The Ritz LondonLondon, England

Founded in 1753 by Act of Parliament, from the collections of Sir Hans Sloane, the British Museum is one of the great museums of the world, showing the works of man from prehistoric to modern times with collections drawn from the whole world. Famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, sculptures from the Parthenon, the Sutton Hoo and Mildenhall treasures and the Portland Vase. There is also a programme of special exhibitions and daily gallery tours, talks and guided tours. Open daily 10.00 - 17.30. Selected galleries are open late on Thursdays and Fridays until 20.30. To get more information, please visit www.britishmuseum.org

A visit to London isn't complete without a trip to Tate Modern. Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary art from around the world is housed in the former Bankside Power Station on the banks of the Thames. The awe-inspiring Turbine Hall runs the length of the entire building and you can see amazing work for free by artists such as Cézanne, Bonnard, Matisse, Picasso, Rothko, Dalí, Pollock, Warhol and Bourgeois. ents/special exhibitions.To get more information, please visit www.tate.org.uk

London's National Gallery displays Western European painting from about 1250-1900. You'll love seeing work by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Turner, Renoir, Cezanne and Van Gogh. There are special exhibitions, lectures, video and audio-visual programmes, guided tours and holiday events for children and adults. Daily 10:00am-6:00pm. Friday 10:00am-9:00pm Closing commences 5 minutes before time stated. Free admission to the collection and some special exhibitions. Charge for major loan exhibitions. To get more information please vist www.nationalgallery.org.uk

Hundreds of exciting, interactive exhibits. Highlights include 'Dinosaurs', the ultimate dinosaur exhibition; 'Creepy-Crawlies', guaranteed to have you scratching in minutes; 'Human Biology', the must-see exhibition about ourselves; 'Ecology' and 'Mammals', with its unforgettable blue whale. Don't miss 'The Power Within', offering an 'earthquake experience' and, if you are visiting with children, 'Investigate' - an exciting new hands-on science centre. Phase One of the new Darwin Centre offers a chance to see the science behind the scenes. Everyday 10.00 - 17.50 . Last admission 17.30. Open late on the last Friday of each month. Closed 24 - 26 December. To get more information please visit www.nhm.ac.uk

Already offering unrivalled views of London, the bespoke cinematic addition to the Merlin Entertainments London Eye will now provide yet another magical and entertaining way to experience our capital city, further enhancing the value and the experience of a trip to the UK’s top paid for visitor attraction. All included in the ticket price, you will see the first ever 3D aerial footage of London as well as witness the world famous London New Year’s Eve fireworks in a breathtaking journey across the city. Boasting more 4D sensory effects than any other attraction in the UK, you will feel like you are really there; with wind in your hair, snow falling at your feet, the floor shaking and even a sense of smell, your new perspective on London will be truly memorable. Winter Oct-May: 10.00am - 8.00pm Daily. Summer: June - September 10.00am - 9.00pm Daily. Closed Christmas Day. To get more information please visit www.londoneye.com

Where else can you find life-changing objects from Stephenson's Rocket to the Apollo 10 command module, catch an immersive 3D movie, enjoy the thrills of a special effects simulator, introduce children to science with fun, hands-on interactives and encounter the past, present and future of technology in seven floors of galleries? At the Science Museum you can find all this and more! Open 10.00-18.00 daily except Christmas. To get more information please visit www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Where can you see ceramics, furniture, fashion, glass, jewellery, metalwork, photographs, sculpture, textiles and paintings? Where else but the V&A, the greatest museum of art and design, and home to 3000 years' worth of amazing artefacts from many of the world's richest cultures. Highlights include the breathtaking Cast Courts, the national collection of paintings by Constable, the largest collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy and the stunning British Galleries, illustrating the history of Britain through the country's art and design. . Opening times 10.00-17.00 daily, Friday 10.00-22.00 Closed 24, 25 & 26 December. To get more information please vsit www.vam.ac.uk

From Shakespeare to Britney you'll meet influential figures from showbiz, sport, politics and even Royalty. Sing along with Kylie; strike a penalty with Rooney or receive a once-in-a-lifetime audience with Her Majesty the Queen. What will you be doing on your trip to London? Attending an A-List party? Going to a star-studded film premiere? Challenging your sporting heroes or taking to the stage with music’s megastars? Will you be knighted by the Queen or address the world’s leaders? Do all these things and much, much more as you mingle and interact with the world’s most famous figures at Madame Tussauds. Madame Tussauds is open seven days a week. Normal opening hours are 9:30 – 5:30. Peak opening hours are 9.00 - 6.00. Peak times are every weekend and UK school holidays. Please refer to www.madame-tussauds.co.uk for full details. Christmas Eve 9.00 - 2.30, closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day 10.30 - 6.00 and New Year's Day 9.30 - 6.00. To get more information please visit www.madame-tussauds.co.uk

The ancient stones reverberate with dark secrets, priceless jewels glint in fortified vaults and ravens strut the grounds. The Tower of London, founded by William the Conquerer in 1066-7, holds some of the most remarkable stories from across the centuries. Despite a grim reputation as a place of torture and death, this powerful and enduring fortress has been enjoyed as a royal palace, served as an armoury and for a number of years even housed a zoo! Gaze up at the massive White Tower, tiptoe through a kings’ medieval bedchamber and marvel at the priceless Crown Jewels. The famous Yeoman Warders have bloody tales to tell; stand where heads rolled and prisoners wept. The Tower held many famous prisoners, from the highest levels of society; some in astonishing comfort and others less so… Visit the places of their confinement and read the graffiti left by prisoners from over 500 years ago. From 26 July 2008 replicas of mighty siege weapons will be positioned in the Moat, you may even be able to help shoot one! Imagine what it was like to attack and defend this powerful fortress, learn the stories of the Tower under attack and of the soldiers who defended it. Ice skating will also be available from November to January (specific dates yet to be confirmed). Open all Year. Summer: 1 March - 31 October: Tues - Sat 09.00-18.00 / Sun - Mon 10.00-18.00. Last admission 17.00. Winter: 1 November - 28 February: Tues - Sat 09.00-17.00 / Sun - Mon 10.00-17.00. Last admission 16.00. The Tower is closed 24-26 December (inclusive) and 1 January. To get more information please visit www.hrp.org.uk

After a spectacular entrance through the sound of breaking waves you arrive in one of the greatest maritime museums of the world - The National Maritime Museum in London, containing models, displays, paintings and trophies from every continent of the world. Arranged in a series of themed exhibition galleries you can recall the romance of the great ocean liners, appreciate the elegance of Prince Frederick’s golden barge, delve into the traditions of maritime London and study the controversial history of trade across the Atlantic. Children find plenty to engage them in the All Hands gallery while young people can try their hand on the professional ship simulator on the Bridge or study the impact of careless behaviour on the ocean environment. The museum has a full programme of fun free family events, serious lectures, an important reference library of books and manuscripts and an e-library for personal research. The National Maritime Museum is a large museum with many items of particular interest to maritime specialists and model-makers. Take a break during your visit at the Paul patisserie and coffee shop or dine economically in the Regatta licensed restaurant. Before you leave take time to visit the well-stocked shop which includes a large number of exclusive items relating to the museum collections including some of the National Maritime Museum’s own publications. In recent years the NMW museum has won Visit London awards for the quality of customer service and its sustainability and access policies. It aims to set a high standard and is accredited as a Quality Visitor Attraction. Open daily 10.00 – 17.00. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing. To get more information please visit www.nmm.ac.uk