Win a Standard Annual Merlin Pass and you’ll get 12 months’ free entry to Merlin attractions across London and the UK, including the London Eye, London Aquarium, Madame Tussauds and London Dungeon.

Don’t worry, though, you won’t have to go on your own – your special pass also gives you savings on tickets for friends and family, plus food and shopping discounts at Merlin attractions and other special offers.

Enter now to win a Standard Annual Merlin Pass

The Football Fan
The fantastic Wembley Stadium Tour will satisfy any football fan, regardless of team loyalty. Highlights include the crossbar from the 1966 World Cup and a replica of the World Cup Jules Rimet Trophy. (The original was stolen in 1966 and later found under a hedge by a dog named Pickles). Prices start at £15.

If you’re after something a bit more tangible, then why not buy a piece of Wembley Way? Etch your words in stone to be cemented into the ground surrounding the national stadium, from £50.

The History Buff
In the year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, give a loved one the royal treatment, with a day visiting the State Rooms, the Royal Mews and The Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace next summer, from £19.50.

The visit to the State Rooms includes the highly-anticipated exhibition Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration.

Or if they don’t mind travelling further afield, they can visit all three of the Queen’s official residences, with a Queen’s Palaces gift ticket. This includes Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, from £26.95.

The Thrill Seeker
See the city from a new angle and at high speed! London RIB Voyages and the Thames RIB Experience run daily speedboat trips down the Thames. Suitable for all ages, weatherproof clothing is provided. From £32 per adult, £19.50 under 14s.

Or if the Thames is just too tame, then head east to The Lee Valley for some white water rafting, from £49. You could even challenge the whole family! (Participants must be at least 14 years old).

The Budding Zookeeper
Go behind the scenes at one of London’ s most loved attractions, London Zoo, and buy an Attenborough in the making the chance to be a zookeeper for the day, from £16.

If their interests are more marine-based, they can join the aquarists behind the scenes at the SEA LIFE London Aquarium. The new 40-minute behind-the-scenes tour shows the aquarium’s inner workings and takes guests “behind the glass”. £7.50 for adults and £5 for children.

Good luck with the rest of your Christmas shopping, and let us know if you’ve had any London gift brainwaves this Christmas!

Colourful corals, tropical fish and giant clams all feature in a new Fiji display at the Sea Life London Aquarium.

To celebrate the launch, there’s a host of family-friendly events over the Easter holidays, including an Easter trail, face painting, competitions and South Pacific themed talks.

The aquarium is sponsoring a special Marine Protected Area in Fiji, which will help to ensure the long-term protection of the area’s beautiful coral reefs and marine life.

We’re on the look-out for more Fijian culture for our World in London series. Let us know your recommendations in the comments below.

Kathryn65w took this colourful shot of County Hall and the London Aquarium. When did you last visit the aquarium?

If you’ve been inspired by London this week, add your photos to the Visit London Flickr group and we could be featuring you next.

If you’re stuck on the ground in London due to the volcanic ash cloud, here’s some cheering news at last. Merlin Entertainments is offering stranded travellers half-price tickets to top London attractions including:

• London Eye
• Madame Tussauds
• SEA LIFE London Aquarium
• London Dungeon

All you need to do is present your unused flight ticket (or e-ticket) and passport at the attraction’s ticket desk within two weeks of the flight being cancelled and you’ll only need to pay half the ticket price!

The offer ends on 14 May, but may be renewed if air traffic restrictions continue.

Last week I was lucky enough to get a behind the scenes tour of the SEA LIFE London Aquarium.  I’ve been to the Aquarium many times but never realised just how much is happening behind the Staff Only doors.

First stop was the area where staff prep for meal times. I saw boards explaining which fish needed what and any special diets. As Toby, the General Manager, took me through I saw some of the live bait such as tiny shrimps that are bred for meal times.

I was also amazed to find a special room where every fish that dies in the Aquarium, no matter how big or small, has a post-mortem.  While I was there, there were test tubes ready to be sent off to labs.

Another fact I was amazed to find out was that Aquarium staff make their own salt water so that they can get the consistencies right for each of the exhibits. There were huge mounds of salt ready for dilution.

Next stop was a vast room full of live sea life being bred for breeding programs and conservation or quarantined. It was amazing, I saw new exhibits such as guitar sharks that look like a cross between a ray and a shark, a beautiful leopard ray, and lots more fish that I cannot remember the names of. 

They had also just put some crown-of-thorns starfish into one of the exhibits for research. The starfish are usually found on coral reefs in the tropics where they prey on the coral. They are seen as a major threat to the coral reef ecosystem.

My highlight was being able to see one of the crocodiles which will be going into the new Rainforests of the World exhibit on Monday.  She looked very content bathing under heat lamps and waiting for her dinner – frozen rats and chicks.  Toby took me  to see her sister who has already settled nicely into her new home within the rainforest exhibit. As we arrived she was swimming around, enjoying her new surroundings and waiting for her new friend to join her.

Rainforests of the World is open now at the SEA LIFE London Aquarium

• Snuggle up by the fire with a Valentine’s afternoon tea at The Montague
• Get a Flirty £30 ticket for London Zoo, and follow the Love Trail to see happy animal couples, from tigers to penguins
• Enjoy a free, outdoor screening of Billy Wilder’s classic film The Apartment outside the National Theatre
• Book a fairytale Valentine’s break - complete with horse-drawn carriage – at Swisshotel The Howard
• Get an underwater diver to pop the question for you at the London Aquarium

Single? Don’t fancy the usual Valentine’s fare? Don’t worry, there are plenty of London events for you!

• Dig out your costume and join the largest number of people dressed as Star Trek characters on London’s Millennium Bridge
• Grab a group of friends and party at Harvey Nichols and Mahiki
• Sip champagne and mix with single boys and girls on a Love POP flight on the London Eye
• Forget Valentine’s Day and celebrate Chinese New Year instead with a meal at Min Jiang
• Head to Feeling Gloomy‘s Down with Dating night, where you can have a go at Speed Hating, and then join fellow miseries at the Tainted Love club night

How will you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year? Let us know in the comments below.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, have you found yourself dreaming about a romantic proposal?

Would it involve flowers, candlelight… or fish, seaweed, and a shark?!

Hopefully, the latter three featured on Natalie Schwaiger’s list, as her boyfriend David Green proposed to her at the SEA LIFE London Aquarium last month.

David and Natalie waited patiently at the Aquarium’s entrance, with Natalie thinking they were going to have their very own personalised tour.

But the wait was really to allow time for the London Aquarium’s Deputy Curator, Jamie Oliver, to dive into the tropical display. Here, he got into position (with the big question written on a board) surrounded by two giant turtles, stingrays and a few species of shark!

When the couple approached the tropical display, David got down on bended knee and said the words written on the board, “Natalie, will you marry me?”

Natalie accepted with tear-filled eyes and the happy couple are due to marry later this year!

David explained, “We went on our first date to the London Aquarium. Natalie had told me that when I did ask her, it had to be good, so I thought this would just about cut it!” 

If you’re interested in popping the question this Valentine’s Day, contact the Aquarium on +44 (0)20 7960 073. The underwater proposal service includes a glass of champagne, your very own diver, and a photo to capture the magic moment. All for £60.