Even the English love spending time exploring their own capital so it must have something going for it. It’s not as romantic as Venice, as cultural as Paris or as bustling as New York but it is still a great place to stay and probably one of the most popular backpacking destinations.

The best way to see the city is a day pass for the Underground. Then depending on how lazy you feel you can hop on and off to your heart’s content. It even has access to all of Heathrow Airport’s terminals. The array of free museums means that you can call in, fly around and if there’s nothing that takes your fancy, move on. Buckingham Palace is a must see just for the highly unlikely possibility of catching a glimpse of bona fide royalty. There are several good boat trips along the Thames, particularly good if the weather is acceptable. And if you’re a sucker for an open top bus ride you can usually get a boat trip thrown in for free. For great views of the city, the Millennium Wheel is unmissable, but be warned it can get busy so booking may be a good idea. Sunset is a great time to go, but it is worth trying to predict the weather as the clearer the better.