The Royal Opera House has for some while had a really elegant website. Once you've read about the different productions and reviews you can select the one you want to see, then the date and the type of seating and when you find seats available you'll know the actual row and seat number so you'll have no doubt at all about where you'll be sitting. Hopefully all ticket websites will offer this service soon.

The website for London's National Theatre gives full details and cast lists for all productions plus an online ticket booking facility. Find out about the restaurants as well and make your reservation for lunch or dinner and have a browse through their bookshop where you'll find books on theory, history, criticism and practical help about theatre.

The famous opera house in the country with members being able to buy their tickets about six months in advance. Now with their new website advertising returns and other available seats it should be much easier to get there. Don't forget to take your picnic and your brolly as it rains (often) however the new opera house offers covered trestle tables if you don't want to risk the weather but you need to get there early if you want to bag one.

Aloud specialises in Rock and Pop Concert Tickets and the alphabetic index in the left hand column on the homepage on this website allows you to quickly choose from their Hot New Tickets or Best Seller collections. Ordering is clear and easy although they only tell you the area your seats will be in rather than the row. From their Merchandise Shop, also accessible from the Home Page, you can buy t-shirts and posters with lots of choices available to give as gifts or keep yourself.

The next time you're thinking of paying a visit to the theater, whether you're in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham or Oxford, just take a look at this website where you'll find everything you could possible need to know about what's on, who's in it and when and where it's performing plus theatre seating plans, ticket availability and online booking.

Open 363 days a year, the Barbican presents a uniquely diverse programme of world-class performing and visual arts, encompassing all forms of classical and contemporary music, international theatre and dance, visual arts and design, and a cinema programme which blends first-run films with special themed seasons. On this website there's lots of information about all the productions, together with a ticket booking facility and you can also find out about the restaurants and bars.

Music, theatre and sport tickets are available on this - the original ticket website. Seating plans for the different venues are easy to see and tickets are quick and easy to book although do make sure you're happy with your seats for certain before you book. If you want standing room tickets to see Robbie Williams, seats for England v Barbarians at Twickenham or Firework and Music tickets at Hampton Court or tickets for pretty well anything else then this is your site. They also have links to websites offering you travel, places to stay and eat plus What's On in Europe.

It's really easy to book your tickets for the English National Opera on this modern website. You can also find out about special events such as family events and singing courses, take advantage of their special ticket offers, read reviews and learn about regional tours.

From the X Factor Live to Billy Elliot to Bryn Terfel at Christmas you can book just about everything here, plus events such as the Good Food Show and Clothes Show Live, sporting events such as the Horse of the Year show and the Grand Prix, comedy shows and classical music performances. It's an attractive website to get round and although you can't see exactly where you'll be sitting when you order your tickets they give you a clearer idea than on some others. They also suggest places to stay and show and event merchandise.

If you'd like to give the gift of a magazine subscription then take a look at this website, where you'll find subscriptions for less, including Vogue, Vanity Fair, Tatler, Red, FHM and GQ, House and Garden, The World of Interiors and most other glossy publications available at much lower prices than you'd pay if you bought them each month. You can also send your subscription with a personalised message and gift certificate and delivery is to the UK only.

With over 400 titles on offer and some very good discounts you could find something for just about every one here, from the sportsman (Rugby World, Dive, Inside Edge, The Angler), food and drink lover (Olive, Good Food, Decanter) home interiors enthusiast (Beautiful Homes, Elle Decoration) and fashion addict (Vogue, Harpers & Queen and In Style). It's a really comprehensive selection and once you've placed your order you can ask them to send you a gift card to forward on to the recipient.

On this website you'll find a vast range of titles to subscribe to, including Vogue, Vanity Fair, Tatler, Harper's Bazaar, In Style and Red plus other titles such as House and Garden, Country Living and Mother and Baby. What you won't find are the special offers available through the magazines themselves, so I suggest you buy a single issue to give you the relevant offer code as there are quite significant discounts to be found. You then quote this code when placing your order.

The National Portrait Gallery houses a unique record of men and women who created - and are creating - Britain's history and culture. It holds ten major events each year such as 'Self Portrait - Renaissance to Contemporary' and 'Photographs 1850 - 2000'. It also holds its primary collection of over 10,000 portraits, from Gainsborough to Cecil Beaton. Pay a visit to the online shop and take out a subscription to the Gallery, or look through their selection of high quality side tied notebooks, art books, prints, mugs and gifts.

Treat yourself or someone special to a years membership of The Royal Academy, in its beautiful buildings just off Piccadilly. You can also buy individual tickets to the fabulous exhibitions held here, such as CHINA: The Three Emperors, or Andrew Lloyd Webber's personal art collection (sorry if you missed that, it was wonderful). Alternatively pay a visit to their online shop where you'll find cards, limited edition prints, lifestyle gifts, diaries and calenders.

Some magazines frankly don't travel well, you read them when your abroad and when you bring them home they just seem somehow wrong. Personally I think it's different with some of the US publications, such as American Vogue, Glamour and House Beautiful which complement their UK counterparts. Be warned, some of the subscriptions here are extremely expensive however delivery is included in the price.