LUKAS PODOLSKI has seen all the major London sights.
All that is missing from the set is the Wembley pitch.
The Arsenal striker took a London cab for a whistle-stop two-hour tour of the capital from the club's Emirates Stadium to Buckingham Palace, via the London Eye, Tate Modern and Tower Bridge.
German star Podolski then ticked another box by heading to Wembley for his interview with SunSport.
The summer signing from Cologne, preparing for tomorrow's Champions League home first-leg cruncher with former club Bayern Munich, sat in a hotel overlooking the National Stadium.
However, the dream scenario is that he will walk inside for the first time on May 25 — the day of the Champions League final.
Europe's premier club final is now Podolski's only chance of a Wembley appearance following his side's shock 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn.
He is under no illusions of what awaits the Gunners, not least an ultra-tough last-16 clash against Bayern, the club he played for from 2006-09.
Podolski, an unused sub against Blackburn, is clearly relishing the prospect of facing the runaway Bundesliga giants, who will include close pals Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribery.
His sights are set higher and the German international, who has scored 12 goals for Arsenal, said: "I have not been to Wembley until today.
"From the outside it looks a great stadium and I know it has great history. I have never been inside and I am sure it is great. Maybe I will go there for the final.
"It would be something amazing to play for a London team in the final of the Champions League at Wembley. Something very special.
"That is a dream, but there is a long way to go. First, we must play a a great team — one of the favourites for the final.
"I had a great time at Bayern for three years. I have lots of memories of playing for the club and I am proud.
"I wish I had achieved more there. I won the Cup and the League. Playing for Bayern was still a help, in my life generally. But it went so quickly.
"Bayern is in the past. Now I am at Arsenal and looking forward to achieving things here. I feel it is not productive when you talk about what did or didn't work.
"If I am being honest, it would be more difficult if Arsenal were playing Cologne. They are my team. My club. Emotionally, it would have been far more intense.
"I was there from the age of 10, joined Bayern, and went back there before playing for Arsenal.
"But Bayern will be a good game. Bastian is a good friend. We text a lot and had a few jokes when Arsenal were drawn against them.
"Jerome Boateng is also a friend. He is quite quiet but a guy I like very much. Franck is a a lot of fun and I saw him after the match between France and Germany.
"Bayern are looking very strong. They beat Schalke 4-0 and will be hard to play against — but we have two matches."
Podolski, 27, is clearly loving life in north London. A grounded individual with a good sense of humour, he has already been pictured catching a London bus with his pals.
Although he chose a black cab for his latest capital adventure.
He added: "I feel settled in the Premier League. I was settled from day one because the players and staff at Arsenal made it easy for me.
"I have enjoyed my football so far but there are still a lot of things to do.
"London is a great city and I had a great day in the taxi. I went to 20 places in two hours. We went to some amazing places and I had a lot of fun.
"I started at the Emirates, then Smithfield meat market, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, the Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, the Monument, which is near where the Great Fire of London started. The taxi driver told me a history of this.
"I loved the taxi as there was so much room in the back. I want one — a left-hand drive. When I go back to Germany I will buy one and drive it back."
Podolski is also looking forward to coming face-to-face with Jupp Heynckes, having played just a few games for the Bayern boss before heading back to Cologne.
He said: "I played my last 10 games at Bayern under him. I got on very well there. He wanted to keep me and he is good man. I was surprised with Pep Guardiola coming to Bayern.
"There was talk of Chelsea and Manchester City but it is the right decision for Guardiola as Bayern are a big club with a good philosophy."
Both Bayern and Arsenal are hoping to succeed Chelsea as kings of Europe.
But Podolski admitted: "Obviously to win is a great achievement. But the way Chelsea won largely depended on good luck.
"That is not the way to approach a football match. We will not play like that. We will play our normal game."
And Podolski hopes this could help Arsenal on their way to Wembley.
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