London

London is really a collection of villages that grew together, and each corner has its own personality. You can spend a morning among the world-class galleries of the South Bank, an afternoon poking through the vintage stalls of Camden or the food stalls of Borough Market, and an evening in a centuries-old Soho pub. Between the museums, most of which are free, and the sprawling green of Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath, the city offers plenty to do whatever the forecast.

The character shifts fast as you move around. Notting Hill brings pastel townhouses and antique shops, Shoreditch leans creative and scruffy with street art and late-night bars, and Greenwich feels almost like a riverside town of its own. Getting between them on the Tube is second nature within a day or two.

London's weather is as changeable as its reputation suggests, with grey skies and passing drizzle possible in any season, so an umbrella and layers are always worth packing. Summer brings long daylight and lively parks, while the trade-off for short, dim winter days is the city at its most festive.