London’s calendar is brimming with exciting events this year, from the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, to the much-anticipated Olympic games, to the London 2012 Festival and the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ breakthrough. Join tourists, socialites, sports fans, art lovers, theater goers, fashionistas and more, all coming together for a year of non-stop entertainment!

The summer kicked off with Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in June. Marking the 60th year as the head of the British monarchy, this city-wide celebration commemorated Queen Elizabeth II’s journey to royal reign, surpassed by only one other member of British royalty.
The spectacular pageant was in her honor: a parade of 1,000 boats floating down the River Thames – one of the largest ever assembled on the river! An elaborately decorated royal barge transported the Royal Family down the river, accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra in tow, playing triumphant classical tunes. The celebration continued with a royal procession from the Palace of Westminster to Trafalgar Square and on through the center gates of Buckingham Palace.

If you missed the royal ceremony, there are still several city-wide exhibitions taking place nearly all year as part of the Diamond Jubilee. Visit the Tower of London to admire the Crown Jewels or head to Windsor Castle for a resonant photography exhibit portraying the Queen’s life, in both formal and candid moments, over the past six decades. Visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse for an exhibition featuring some of the finest treasures from the Royal Collection, including sculptures, furniture, paintings by Rembrandt and drawings by Michelangelo.

For an all-inclusive look at the Royal Family, take a traditional black cab tour of London. Follow in Her Majesty’s footsteps as you visit Buckingham Palace, her London residence and travel back to 1952 to the Coronation Church at Westminster Abbey, where the Queen was crowned.

Of course, you can't forget the 2012 Olympics! In July, thousands of sports fans flooded the British capital for one of the most exciting events of the year.

See famous London attractions, such as the Tate Art Gallery, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Borough Market and London Bridge.

The Queen’s reign isn’t the only anniversary in the UK worth honoring this year – 2012 also marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster. With several exhibitions and memorials going on throughout the year, London remembers one of the world’s most unforgettable tragedies: the sinking of the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic cruise ship. North Greenwich had the O2 Bubble’s Artefact Exhibition running through August, featuring more than 300 objects retrieved from the ship wreck, plus replicas of the ship’s cabins. Or, head to Greenwich’s National Maritime Museum for its permanent collection of original objects from the Titanic, including personal items and photographs from real passengers on board. To feel the real impact of the Titanic disaster, take a day trip to the port city of Southampton, from where the ship set sail in April of 1912.  

On a lighter note, this year, you can relive the Swinging Sixties! Travel back to when Beatlemania first hit center stage, when the first single was released by one of the greatest bands in history: The Beatles. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the British legend with a visit to the iconic Abbey Road, the legendary Apple Studio and other famous Beatles-related sites on a bus or walking tour of Rock N Roll London. Visit the location where Paul McCartney wrote ‘Yesterday,’ see the gallery where John Lennon met Yoko Ono and stand outside 57 Green Street in Mayfair where the Fab Four lived when they first moved to London. Head north to Liverpool, where the band originated, and experience the ultimate Beatles tribute that’s taking place all year, with events including the International Beatles Weekend in August, a Love Me Do Weekend in October and the John Lennon Peace Vigil in December. Die-hard Beatles fans had the chance to even rock the house at the Cavern Club on August 19th, the date the band played their first gig at the club.

Calling all art lovers! Feast your eyes this year in London at several exhibitions ranging from David Hockney to Picasso to Dale Chihuly. Until October, you can get an in-depth look at Leonardo da Vinci at the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace, the largest ever exhibition of da Vinci’s studies of the human body. Or, admire the royal portraiture's of photographer Marcus Adams at the Harewood House or Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum. Then, experience the lasting legacy of the arts in the UK at the London 2012 Festival! Join the festivities and enjoy a culmination of art, film, fashion, theater and digital innovation, featuring more than 1,000 events and performances.

See you this year in London!