A one-day travelcard costing £6 gives you access to most of greater London's public transport network. Or a London Pass includes entry to attractions.

Here are 10 ways to spend an active afternoon in London:

1. To start from the top and get a birds'-eye view of the capital, take a trip on the London Eye. Sunset is a good time to see the city. Adults £12.50, children £6.50, under 5s go free of charge. Book online at www.londoneye.com for a 10% discount. Opening times vary. It is closed for annual maintenance in January and February. Nearest underground is Waterloo.
   
   
2. The London Aquarium, which is just next to the London Eye, is lots of fun for kids. If you can, go at feeding times. Adults £9.75, under 14s £6.25. Nearest underground is Waterloo. For information see www.londonaquarium.co.uk.
   
   
3. St Paul's Cathedral offers another high viewpoint. You can climb the Domb and visit the Crypt. For kids, don't miss the Whispering Gallery - a whisper against the wall is audible on the other side. Adults £8, under 16s £3.50. Nearest underground is St Paul's. Take a virtual tour.
   
   
4. Visit the Tate Britain museum at Millbank. Admission is free but donations are welcome. A Tate Boat runs every 40 minutes along the Thames between Tate Britain, the London Eye and Tate Modern. See www.tate.org.uk for a list of exhibitions.
   
   
5. Visit the Tate Modern museumat Bankside. Admission is free but donations are welcome. See www.tate.org.uk for a list of exhibitions.
   
   
6. Find out about the natural world at the Natural History museum. Admission is free, but there is a charge for some exhibitions. Nearest underground is South Kensington. See www.nhm.ac.uk for a list of exhibitions. Nearby Science and Victoria & Albert (www.vam.ac.uk) museums are also worth a visit.
   
   
7. The Tower of London is a royal palace steeped in history and home to the Crown Jewels. Adults £13.50, under 16s £8.50. Nearest underground is Tower Hill. See www.hrp.org.uk for information about all the Royal Palaces including Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace.
   
   
8. Visit the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Adults £10, under 16s accompanied by an adult go free. Nearest underground is Kew Gardens. See www.kew.org before you go for the latest information about flowering plants and new species.
   
   
9. Go boating on Hyde Park's Serpentine lake. For information about Hyde Park see www.visitlondon.com and to find out about London's royal parks see www.royalparks.gov.uk.
   
   
10. Take the 283 'Duck bus' from Hammersmith underground to the London Wetland Centre in Barnes. Adults £6.50, children £4. See www.wwt.org.uk for more information.