Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business London is one of the great cities of the world, a sprawling capital of royal palaces, medieval fortresses, world-class museums and neighborhoods that each feel like a small town of their own.
Westminster Abbey
Buckingham Palace and St James's Park
British Museum
South Kensington museums
+5 more places
This guide focuses on the best places to visit in London for a first or second trip: Westminster and royal London, the great museums, the City and the South Bank, and day trips to Greenwich and Kew.
Few cities offer so much at such depth. Many of London's greatest museums, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate Modern and the Natural History Museum, have free general admission, so you can drop in for an hour to see a single room or spend a whole day.
London is also a city of green spaces, theatres, live music, markets and distinct neighborhoods, from the elegant squares of Mayfair and Bloomsbury to the street art of Shoreditch and the riverside pubs of Greenwich.
Westminster Abbey has hosted coronations since 1066 and is the burial place of monarchs, poets and scientists, from Elizabeth I to Isaac Newton. Highlights include the Lady Chapel with its fan-vaulted ceiling, Poets' Corner and the Coronation Chair.
Westminster Abbey has been the setting for English and British coronations for nearly a thousand years. Photo: Philip Pankhurst , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Next door, the Palace of Westminster is the seat of the UK Parliament, its Gothic Revival facade stretching along the Thames beneath the clock tower known as Elizabeth Tower, home of the bell Big Ben. For the best view, cross Westminster Bridge to the opposite bank.
A short walk through St James's Park, with its lake and pelicans, brings you to Buckingham Palace, the monarch's London residence.
Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the British monarch. Photo: Diliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
At the top of Whitehall, Trafalgar Square is crowned by Nelson's Column and faced by the National Gallery, which holds one of the world's finest collections of European paintings, from Van Eyck and Leonardo to Turner and Van Gogh. General admission is free.
The British Museum in Bloomsbury holds two million years of human history, including the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures, Egyptian mummies and the Sutton Hoo treasure. Its central Great Court, covered by a dramatic glass roof, is the largest covered public square in Europe.
The Great Court of the British Museum is covered by a glazed roof around the former Reading Room. Photo: Diliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Three major free museums stand within a few minutes of each other on Exhibition Road. The Natural History Museum, in a spectacular terracotta building, is known for its blue whale skeleton in Hintze Hall, its dinosaur galleries and its earthquake simulator.
The Natural History Museum in South Kensington is known for its ornate terracotta building and huge collections. Photo: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Founded by William the Conqueror in the 1060s, the Tower of London has served as a royal palace, prison, armory and treasury. Inside its walls you will find the White Tower, the Crown Jewels and the Yeoman Warders, who lead lively tours full of stories of executions and escapes.
The White Tower, begun by William the Conqueror, is the oldest part of the Tower of London. Photo: Colin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Right beside the Tower, Tower Bridge was opened in 1894 and remains one of the city's most recognizable sights. You can walk across it for free, or visit the Tower Bridge Exhibition to see the Victorian engine rooms and cross the high walkways, which have glass floor panels looking down on the traffic and river below.
Tower Bridge, opened in 1894, is a combined bascule and suspension bridge across the Thames. Photo: Diliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece, St Paul's Cathedral, was built after the Great Fire of London destroyed its medieval predecessor. Its great dome has dominated the City skyline for more than three centuries.
St Paul's Cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London. Photo: Diliff, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
From St Paul's, walk across the Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern, a former power station now home to the national collection of modern and contemporary art, with free entry to its permanent displays.
The Millennium Bridge links St Paul's Cathedral with Tate Modern on the South Bank. Photo: The wub, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Greenwich, in southeast London, is part of a World Heritage Site and makes an easy half-day or full-day trip. Take a river boat from central London for the views, or use the Docklands Light Railway.
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park, founded in 1675, is the home of the Prime Meridian. Photo: Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
In southwest London, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is a World Heritage Site with vast glasshouses, including the Victorian Palm House and the Temperate House, plus a treetop walkway and acres of gardens. It is especially lovely in spring blossom season and in autumn.
Some of London's best moments come from simply wandering. Covent Garden has street performers and shops, Notting Hill is known for its pastel houses and Portobello Road market on Saturdays, Camden for its market and canal, Shoreditch for street art and nightlife, and Columbia Road for its Sunday flower market.
London's food scene reflects its people, and you can eat well from almost every corner of the world.
Food markets are the best way to graze. Borough Market by London Bridge has existed in some form since at least the twelfth century and today sells cheeses, breads, produce and street food; go on a weekday morning to avoid the heaviest crowds.
Popular dishes to try in London
The West End, including Covent Garden and Soho, suits first-time visitors who want theatres, restaurants and many sights within walking distance, though it is busy and expensive.
Bloomsbury, near the British Museum, offers good value and easy access to King's Cross and St Pancras, handy if you arrive by Eurostar. The South Bank and Southwark put you near the river, Borough Market and Tate Modern.
Where to stay in London
Explore top cities with Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours
London is a year-round city, and the weather is mild but changeable in every season, so plan for rain whenever you come. Late spring, from May to June, brings long days, gardens in bloom and the Trooping the Colour parade for the King's official birthday.
September and October are excellent, with fewer crowds and pleasant weather.
Heathrow is London's main international airport. The Elizabeth line connects it directly to Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and the City; the Piccadilly line is slower but convenient for the West End, and the Heathrow Express runs non-stop to Paddington.
Once in London, the Underground, buses, Overground, Elizabeth line and Docklands Light Railway cover the city. Tap in and out with a contactless bank card, phone or Oyster card; fares are automatically capped daily and weekly, so you do not need to buy separate tickets.
Start at Westminster Abbey, then see the Houses of Parliament from Westminster Bridge.
Arrive at the Tower of London at opening and see the Crown Jewels first. Cross Tower Bridge, eat lunch at Borough Market and walk the South Bank to Tate Modern.
Spend the morning at the British Museum, then explore Covent Garden.
Take a river boat to Greenwich, visit the Cutty Sark and the Royal Observatory, and walk in Greenwich Park. Return for dinner in Shoreditch or Soho.
WISERMAP PLACELondon: photos, reviews & things to doSee traveler photos and reviews, or share your own →
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Karachi, Pakistan
Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Lucerne, Switzerland
Islamabad, Pakistan
Montreal, Canada
