London

So the weather stinks, no one smiles, and it takes far too long to get around—just what is it that makes London such a great place to be?

No Single London

To be sure, London is not an easy city for the visitor: most Londoners have about as much time for tourists as they do for toxic waste. But this, bizarrely, can be the city's greatest charm. Without the attention of strangers, you can lose yourself in London like in no other city. Despite its enormous size, London is still the fastest-growing European city, which means the only certainty is that it will not stay still.

Going Health Mad

Despite being the most polluted city in Europe, London is working hard to rid itself of its unhealthy image. The Congestion Charge, begun under the previous mayor (Ken Livingston), now charges £8 to any vehicle entering central London, and has reduced both traffic and pollution. The smoking ban took effect in 2007, and all restaurants, bars, and clubs are now smoke-free.

London's current mayor, Boris Johnson, who came into office in 2008, has placed particular emphasis on building more cycling lanes and encouraging Londoners to recycle. The mayor is also trying to boost sporting facilities to "create healthy bodies and healthy minds," particularly as the 2012 Olympics get closer. Preparations for the high-profile world event continue, including improvements on the world's oldest underground, which began operating in 1863. The Olympic Park in East London will be the focus of the Games, and will afterward be transformed into the largest urban park in Europe. Boris Johnson is planning on spending £6 million on improving the capital's open spaces, with the aim of making London the world's greenest city. Sustainability lies at the heart of the Games, placing particular emphasis on global issues such as combating climate change and encouraging healthful living.

Cultural Soup

The Olympics are not only about sport—the Cultural Olympiad, which kicked off after the Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, celebrates people, cultures, and languages. Using music, art, and theater, the Cultural Olympiad aims to inspire and involve young people and celebrate London's unique cosmopolitanism and cultural diversity. The Millennium Dome, once the city's biggest white elephant, has been rechristened. The O2 has undergone a remarkable renaissance as a top-level concert venue that hosts some of the hottest tickets in town. It was the site of the Spice Girls Reunion and a fund-raising gig by the remaining members of legendary rock band Led Zeppelin.

London to the core, Amy Winehouse has wowed American audiences with Billie Holiday-esque tales of heartbreak and real-life tabloid excesses. Talented and troubled in equal measure, even as she was winning a clutch of Grammys, she couldn't help name-checking her home borough of Camden.

The Changing City

London has slowly expanded around The City—the historic center of the capital. Also known as the Square Mile, it is London's financial hub. Today, The City contributes about 2.5% of the country's GDP, which highlights the pivotal role it plays for the country's economy. Whether the markets are up or down, space is limited in The City. To the east, the Docklands area was built as an alternative financial center, currently housing more than 500 banks. Canary Wharf, home to Britain's tallest building (a tower of the same name), has also become a second center for London's financial business, providing more space for the construction of office buildings.

Haves and Have-Nots

London is now reckoned to be shading New York as the world's most significant financial center. The buildup of high-net-worth individuals in London adds to its international flavor, ranging from Kazakh oligarchs to Saudi playboys with every shade and nation in between. Although London remains a safe city, there are worries about the incidence of gang culture and gun and knife crime on its streets. Because of London's almost schizophrenic veering between extremes, often its deprivation is as apparent as its grandeur.

Did You Know?

With more than 7 million residents, London is the largest city in the European Union. It's among the most densely populated, too, after Copenhagen, Brussels, and Paris. The city's ethnic mosaic includes communities from 34 different countries.

Up to about £2,000 (nearly $4,000) of taxpayers' money can be used to purchase a wig for a London judge, who often still wears the antiquated accessory. Barristers and solicitors (lawyers) must pay for their own wigs and often buy them used.

More than 100 species of fish, including smelt (which locals say has an odor resembling their beloved cucumber sandwiches), live in the Thames. The Thames looks brown because of sediment but is actually Europe's cleanest metropolitan estuary.

Despite being surrounded by more than 5,000 pubs and bars, Londoners drink less than the average British resident. Twenty-three percent of men in London drank 22 or more units of alcohol per week from 2001 through 2002, compared with 27% in Great Britain as a whole.

The Tube is the world's biggest subway system. With 253 mi of routes and 275 stations, it covers more ground than systems in New York, Paris, and Tokyo.

There are 481 foreign banks in the city, more than in any other world financial center. The London Stock Exchange deals with almost twice as many foreign companies as the New York Stock Exchange.

City taxi drivers must pass a training test that requires at least two years of preparation. Eight of every 10 applicants drop out before completion.

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