The Best London Souvenirs

To avoid panic-buying a bulk pack of Cadbury chocolate at Heathrow, it's wise to plan your gift purchasing with care.

For a well-chosen, eclectic selection, unique department store Liberty is hard to beat. Here you'll find everything from exquisite Miller Harris fragrances by British perfumer Lyn Harris to small leather goods embossed with the famous Liberty prints.

Fortnum & Mason has equally carefully curated, though perhaps more sedate, offerings, such as leather-covered hip flasks and model boats with Union Jack sails. The big attraction here is the world-famous food hall, which carries cookies, teas, and unusual condiments. A. Gold is another source of British-made treats.

Looking for a gift for the hard-to-shop-for man in your life? Consider some traditional shaving cream from Geo. F. Trumper.

The museum shops are also bursting with original gift ideas, from art books and posters at Tate Modern or the Fashion Museum to double-decker bus models and Tube-map mouse pads at the London Transport Museum, in Covent Garden.