest Wren churches. The 63 feet (19 m) high dome is based on Wren's original design for St Paul's Cathedral. The circular altar is by the British sculptor Henry Moore, and the kneelers are designed by Patrick Heron. Free lunchtime concerts at 1PM on Tuesdays (except August). Free Organ recitals at 12:30PM on Fridays. Occasional art exhibitions on Christian themes and other events.

Founded by William the Conqueror in 1066, enlarged and modified by successive sovereigns, the Tower is today one of the world's most famous and spectacular fortresses and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover its 900-year history as a royal palace and fortress, prison and place of execution, mint, arsenal, menagerie and jewel house. In the winter you can skate on the dry moat. The Tower contains enough buildings and exhibits to keep a family busy for a full day, with plenty of both warlike and domestic contents. Some areas, such as the St John's Chapel in the White Tower, do not allow photography, but these are clearly signposted. Beefeaters, who are all retired sergeant majors from the British Army, provide guided tours for free as well as ceremonial security. See history come alive – go to the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London. This ceremony, the locking up of the Tower, has been performed every night at 10PM for 800 years. Tickets for the ceremony are £5 and must be prebooked.

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.

An enormous art gallery converted from the former Bankside Power Station, a visit to Tate Modern could easily take half a day. The gallery collects together contemporary and modern art from around the world, arranged thematically. The most stunning aspect of the building, is the enormous Turbine Hall, which plays host to a single piece of work commissioned for the space each year. An extension of the gallery has opened in a ten-storey building behind the existing power station.

A lovely park on the southern banks of the Thames known or its wildlife and some splendid examples of mature trees.

The second largest of the London Royal Parks, covering an area of 450 hectares (1,099 acres). Lying north of Hampton Court Palace, the history of the park is inextricably linked to the palace, yet it has always had its own distinct rural character. There are herds of both Red Deer and Fallow Deer, they are wild but usually safe, just don't go too close or get between a hind and its calf. The D-Day linked bits are easiest found from the Teddington side. Go through SHAEF gate and there is an information board. You should be able to spot a flagpole a hundred yards into the park, this marks the spot where General Eisenhower had his office, if you have time, or children who are up for a challenge, there are bronze markers with combined British and Canadian and US flags at the corners where the main buildings of Camp Griffiss were. The partially restored early 18th-century baroque water gardens are a short walk from the Hampton Hill gate. The park is subdivided by Chestnut Avenue, Christopher Wren's grand approach to Hampton Court Palace which runs from Teddington Gate to Hampton Court Gate and with the gilded Diana fountain closer to the Palace end (you may have seen it as location for the finish line of some of the cycling events at the 2012 Olympics).

The Serpentine is a long, thin artificial lake within Hyde Park which contains a range of waterfowl and fish. It was first made by damming the River Westbourne but it is now fed by three boreholes. The western end of the lake is actually in Kensington Gardens, in which it is called The Long Water. Swimming and boating are popular activities on the Serpentine; see 'Do' section.

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

A neoclassical triumphal arch, designed by Decimus Burton and first erected in 1826 as a grand entrance to Buckingham Palace. From 1846 onwards, the arch was topped with a massive equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington - a major road widening of Piccadilly in 1882 was the opportunity to finally remove the over sized statue to Aldershot. The present magnificent statue Peace Descending on the Quadriga of War was placed on top of the Arch in 1912, and remains today the largest bronze sculpture in the United Kingdom, spectacularly lit at night. During the 1950s, the arch served as the smallest police station in the city, when it was occupied by ten constables, two sergeants and a cat! The arch was opened to the public for the first time in 2001 after a £1.5 million restoration by English Heritage. (Wellington Arch is also available for corporate and private events, with dramatic views down Constitution Hill and across central London from the Arch's spacious balconies, Wellington Arch is a novel and unique place to impress your guests).

Discover mementoes of the famous fictional detective. In reality, this was a lodging house used in the late 1800s and has three floors. The first floor contains Sherlock Holmes' study with Watson's desk, and has bullet holes spelling the initials VR (for Victoria Regina, Latin for Queen Victoria) much to the chagrin of the landlady Mrs. Hudson. Next to that is Holmes' bedroom with a rogues' gallery containing photographs of several notable Victorian-era murderers including Lizzy Bourdain. The remaining rooms upstairs have waxwork figures and artefacts referencing the novels, as well as their adaptations to stage and screen. Photography allowed, though filming requires permission. Prebooking is recommended to circumvent long queues.

Historic home to English kings such as Henry VIII, now open to the public. There are many attractions which can occupy a whole day visit, including 60 acres of gardens with the famous maze, the Tudor kitchens, the Chapel Royal, the Great Hall, Mantegna's Triumphs of Caesar paintings, and various exhibitions about Henry VIII.

This park used to be the grounds of Lambeth Palace but has been a public park since 1901. In addition to the green space it provides, it contains a range of sports facilities (booking required, except for the cricket nets) and a playground.

A small museum is set in a Victorian house near the infamous Battle of Cable Street. There are 5 floors including the basement, each dedicated to several aspects of famous murders starting with a recreation of Mitre Square on the first floor, Jack the Ripper's sitting room on the second floor, the police station on the third, a victim's bedroom on the fourth and the mortuary in the basement. There is also a walking tour. Book tickets online to save money, there is also a Halloween special deal.

An enormous, 135-metre-high observation wheel with 32 exterior glass-walled capsules. It offers incomparable views over central London and up to 40 km (25 mi) away on a good day. Tickets are sold for specific times, so if visitors wish to go on the London Eye at a specific time, they are strongly advised to book in advance, particularly in the summer. On a busy day, you can easily spend 1-3 hr queuing just to buy a ticket. However, you can also purchase tickets in advance online. Then you can collect your tickets at the London Eye in a separate queue, which takes a few minutes or less.

London Stone is a historic landmark housed in a public display case at 111 Cannon Street in the City of London. It is an irregular block of oolitic limestone measuring 53 × 43 × 30 cm (21″ × 17″ × 12″), the remnant of a once much larger object that had stood for many centuries on the south side of the street.

The oldest of the Royal Parks of London.

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

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.

After leaving its brutalist skyscraper on Old Broad St, the London Stock Exchange now resides on Paternoster Sq. Dating back to 1698, it is one of the world's oldest and largest stock markets.