To celebrate the Phoenix-like rise from the ashes of one of London’s best-loved tourist attractions, the Cutty Sark, we’re running down some of London’s best boating experiences. You may not want to swim in it but a stroll along the Thames remains one of the best things to do in London and why stop at that when there is maritime history aplenty resting along its banks?

We weeded through the mass of arty stuff happening in the city to give you our top picks of art exhibitons in London happening right now.

Struggling for things to do in London this weekend? Just leave it to Robert Redford. The evergreen actor and director has been hiding his independent film festival, Sundance, in the wilds of Utah since 1978 but this year he’s seen sense and decided to bring it to London as well.

Learning a new language is one of the most valuable things to do in London. Whether you want a few conversational words to get you past the “dos cervezas” level for your summer holiday, or you’re learning for career purposes, another language is a great skill to have. But let’s face it, it can also be frustrating and pretty hard work. Classes are essential but they’re only one part of the puzzle. To really make progress you’re going to have to get out there and speak to people.

We are incredibly excited about season 5 of Mad Men (if you can’t tell from our Pinterest board), and so we wanted to address the two most important questions regarding the premiere on Tuesday: What even happened during season 4 and what are you going to drink while you watch?

Things to do in London this week - our top picks.

It’s highly likely your mum told you not to worry about getting her anything for Mother’s Day this year, and she probably means it. We all have enough stuff anyway. But she’d probably be thrilled if you show up at her door this Sunday (Don't forget!) ready to whisk her away to spend the day somewhere lovely with you. The weather forecast calls for showers, so don't forget your umbrella! (Mom will be so proud when you show up prepared.)

If you're looking for things to do in London - seeing the art the city has to offer should be one of the top things on your list. There are a million different galleries, museums, etc. to choose from so we've narrowed the list down a bit to our top 5 places not to miss.

Save yourself the internet sifting - here are our top picks for things to do in London this week.

If it exists and it's edible, you can probably find it on a plate in London. Avoiding the questionable compounds of revolving meats sweating in kebab shop windows in the early hours of the morning, we’re going to concentrate on London’s exotic dining scene, where pretty much anything goes.

Knowing stuff is cool. There’s no getting around it. From the massive popularity of professor Brian Cox’s science shows, to the evergreen appeal of David Attenborough, people are hungry for information these days. Geek chic may be in but a bit of knowledge remains far more attractive than a pair of thick-rimmed faux glasses. So why not take your education beyond the TV set and experience one of the best things to do in London - broaden your mind.

The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Not literally, that would be hideous, but you get the gist of the old saying. Recent research has shown that women also like to eat so if you cook something delicious for your loved one this Valentine’s Day, you’re probably on safe ground. If you haven’t got a special someone, stop moping around, put the Lambrini/Stella back in the fridge and go to our amazing Valentine’s singles event. You’ll learn to cook wonderful food, then eat it, and meet other lovely single people. There aren’t many better things to do in London than that.

Forget millionaire musicians moaning about lost earnings while they lounge in their mansions. In some parts of the industry the proliferation of music on the internet has been a good thing. With any Tom, Dick or Harry able to upload a video to YouTube, live music has once again become the proving ground for new groups. Lucky then that one of the best things to do in London is find a new band to fall in love with.

Remember those heady days of November and December when the cold weather seemed like a novelty, a welcome excuse to wear that new winter coat you spent too much money on? No? Us neither. As we near the end of January the appeal of a chilly, dark morning has worn seriously thin, but let TasterLab save you from hibernation with some great things to do in London, indoors.

Tired of greetings cards professing love with primary school poetry, giant teddy bears, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates? Stick it to The Man with our free things to do in London on Valentine’s Day.

Remember when a double dip was a delicious sherbet treat rather than a crippling economic recession? Well, recapture some of that childish spirit and take Luther Vandross’ advice that the best things in life are free with TasterLab’s pick of the top priceless events in London over the next month or so.

Top of the list of most January 1 fitness pledges is running. One of the most effective things to do in London to get fit, it also doesn’t cost you a penny. Well, provided you run outside that is. And that’s the problem. If you want to tighten the belt financially as well as physically, you’re going to have to cut back on the gym fees and brave the inclement weather.

With the cold weather biting your ears and Jack Frost nipping at your toes, few refuges are more welcome than the cosy pub. A British institution that’s served as a community centre for centuries, the pub has been having a hard time of it of late, with large numbers closing across the country and in the capital. But there are still a huge number of gems left across London which will warm your spirits and your body temperature on a cold day.

It’s almost Christmas! For most of us that means presents, great food and plenty of time with the family, all in the comfort of our own warm, cosy homes. Sadly, for many people in London, the reality is very different. In the Borough of Westminster alone, government figures reveal that there are 146 households classed as homeless. Sleeping on the streets of the capital is a tough life at any time of the year, but particularly trying at Christmas. The good news is, you can do something to help.

When the Christmas lights go on in London’s glittering West End it’s every man, woman and child for themselves in the mad dash to grab as many presents as possible. Elbows out, head down, it’s push or be pushed in the mad crush around Oxford Street and Regent Street as the big day approaches.

Nothing says Christmas like getting together and eating and drinking as much as possible. OK, there is that good will to all men stuff, but we’ll put that to one side for now. And why leave all the merriment to the big day itself when London is already full to the brim of Christmas markets?

A lot of people have a most loved painting, but what about a favorite drawing? Drawings are not only lovely and important in and of themselves as works, but they’re also crucial to the creative process. Almost every great work of art has a series of conceptual sketches behind it that helped to shape the piece into its finished state. As one of the art capitals of the world, London has a wealth of amazing drawing exhibits to check out - both that feature sketches of other works and also drawing for their own sake. Here's a list of what's on right now in London.

Winter may officially be here, but put aside those thoughts of hibernating for the next three months, wrap up warm, get outside and enjoy it. Once an enjoyable novelty, outdoor ice rinks are now a winter fixture and strapping on your skates for a bit of a glide is one of the most fun things to do in London when it’s cold outside.

Bonfire night, the time of year when London goes up in flames, but for all the right reasons. The origins of the celebration may be a little macabre: commemorating the foiling of Guy Fawkes’ plot to blow up the House of Lords, king and all, but don’t let that put you off.

If there’s one thing we Brits can do well, it’s tradition. Wimbledon is the heartland of tennis, Wembley the cathedral of football and Lord’s the home of cricket. And if you’re talking about classical music, the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall is about as good as it gets.

Sometimes living in a city can mean giving up some of the better parts of the world - namely nature and all things animal that aren’t dogs, cats, rodents and maybe the worst creatures ever - pigeons. While, of course, there are approximately a million parks and other green areas in London that contain about, I dunno, a billion dogs - sometimes your neighbour's poodle just can’t (ever) satisfy your yearning to commune with nature and all the lovely creatures therein. So here are some more interesting ways to get your animal fix than attacking any and all puppies you might pass on the street - although, I’m definitely not saying that isn’t a viable option, because that’s totally normal behaviour, right?

Singing is a passion most of us share whether we like to admit it or not. If you really take the time to think about it, you’ll realize it occupies a pretty large portion of your life. Many of us walk around the house or stroll down the street subtly humming a catchy tune that (usually annoyingly) became stuck in our head the day before. Others sing in the shower where the running water and closed door allow for a little more open expression (and also great acoustics).

London is big - 607 square miles big. Therefore, there’s plenty of room to get out and stretch your legs a bit, right? But you can only walk past so many buildings and houses and whatnot before they all start to blur into just… buildings and houses and whatnot. And with a bazillion things to see around the city via your feet, why go on a boring walk? That’s silly.

Spring in London is fully underway which means summer holidays are rapidly approaching. While I love warm weather fashions, every time I see a store window featuring swimsuit-clad mannequins romping on a hypothetical beach, all my summer fantasies shatter