South Bank

The beauty that painters like Monet and Derain captured so perfectly in their Thames views is alive and well, and every bit as potent in today's hurly-burly pell-mell world.

For even the most jaded of Londoners, this area of the Thames waterfront on the south bank extending from London Bridge to Westminster Bridge retains its astonishing power to halt you in your tracks. Not only does the area contain probably the highest concentration of arts, leisure and entertainment facilities to be found anywhere in the world, but it also offers vistas across the water to rival anything that Paris or New York have to offer.

There is such a profusion of attractions to see that there is space here to do little more than list them, as best as possible. Beginning at the south bank at London Bridge (Tube: London Bridge):

• Southwark Cathedral
• the Borough Market covered market and its surrounding newly fashionable shops and watering holes
• the replica of Sir Francis Drake'sGolden Hinde in dry dock
• The Clink prison museum (020 7378 1558)
• Vinopolis wine museum (0870 241 4040)
• Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and museum (020 7902 1400)
• the Tate Modern art gallery at Bankside (020 7887 8000)
• the (formerly wobbly) Millennium Footbridge linking Bankside to north of the river with spectacular views of the dome of St Paul's cathedral
• Blackfriars Bridge (Tube north bank: Blackfriars)
• the fashionable designer-workshops and up-market bar and restaurant in the Oxo Tower building
• Gabriel's Wharf's interesting craft shops, bars and restaurants
• The National Theatre complex (020 7452 3000)
• The National Film Theatre (020 7928 3232)
• the second-hand book market under Waterloo Bridge (Tube: Waterloo)
• the nearby bfi London IMAX Theatre (020 7902 1234)
• the Haywood art gallery (020 7960 5226)
• the Royal Festival Hall (which includes classical music CD shop) together with Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Purcell Rooms (all 020 7921 0600)
• the highly successful new twin footbridges on either side of Hungerford railway bridge, linking to the north bank (Tube: Embankment) and within a five minute walk Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery (020 7747 2885) and the National Portrait Gallery (020 7306 0055)
• the London Eye ferris wheel (0870 500 0600)
• the London Aquarium (020 7967 8000)
• the new modern art Saatchi Gallery (020 7823 2363)

Westminster Bridge and on the north bank the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey (Tube: Westminster)

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