The City of London is the Square Mile: Roman walls, St Paul’s Cathedral and a skyline of towers, where two thousand years of history sit side by side with the world’s bankers.
The City of London is the oldest part of London, and a city in its own right, with its own Lord Mayor, its own police force and its own traditions stretching back almost a thousand years. It covers only about a square mile, which is why it is known as the Square Mile. It is where the Romans founded Londinium almost two thousand years ago.
Today the City is one of the world’s great financial centres, home to banks, insurers and law firms, with a skyline of glass towers. But in between the towers are Roman walls, medieval churches, Victorian markets and Wren’s great cathedral. On weekdays it is packed with workers; at weekends it is quiet, which makes it a wonderful time to explore. This guide covers ten things to see and do, and how to make the most of a visit.
1. St Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul’s Cathedral is the masterpiece of Sir Christopher Wren and one of the most famous buildings in the world. The old cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and Wren designed the new one, which was built between 1675 and 1710. Its great dome is one of the largest in the world and a symbol of London.
Inside, the cathedral is vast and full of light, with mosaics, carvings and memorials. You can climb to three galleries in the dome. The Whispering Gallery, more than two hundred and fifty steps up, is famous because a whisper against its wall can be heard on the other side, and the Stone Gallery and the Golden Gallery, higher still, have wonderful views over London.
In the crypt lie the tombs of Admiral Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Wren himself. Wren’s simple tomb carries a Latin inscription that means, if you seek his monument, look around you. The cathedral has hosted many great national occasions, including royal weddings and state funerals.
There is a charge to visit for sightseeing, which includes the galleries and the crypt, but services, including Evensong, are free. Hearing the choir in the cathedral is unforgettable. The climb to the Golden Gallery is long and steep, with more than five hundred steps, so it is not for everyone.
2. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge
The Tower of London stands just beyond the eastern edge of the City, on the bank of the Thames. It was founded by William the Conqueror, and the great White Tower at its centre was built in the 1070s and 1080s. Over the centuries it has been a royal palace, a fortress, a prison and a place of execution.
The Tower is home to the Crown Jewels, the dazzling collection of crowns, sceptres and orbs used at coronations. They are displayed in the Jewel House, and seeing them is a highlight of any visit. The White Tower holds the royal armouries collection.
The Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters, give lively tours full of stories of prisoners, plots and executions. Ravens live at the Tower, and legend says that if they ever leave, the kingdom will fall, so at least six are always kept. Every night, the ancient Ceremony of the Keys locks the Tower, and a small number of free tickets are released well in advance.
Next to the Tower, Tower Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. Its high walkways, with glass floors, give views over the river and down to the road below. The engine rooms show the Victorian machinery that once raised the bridge. The Tower is very busy, so book ahead and arrive early.
3. Free views from the towers
The City’s towers offer some of the best views of London, and several of them are free to visit. The Sky Garden, at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street, the building known as the Walkie Talkie, is a large indoor garden with a viewing terrace. Entry is free, but you need to book a time slot in advance, and slots are released a few weeks ahead.
Horizon 22, at the top of 22 Bishopsgate, is one of the highest free viewing galleries in Europe. From its floor to ceiling windows you can see across the whole of London. It also needs to be booked in advance.
The Garden at 120, on top of 120 Fenchurch Street, is a free rooftop garden with views over the City. It is often less busy than the others. It is open in good weather.
Each of these gives a different view of London, from St Paul’s and the river to the Shard and the towers of Canary Wharf. Sunset is a lovely time to go, but slots at that time go quickly. Security checks are needed at all of them, so allow time.
4. Leadenhall Market
Leadenhall Market is one of the most beautiful markets in London. There has been a market here since the fourteenth century, and the present building, with its ornate painted roof of glass and iron, was designed by Sir Horace Jones in 1881. Its cobbled streets and green, red and gold decoration are stunning.
The market appeared in the first Harry Potter film as the area around Diagon Alley, and an optician’s shop in a side alley was used as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. Fans come from around the world to see it. It has also appeared in many other films.
Today the market is home to pubs, restaurants, cafés and shops. On weekday lunchtimes and evenings it is packed with City workers. It is quieter at weekends, when some businesses are closed.
The market is close to the towers of the insurance district, including the Lloyd’s building, with its pipes and lifts on the outside. The contrast between the Victorian market and the modern towers is very London. It is a lovely place to stop for lunch.
5. The Monument
The Monument is a tall stone column built to commemorate the Great Fire of London in 1666, which destroyed most of the City. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Robert Hooke and completed in 1677. It is topped by a gilded urn of flames.
The column is sixty one metres tall, which is exactly the distance from its base to the place in Pudding Lane where the fire started in a baker’s shop. The fire burned for four days and destroyed more than thirteen thousand houses and eighty seven churches. The Monument is a reminder of that disaster.
You can climb the three hundred and eleven steps of the spiral staircase inside to a viewing platform at the top. The views over the City and the river are wonderful. At the bottom you receive a certificate to prove you made the climb.
The staircase is narrow and steep, so it is not suitable for everyone. There is a small charge to climb. Pudding Lane, where the fire began, is just around the corner.
6. The Guildhall and Roman London
The Guildhall has been the centre of the City’s government for centuries. Its Great Hall was built in the fifteenth century, and it has hosted banquets, trials and ceremonies, including the trial of Lady Jane Grey. The hall is decorated with the banners and coats of arms of the City’s livery companies.
In 1988, builders working on the Guildhall Art Gallery discovered the remains of London’s Roman amphitheatre beneath it. You can visit the remains in the basement of the gallery, where lights and outlines show where the seating once rose. The gallery above has a collection of paintings about London.
Traces of Roman London survive all over the City. Sections of the Roman city wall can be seen near Tower Hill and around the Barbican. The London Mithraeum, beneath a modern office building, is a reconstructed Roman temple to the god Mithras, with a free exhibition of objects found on the site, though you usually need to book.
The Guildhall Art Gallery and the amphitheatre are free to visit. The Great Hall is sometimes closed for events. The courtyard outside, marked with a dark circle showing the outline of the amphitheatre, is a lovely space.
7. The Barbican
The Barbican is one of the most striking pieces of architecture in London. It is a huge estate of flats, towers and walkways built in the brutalist style in the 1960s and 1970s, on an area of the City destroyed by bombing in the Second World War. People either love it or hate it, but it is fascinating.
At its heart is the Barbican Centre, one of the largest arts centres in Europe, with concert halls, theatres, cinemas and galleries. It is home to the London Symphony Orchestra. Its programme includes music, theatre, dance, film and art.
The Barbican Conservatory is a hidden gem, a huge glasshouse full of tropical plants, fish ponds and birds, on top of the theatre. It is open on selected days, so check before you go. It is one of the most unusual green spaces in London.
The estate’s lakes, fountains and gardens are lovely to wander. Architecture tours explain its history and design. The Museum of London, which stood nearby, is moving to a new home at Smithfield Market, so check whether it has opened when you visit.
8. Wren’s churches and the Temple
After the Great Fire, Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt more than fifty churches in the City, alongside St Paul’s. Many of them survive, each with a unique spire or tower. Walking between them is one of the most rewarding ways to explore the Square Mile.
St Stephen Walbrook, with its beautiful dome, is often called Wren’s finest parish church. St Bride’s, on Fleet Street, is the journalists’ church, and its tiered spire is said to have inspired the shape of the traditional wedding cake. St Mary-le-Bow is home to the famous Bow Bells, and a true Cockney is said to be born within the sound of them.
Temple Church, tucked away between Fleet Street and the river, was built by the Knights Templar in the twelfth century, and it is one of the oldest churches in London. Its round nave, inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, has stone effigies of knights on the floor. It appeared in The Da Vinci Code.
The Temple area around it, one of the ancient Inns of Court where barristers train and work, is a peaceful maze of courtyards, gardens and passages. Many of the churches hold free lunchtime concerts on weekdays. Opening times vary, so check before you go.
9. The Bank of England Museum and the Old Bailey
The Bank of England, founded in 1694, stands at the heart of the City, and its museum tells the story of the bank and of money in Britain. It is free to enter. You can see old banknotes, coins and even lift a real gold bar, which is much heavier than it looks.
The museum explains how the bank works and its role in the economy. It is surprisingly interesting and interactive. It is close to Bank station, where several Underground lines meet.
The Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court, is one of the most famous courts in the world. Some of the most notorious trials in British history have taken place here. The public galleries are open to visitors on weekdays, and watching a trial is free.
There are strict rules at the Old Bailey: no phones, bags or cameras are allowed, and there is nowhere to leave them, so plan ahead. The building is topped by a golden statue of Justice holding a sword and scales. Nearby, Dr Johnson’s House, in Gough Square, is where Samuel Johnson wrote his famous dictionary.
10. The river and the City’s markets
The Thames runs along the southern edge of the City, and the riverside path gives lovely views of the bridges, the Tower and the Shard across the water. The Millennium Bridge, a footbridge, links St Paul’s with Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe on the South Bank. The walk across it is one of the best in London.
River buses stop at piers along the City’s riverside, including Tower Pier, and they are a lovely way to travel to Westminster or Greenwich. The view from the water is wonderful. Tickets can be bought with contactless payment.
The City has several historic markets. Smithfield is London’s great meat market, where trading has taken place for centuries. Across London Bridge, Borough Market, one of the most famous food markets in the world, is just a short walk away.
The City’s streets are full of hidden corners, from tiny churchyard gardens to old alleys and pubs. A walking tour is a great way to discover them. At weekends, the City is quiet and peaceful, and it is a lovely time to wander.
Where to eat and drink
The City has some of the oldest and most atmospheric pubs in London. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, on Fleet Street, was rebuilt after the Great Fire and has dark, cosy rooms where writers such as Charles Dickens drank. The Blackfriar, near Blackfriars station, has remarkable art nouveau decoration.
On weekdays, City pubs and restaurants are packed at lunchtime and straight after work. At weekends, many close, so check before you go, although Leadenhall Market and the pubs around St Paul’s are usually open. For food markets, Borough Market is just across London Bridge.
The City at the weekend
The City has a unique rhythm. On weekdays, hundreds of thousands of people work here, and the streets are packed. At weekends, most of them stay away, and the streets become calm and quiet.
Weekends are a wonderful time to explore the churches, alleys and Roman remains without the crowds, although some shops, cafés and pubs close. St Paul’s, the Tower and the Barbican are open, and the views from the towers are just as good.
Where to stay
The City has a growing number of hotels, from grand hotels in historic buildings to modern ones near Liverpool Street and Tower Hill. Staying here puts you close to the Tower, St Paul’s and the river, and within easy reach of the rest of London.
Hotel prices in the City are often lower at weekends, when business travellers stay away. For a first visit to London, you might combine a stay here with time in Westminster and the West End, which is a short journey west. See our Westminster guide.
Getting there and getting around
The City is served by many stations, including Liverpool Street, Cannon Street, Fenchurch Street, Moorgate, Blackfriars and City Thameslink, and by several Underground lines. Liverpool Street is on the Elizabeth line, which runs directly to Heathrow in around forty five minutes, and it is also the terminus of the Stansted Express.
London City Airport is about six miles east, reached in around twenty minutes on the DLR or by road. Heathrow and Gatwick are each around an hour by road, depending on traffic. The City is inside the Congestion Charge zone and the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and its streets are narrow and busy, so most visitors travel by public transport.
A car booked ahead is the easiest way to travel between the City and the airports with luggage, especially early in the morning or late at night. For Westminster, it is a short journey west along the river.
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