I love swimming and I love being outside. London is great if your into both these things. I swim at London Fields Lido which is heated all year round. Its best in the winter when the steam rises from the water and if your lucky its snowing a little on your head. If your brave you can also go for the unheated option of the Serpentine or Hampstead Ponds.

As preposterous as this sounds I think there are few ills that can’t be cured by sitting lazily on a stack of rugs in Liberty and allowing the patterns to wash over you in a warm, and slightly itchy, haze. If you don’t believe me try it. The second you step off the main shopping area the sound and lights dim, the rugs beg to be touched, and all your worries seem to disappear.

The tunnels are a Crane.tv favourite. We have used the space as a backdrop for several films including a music session with The Civil Wars. The tunnels have a great story behind them and feature one of the only legal graffiti walls in London on their Leake Street side which was championed by Banksy back in 2008.

A very good selection of non-fiction, essays, and rare books. The Japanese book collection is gorgeous!

The walk along the South Bank from Westminster to Tower Bridge will take you past a plethora or interesting sights and cultural hotspots. There's always something interesting going on too.