A first-timer’s guide to London: What to see, eat and do

Where to start exploring London for the first time, a city of roughly 10 million people with its endlessly diverse neighbourhoods and trendsetting culture? It’s hard to know how to spend those precious vacation days in a metropolis with so much to offer in the realms of history, entertainment and cuisine. Do you focus first on royal landmarks like Buckingham Palace or the Tower of London? Or hit the world-class museums by day and theatres by night? And in a place that often feels like a collection of villages, how do you decide which nearby or farther-flung neighbourhood to venture into next?As 18th-century writer Samuel Johnson is quoted as saying, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” There’s so much to do and see that you may eventually feel tired, so repair to one of London’s historic pubs and raise a pint to your discoveries.THE ESSENTIALSNo first trip to London is complete without these renowned locations and classic experiences.A Thames Boat Ride

A boat ride along the River Thames offers a different perspective on London, gliding past landmarks such as Big Ben and Tower Bridge. (Photo: The New York Times)

Ogle the vast range of the city’s striking architecture — old and new — from the London River Bus, aka Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. An adult can go to Greenwich from the Battersea Power Station for 11.40 pounds (about US$15.40 or S$19.60), using pay as you go with an Oyster or contactless bank card or mobile device, gliding past Big Ben and under Tower Bridge with a view of the Shard, a pyramidal skyscraper designed by Renzo Piano. Tip: Cruise to Tate Britain from Tate Modern.St James’s Park