London is the capital and largest urban area of England and the United Kingdom. It is one of the world's three largest financial centres alongside New York and Tokyo with a dominant role in several international financial markets, including cross-border bank lending. London's new financial and commercial hub is the Docklands area to the east of the City, dominated by the Canary Wharf complex.



Europe's busiest shopping area is Oxford Street, a shopping street nearly one mile long which makes it the longest shopping street in the world and home to many shops and department stores. The city has 83 major street markets, selling every thing from antiques and exotic ingredients to retro fashions and crafts, market shoppers are spoilt for choice in London.

Camden Markets specializes in alternative fashion, vintage, and emerging designers, funky furnishings, and international food at an array of diverse restaurants, bars, and stalls and has 500,000 visitors per week.

London is world famous for its party vibe and non-stop night life. The capital is seething with after-hours drinking and dancing dens. From the pulsating dance floors of major nightclubs to the chilled intimacy of smaller DJ bars, London has some thing to offer both party animals and those looking for a quiet drink and conversation.

London is famous for its theatrical productions, in particular its musicals. Nearly every street in central London's Theatre land boasts its own performance venue.

Covent Garden is one of the London's biggest tourist attractions. The origins of Covent Garden are firmly rooted in medieval times, when a local convent garden supplied fruit and vegetables to Westminster Abbey. The impressive covered central market was originally designed for this same purpose.

The London Eye is a Ferris-wheel with 32 glassed-in carriages, each accommodating up to 25 passengers, rotating upward and around. Each air-conditioned carriage rotates on a device designed to keep every one upright as the wheel slowly revolves. On a clear day, the panorama can stretch as far as Heathrow Airport and Windsor Castle. By night, London's landmarks are floodlit against the darkness, showcasing the Gothic houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Tate Museum, and Tower Bridge along with stretches of the Thames.

Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park was unveiled in July, 2004 with both the late Dianas family and the royal family including Queen Elizabeth II present, the $6.5 million memorial to the late Princess of Wales is designed by American architect Karen Gustafson.