I.　　The new series name says it all: the BEST city experiences for short-trip visitors. Lonely Planet makes navigating this huge metropolis simple, with highlights, itineraries and walking tours--all marked on easy-to-use fold-out maps. Discerning listings present London's finest restaurants and coziest cafés. Find local pubs and trendy clubs with help from our resident London author.

II.　　The guidebooks in this series select the best a destination has to offer in an accessible, light, pocket-sized format. Detailed maps and transport network maps enable travellers to find all the locations mentioned in the guide.

III.　　All the world meets in London, giving its celebrated museums, gracious galleries and historic streets a multicultural edge. Feel its spirit in the pews of St. Paul's or capture it at trendy Spitalfields market - with our discerning selections Best of London puts the whole city in your pocket.

　　1.TAKE IN THE SIGHTS - exploring London's classic cathedrals, eclectic art and architectural icons is made easy with our fold-out maps and dedicated walking tours

　　2.FIND THE HAUNTS - pull a pint in a historic pub or mingle with the crowd in a decadent style-bar; our entertainment chapter puts the capital's nightlife at your fingertips

　　3.SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP - designer labels, streetwear with street cred, antiques, music and books: indulge your retail passion among the city's hip markets and countless shops

　　4.DINE OUT on modern British cuisine in Kensignton or tuck into gastropub food in Notting Hill - our guide serves up London's finest eateries

　　London

　　Capital and largest city (pop., 2001: 7,172,036) of the United Kingdom, situated in southeastern England on the River Thames. It is the political, industrial, cultural, and financial centre of the country. Formally known as the metropolitan county of Greater London (established 1965), it has an area of 659 sq mi (1,706 sq km) and consists of two regions: Inner London comprises 14 of London's 33 boroughs (including the original City of London), and Outer London encompasses the other 19 boroughs. Greater London is an administrative entity, with an elected mayor and assembly. Founded by the Romans as Londinium in the 1st century AD, it passed to the Saxons in the 5th–6th century. The Danes invaded England and London in 865. Following the Norman Conquest (1066),William I (the Conqueror) established the central stronghold of the fortress known as the Tower of London. Norman kings selected Westminster as their seat of government. The church known as Westminster Abbey had been built earlier by Edward the Confessor. The largest city in Europe north of the Alps by 1085, it was struck by the Black Death in 1348–49. Trade grew significantly in the mid-16th century, fueled by the establishment of Britain's overseas empire. In 1664–65 the plague killed about 70,000 Londoners, and in 1666 the Great Fire of London consumed five-sixths of the City of London; it was afterward rebuilt (see Christopher Wren). London was the centre of world trade from the late 18th century to 1914. It opened the world's first electric underground railway in 1890. Severely damaged by German bombs in the Battle of Britain during World War II, it was again rebuilt and grew rapidly in the postwar period. Among its sites of interest are Buckingham Palace, the Tate galleries, the National Gallery, the British Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.