With over 30,000 shops and stores to choose from, as well as a burgeoning reputation in the fashion world, shoppers will not be disappointed - from designer labels in Bond Street to bustling street markets in Camden, Notting Hill or Brick Lane.  The capital also has 400 live music venues, catering for everything from opera to Brit pop and sports fans will not be short of excitement whenever they come. The summer sees the world’s largest classical musical festival at the Royal Albert Hall – the Proms.

In the 21st century, London has reinvented itself on a monumental scale. Don’t miss the amazing views from the ultra modern British Airways London Eye, the world’s most visited modern art gallery, Tate Modern, or the staggering scale of the British Museum Great Court. Newcomers this year include the Firepower artillery museum in Woolwich and the Museum in Docklands.

This is the region for city breaks, exploring famously fashionable haunts, historic streets and buildings. It’s a region to walk, cycle and discover the landscapes and wildlife of unspoilt villages. There is always a feast of sporting entertainment including international cricket, championship golf courses and Premiership football.

England's Northwest is also bursting with cultural confidence, from outstanding national museums and galleries to magical sculptures and blockbuster theatre events.

There are great places to stay in chic city centre hotels, rural retreats, country houses and cosy pubs.

The multi-award wining Beatles Story exhibition at the Albert Dock is a must see for all Beatles fans. Re-live the Fab Four's meteoric rise to fame from the early days in Hamburg and the Cavern Club, through Beatle-mania and the Yellow Submarine.