London is a complicated web of tubes, trains and buses. It's all quite well connected, but getting from one side of town to the other can take a long time (and potentially involve a few transfers of transport lines. The key to success is to group your activities together geographically, so that you don’t have to double back into an area you’ve already visited. It’s also a good idea to invest in an Oyster Card or a daypass. Buying tickets every time you get on a bus or tube will drain the pounds out of your pockets at a depressing rate.

Few cities have more literary cred than London; William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Beatrix Potter, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf… the list of historical literary luminaries who called London home make this a rewarding pilgrimage destination for any keen reader. And not just the city itself; there are many areas and sites that will delight those who love the printed word. For example, The George Inn, near London Bridge, counted both Shakespeare and Dickens as patrons - it even gets a namecheck in Dickens’ Little Dorrit.

London is famed for its pea soup fog - even inspiring the name of the London Fog coat company. But in March to October the weather can actually be pretty warm. That’s when Londoners pile onto terraces and into parks. Winter time can get cold and - especially - wet. In addition to warm jacket, scarf, gloves and hat, bring waterproof shoes. Or better yet, boots. Of course, at just about any time of the year the weather can change quickly, so even if it’s a warm spring day, it’s a good idea to bring a sweater or light coat along.