London was not chosen to host the 2012 Olympic Games solely on the strength of its sports facilities. The culture of the town and the vast array of tourist attractions and activities were also taken into account by the Olympic committee before the honour was awarded to the English capital.  

With thousands of extra tourists heading to London to support their home country's athletes at the Games, the capital is bracing itself for a surge in tourists around the town looking to see the sights and experience everything that London has to offer.

No matter what their hobby is, tourists will not be short of things to see and do during their stay in the capital. This article explores some of the tourist attractions on offer this Summer.

Art exhibitions

For anyone who enjoys visiting art exhibitions, London is most definitely the place to be this summer. Throughout the capital there are presentations of famous paintings, sketches, sculptures and photographs to be viewed and admired by tourists. Most exhibitions last for months so there is no risk of having to miss a sporting event in order to catch it.

Famous art galleries in London include the Tate Gallery of Modern Art and The National Gallery

Sight Seeing

Few tourists visit London without paying a visit to famous attractions such as The Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace or The London Eye.

There are many open top bus tours around the city which allows tourists to view all the famous attractions in the capital whilst learning a little bit about the history of the buildings.

Performances

Whether it is witnessing a musical in the West End, listening to a band at the O2 arena or enjoying stand-up comedy The Apollo Theatre, there is sure to be a performance to tickle any fancy in London throughout the Summer. Being the capital of the UK, London attracts all of the top performers who are touring the country.

Whether you're into the Olympics or not, there is no doubt that there will be plenty to enjoy in the capital throughout the Summer of 2012 and beyond.