Luxury self-catering accommodation in London

Think of London and you'll probably conjure up that iconic skyline of St Paul's, the London Eye and the Shard, all well worth a visit for anyone coming to town. Greater London is the core with 33 boroughs and The City itself covers 1.1 square miles, packing workers daily into its grey-stone streets. Best explored on foot or by boat, London is a city of contrasts, from the glitzy shopping portals of Knightsbridge and Kensington to the wide river Thames snaking from east to west. Pick a pretty city apartment and head out with a map and a travel card.

Start with the trilogy of museums at South Kensington; the V&A, Natural History and Science Museum. Both Tates (Modern and Britain) have extensive exhibitions, as does the National Gallery on lion-decked Trafalgar Square. Foodies love London's markets; Borough, Camden and Portobello all cater for round-the-world tastes, so pack a picnic to take to a city garden. Hyde Park flaunts boating on the Serpentine, Regents Park has the famous zoo, and Hampstead Heath is a wide expanse of hills, paths and swimming ponds, as well as a great hill for kites.