For many Londoners, living in the capital means working hard and counting down the days until the weekend, so sometimes it's easy to forget why London is so great. So, we thought we'd help remind you why London is the best place to live in the world.
1. London is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with over a third of its population born in a foreign country. You can find restaurants serving national dishes from almost every country on the planet, which means you never have to go to the same place twice.
2. It has history going way back. There's evidence to show that there were settlements in London as far back as 4500 BC. However, London officially began life as a city after the Romans invaded England in 43 AD, which they called Londinium at the time.
3. It's one of the four main fashion capitals of the world, with London Fashion Week happening twice a year in February and September. LFW began in 1983 and now has over 5,000 attendees each week. Plus, London is the birthplace of some of the world's biggest models, including Kate Moss who is from Croydon, Naomi Campbell from Streatham and Jordan Dunn, who was spotted in Hammersmith Primark.
4. Built in 1890, the underground is the oldest metro system in the world and the 3rd largest by length of track, after Beijing and Shanghai. The combined distance of the tracks is a whopping 402km and there are 270 stops, which serve 1.379 billion passengers a year.
5. They serve afternoon tea everywhere! If you're a fan of finger sandwiches and unlimited tea – who isn't? – London is where you'll find it. The most traditional spread can be found at The Ritz and the most imaginative at The Sanderson or Sketch.
6. It's home to the Queen's residence, Buckingham Palace, which we estimate to be valued at around £2.2 billion. One of 12 royal families in Europe, the British Monarchy can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxons in around 900 AD and is one of the most famous royal families in the world.
7. London is the second most popular tourist city in the world based on the number of visitors annually, which means there's always a buzz that makes the capital a great place to live. Whether it's walking along South Bank at the weekend to watch the buskers, or navigating the crowds on Oxford Street, London's atmosphere is addictive.
8. There's the perfect property for everyone! From grand Georgian town houses to sleek contemporary penthouses, London architecture is wide ranging and you're sure to find the right property for your style and needs wherever you're looking.
9. Over 40% of London is parkland, which means you're never far from somewhere to sunbathe or kick a ball about in the summer.
10. It's a work hard, play hard city, with many of the world's biggest companies located in London. It's a great place to find a job, but it's also one of the best cities in the world to kick back and relax. There's a total of around 3,600 bars and pubs across the capital, according to the ONS.
11. It seems that us Londoners are culture vultures, with the highest percentage of residents of any city on the planet visiting our capital's museums and art galleries. And London's theatres put on the second highest number of performances in the world each year, only behind New York.
12. It's one of the top 20 most safe cities in the world to live in.
13. London's residents have good taste, with 87 Michelin star restaurants across the capital. Only three of these are lucky enough to have the top accolade of 3 Michelin stars – The Araki, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester.
14. It has some of most beautiful buildings on the planet, both old and new, which make walking around the city an awe-inspiring experience.
15. One of the world's first department stores, Harding Howell & Co's Grand Fashionable Magazine, was opened in London in 1796 on Pall Mall and the capital is currently home to the largest department store in Europe, Harrods.
16. According to the Globe Shopper City Index, London has the best range of shops in Europe, even ahead of fashion-conscious Paris. This is down to the number of shopping areas and the vast variety of stores, which means you can pick up whatever you desire.
17. London is home to some of the best universities in the world, which is why the capital has one of the highest student populations of any city. UCL and Imperial College are ranked globally in the top 10 and there are a total of 33 universities across the city.
18. Heathrow is the third largest airport in the world by the number of passengers. This means that us Londoners are lucky enough to be able to fly directly to most destinations across the globe.
19. Some of the world's most influential literary figures were born in London, or found their way to the capital in search of fame and fortune – William Blake, Beatrix Potter and Lord Byron are just a few big names that were born here.
20. If you're a football fan, then London is definitely the place to live. It has the most football clubs of any city in Europe, with 10 teams in the top two English leagues.
21. The Beatles are the biggest selling musicians of all time and it is in London at Abbey Road Studios that they recorded their bestselling albums, Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. London is also the hometown of Elton John, who is the fifth bestselling music artist of all time – behind Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Madonna.
