London

Why is it that the minute anyone says the word London, I automatically start singing that classic song by The Clash and then move on to dreaming about high tea and cozy pubs? Even before Harry Potter I was transfixed by Sherlock Holmes and 22B Baker Street and Jack the Ripper lore. The amount of history and culture that is packed into this square mile of a city is enough to keep anyone busy for a lifetime of visits.

But the best part about London for anyone from the US is that it is the perfect jumping off spot for anywhere in Europe (or beyond). You can catch a direct flight to London from any major city, land just in time for tea, work off your jet lag while you tag a few more sites of one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, and then catch a flight in a day or two to your final destination. Which is exactly what I try to do on any trip to the continent. On the return flight you can overnight in Windsor, have a great dinner, and then catch a leisurely hotel shuttle to Heathrow for your flight home (you can read about my recommendations for doing that here).

During my last stopover in London we managed to finally hit the Churchill War Rooms (can’t believe we had waited so long to visit), catch a great Indian dinner (maybe the next best to India), and watch the royal announcement of the birth of Prince George (a true media spectacle). And many of the great hotels on my list will allow you to take a fantastic run in Hyde Park to shake off the airplane fog.

So the next time you are plotting out your flight arrangements, be sure to check out your options for flying into London and spending a day or two.

And enjoy any of my favorite spots, below…