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London

People have no end of reasons for living in London. As a financial, political and media centre, business and commerce is heavily concentrated in the capital, with most major UK companies and many multinationals locating their head offices there. London oozes with attractions, cultural diversity and sporting events, which makes an exciting, vibrant, cosmopolitan city with something for everyone. And of course, as host of the 2012 Olympics, the capital is experiencing increased investment and pride.

Top attractions

• The London Eye – head to the south bank of the Thames for the best panoramic view of central London from the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe
• The Tower of London – meet the Beefeaters and marvel at the places where felons in days of yore were locked away
• The O2 Arena - once known as the Millennium Dome, the Arena is now a top sports and concert venue
• The West End - go shopping in Oxford Street or Harrods, enjoy a trip to the theatre and revel in the street entertainment at Covent Garden
• Parliament - did you know you can actually go in and see the verbal fisticuffs from the public gallery?
• Buckingham Palace – part of the Queen's prime residence is open to the public, and if the standard is flying, then her Majesty is at home
• The Royal Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory at Greenwich – explore Britain's naval history before standing on the line that marks zero longitude
• Double take at the Tate - art lovers can enjoy the traditional at the Tate Britain in Pimlico or the abstract at the Tate Modern on the south bank
• Wembley Stadium - watch football at what's arguably the most famous stadium on the planet
• Lords - it's just "not cricket" to miss a visit to the home of the sport, whose museum holds the original Ashes urn

How to get around

• The Tube - the oldest (since 1863) underground railway in the world remains an invaluable way to get around, with over 260 stations and, of course, the iconic map to help beginners navigate
• Light rail - the Tube covers little of south London, but the Croydon Tramlink plugs part of the gap, while the Docklands Light Railway adds to the services in the east of the capital
• Trains - London has several major hubs to connect with intercity and even international services, such as Euston, King's Cross, Waterloo, Liverpool Street and Paddington. St Pancras is the home of Eurostar services through the Channel Tunnel. London has an extensive suburban rail network, particularly south of the river where Tube coverage is scant.
• Airports - Heathrow, on the western edge of the capital, is the third busiest airport in the world with the recent addition of Terminal Five. The capital is also served by London City Airport in the east, while in the home counties Luton, Stansted and Gatwick airports provide international services to and from London
• Buses - London's iconic red buses cover just about everywhere, with the added advantage that they also run night routes
• Motorways - London is orbited by the M25 and connects with the M4 from the west, M1 from the north and M11, all of which penetrate inside the city boundaries. Also connected to the M25 from beyond are the A1M through Hertfordshire, M3 from Hampshire, M23 (Surrey) plus the M26, M20 and M2 (Kent).

Living in London

• Universities - London has several renowned higher education institutions. In the Times Good University Guide Imperial College London is ranked 3^rd, London School of Economics comes 4^th, and University College 7^th. Other universities include City University, Brunel, University of the Arts, Roehampton, Kingston, Westminster, Middlesex, East London Greenwich, Thames Valley and South Bank.
• Major hospitals include the Royal London Hospital, St Bartholomew's (known as "Barts") and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
• History - London was founded by the Romans and remained a small city for much of their time, the area that was affected by the Great Fire in 1666 and is now called the City of London. The city has grown into a major port and subsequently one of the chief financial centres of the world. A capital since Norman times, the city was split into 32 boroughs and formed into the London County Council in the 19th century, (essentially what is now inner London) before the modern Greater London was born in 1965, encompassing the rest of the conurbation
• Traditions - London has a rich cultural heritage. Many colourful, vibrant and joyful festivals are celebrated by the people of London such as Guy Fawkes Night, New Year's Day parade and Regent Streets Festival. Outside Buckingham Palace you can always see guards dressed in their trademark bright red uniforms and bearskin hats. The ceremony of the Changing of the Guards started in 1660, since which time the King or Queen of England has been guarded by the Household Troops.

Property in London

Incomes in London are higher, supplemented by London weighting in pay packets to offset higher living costs. While there is a wide divergence of wealth and variety of homes, the overall cost of living remains higher than average and is more subject to inflation than elsewhere.

Central London is dominated by flats and apartments. The West End features the highest concentration of prime and super-prime property, particularly in Knightsbridge, Chelsea and Kensington. The East End is currently the subject of many high hopes, as this part of the capital is to benefit most from the Olympic legacy as the main venues will be located in Stratford. Those wanting a detached or semi-detached family house can find them in the outer lying suburbs sprawling in all directions beyond the inner city.

Events

• New year - stand by for partying and fireworks in Trafalgar Square
• The London Marathon - the largest annual fund raising event in the world and a fantastic spectacle of endurance
• The Boat Race - Oxford v Cambridge on the Thames every spring
• Chelsea Flower Show - a blooming marvellous time to be had every May at the Royal Horticultural Society's blue riband event
• Wimbledon - enjoy strawberries, cream and tennis in midsummer at the sport's biggest event
• The Notting Hill Carnival - the taste of the Caribbean every August
• The Six Nations - Rugby Union at Twickenham every autumn
• The Lord Mayor's Show - history, pomp and pageantry at its best every November
• The Christmas lights - be there in Oxford Street for the big switch on each November

Estate Agents

Naturally enough, London has a huge number of national and local estate agents. According to the National Association of Estate Agents, there are over 800 agents in Greater London.