When you think of London chances are you will have already considered the vast amount on offer when it comes to entertainment and the arts, particularly as the UK’s capital city is bustling in theatres, music venues, museums and more. It is no wonder people flock from all over the world to witness a production on the internationally renowned London theatre scene, with its talented performers and behind-the-scenes technicians, or from all corners of the country to witness live music. But then, the theatre scene encompasses everything from the West End to the National Theatre, meaning that nothing can beat the shows that are on offer in London.

When people think of the London theatre scene they might think of musicals such as Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera or relatively recent additions such as We Will Rock You. But getting theatre tickets in the capital does not just mean indulging in some world-famous musicals; there is also a choice of plays, dance, comedy, cabaret and more, ensuring that there is something for everyone when they arrive in the capital, whatever their age, their tastes and their mood. So a trip to London will have a noticeable gap if it does not include the glorious theatre scene.

For example, The Mousetrap is a play that has been running in the capital for many years and despite its long run continues to attract visitors. Agatha Christie’s famous crime mystery first opened its doors in 1952 at the Ambassador’s Theatre, then transferred to its current home – St Martin’s Theatre – in 1974, meaning that its ongoing run in the capital has lasted almost sixty years! This is miles ahead of even the second-longest running show in town, the famous musical Les Miserables, which didn’t arrive in the capital until 1985. And these are just two of the famous and well-received shows still attracting an audience in London.

But when it comes to the arts, London has even more to offer even beyond the world-famous theatre scene. There are also many different museums and galleries to visit, which will provide you with a fascinating insight into the history, geography and culture of the United Kingdom. You could witness the dinosaur bones on display in the Natural History Museum, relish in the renowned work featured in the National Gallery or even visit the British Museum if you want to really get to grips with the United Kingdom.

So if you are arriving in the capital soon, whether it be a short stay, a weekend break (such as a London theatre break) or a longer holiday, there is plenty to see and do in London. Even the plays and musicals are steeped in history and it means that whilst you are enjoying one of the world-famous shows you can relish in the thoughts of previous generations enjoying the same thing.

London is the European capital of attractions. This is a fact. Whether you wish to take a spin on the London eye like a slow human hamster, follow in the footsteps of the Armada and cruise up the Thames or simply kick-back and watch a show, London is the city for you.

Every year millions of tourists from all over the world decide to take their holidays in London. Few cities offer the heritage, architectural beauty and culture of the “Big Smoke”. Some of the most visited monuments and buildings include the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and of course Buckingham Palace, but don’t just follow the tourist route. A curry in Brick Lane, or a stroll in one of London’s many parks is just as worthy experience.

Once you are worn out by seeing yet another famous building, head to the famous West-End where you can catch just about any show; musical or theatre. If treading the boards isn’t your thing, and you have kids in tow, why not take them to the London Dungeons, Madame Tussauds, the Planetarium, London Aquarium or Ripley’s Museum of unique and strange things (though it is odd that so many unique artefacts should feature in so many different Ripley’s destinations)!

The London public transport system is for the leisure visitor, one of its great assets and opportunities. An organisation called Transport for London coordinates the various transport options on offer; namely buses, underground railway, overground railway, Docklands light railway, and river transport. This network covers the whole Greater London area with a comprehensive network of services. The only airports within this area are Heathrow and London City Airports.

The area is organised in six circular zones which ripple out from the centre. Nearly all the places visitors want to travel to and nearly all hotel accommodation is in Zones 1 and 2, though Heathrow is in Zone 6.
For the sake of simplicity we will focus on this inner area, zones 1 and 2.
Public transport here is dominated by the London Underground and London's famous red buses.

You cannot board any bus or train without pre-purchasing a ticket. The single fare on a bus is a flat fare however far you travel. The London Underground fare is determined by the number of zones you travel through on a journey. You can switch trains between the various lines within any single journey.

At Underground stations there is always a manned ticket office and automatic ticket machines. At bus stops there is a ticket machine where you can purchase bus tickets.

All underground lines and bus routes operate between about 05:00 and 24:00.
There is also a worthwhile network of night buses, especially in the centre of London which for the night owl are both frequent and comprehensive enough to be of real value.

Nearly all travellers on London's public transport system do not pay for individual journeys though. Instead one of the multi-trip passes is used. The fares set by Transport for London make it much cheaper to purchase one of these cards than to pay individually for each journey.
For the visitor the easiest place to purchase any of the passes is a London Underground ticket office or a local retail ticket point. You will see signs in the windows of many shops, especially newsagents, advertising that they sell the range of ticketing options at the same price as from the Underground Stations.

The most popular option for the visitor to London is the one day or three day Travelcard. This covers all public transport options within set zones. The Heathrow Express train is not covered by the pass. For the vast majority of visitors to London this means a Zone 1 & 2 Travelcard.
During weekdays there are two fare options, you have to pay significantly more if your Travelcard is used before 09:30 during the week.
Children, (less than 16 years old) travel free on the buses. You can also purchase a Travelcard for children for just 1 pound sterling covering all zones.
If you purchase a Travelcard for just zones 1 & 2, you can use it for the buses on all zones.

On buses you just show your card to the driver as you board. If you board one of London's long single deck 'bendy' buses get on through any entrance and be prepared to show your ticket for inspection. Hit squads of inspectors descend on a bus sealing all exits and will demand a valid ticket to be shown.
On the Underground you will have to insert your ticket into a barrier on entering and exiting stations to gain entry and exit.

You will also see many references to the 'Oyster Card' scheme. These are really aimed at residents of London. You will see yellow pads on buses and at the ticket barriers at Underground Stations. Oyster Cards are credit card sized cards that can be electronically loaded with electronic money or a season ticket. For example you can load say 10 GBP onto your card, when you swipe that card to gain access to a bus the fare is automatically deducted from the 10 GBP value on your card.

The big attraction is the sizable discounts on individual journeys purchased this way. Most Londoners will have season tickets which are also held in the Oyster Card. The product most attractive to visitors is the 7 day Travelcard. You cannot purchase a 7 day Travelcard without having an Oyster Card.

The feature of Oyster Cards which discourages most visitors, especially overseas visitors, is the fact you have to pay a 3 GBP refundable deposit for an Oyster Card. When you no longer require the Oyster Card you hand it in and fill in a form. You do not receive any money there and then, instead a sterling cheque is sent to your home address at a later date.