With a population of just under eight million, London is
Europe's largest city, spreading across an area of more than 620
square miles from its core on the River Thames. Ethnically it's
also Europe's most diverse metropolis: around two hundred languages
are spoken within its confines, and more than thirty percent of the
population is made up of first, second- and third-generation
immigrants. Despite Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish devolution,
London still dominates the national horizon, too: this is where the
country's news and money are made, it's where the central
government resides and, as far as its inhabitants are concerned,
provincial life begins beyond the circuit of the city's orbital
motorway. Londoners' sense of superiority causes enormous
resentment in the regions, yet it's undeniable that the capital has
a unique aura of excitement and success - in most walks of British
life, if you want to get on you've got to do it in London.
For the visitor, too, London is a thrilling place - and since
the beginning of the new millennium, the city has also been
overtaken by an exceptionally buoyant mood. Thanks to the lottery
and millennium-oriented funding frenzy of the last few years,
virtually every one of London's world-class museums, galleries and
institutions has been reinvented, from the Royal Opera House to the
British Museum. With the completion of the Tate Modern and the
London Eye, the city can now boast the world's largest modern art
gallery and Ferris wheel; there's also a new tube extension and the
first new bridge to cross the Thames for over a hundred years. And
after sixteen years of being the only major city in the world
not to have its own governing body, London finally has its
own elected mayor and assembly.
In the meantime, London's traditional sights - Big Ben,
Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and the
Tower of London - continue to draw in millions of tourists every
year. Monuments from the capital's more glorious past are
everywhere to be seen, from medieval banqueting halls and the great
churches of Sir Christopher Wren to the eclectic Victorian
architecture of the triumphalist British Empire. There is also much
enjoyment to be had from the city's quiet Georgian squares, the
narrow alleyways of the City of London, the riverside walks, and
the quirks of what is still identifiably a collection of villages.
And even London's traffic pollution - one of its worst problems -
is offset by surprisingly large expanses of greenery: Hyde Park,
Green Park and St James's Park are all within a few minutes' walk
of the West End, while, further afield, you can enjoy the more
expansive parklands of Hampstead Heath and Richmond Park.
You could spend days just shopping in London, too, hobnobbing
with the upper classes in Harrods, or sampling the offbeat weekend
markets of Portobello Road and Camden. The music, clubbing and
gay/lesbian scenes are second to none, and mainstream arts are no
less exciting, with regular opportunities to catch brilliant
theatre companies, dance troupes, exhibitions and opera.
Restaurants, these days, are an attraction, too. London has caught
up with its European rivals, and offers a range from three-star
Michelin establishments to low-cost, high-quality Indian curry
houses. Meanwhile, the city's pubs have heaps of atmosphere,
especially away from the centre - and an exploration of the
farther-flung communities is essential to get the complete picture
of this dynamic metropolis