The Summer Olympic Games of 2012 will be held in London. But there is no reason to wait until 2012, before you visit the city, because today you can find great sights, fantastic shopping and a exciting nightlife. And the food is not the typical English dishes.

The London Eye is the newest sight; and also one of the most interesting ones. The Ferris wheel is 135 meter (443 feet) high and can be found between Waterloo and Westminster Bridge. It was opened by Tony Blair for the new millennium. But some technical problems made it impossible to use until March 2000.

The wheel is a very popular attraction. And with only 32 cabins (for 25 persons each), and a half an hour rotation, the queues can be long in the high season. But when you see the view over the central London and spot the Big Ben and the House of Parliament, you will find the waiting time worth the trouble.

A 900 older sight with a very bloody history is the Tower of London. The Traitors Gate was the entrance for many, but the exit for few. The majority were killed because of torture or rats; or executed.

Today the fortress is a more peaceful place (except for the other tourists). It is interesting to watch the famous Ceremony of the Keys where the head of the guards hands over the keys to the head of the night watchmen at exactly 9.52 pm.

There are many interesting places to be seen on a tour of Tower of London. This includes the royal apartment as well as the dungeons. But the most popular sight is the British crown jewels in the Jewel House. Here you can see the scepter of the sovereign with Star of Africa; the worlds largest diamond.

Other interesting sight in London includes the 106 meter (348 feet) high Big Ben, the St. Pauls Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Do also take a stroll in Hyde Park and see all the famous art treasures in British Museum.

A must thing to do in London is people watching. In the city you can see everything from punkers with safety pins through their noses and cock's combs to businessmen with bowler hat sand stiff upper lips.

Do you think it is impossible to find great food in London? Well, it is not; and you do not have to eat fish and chips. Both Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver have restaurants in London, so you can find superb food. But it does not have to be expensive. London is a melting pot of multi-ethnic populations, so it is also possible to find cheap and exotic food in many of the international restaurants in the city.

London is also a great place to shop. The famous department store Harrods even brags about that they can provide everything you need. Stuff for your home can be found in Designers Guild (wallpaper and fabric) and Muji (Japanese design). For something to the kids, you should visit Hamleys of Regent Street; a six story toyshop