Hotels in London, United Kingdom

The 2012 Games helped transform Stratford from a formerly industrial part of east London into one of the capital's busiest new districts. Land that had been industrial and long neglected was cleared and decontaminated to build the Olympic Park, and the whole site was planned with its later use in mind rather than left to decay afterwards.

The main stadium, aquatics centre and velodrome were kept and reopened to the public, the athletes' village became thousands of new homes, and the open ground was replanted and reopened as Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Offices, schools, a large shopping centre and improved transport followed, with the East Bank cultural quarter the most recent addition.

It is often cited as an example of using a major sporting event to regenerate part of a city. The park now draws visitors year-round for its waterways, gardens and walking routes as much as its sporting venues.

Several venues built for 2012 remain in regular use. The main stadium now hosts football, athletics meetings and large concerts, and you can take a tour or go up onto the roof walkway for views across London. The aquatics centre, with its wave-shaped roof, is open to the public for swimming.

The velodrome and the surrounding cycling circuits form part of a wider cycling park where anyone can ride, while the indoor arena puts on sport and entertainment events through the year. There is also a hockey and tennis centre for community and competitive use. Rather than standing empty after the Games, these buildings were designed to keep working, so residents and visitors alike can use facilities first built for top-level athletes.

Most are within walking distance of one another across the park, and several offer pay-as-you-go sessions, so a casual visitor can swim, ride or skate without booking ahead. Access, session availability and booking requirements can change by venue and event, so check each venue's official information before visiting.

East Bank is a cultural quarter taking shape on the edge of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, bringing together major names in arts and education on one waterside site.

It includes a venue from a leading dance company, a new outpost of a design museum, university campuses and a broadcaster's studios, all within walking distance of each other. The aim is to create a destination for performances, exhibitions and learning that adds to the sporting legacy already on the park.

As the buildings open in stages, you can take in waterside walks, public art and changing programmes of events. The quarter is still developing, so it is worth checking what is on before a visit, but it already gives the area a cultural draw to match its sporting one.

Stratford is one of the better-connected spots in London. Its main station is a major hub, bringing together several Underground lines, the Elizabeth line, the Overground network, the Docklands Light Railway and mainline trains under one roof.

Nearby Stratford International is served by domestic high-speed trains on the route to St Pancras and Kent, rather than by cross-Channel passenger services. That spread of options makes it easy to reach many parts of the capital and the wider south-east without much difficulty.

Buses serve the area widely, and the flat, modern streets around the park are easy to cover on foot or by bike. For visitors, all this makes Stratford a practical base, since the station connects directly to the shopping centre and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Transport services and journey times can change, so check official transport information before travelling.

The large shopping centre that opened at Stratford alongside the 2012 Games has become a destination beyond ordinary high-street shopping. It is one of the larger urban shopping complexes in Europe, gathering hundreds of shops under one roof across several floors, from everyday names to more upmarket stores.

What lifts it above a standard mall is everything around the retail: restaurants and street-food spots, a cinema, a casino, a bowling alley and other entertainment, so people come to spend an afternoon or evening rather than only to shop. It also acts as the route between the station and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, so foot traffic is constant through the day.

The scale and the mix of things to do are what draw visitors from across the city. Its position next to the transport hub means it is simple to reach from almost anywhere in London, which helps explain why it stays busy through the week.