Things to see in London

Buckingham Palace, the London home of the Queen, is hugely popular with tourists. They flock to the palace to witness royal pageantry dating back centuries at the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which takes place daily at 1130 from April to July and on alternate days at other times of the year. There is also the rare chance of seeing inside a royal residence (summer only). The building, by John Nash and Edward Blore, was built around the shell of the older of the older Buckingham House, in the 19th century. The rather drab facade was added in 1913. The 19 State Rooms of the palace, including the Throne Room and the Picture Gallery, are only open to the public during August and September, when the Queen moves to her Scottish residence. The refurbished and expanded Queen's Gallery is open to the public throughout the year. It displays a changing exhibition of selected works from the Royal Collection, which covers five centuries' worth of art collecting and treasures, now held in trust by the Queen for the nation. The 17-hectare (42-acre) garden, long hidden from view, is also open to visitors touring the palace.

This horror theme park situated on London's South Bank gives visitors the opportunity to explore the darker side of British and European history. The London Dungeon, which opened in 1975, is a creepy recreation of many of history's most gruesome events. Visitors can go on various themed rides, which are based around historical murders and executions; they can explore the streets of Victorian London that were home to the serial killer Jack the Ripper, relive the Great Fire of London and take a barge down the River Thames to Traitors Gate, where they are sentenced to death by an 18th-century judge. The London Dungeons are patrolled by scary characters, dressed in gruesome costumes, who wait in dark corners and jump out at unsuspecting tourists.

Together, St James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens stretch from Whitehall to Kensington in the west. St James's Park and Green Park are at the heart of royal London, close to Buckingham Palace, while Hyde Park's Speaker's Corner is the place for soapbox philosophers to harangue passers-by on Sunday mornings.

Kensington Gardens contain the delightful Serpentine Gallery, as well as the glittering Albert Memorial and the Memorial Fountain in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. Regent's Park, just north of Oxford Circus, is home to London Zoo, while immediately next door is Primrose Hill, which has a fabulous view and chic village atmosphere.

Hampstead Heath boasts acres of natural parkland, the 18th-century Kenwood House, numerous bathing ponds and another fantastic view over the capital. Richmond Park is the largest open space in London, first enclosed as a hunting park by King Charles I in 1637; it still boasts deer.

Last, but not least, Greenwich Park is the oldest enclosed royal park. Situated on a hilltop with impressive views across East London, it provides a setting for several historic buildings, including the Old Royal Observatory, the Royal Naval College, the National Maritime Museum and the Queen's House.

The incredible Victorian building that is the Natural History Museum is divided into different zones exploring varying aspects of the planet. Highlights include a full-size model of a blue whale, the dinosaur exhibits and the earthquake simulator. For live specimens, there is the Wildlife Garden outside. The Darwin Centre houses the museum's extensive collections of specimens, which date as far back as the 16th century but also include recent new species discoveries. It also allows visitors to interact with the scientists using the collections and carrying out current research.

The dome of St Paul's Cathedral is the third largest in the world and one of the most distinctive features of the London skyline. The present building, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, was completed in 1710, on the site of the original cathedral that was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. On the inside of the dome, the Whispering Gallery, named for its incredible acoustics, offers a close-up of the frescoes of the life of St Paul that decorate the interior of the dome. From there, visitors can climb higher, up to two further galleries, which are outdoors and which offer magnificent views across the whole of London. Guided tours are available, book in advance.

Opened in 2000, the Tate Modern is a £130 million project that is regarded as a model of urban regeneration, with the disused Bankside power station transformed into an avant-garde space dedicated to 20th-century art. The permanent exhibition changes biannually so that much of the Tate Gallery's collection of modern work can be on show, displayed thematically rather than chronologically. This includes major works by Matisse, Picasso and Warhol, as well as contemporary pieces. The Turbine Hall displays changing pieces of artwork, specially commissioned to fit the enormous space.

The Bankside area itself is becoming one of the most exciting corners of London, and the £14 million Millennium Bridge is one of the newest additions here. Designed by Norman Foster, it provides a pedestrian link from the Tate Modern to St Paul's Cathedral on the north bank. Bankside's cultural regeneration is enhanced by the beautifully reconstructed Shakespeare's Globe Theatre & Exhibition, which is open all year round, although plays are only performed at the outdoor venue during the summer. Other attractions along the river, past Southwark Bridge towards London Bridge, include Southwark Cathedral on the edge of the nearby Borough Market, a heaven for foodies.

Former London Mayor Ken Livingston has made the once-congested and pigeon-infested Trafalgar Square a 'World Square', pedestrianising more of this famous space and banning seed-sellers, in an attempt to stop what he considers a nuisance. Nelson's Column dominates the centre of the square while on the north side, one of the world's greatest galleries, the National Gallery, is to be found. It houses an incredible collection of Western paintings from the 13th to the early 20th century, as well as frequent special exhibitions. Round the corner, the National Portrait Gallery displays the country's famous, infamous and forgotten in the media of oil, watercolour, marble and photography. The Ondaatje Wing includes a lecture theatre and restaurant. Opposite the gallery is the beautiful 18th-century neoclassical church, St Martin-in-the-Fields, which hosts regular concerts and has a cafe in the crypt.