Last year set the bar pretty high for events and attractions in London, but 2013 is shaping up to be just as exciting. Here are some highlights you can’t miss this year.

View from the Shard

When? From 1 February

What? The opening of the Shard – that spiky new building that you can see from all over London. You can visit the viewing deck on the (deep breath) 69th floor, where digital telescopes will fill you in on the various parts of London you can gaze at.

Why? It was Europe’s tallest building, until November last year when a tower in Russia inched ahead. But height isn’t everything – the Shard is iconic and will give you giddy views of the city from 40 miles around. If you’re feeling brave, head up to the 72nd floor – it’s partly open air and the highest point you can access.

New London Dungeon

When? From 1 March

What? The London Dungeon is moving to a new home at County Hall, due to building work at London Bridge station.

Why? The move to the South Bank means a refreshed and more scary dungeon – there are 18 new spine-tingling shows to watch, and a virtual 3D Brian Blessed will sentence you to death as Henry VIII.

The Coronation Festival

When? 11-14 July

What? Dust off that bunting from the Diamond Jubilee, it’s the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, which happened a year after she became Queen. To celebrate, Buckingham Palace is hosting an exhibition featuring more than 200 companies who hold Royal Warrants of Appointment – the mark of recognition for companies who have supplied goods or services to the royal family. There will also be two evening galas celebrating music throughout Her Majesty’s rein.

Why? The goods on show will be the best of British – officially. And it’s in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, need we say more?

RideLondon

When? 3-4 August

What? A brand new cycling festival through the streets of London. RideLondon is made up of three events: a 100-mile road challenge beginning in the Olympic Park, a family fun ride around London landmarks for up to 70,000 cyclists and a city centre grand prix for women’s elite, junior cyclists and hand cycles.

Why? After Bradley Wiggins rode to glory in the Tour de France and then won the Olympic time trial, the appetite for cycling in London is huge – 50,000 people have registered for only 20,000 places in the road challenge.

What are you looking forward to this year? Let us know below.

As well as being a fantastic year for sport, 2012 was a great year for art exhibitions in London. We’ve enjoyed blockbuster shows such as David Hockney at the Royal Academy of Arts, Damien Hirst at Tate Modern and Lucian Freud at the National Portrait Gallery.

Here are five exhibitions to look out – and book ahead – for in 2013.

Manet: Portraying Life, Royal Academy of Arts: The Royal Academy hosts the first-ever UK exhibition devoted to Edouard Manet’s portraiture. 26 Jan-14 Apr

Lichtenstein: A Retrospective, Tate Modern: See 125 of the best paintings and sculptures by Roy Lichtenstein, known for his bright, comic strip-style works. 21 Feb-27 May

Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum, British Museum: Major display of objects excavated from two Roman cities buried by a catastrophic eruption in AD 79. 28 Mar-29 Sep

Lowry and the Painting of Modern Life, Tate Britain: This exhibition of Lowry landscapes is the first big London show devoted to the artist since his death in 1976. 26 Jun-20 Oct

Paul Klee, Tate Modern: Tate Modern charts Paul Klee’s complex, colourful drawings and paintings alongside the events that happened during his lifetime. 15 Oct-9 Mar

Which London art exhibitions are you looking forward to in 2013? Let us know in the comments below.