Most visitors to London are familiar with Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London and Big Ben, but in addition London has provided the backdrop to much of the history of rock and pop music.

This is an alternative guide to the capital of England, as frequented by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, Genesis, The Sex Pistols, and others.

Abbey Road, St John's Wood, London NW8

This is the location of the famous zebra crossing from The Beatles' Abbey Road album cover, just outside the Abbey Road Studios at number three. Take off your shoes and socks and get someone to photograph you holding up the traffic while you're pretending to be Paul McCartney.

The Abbey Road Studio is still a working studio for musicians and provides a centre for film scores. It also has one of the largest collections of microphones in the UK.

How To Get There

Using the London underground, take the Bakerloo line to St John's Wood tube station. Walk out, turn left along Wellington Road, then turn almost immediately right into Grove End Road. Abbey Road is the third turning on the right.

Baker Street Tube Station, London W1

Gerry Rafferty used to earn illegal money busking on the underground, which ironically led to his biggest hit Baker Street in 1978.

How To Get There

The Bakerloo, Circle or Metropolitan lines go to Baker Street tube station. No busking, please.

Berwick Street, London W1

Looking down Berwick Street in Soho one morning gave Oasis the idea for their What's the Story (Morning Glory) album cover. Remember to take along the CD so that you can recognise the exact location from its cover. While you're there, you can buy some fresh fruit and vegetables in the open-air market, or take a look at the outrageous theatrical fabrics sold in the adjacent shops, or watch the celebrities come and go from voiceover recordings at Silk Sound, at number 13.

How To Get There

The Piccadilly or Bakerloo lines go to Piccadilly Circus tube station. Walk up Shaftesbury Avenue, turn left into Rupert Street, walk through Walkers Court (with its strip clubs and sex shops) and you're in Berwick Street.

Carnaby Street, London W1

Carnaby Street and its boutiques were the height of 1960's fashion, and it provided musical inspiration for both The Kinks and The Jam. Today the shops sell mainly tourist souvenirs and T-shirts.

How To Get There

Take the Victoria, Central or Bakerloo lines to Oxford Circus tube station. Walk south down Regents Street (passing Dickens and Jones, Liberty's, and Hamley's on your left). Turn left into Beak Street, and Carnaby Street is the third turning left.

Brook Street, London W1

Jimi Hendrix lived at number 25 Brook Street from 1969 to 1970, with his girlfriend Kathy Etchingham. London has now awarded Jimi a commemorative blue plaque. He must be laughing his socks off.

How To Get There

Take the Jubilee or Central lines to Bond Street tube station. Turn right along Oxford Street past the HMV record shop. Take the fourth right which is New Bond Street. Brook Street is the second left. Look for the blue plaque.

Denmark Street, London WC2

Denmark Street is London's Tin Pan Alley. At number four, The Kinks, Genesis and The Rolling Stones all did their first recordings and the noisy and outrageous Sex Pistols used to rehearse at number six. You can also find the marvellous 12 Bar Club on Denmark Street.

How To Get There

Take the Northern or Central lines to Tottenham Court Road tube station. Walk south down Charing Cross Road. Denmark Street is a small turning on your left. If you reach Foyles bookshop, you've gone too far.

Lower Richmond Road, Putney, London SW15

At number 93 is the Half Moon pub, the venue for U2's first London gig. The Half Moon has also played host to many other bands and a few Rock 'n' Roll poets which helped put Putney on the music map.

How To Get There

Take the Wimbledon branch of the District line to Putney Bridge tube station. At the bus stop outside the station, take a number 265 or number 22 bus to Putney Common, and ask the conductor or driver for the Half Moon pub. It's just after the Shell garage.

Manchester Square, London W1

The cover of The Beatles album Please Please Me was shot at number 20, on the staircase of the then EMI headquarters. When EMI moved to West London in 1995, they took the staircase with them.

How To Get There

Take the Jubilee or Central lines to Bond Street tube station. Cross Oxford Street, and walk west towards Selfridges department store. At Selfridges, turn right into Duke Street which leads directly to Manchester Square.

Montagu Square, London W1

Number 38 was owned by Ringo Starr between 1965 and 1969. John Lennon and Yoko Ono first lived together here, and it was the location for both their nude Two Virgins album cover and their drugs bust in October 1968. Ringo also rented the house to Jimi Hendrix.

How To Get There

Take the Central line to Marble Arch tube station. Turn immediately left into Old Quebec Street, which leads to New Quebec Street, Montagu Street and directly into Montagu Square.

Notting Hill, London W11

Before becoming famous as the location of the Richard Curtis movie starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, Notting Hill was the venue for impromptu street concerts by the Sex Pistols in the late 1970s. They would pull up in a van and simply burst out of the back, playing. Word would get around, and the streets would end up buzzing. They gave away free inside-out t-shirts, too.

How To Get There

Take the Central, Circle or District lines to Notting Hill Gate tube station. Get out and look around, but be careful.

Old Compton Street, London W1

This Soho street was the subject of the song 'Old Compton Street Blues' by Glaswegian songsmith, Al Stewart.

The street is now the centre of London's gay community. It is a hive of activity 24 hours a day.

How To Get There

Take the Piccadilly or Bakerloo lines to Piccadilly Circus tube station. Walk up Shaftesbury Avenue, turn left into Wardour Street, then Old Compton Street is the first turning on the right.

Queens Ride, London SW13

Between Putney and Barnes, and halfway down Queens Ride, on the south side of a small railway bridge, is where Marc Bolan of T Rex died. It's easy to spot as the tree he hit in his girlfriend's Mini has been turned into an informal shrine by his fans. For over 20 years, Marc has been remembered here with fresh flowers and ribbons. He lived in Stoke Newington in the London Borough of Hackney for much of his youth.

How To Get There

Take the Wimbledon branch of the District line to Putney Bridge tube station. At the bus stop outside the station, take a number 265 or number 22 bus to Putney Common and ask the conductor or driver for the Spencer Arms pub. With the pub on your left, walk towards the Common and take the left-hand fork in the road. Keep walking until you cross over a small railway bridge and pass a left-hand turn called Gypsy Lane. Look for a tree on the left-hand side which is decorated with flowers, ribbons and pictures of Marc Bolan.

Saville Row, London W1

Number three Saville Row was once the headquarters of Apple, the company and recording label set up by The Beatles. The rooftop of this building was the venue for the lunchtime concert in January 1969, the last time The Beatles ever played to an audience. The film of this concert was released to promote the single 'Get Back' and shows the surrounding office workers coming out to listen to The Beatles perform for free. The local police showed quite an interest, too. John, George, Paul and Ringo were often snapped here by the paparazzi of the day, either hurriedly entering or leaving the building, especially during the break up of the band.

How To Get There

Take the Victoria, Central or Bakerloo Lines to Oxford Circus tube station. Walk south down Regents Street (passing Dickens and Jones, Liberty's, and Hamley's on your left). Cross Regent Street, and turn right into Burlington Street. Take a sharp right into Saville Row.

Wardour Street, London W1

Number 90 was the site of the Marquee, now the Mezzo Restaurant, where REM, The Police, David Bowie and Genesis used to turn up and give secret gigs.

How To Get There

Take the Piccadilly or Bakerloo lines to Piccadilly Circus tube station. Walk up Shaftesbury Avenue, turn left into Wardour Street.

Waterloo Bridge, London WC2

Waterloo Bridge inspired Ray Davies of The Kinks to write 'Waterloo Sunset'. Avoid rush hour, or you'll be knocked off your feet by London's army of commuters. To paraphrase Ray Davies, sunset is the best time to take a stroll over the bridge, stopping midway for one of the best views of London from ground level.

How To Get There

Take the District and Circle, Bakerloo or Northern lines to Embankment tube station. Exit on the river side (if you're confronted by gardens on the right and a road at right angles to the station, turn around and go out of the opposite exit). Turn left along the embankment, with the gardens to your left and the Thames on your right, and continue walking, past the back of the Savoy Hotel, until you reach the next bridge over the Thames, which is Waterloo Bridge.