Holiday rentals in Central London

As an immense urban tangle of historic wonders and cutting-edge entertainment, full of people from all over the globe, London certainly makes a strong case for being one of the best cities in the world. Its centre is a cultural theme park of museums, theatre, architecture, and galleries, bisected west to east by the mighty River Thames. These days, watching the sunset from a rooftop cocktail bar, dining at the hottest new concept restaurant, or admiring the view from the green summits of Primrose Hill or Hampstead Heath are as essential to the London experience as famous sights such as the British Museum, the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Tate Modern.

Reliably good neighbourhoods for mooching are hip and snazzy Soho; the legal district between Temple and Holborn, for architecture and the oldest pubs; bookish Bloomsbury; and for epic nightlife, cult bars, and eateries, the east London scene around Shoreditch, Haggerston, and Dalston, where the wellspring of cool hasn’t yet run dry. It doesn’t matter how many times you come to Central London: There’s always something new to discover. Even those who live here have no hope of keeping up.

London is a round-the-clock, round-the-calendar city, where dull moments are in short supply. Crowded times include bank holidays and December, though the Christmas shows and festive fairs have a special appeal. July and August can feel too hot for packed museums and shopping streets. The tradeoff of peak summer is parks hosting music festivals and the Notting Hill Carnival. January is a clever bet for sales shopping and quieter venues, as long as you’re not turned off by the dearth of party spirit. Spring and autumn are always great times to book a holiday apartment. More crucial is visiting when that play, band, or exhibition you wanted to see is on.

Regent’s Canal

For a peaceful introduction to London life, take a stroll along the Regent’s Canal from cutesy Little Venice. Passing colourful houseboats you’ll reach vibrant Camden Lock, new foodie epicentre Kings Cross, Islington, and then the canalside cafes and bars of Hackney. See warehouses, breweries, and artists’ studios in Hackney Wick before finishing at the green Olympic Park or Limehouse Basin.

Outdoor Dining

For a notoriously rainy city, London has embraced al fresco dining as if it were the Mediterranean. Once you’ve ticked off Borough Market, try its cool new equivalent nearby at Maltby Street Market. For street food and outdoor drinking there’s Vinegar Yard, near London Bridge, and Pop Brixton.

Alternative Shopping Streets

Shopping doesn’t have to be all about Oxford Street. Less crowded drags with superlative boutique brands lie a few minutes north around Marylebone High Street, out west on the posh and leafy King’s Road, or in arty Islington. For more edgy labels head to Soho, Spitalfields, and Coal Drops Yard in Kings Cross.