There’s loads to sink your teeth into in London.

Markets

Now more of a curiosity than a shopping haven, Camden Market has passed the mantel onto lively and colourful Portobello and Spitalfields markets, where stalls brim with retro and designer fashions, kitsch knick-knacks and global cuisine. For London’s best food market head to Borough Market, while for the perfect bouquet, try the Columbia Road Flower Market near Liverpool Street.

Natural History Museum

The 26m-long diplodocus dinosaur dominates the main hall of the magnificent Natural History Museum building, reminding you that your first stop in the Life Galleries should be the dinosaur wing. In the Earth Galleries, an escalator takes you through the heart of the globe to explore the effects of earthquakes and volcanoes.

Brick Lane

The star of Monica Ali’s novel of the same name is both the hub of a Bengali community and fashion students. The blend on Brick Lane sees lively curry houses and market stalls jostling with hip boutiques, art shows and some of the best bars in London – try Vibe and 93 Feet East for starters.

South Bank

Once a concrete mess, this stretch of the river is slowly becoming the forefront of architectural style. Tate Modern, the world’s most visited museum of modern art, has resurrected the skulking dignity of the Bankside Power Station; Millennium Bridge adds a futuristic touch and the London Eye, with its ferris wheel of viewing pods, brings fairground fun to the South Bank.

Park life

Hampstead Heath is one of the best green spaces in the city with enough room to get lost, swimming ponds and regular concerts outside the elegant Kenwood House. For a more central oasis, try St James’s Park near Buckingham Palace or Hyde Park, where you can row on the Serpentine, ride a horse and visit the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.

Gig pigs

You can catch the best bands in the world or just about any given night in the capital, from giant stadium gigs at The O2 and Wembley to more intimate concerts at venue gems like the Brixton Academy, the Hammersmith Apollo and the Camden Barfly. If clubbing is more your pace, hit Turnmills, Fabric or Pacha for beats until the wee hours.