Top Destinations : London

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London shopping denizens can frequent world-famous Harrods, find a unique gift covered in Liberty prints, or shop alongside celebrities at Top Shop and Paul Smith.The floral fabric emporium, Liberty of London, is famous for its prints, as well as fashion covered in the popular material. The shop includes an Asian department, gifts, a menswear line and the latest in women's fashion. For more information, call 020-7734-1234. 200 Regent Street, London W1.

Recreated from a Victorian pharmacy, Paul Smith will outfit you in quirky, well-cut suits, denim and eclectic tees. Sir Paul McCartney counts Paul Smith as a favorite retailer. For more information, call 020-7379-7133. 40-44 Floral Street, London WC2.

The most famous department store in the world, Harrods, embodies its motto, "Omnia Omnibus Ubique" (All Things, For All People, Everywhere) by offering the famous Food Hall, a pet department, online casino, furniture and designer fashions. For more information, call 020-7730-1234. 87-135 Brompton Road, London SW1.

Create your own jewelry at the bead bar and explore racks of affordable trends at Top Shop, where celebrities and locals mix and match the latest designers with the store's own label, Moto. For more information, call 020-7636-7700. 214 Oxford Street, London W1.

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Be sure to try the city's requisite fish and chips and shepherd's pie, but to delve deeper into the London dining scene, one must explore the more than 80 cuisines offered and the assortment of ethnic eateries, including Japanese, Turkish, Ethiopian and North African.

The long-standing city institution, Sweeting's, is uniquely English, where locals dine on potted shrimp, fresh oysters and baked jam rolls. Visitors should note that the establishment does not accept reservations and is not open for dinner or on the weekends. The seafood is supreme, and diners will enjoy traveling back in time to Old London at this popular eatery. For more information, call 020-7248-3062. 39 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4.

Boulevard Brasserie, located in Covent Garden, serves a pre- and post-theatre menu, as well as a set lunch. The open frontage on the ground floor can make for a pleasant alfresco dining experience, while the first floor showcases French windows overlooking Wellington Street. The French-inspired menu features dishes such as tiger prawns, duck comfit and mushroom risotto. For reservations, call 020-7240-2992. 40 Wellington Street, London WC2E.

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London is more than the immensely popular landmarks listed below, but these sites offer so much history, culture and charm that it would be a shame to miss them.

The official abode of British royalty since Queen Victoria's reign in 1837, Buckingham Palace contains 19 staterooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In the forecourt of the building, marching to live music, the Changing of the Guard takes place on various days at 11:30 a.m. For more information, call 020-7321-2233. Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1A.

The Gothic Westminster Abbey is the traditional coronation and burial site for English monarchs and many celebrated Britons, including David Livingstone, Sir Isaac Newton, Geoffrey Chaucer and Charles Dickens. The place of daily worship features the painted glass rose window, statues, monuments and choir screens. For more information, call 020-7222-5152. Broad Sanctuary, London SW1.

The House of Lords and the House of Commons conduct their sittings at the Houses of Parliament. The building is a series of chambers, lobbies and offices, and sits on the north bank of the River Thames. The building's most famous feature is the clock tower, Big Ben. The tower, weighing more than 13 tons, has a light above it that is illuminated while the House of Commons is in session. For more information, call 020-7219-4272. Westminster, London SW1A.

The world's third-largest dome rises high over the city at St. Paul's Cathedral. This masterpiece by Sir Christopher Wren was completed in 1710. Inside are carvings, monuments and statues dedicated to a wide range of people, and the cathedral has been the site of many famous funerals, including those of the Duke of Wellington and Winston Churchill. St. Paul’s Cathedral was the site of the marriage of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer in 1980. For more information, call 020-7236-4128. St. Paul’s Churchyard, Ludgate Hil