A city break in this country usually involves a bit of shopping and a couple of hours sightseeing, writes Laura Blyth.

London, as I discovered on a recent two-night stay, has a lot more to offer than just this. With its historical landmarks, zoo, museums and large selection of shops, a weekend jaunt to the capital is never dull.

London Hilton in Park Lane

One of the best ways to travel down to the capital, avoiding congestion charges that come with taking a car and struggling to find a place to park, is by train. It only takes one-and-a-half hours from Birmingham New Street station.

And the spectacular London Hilton on Park Lane is a perfect place to stay for tourists as well as businessmen and women.

The five-star hotel, with 453 bedrooms, is located in the heart of Mayfair and rooms on the top few floors offer panoramic views of the city. The Hilton has several restaurants, a gym, men’s hairdresser and a beauty salon to help you wind down at the end of a busy day.

Animal lovers are sure to pay a visit to London Zoo, which is home to almost 750 species, from giraffes to pythons, red pandas to turtles. The recently opened £2.3m Animal Attraction enclosure, as part of the children’s zoo, is a must for any youngster.

The area is aimed at bringing children even closer to wildlife, and includes tunnels which bring them into the enclosures of some of the inhabitants of the zoo.

The great thing about London is how easy it is to get from one place to the next by the underground Tube. We stopped off at trendy Notting Hill in West London. Floppy haired Brit Hugh Grant and the stunning Julia Roberts helped put the area on the map after filming the 1999 movie Notting Hill. Sadly neither was out and about when I paid a visit.

Situated in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, it’s best known for Portobello Market and the colourful carnival which is held every August. My pick of the best stores is The Travel Bookshop, featured in the film, and also Books for Cooks, crammed with every culinary novel ever penned.

Another interesting attraction is London’s Monument. The tower is the tallest free standing stone column in the world and stands in Monument Street off Fish Street Hill. It was built between 1671 and 1677 to commemorate the Great Fire of London and to celebrate the rebuilding of the city.

Making your way up its spiralling 311 steps is sweaty business, but it’s worth every drop for the views at the top. Grabbing a camera and taking some snaps is a good idea when you finally get up there.

Gorillas at London Zoo

A trip to London wouldn’t be complete without going to see a hit show in the West End. Dressing up for the occasion and heading off to Shaftesbury Theatre, in the Borough of Camden, is a great way to spend an evening.

Hairspray, possibly the most colourful, feelgood production around at the moment, is certainly to be recommended. Comedians Les Dennis and Brian Conley are sharing the lead role. It runs at Shaftesbury until March 28, when it goes on a tour of the country, but if you don’t manage to catch it before then, Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre will play host to it from June 1-19.

Music fans should take time to visit the British Music Experience (BME) at The O2. The BME is a permanent, interactive music exhibition within the music venue. The 22,000 sqft exhibition located on the top floor of The O2 gives visitors the chance to trace musical trends through the decades and learn about music’s influence on art, fashion and politics.

Visitors can also have a go on a drum kit, guitars, pianos and even get behind the microphone and record their own record.

There are more than 500 pieces of music memorabilia including David Bowie’s Ashes to Ashes clown suit, Noel Gallagher’s Epiphone Union Jack Guitar and a vintage dress belonging to controversial star Amy Winehouse.

The Langham hotel in the heart of the West End

For a taste of luxury and chance to take a well-earned rest, a lunch at the lavish Langham hotel in the heart of the West End is an ideal way to live life like a VIP for a couple of hours.

The grand hotel, which cost £300,000 to build in 1865, oozes sophistication. It doesn’t come much more English than an afternoon tea in the hotel’s Palm Court, which includes egg sandwiches, mini Victoria sponge cakes and cheese scones.

Although you can’t guarantee good weather when visiting any city in England, what you have got in London is great places to eat, drink and sights no other capital in the world can offer.

For more information and details about other places to visit in London log on to www.visitlondon.com