Villas in Greater London

The West End suits first-time sightseers, Shoreditch and Hoxton suit food and bars, and Canary Wharf suits groups who want modern flats. These are city apartments, not villas with pools. You won't need a car, as the Tube, buses and the Elizabeth line cover everything. Expect compact rooms and some street noise in the centre.

Where

Villas: 83
From, per week: £940
Cheapest month: July
Nearest airports: Heathrow: the Elizabeth line runs direct into central London, or the Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in about 15 minutes. Gatwick: Gatwick Express to Victoria or Thameslink to London Bridge, around half an hour. Stansted: Stansted Express to Liverpool Street, under an hour. Luton: shuttle and Thameslink to St Pancras, under an hour. London City: DLR, closest for Canary Wharf and the City. Eurostar arrives at St Pancras.

Where to stay in Greater London

The West End and Marylebone

Many of our London homes are here, within walking distance of the theatres around Shaftesbury Avenue and Covent Garden, the shops of Oxford Street and Regent Street, and the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square. Marylebone, just north of Oxford Street, is calmer, with its own high street, the Wallace Collection and Regent's Park close by. From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line runs direct to Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road.

Best for: First-time visitors who want to walk to theatres and the main sights

Not for you if: You want quiet nights: streets stay busy late and flats can be noisy.

The City, Clerkenwell, Shoreditch and Hoxton

The City is the financial district, with St Paul's Cathedral at its centre and the Tower of London on its eastern edge. Just north, Clerkenwell has Exmouth Market and Smithfield, while Shoreditch and Hoxton are the centre of east London's restaurant and bar scene, close to Brick Lane, Spitalfields Market and the Sunday flower market on Columbia Road. Liverpool Street and Farringdon stations are on the Elizabeth line to Heathrow.

Best for: Food, bars and markets, with St Paul's and the Tower nearby

Not for you if: You want life on the doorstep at weekends in the City itself, where many places close on Saturday and Sunday.

Canary Wharf and east London

Canary Wharf is a district of office towers built around the old West India Docks, with shopping centres, waterside restaurants and newer apartment blocks. The Elizabeth line reaches Bond Street in around 15 minutes, and the Jubilee line and DLR connect to the rest of London. Greenwich, with the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory, is a short DLR or river boat ride away. London City Airport is close.

Best for: Groups and families who want modern flats with fast transport

Not for you if: You want old streets outside the door: this is a new-build business district that feels corporate on weekdays.

Kensington, Fulham and Pimlico (west and south-west)

South Kensington has the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A side by side, all free to enter, with Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens to the north. Fulham is more residential, with riverside walks, Bishop's Park and Craven Cottage football ground on the District line. Pimlico, near Victoria, has white stucco squares and Tate Britain. Heathrow is 45 minutes to an hour away by Tube.

Best for: Families who want museums and parks

Not for you if: You want nightlife: these are mostly residential streets that go quiet early.

North London (King's Cross, Camden, Highgate)

King's Cross has been rebuilt around Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard, with Eurostar trains to Paris and Brussels from St Pancras next door and the British Library on Euston Road. Camden has its markets, music venues and the Regent's Canal towpath. Highgate is a hilltop village with Highgate Cemetery and Hampstead Heath close by. Thameslink trains run from St Pancras to both Luton and Gatwick airports.

Best for: Eurostar travellers, markets and green space

Not for you if: You dislike crowds: Camden's markets are packed at weekends.

The South Bank, Croydon and Kingston (south)

The South Bank runs along the Thames past the London Eye, the National Theatre and Tate Modern, with Borough Market near London Bridge. Further out, Croydon has fast trains to Victoria and London Bridge in around 15 to 20 minutes and to Gatwick in about the same. Kingston upon Thames is a riverside market town close to Richmond Park and Hampton Court Palace.

Best for: Riverside walks and theatre, or more space further out

Not for you if: You want to walk everywhere: from Croydon or Kingston you take a train into town each day.

When to go to Greater London

London works all year, but summer is busiest, with school holidays, Wimbledon in late June and early July, and concerts in the parks. Notting Hill Carnival fills west London over the August bank holiday weekend. Spring and early autumn are calmer for the big museums. December has Christmas lights and markets but short days, and the Tube does not run on Christmas Day. Rain is possible in any month, so plan some indoor days.