London enjoys a warmer climate than U.K. cities located further north but winters can be damp and chilly nonetheless. May and June are usually the driest months with the most days of sunshine. The multicolored autumn foliage complements the mild weather of September and October. Average temperature ranges are as follows: January, 36 degrees to 45 degrees Fahrenheit; May, 45 degrees to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, September, 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

American Chamber of Commerce

German British Chamber of Industry and Commerce

Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

American Embassy

Chinese (People's Republic of) Embassy China

Czech Republic Embassy

French Embassy

German Embassy

Japanese Embassy

Most large hotels also have business centers that offer many of the same services that independent centers provide.

Chesham Executive Centre

ExCel London Docklands

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All upper-range and most medium-priced hotels are equipped with dataports that allow guests to use laptop computers. Many hotels also offer business centers equipped with computers and Internet access. Outside hotels, cyber cafes are available including:

Onyx Telecom Internet Cafe

Citizens of Brazil, Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Mexico, Germany, France, and the U.S. do not need a visa for entry into Canada. Citizens of the People's Republic of China need to apply for visa.

For adults entering from the non-EU countries, duty-free allowances are 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco; 1 liter of alcoholic beverage of more than 22 proof, or 2 liters of champagne and wine; 60 grams of perfume, and; other goods to the value of GBP75. For adults entering from the EU countries, duty-free allowances are 800 cigarettes or 400 cigarillos and 200 cigars or 1 kilograms of tobacco; 10 liter of alcoholic beverage of more than 22 proof, or 90 liters of wine (20 liters of fortified wine), and; 110 liters of beer.

The country code for all of the United Kingdom is 44. The city code for London is 020.

Police, Ambulance, or Fire

Numbers in central London begin with 7; outer boroughs begin with 8. When dialing London from abroad, leave out the initial zero of the area code. To call a foreign number from the London, dial 00, then the country code, then the area code, and then the number. Dial 100 to get the operator. Dial 155 to get the international operator. Dial 192 to reach the U.K. directory assistance. Dial 153 to get international directory assistance. Public phones are widely available and can be used with either coins or phone cards.

The cellular standards in London are ETACS for analogue and GSM for digital. Major service providers include Vodafone, Cellnet, Manx Telecom, Jersey Telecoms, Orange, One2One, and Guernsey Telecoms. If you choose to bring your cellular phone into the U.K., be sure to check with your home cellular service provider to establish compatibility of your phone with systems abroad. Rent a locally compatible cellular phone before you arrive to obtain reasonable rates and reliable service. Cellular phone numbers begin with 3. The three digit dialing code identifies the carrier.

The unit of currency is the pound sterling (GBP), which contains 100 pennies or pence (p). There are 5-, 10-, 20-, 50-, and 100-pound notes; 1- and 2-pound coins; and 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20- and 50-pence coins. Pence or pennies are invariably abbreviated to "pee" in speech.

Foreign currency and travelers' checks can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change (private-exchange booths), and at certain travel agencies. Only pounds sterling are accepted as legal tender for cash transactions. Foreign currency must be exchanged for pounds at a bank or a currency exchange. ATMs are widely available. Travelers' checks are not generally accepted in shops and restaurants, though most major hotels will take them. They can be exchanged for cash in banks, bureaux de change, and certain travel agencies. Credit cards are widely accepted throughout the country in hotels, restaurants, and shops.

London lies in the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) zone. Daylight Savings Time (known as British Summer Time, or BST) is observed from 2am on the last Sunday in March, when the clocks are put forward an hour to GMT plus one hour, until 2am on the last Sunday in October, when they go back to GMT time.

VAT is 17.5% in London and is almost always included in quoted prices.

Electricity is 240V, 50Hz AC in the U.K. Three-pin plugs with square-section pins are used in the U.K.

London is very congested and it is not advisable to drive. If you choose to, the M25 is London's orbital motorway. It is about 122 miles/187 kilometers around and suffers from a lot of traffic.

Black Cabs (Hackney Carriages) are the famed black cabs seen throughout London. Cab drivers must undergo extensive training to become a driver, and they know nearly every road in London. While they are plentiful (there are about 22,500 drivers in London), they can be expensive for longer distances. These taxis are licensed by the police, and they are only taxis allowed to legally offer their services to you just by stopping in the street. Mini Cabs are not licensed and are not supposed to stop for you in the street. The law requires that you call them to request their services. They are less expensive than Black Cabs.

London is famous for its buses--nearly everybody has seen pictures of the charming red double-deckers that have transported people around the city for decades. A bus trip in London that goes through the city center costs one pound; one that doesn't, costs 70 pence. The cheapest and fastest way to get around London is on the Underground, "the tube." Although it is crowded during rush hours, it is still the way to go.

There are no serious health hazards. You do not need any vaccinations before visiting the U.K.

• New Year's Day
January 1
• Good Friday
Last Friday before Easter
• Easter Monday
Monday after Easter in mid-March or April
• May Bank Holiday
First Monday in May
• Spring Bank Holiday
Monday in late May
• Summer Bank Holiday
Monday at the end of August November 5
• Christmas
December 25
• Boxing Day
December 26

The Square, a chic, popular eatery, offers updated versions of British classics. With stunning presentation, luxurious decor and prices to match, the stylish Japanese restaurant Sumosan is good for impressing business clients. Chez Nico is one of the city's finest French restaurants, serving exquisite creations. Elegant Italian fare and an energetic atmosphere define San Lorenzo. Located in an enormous 18th-century house divided into four different culinary experiences all extravagantly designed by Mourad Mazouz. Sketch is French chef Pierre Gagnaire's first venture in London. Ken Lo's Memories of China has the reputation of serving up London's best Chinese food. The South Indian restaurant Malabar Junction caters for both meat-eaters and vegetarians in a bright light dining room with bamboo chairs, greenery and water fountain.

London offers some of the world's greatest shopping. Favorite local gifts include tea, antiques, jewelry and dollhouses. London's high-end department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols have carefully edited selections of gift items. Fabulous fashions can be found in Old and New Bond Streets, Oxford Street, King's Road and Regent Street. Other popular retail districts are Knightsbridge, where Harrods is located, and Piccadilly. You can find a wide selection of electronic goods on Tottenham Court Road, while Bermondsey Market is known as a great spot for antique hunting.

London offers a multitude of cultural attractions. The House of Parliament and the Big Ben clock tower are two of London's most famous landmarks. The changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace offers a display of pomp and tradition. Tours of the palace are available during August and September. The Royal Ceremonial Dress collection and 18th century staterooms at Kensington Palace are open to visitors. St. Paul's Cathedral is one of architect Christopher Wren's masterpieces, as well as being the second largest cathedral after Rome's St. Peter's. Westminster Abbey, built in the 13th century, is as renowned for its phenomenal twin towers and splendid archways as it is for being the site of coronation ceremonies and the resting place of British royals and heroes. The Tower of London, dating from medieval times, houses the crown jewels and other national treasures.

Among the best of London's several museums are the National Gallery, the British Museum, the Wellington Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Well known for its fine theatrical offerings, London has numerous venues where you can see a show, such as the Royal National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The Royal Shakespeare Company performs at Barbican Theatre. London is well known as a city with large amounts of green space. As well as being the site of one of the world's biggest with Hyde Park, it is home to Green Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent Park, Richmond Park and Hampstead Heath.