The City

Top Reasons to Go

Tower of London: Nowhere else does London's history come to life so vividly as in this minicity of melodramatic towers stuffed to bursting with heraldry, quite a few pints of royal blood, and treasure, most notably, the stunning Crown Jewels (bring sunglasses).

St. Paul's Cathedral: The symbolic heart of London, St. Paul's rides high on the skyline although now nudged by ugly skyscrapers—once inside, however, you'll revel in Sir Christopher Wren's 17th-century masterpiece.

Museum of London: Oliver Cromwell's death mask, Queen Victoria's crinolined gowns, Selfridges' Art Déco elevators, and a Diorama of the Great Fire (sound effects! flickering flames!) all make this a gem of a museum.

The Millennium Bridge: Hurtle the centuries with this promenade between the Tate Modern and St. Paul's (with a great river view).