London is enormous, and the best trips pick a few areas and do them properly. These ten are the ones we would put on any first visit. For the two cities at its heart, see our guides to Westminster and the City of London.
London has been a great city for nearly two thousand years, since the Romans founded Londinium on the banks of the Thames. Today it is home to around nine million people, and it is one of the most visited cities on earth. Its history, its museums, its theatres, its parks and its markets could fill a lifetime, so do not try to see everything at once.
Many of London’s greatest museums and galleries are free, which makes it far more affordable than it looks. The Underground, the buses and the river boats make it easy to get around, and walking between the sights is often the best way to see the city. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.
1. The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey
The heart of the nation, side by side on the river. The Palace of Westminster, home of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, is one of the most famous buildings in the world. Together with Westminster Abbey, it is a World Heritage Site.
Most of the palace was rebuilt after a great fire in 1834, to designs by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, in a lavish Gothic style. Westminster Hall, the oldest part, survived the fire, and it dates back to the eleventh century. The clock tower, the Elizabeth Tower, holds the great bell known as Big Ben.
Tours of the Houses of Parliament run on many Saturdays and during the parliamentary holidays, and you can watch debates from the public galleries when Parliament is sitting. UK residents can also ask their MP for a tour. Check what is available before you go.
Westminster Abbey has been the setting for coronations since 1066, and for many royal weddings and funerals. It is the burial place of kings and queens, and of great figures such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. Poets’ Corner remembers many of Britain’s greatest writers.
Westminster station is right beside Parliament, and the views from Westminster Bridge are among the most famous in London. Parliament Square has statues of great statesmen, including Winston Churchill. The whole area is perfect for a first walk in London.
2. The British Museum
Free, and one of the greatest museums on earth. The British Museum was founded in 1753, and it was the first free national public museum in the world. Its collection covers two million years of human history.
Among its treasures are the Rosetta Stone, which unlocked the secret of Egyptian hieroglyphs, the Egyptian mummies, the Parthenon sculptures from Athens and the Anglo-Saxon treasure from Sutton Hoo. The Lewis Chessmen, carved from walrus ivory in the twelfth century, are a favourite with children. There is far more than anyone can see in a day.
At the heart of the museum is the Great Court, covered by a spectacular glass roof designed by Norman Foster’s firm, which opened in 2000. The famous Reading Room stands in the middle. It is the largest covered public square in Europe.
The museum is in Bloomsbury, a short walk from Tottenham Court Road, Holborn and Russell Square stations. Entry is free, but booking a free timed ticket is a good idea at busy times. Pick a few galleries and see them properly, rather than rushing round.
3. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge
The Crown Jewels, then a walk across the bridge. The Tower of London was founded by William the Conqueror after 1066, and its great White Tower has stood over the Thames for more than nine hundred years. It is a World Heritage Site.
Over the centuries, the Tower has been a royal palace, a fortress, a prison and a place of execution. Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey were executed within its walls. The Crown Jewels, including the crowns worn at coronations, are on display.
The Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters, lead tours full of stories, and they live at the Tower with their families. Ravens have lived at the Tower for centuries, and legend says that if they ever leave, the kingdom will fall. At least six are always kept there.
Tower Bridge, next to the Tower, opened in 1894, and its two halves can be raised to let tall ships pass. Inside, you can visit the high-level walkways, with their glass floors, and the Victorian engine rooms. Walking across it is free, and the views are wonderful.
Tower Hill station is a short walk away. Allow at least half a day for the Tower. Book tickets in advance to save time.
4. The South Bank
From the London Eye to Tate Modern and Borough Market, along the river. The South Bank is one of the best walks in London, with views across the Thames to Parliament, St Paul’s Cathedral and the City. It is full of life at any time of day.
The London Eye, a giant observation wheel opened in 2000, gives views across the whole city on a clear day. The Southbank Centre, with the Royal Festival Hall built for the Festival of Britain in 1951, has concerts, exhibitions and free events. The National Theatre and the BFI are next door.
Further east, Tate Modern, in a former power station, is one of the most visited modern art galleries in the world, and it is free. Shakespeare’s Globe, a reconstruction of the theatre where many of his plays were first performed, is beside it. The Millennium Bridge crosses the river to St Paul’s.
At the eastern end, Borough Market is London’s most famous food market, and Southwark Cathedral is beside it. See our food markets guide. The walk from the London Eye to Tower Bridge takes about an hour without stopping, and a whole day with stops.
5. The West End
A musical in Theatreland, with Covent Garden and Soho around it. The West End has around forty theatres, and it is one of the greatest theatre districts in the world, alongside Broadway. Some of its shows have run for decades.
The Mousetrap, a murder mystery by Agatha Christie, has been running since 1952, the longest-running play in the world. Musicals such as Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera have run for decades. New shows open every year.
Covent Garden, with its market hall, street performers and the Royal Opera House, is at the heart of the West End. Soho, with its restaurants, bars and nightlife, is next door. Chinatown, Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus are close by.
Book tickets in advance for the most popular shows, or look for last-minute deals on the day. Theatres are busy in the evenings, and the streets fill up when the shows end. A car booked for after the show saves waiting for a taxi.
6. The Natural History Museum and the V&A
Two free museums side by side in South Kensington. The Natural History Museum’s cathedral-like building, designed by Alfred Waterhouse, is one of the most beautiful in London. The skeleton of a blue whale, named Hope, hangs in its great hall.
The Natural History Museum is famous for its dinosaurs, and children love it. Its collections include specimens collected by Charles Darwin. There is a lot to see, so plan ahead.
The Victoria and Albert Museum, the V&A, is the world’s largest museum of art and design, with collections of fashion, furniture, ceramics, jewellery and much more. Its courtyard garden is a peaceful place to rest. The Science Museum, also free, is next door.
South Kensington station is a short walk away, through a pedestrian tunnel. The museums are busy at weekends and in the school holidays, so arrive early or book a free timed ticket. Hyde Park and the Royal Albert Hall are close by.
7. Buckingham Palace and St James’s Park
The Changing of the Guard, then the pelicans in the park. Buckingham Palace is the official London home of the monarch. When the King is in residence, the Royal Standard flies above it.
The Changing of the Guard takes place in front of the palace on set days, with soldiers in red tunics and bearskin hats and a military band. It draws big crowds, so arrive early for a good view. Check the dates and times before you go, as it does not happen every day.
The palace’s State Rooms open to visitors in the summer, with tickets booked in advance. The Royal Mews and the King’s Gallery are open for more of the year. The Mall, the grand avenue leading to the palace, is lined with flags on state occasions.
St James’s Park, beside the palace, is one of the prettiest of London’s royal parks. Pelicans have lived there since the seventeenth century, when the first were given as a gift by a Russian ambassador. From the bridge over the lake, there are lovely views of the palace.
8. Greenwich
The Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian. Maritime Greenwich is a World Heritage Site, with some of the finest buildings in London. It is a lovely day out, and easy to reach by river boat.
The Cutty Sark, a nineteenth century tea clipper, was one of the fastest sailing ships of her day, and she now stands in a dry dock beside the river. The National Maritime Museum, which is free, tells the story of Britain and the sea. The Old Royal Naval College has a magnificent Painted Hall.
At the top of Greenwich Park, the Royal Observatory is home to the Prime Meridian, the line of zero longitude, from which the world’s time zones are measured. Visitors love to stand with one foot on each side. The views from the park across the river to Canary Wharf and the City are spectacular.
River boats run to Greenwich from the centre of London, and the journey is a sightseeing trip in itself. The DLR stops at Cutty Sark station. Greenwich Market has food and crafts.
9. Kew Gardens
The world’s greatest botanic garden, west of the centre. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a World Heritage Site, with one of the largest collections of living plants in the world. It is a peaceful escape from the city.
The Palm House, a great Victorian glasshouse, is filled with tropical plants. The Temperate House is the largest surviving Victorian glasshouse in the world. The treetop walkway takes you high into the canopy.
The Great Pagoda, built in the eighteenth century, rises above the gardens. Kew Palace, a small royal palace, is in the grounds. There is something to see in every season, from spring blossom to autumn colour.
Kew Gardens station, on the District line and the Overground, is a short walk away. Allow at least half a day. See our UK gardens guide.
10. A market
Borough for food, Columbia Road for flowers on a Sunday, Camden for everything else. London’s markets are some of the liveliest places in the city. Each has its own character.
Columbia Road Flower Market, in east London, fills a Victorian street with flowers and plants every Sunday morning. The stallholders’ calls are part of the fun. The street’s little shops and cafés open too.
Camden Market, around Camden Lock, is a sprawling maze of stalls selling clothes, crafts, antiques and food from around the world. Portobello Road in Notting Hill is famous for its antiques market on Saturdays. Spitalfields and Brick Lane are lively too.
Markets are busiest at weekends, and some only open on certain days. Check before you go. Bring cash for the smaller stalls, and an appetite.
Arriving in London
London has six airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City and Southend. A transfer to your hotel is priced before you book, and the price does not move for London traffic. See our Heathrow terminals guide.
London City Airport, in the Docklands, is the closest to the centre, while Heathrow is to the west, Gatwick to the south, Stansted and Southend to the north east and Luton to the north. See our UK airports guide. From the North, see Manchester to London by car.
Ride with ZeroLanes. A car booked ahead, at a price fixed before you confirm, with the driver and the car on your journey page before pickup. Book an airport transfer.