Samuel Johnson was partly right about England's capital. You won't tire of London easily, but London will tire of you. The city can seem a sprawling, ugly and pleasure-seeking place, which sucks in visitors and spits them out like an impatient Rabelasian giant.
Unlike Paris or Rome, London is not a city to explore at random. Public transport is too complex, restaurants too unreliable, and the weather too unpredictable to risk a day without a map and the help of a few websites.
This is London
The best place to start planning a visit, however brief, is This is London, which profiles virtually every attraction in the city for both adults and children. The virtual-reality panoramas allow you to choose a vantage point and see the surroundings from every angle. By moving the mouse over a photograph, you can zoom in on the Ravenmaster and then "turn" to see the Tower of London opposite.
London Transport
On arrival at a railway station or Victoria, you will be invited to descend into the Underground - and, like Odysseus, you should go prepared. London Transport's site is an extremely helpful resource, providing journey planners, maps and advice on the right tickets to buy. The fact that the site runs a great deal more smoothly than the network itself is an irony that will soon become apparent. Few people think of travelling on the Thames - even in summer - but you can also find details of river buses here.
London Transport Museum
Many children are fascinated by buses and Tube trains, and a visit to the London Transport Museum can be all the more exciting if they look at the website first. Follow an online tour of disused Down Street station, or investigate the excellent Future Transport exhibition.
Web of Life
London Zoo recently launched its Web of Life site, which updates visitors on events at the zoo. (A group of turbo snails recently arrived in the clam tank to control algae, while the 11-strong mole rat colony has begun constructing burrows.)
easyEverything
The opening of easyEverything at Victoria has made e-mailing home a great deal easier. The founder of easyJet set up this vast 24-hour Internet store in June. Unlimited surfing between 2am and 11am costs only £1.
