I hesitate to offer an alternative to the Oxford book of quotations, (which you can probably get free on you library’s website) but this is a good site; an American bias, and lower-brow than the Oxford, but not much the worse for that and well designed.

I’m not really sure why this appeals to me; it must because of my love of reference books. It will give you the time the sun and moon rises or sets anywhere in the world on any date.

A live feed of the pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Southern China. All they do is eat sleep and roll around, but there are 10 cameras on about 80 pandas, so there is usually some action.

Past Imperfect is a blog that calls itself 'history with all the interesting bits left in.' It’s from the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, and is written by academics and writers.

In 1813, Jane Austen visited a retrospective of the works of Sir Joshua Reynolds at the British Institution in London. Using copies of the catalogue and contemporary accounts, this website reconstructs the Reynolds show as Jane Austen saw it.

A site that allows you to rent a parking space from a resident or office when you visit a town centre, or even rent out your own space to visitors. Well worth checking if you want to avoid the expensive public car parks, or want to make a bob or two.

This site helps you pick the best seat on aeroplanes, as well as check passenger’s comments. The best seats marked in green, dodgy ones in yellow. It’s owned by Tripadvisor.com, and encourages opinions of users.

A cataloguing site for book; it allows you to create a library-quality searchable catalogue of books: books you own, books you’ve lent, any sort of group. 200 books for free; $25 for any number of books for life.

The Quentin Blake site, run by his office. It makes excellent use of his drawings, and with a gallery, news, information about his books and even tips on drawing. You can also send free Quentin Blake e-cards for many occasions.

Optical Spy claims to be the “home of optical illusions, visual deception and trompe l’oeil. Lots to look at, and also explanations of different types of illusion. Curiously addictive, and many illusions I had not seen before. Well worth a visit.

If you enjoy a visit to a stately home or garden, make sure you look at the Historic Houses Association’s well-organised site. The houses are all privately owned, and not open all the time. Most of them offer free entry to members of the HHA.

Action Fraud is the Government’s national internet crime reporting centre; please use it to report any attempt that is made to scam or con you, especially online. Lots of advice on avoiding fraud, too.

A search engine to find event worldwide but with a bias towards the UK. You can search by area, date and keyword - “theatre”, “music” or whatever you want. Claims to be the largest database of events in the world. Who knows what you might discover.

If you listen to music on your computer, this is an online music player, similar to Spotify, but much better. All kinds of music; you can build up your own playlists, and record collection. Not free, but there is a generous free trial.

This offers some very clever stuff – you can track a WW2 convoys across the Atlantic, there are videos giving stories behind the exhibits.. There is information about all the various attractions and links to them, such as HMS Victory and the Fleet Air Arm

If you are going to the theatre in London, this site is a reference guide to all major London seating plans, with reviews of the seating from users. Leg room, view, and so on. It’s similar to the longer established www.theatremonkey.com, but neater.

This is the new central Government website, launched in March. By 2014, all websites for government departments and many public bodies will be merged into this site. This re-organisation is badly needed.

Some people will do all sorts of useful things for you for just $5 – and this is where they advertise. The range is astonishing, from graphic design to providing a voice-over, proof reading, singing, and much more.

A spectacular way of viewing the Sistine Chapel with no crowds; you can pan around it, close in on bits you want to see better or just admire. And as the Pope is now on Twitter (@Pontifex), so look at his whole website at www.vatican.va

A bit of mystery – no instructions, no “about” page, just a fiendishly clever palette on which you can create wonderful designs and patterns, but you have to teach yourself how to do it. Ask a seven year old to show you if it’s too mysterious.

One man’s good advice on walking in the British countryside, mainly National Parks, the Lake District, Peak District and Snowdonia and the Yorkshire Dales. It also has advice on where to stay.

Coursera is a collection of free courses taught online by a professors from some of the best American Universities on everything from maths to music, complete with video lectures, and homework. No qualifications required.

A full size, interactive map of every bomb that fell on London during WW II, sponsored by the National Archives and others. I discovered that a bomb had fallen in front of my first house; that’s why it the area was allotments when I got there.

A website bringing together various Ministry of Defence’s services to veterans. It’s the first stop for veterans who need help and advice. It also provides service records, medals, badges, and you can search the Memorial Arboretum Roll of Honour.

A very good site for researching a car purchase; full details of any model you are likely to want to buy (new and second hand) and they’ll give you a valuation as well. As well as plenty of facts, reviews contributed by the site and by other site users.

Age UK is the charity formed from Age Concern & Help the Aged, and this new website is excellent. Don’t be put off by the name, it is a first rate resource for a huge range of help, information, podcasts, newsletters and more, all for older people.