Despite several visits, I still think of the royal family and red double-decker buses when imagining London.
They're two of the most iconic symbols of the English capital and are frequently depicted in gift shops. That and the ever-present "keep calm and..." t-shirts. But London's attractions go much further than riding a two-story bus and visiting Buckingham Palace. Whether you choose to take an after-hours ghost tour or visit a top-floor sky garden with sweeping views of the fast-paced city below, there's something for everyone.
As a frequent visitor, I've narrowed down your search to the absolute best 36 things to see and do in London. There's no way to do these all in one trip, so consider plucking one or two from each type of attraction based on your interests.
Photo ops
1. telePhone Booths
This photo book is near Parliament Square Garden.
I love the combination of the red phone booth and Chinese lanterns.
One of the first things tourists think of when imagining London is its iconic red telephone booths. They're scattered all over the city, but there are four in particular that make for excellent photo-ops with London's best in the background:
- To take a photo like the first image, head to 51°30'04.2"N 0°07'40.4"W near Parliament Square Garden. These two telephone booths offer a perfect shot of Big Ben in the background!
- In Chinatown, at the intersection with the famous gay bar Ku Lounge is a telephone booth set to the backdrop of hanging red lanterns. I so enjoy the blend of cultures in this frame.
- To get a shot with the phone booths with the London Eye Ferris wheel in the back, make your way to roughly 35 Victoria Embankment. There are two phone booths right next to each other!
- Lastly, on Tothill Street right outside Central Hall Westminster, there's a telephone booth with a stunning view of Westminster Abbey directly behind it.
2. Big Ben
Recently cleaned, and you can tell!
Big Ben and the London Eye seen from Westminster.
If there's one thing you do when in London, you must see Big Ben. The first time I visited England's capital city in 2018 I couldn't see the clock tower at all - it was undergoing major renovations and cleaning. I had no better luck in 2019, but finally, in the spring of 2023 I was met with the dazzling gold facade I'd so hoped to catch a glimpse of. In fact, the tower was so clean and so gold that it was a bit startling. I also never noticed the green and blue detailing up by the clock.
There are about a hundred different vantage points to see Big Ben from, but it's fun to walk across Westminster Bridge to see it up close. Alternatively, it is possible to book a ticket to climb the inside of the tower! Tickets sell out many months in advance and you'd need to have a reasonable fitness level to handle the stairs. For more information, visit the UK Parliament's website.
3. Neal's Yard
This colorful corner of London has eclectic shops and cafes.
This is the most colorful section of London I know! Neal's Yard, a small alley within Covent Garden, is home to independent restaurants, cafes, shops, and wellness brands. It's worth a quick stroll through this not-so-secret gem for its highly Instagrammable facades.
4. Millennium Bridge
Millennium Bridge seen from the south bank of the river.
Millennium Bridge is a steel suspension footbridge that offers excellent photo spots either from along the south end of the Thames or at the entrance to the bridge, looking back at St Paul's Cathedral.
St Paul's Cathedral in the distance behind the Millennium Bridge.
Capturing a photo at the entrance of the bridge with St Paul's Cathedral in the distance is arguably one of the most iconic views in London! I suggest going in the evening to capture a long exposure of people crossing the bridge with the cathedral lit up behind them.
Palaces & museums
5. Buckingham Palace
I could not believe how close passersby can get to Buckingham Palace.
If you're exploring Buckingham Palace solely from the outside, I recommend doing it during the changing of the guard which occurs every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday from 10:45am. Beyond the guard charge, there admittedly isn't a whole lot to see from the outside, but I enjoyed stuffing my face through the black bars and taking some photos. I was so surprised by how close the public is allowed to get!
But mostly, it's just cool to finally see such a famous royal residence that we Americans seem to have a strange fascination with... well, a fascination with the royal family, not the building itself.
It is possible to book a guided tour to go inside Buckingham Palace to see the State Rooms, the Throne Room, the Grand Staircase, and many fine artworks. As you can imagine, tickets go quickly and are only available at select times. Visit the Royal Collection Trust's website for details and to purchase your ticket in advance.
6. Kensington Palace
As the birthplace and childhood residence of Queen Victoria, Kensington Palace and Gardens is the perfect place for history buffs to spend an afternoon. It's a working palace, but historical sections are open to the public for tours.
Upon entry, guests are offered an audio guide which is worth picking up to be walked through the historical significance of this royal residence. After your tour, enjoy afternoon tea in their cafe and stroll through the picturesque gardens. Tickets can be purchased online in advance.
7. Tate Modern
One of Piet Mondrian's paintings in the Tate Modern.
A political protest piece from inside the Tate Modern.
Housed in a decommissioned electricity generating station, Tate Modern is one of the largest museums for contemporary and modern art. The space is quite impressive and does justice to the many famous works inside.
Even if you're not a big modern art fan it's absolutely worth taking a lap. However, do keep in mind that the museum is massive and it would be difficult to truly see everything in one trip. Fortunately, because it's one of the UK's national museums, entry is free.
8. The British Museum
Just inside the main entrance, visitors are welcomed into a vast atrium that mixes new and old architectural styles.
The British Museum houses eight million artifacts in its permanent collection, making it the largest in the world. The museum showcases an impressive catalog of art, culture, and human history from our early beginnings to the present day. As a UK national museum entry is free, and it's easily the top museum I'd recommend for a first-time visit to London. There's everything from mummies to paintings to textiles to decorative arts to sculptures. You could spend days trying to see it all.
As wonderful as the museum's antiquities are, it's essential to understand a bit of the historical and cultural context in regard to how they were obtained. Many of the museum's best works were acquired by less than honorable means. Google "British Museum stolen" and you may be shocked at the sheer volume of results.
There are copies in museums around the world, but the real Rosetta Stone is housed in London. Naturally, Egypt wants it back.
The British Museum features collections so varied and vast that you could spend days trying to see it all.
While there are countless pieces the museum has acquired unjustly, to the credit of their rightful owners, countries around the world are working tirelessly to get them back. The British Museum's response to these repatriation requests? Essentially, the museum's argument is if they give one item back then they'd have to give them all back. This is of course the whole point, but it seems to be lost on them.
In my opinion, you should still go visit the museum but it's important to remember the history and conflict surrounding it.
9. The Sherlock Holmes Museum
221b Baker Street is real, even if Mr. Holmes isn't.
I grew up surrounded by my dad's immense collection of Sherlock Holmes novels, and I adore the BBC series Sherlock. This is your sign to watch it if you haven't already. All this to say, when I found out 221b Baker Street is a real address in London, I had to go see it for myself.
When you get there, you may be greeted by a man dressed like he's from the Victorian Era and smoking a long wooden pipe. He's a greeter, not a bouncer; anyone can enter into the gift shop area free of charge to poke around at the souvenirs. The interior is pretty cool, and it's worth going even if that's all you have time for, but the real attraction is the museum.
Guests can walk through the Victorian-era four-story townhouse of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous literary detective and imagine themselves back in time, solving a mystery. The whole experience feels very immersive and since the tour is self-guided, you can stay as long as you'd like. The furnishings are gorgeous, the staff dresses up like 1900 Londoners, and overall they do a great job at bringing Holmes' residence to life!
Tickets can be purchased online in advance.
10. Victoria and Albert Museum
Named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the V&A museum in South Kensington houses the largest collection of decorative arts and design in the world. Its permanent collection has roughly 2.27 million objects, composed of everything from costumes, manuscripts, jewelry, photography, furniture, and oh so much more. It showcases important objects from both bygone eras and modern times.
As one of the UK's national museums, admission is free.
11. The National Gallery/National Portrait Gallery
The interior architecture of the National Gallery is just as interesting as the paintings.
If you don't expect the museum to be busy, you can walk right in without a prior reservation.
To be clear, The National Gallery and The National Portrait Gallery are two separate museums. You can't move between the two inside, but they're part of the same building. If you visit one, you might as well visit the other.
The National Gallery
I'd recommend starting at The National Gallery. Entry is free, though booking online is suggested since it's often busy. It features some of the greatest Western European paintings from the 13th-19th century. There are pieces by Rembrandt, Velázquez, Titian, da Vinci, and more.
Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Hermine Gallia in the National Gallery.
The Ambassadors, by Hans Holbein the Younger, in the National Gallery.
National Portrait Gallery
On the other hand, the National Portrait Gallery, as the name suggests, displays portrait paintings of England's most influential people from the 16th century to the present day. The collection prioritizes the fame and importance of the sitter, not the artist. You'll see politicians, actors, musicians, writers, scientists, and more featured.
Admission is also free but booking in advance is recommended.
12. Churchill War Rooms
Prime Minister Winston Churchill's bedroom in the underground bunker.
Arguably the most interesting historical thing to do in the city, tourists can visit the secret underground bunker that Prime Minister Winston Churchill lived and worked out of during World War II. He and his team used the maze of rooms under Westminster to tuck safely away from incoming bombs while they plotted the Allies' way to victory. While construction began about a year before England declared war on Germany, they were only fully operational one week before, in late August 1939.
The space is preserved incredibly and despite personally not being overly interested in the war, I learned a lot and would recommend it. It's one of the five Imperial War Museums throughout England, but the War Rooms are the gem of the bunch. Tickets can be purchased on their website.
13. Shakespeare's Globe
String lights glow in front of Shakespeare's Globe.
When I visited the Globe, there were two young men stationed out front with typewriters. They were offering poems to passersby, written right on the spot! Naturally, my friends and I stopped and purchased poems. After all, we were about to be transported back to Shakespearean times.
Shakespeare's Globe is an open-air, circular performing arts theater built right on the south bank of the Thames River. It's a historically accurate reconstruction of the Globe Theater, an Elizabethan playhouse from 1599 for which Shakespeare wrote his plays. It was located in Southwark, a district of London near The Shard building, but burned down and was demolished in the 1600s. The current recreation was built only a few hundred feet away from the original site and opened in 1997.
Aside from putting on many of William Shakespeare's plays, the Globe also offers tours. Visitors learn the history of the space, experience interactive exhibits, try on costumes, and view highlights of past performances. Remember to check the weather before you go because if it's raining outside then it's raining in the Globe!
Whether you decide to see a show or book a guided tour, it's a wonderful chance to be transported back in time some 400 years to Shakespearean England.
Outdoor attractions & monuments
14. Tower Bridge
This is one of my favorite photo spots in London!
Tower Bridge, often mistaken for its less interesting counterpart London Bridge, is one of the most iconic landmarks of the city.
I didn't know this until I walked past a group of tourists queuing up on the bridge, but it's possible to walk along the two parallel walkways at the top of the bridge! I can only imagine the view of London it must offer and how fun it'd be to watch the black taxis and red double-decker buses zoom by beneath your feet.
Tickets also include a visit to the historical Victorian-era engine room which used to power the bridge lifts for passing ships. Please let me know in the comments if you've ever done the tour and what your experience was like!
If nothing else, Tower Bridge is one of my favorite spots in the city to take photos and a must-see for first-time visitors.
15. Tower of London
The Tower of London and its two sets of defensive walls seen from the other side of the river.
While you're in the East End visiting Tower Bridge, why not explore the Tower of London? It's a Medieval castle complex in which the interior structure, known as White Tower, was first constructed in the year 1078. Later, the two layers of defensive walls and a moat were added. Over the years, the castle has served as a royal residence, a prison, an armory, a treasury, a menagerie, the Royal Mint, and many other uses.
Today, the tower still safeguards the British Crown Jewels and features a display of historical armor, an exhibit originally created in the 17th century to promote a favorable opinion of the newly reinstated monarchy.
The complex offers a fantastic romp through history. Tickets can be purchased online.
16. London Wall
Right outside of the Tower Hill tube station, you can visit one of the surviving sections of the old Roman wall that surrounded the town of Londinium around the year 200. From there, head North to connect to the street called London Wall and end at the Museum of London. On both sides of the street, you'll be able to see significant sections of the defensive structure still in place. Though the wall fell into disrepair at the end of the Romans' rule around 410, repairs and improvements happened periodically by different ruling groups up through Medieval times.
17. Hyde Park
Hyde Park is a massive city park with walking paths, ponds, and benches for reading a book on a warm summer day. But what makes it truly unique is the six weeks of annual Winter Wonderland festivities. This giant Christmas market opens on the East end of the park from November to January.
There are rollercoasters, fair rides, smoked or fried everything, hot cider, and all the sweets you can imagine. Be sure to check their website for a full list of activities and open dates.
18. Abbey Road
A very young Meredith on her first trip to London, walking across Abbey Road.
Abbey Road Studios, where The Beatles used to record music.
Abbey Road is, well, a road, but the specific crosswalk The Beatles walked across for their album cover of the same name is located at Abbey House, 1A Abbey Road in London. Google Maps has it marked as "Abbey Road album cover".
Bring a friend (or a tripod with a wireless remote) to get the classic photo of you walking across the zebra crossing. Just remember to wait until it's safe with no cars! I've seen so many people run out into the middle of the road here with oncoming traffic.
While you're there, be sure to pop your head over to Abbey Road Studios where The Beatles used to record. There's a gift shop next door with fun souvenirs.
19. Monument of the Great Fire of London
This tall column was made to remember the Great Fire of 1666.
Latin inscriptions can be seen on three sides of the monument's base.
Admittedly, this is more of an if you're already walking by kind of thing, but the Monument of the Great Fire of London pays a fitting tribute to such a disastrous event in the city's Medieval history.
The Great Fire of London, which began in a bakery on Pudding Lane, raged for four days in September of 1666. It destroyed most of the city, which at the time was largely confined to inside the old Roman wall, though it crept its way west until the fire finally died out thanks to strategic firebreaks.
The monument was built next to the fire's origin site a few years later in part to celebrate the rebuilding of London. There's a viewing platform at the top of the monument, but it's caged in and doesn't offer the best view of the city. Personally, I'm fascinated by this moment in London's history and the resilience of the locals who rebuilt their city.
20. Downing Street
I know I mentioned this with Buckingham Palace, but I seriously could not believe how close the public can get to Downing Street. You can't walk the street itself, but from the black gates on Whitehall you can get a peak at door number 10 where the Prime Minister lives and works.
There's not much to see beyond that, but it's worth a lingering walk-by to check it off your list! One thing to keep in mind if you have small children is that there are often protests outside of Downing Street.
21. Ghost tours
Many of the spooky walking tours will take you through the Westminster neighborhood.
London was once a bit of a breeding ground for some of the West's most infamous serial killers like Jack the Ripper. It's also got its fair share of ghost stories. For those looking to lurk in the shadows of London's creepiest alleys to learn more about its spine-tingling history, you can choose from several different after-hours walking tours. Your guide will tell you stories of historical London and the many people, and creatures, that terrorized its citizens. Two recommendations:
- Free Ghost Tour London by Strawberry Tours (free)
- London: Ghastly Ghosts 2-Hour Walking Tour by Meet the Street Tours ($25)
Religious sites
22. Westminster Abbey
Inside Westminster Abbey.
Just to be confusing, Westminster Chapel, Westminster Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey are different churches within walking distance of one another. The foremost isn’t particularly exciting, though Westminster Cathedral is worth a quick visit if you’re in the area. It was built at the turn of the 20th century, designed with red and white striped brick emblematic of the neo-Byzantine style. But the most famous, the one that hosts coronations and royal weddings, is Westminster Abbey.
Westminster Abbey's Gothic architecture is impressive enough from the outside, but the interior is on a whole other level. As you explore, take time to read the stones to see which leaders, actors, scientists, and other prominent figures make up the 3,300 people buried there.
If you're into guided tours, this would be the time to do it. They offer a "Hidden Highlights Tour" that takes you to nooks and crannies of the Abbey that are normally off-limits while walking you through its most important history.
The coronation chair, an ancient wooden chair used exclusively for crowning British monarchs.
A memorial dedicated to William Shakespeare in Westminster Abbey.
If you decide to go it alone, make sure you get an audio guide and add the optional Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries to your ticket. Located on the triforium, the gallery provides a breathtaking view of the church from up high and houses a collection of unique pieces worth exploring. Just be aware that photos of Westminster Abbey taken from the triforium are not allowed. Go figure.
Truthfully, tickets for Westminster Abbey (never mind the gallery add-on or guided tour tickets) are expensive enough that it took me three trips to London to finally justify ponying up the cash to go inside. But I can say now that it's one of the most interesting things I've ever done in London, and I highly recommend opting for all the bells and whistles for your ticket.
As always, tickets are to be purchased online, though there is a virtual tour on the Abbey's website for those who can't make it in person!
23. St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral is always lit up beautifully at night.
Four different churches have stood on this ground. The most humble of the lot was a simple wooden church built around the year 600.
Many years later, what's now known as Old St Paul's Cathedral, burned to the ground in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The most recent iteration of the church, the one visitors see today, was redesigned by Sir Christopher Wren and constructed from 1675 to 1711. Its most notable feature is arguably its grand 365-foot-high dome. It's one of the largest domes in the world.
St Paul's has been the site of many significant events in British history such as Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill's funerals. It was also the wedding site of Prince Charles and Princess Diana as well as the location of peace ceremonies after World War One and Two.
I went in to attend mass with a friend many years ago and was blown away by the acoustics inside. I recommend a lap around the cathedral to gaze at its intricate interiors and to learn more about its long history.
Bookshops
24. Daunt Books Marylebone
Daunt Books in Marylebone is my favorite bookshop in London.
Every time I'm in London I stop at Daunt Books. At the time, I was living in Paris, so perhaps I was just starved of English books, but I love this place either way.
Daunt Books in Marylebone is a quaint bookshop that features both fiction and non-fiction, but I go for the large selection of travel books. I always find something I've never seen before.
Daunt Books is a chain store and there's another one in the financial district of London that I've never been to. If you have, please let me know in the comments if it's worth stopping in!
25. London Review Bookshop
Located across the street from The British Museum, the London Review Bookshop is a bookstore known for hosting events with famous authors. The shop is owned by the London Review of Books, a British literary magazine. Frankly, the interior itself isn't anything exciting but their selection of books is bigger than it looks.
It's worth a peruse and afterward, much like Shakespeare & Co. in Paris, head next door to visit their cafe for a coffee, tea, or sweet treat.
Shopping
26. Harrods
Why does a department store make this list? I see Harrods as the Galeries Lafayette of London. It has all the designer fashion brands, fancy chocolates no one buys but everyone likes to look at, and endless perfume samples.
Unless you're already in the market for something, I'm pretty sure everyone goes for the experience of it all and not to make any purchases. It's massive, glitzy, a bit over the top, and if nothing else the interior architecture is magnificent.
27. Regent & Oxford Street
The intersection of Regent and Oxford Street, seen from the top level of a double-decker bus.
Regent Street and Oxford Street are both major shopping areas. I'm not a big shopper, but I love walking this area on a winter evening to see the holiday lights canopy over the road. The energy in this part of town is always lively. I wouldn't necessarily schedule time simply to hang out around here, but if you're planning an itinerary that will take you this way anyway, it's a must-see.
28. Leadenhall Market
Do you recognize the market from the first Harry Potter movie?
I visited Leadenhall Market a bit too early in the morning to see it in all its glory, but I was still dazzled by this Victorian-era indoor marketplace. Hard-core Harry Potter fans may recognize it from featuring briefly in the first movie when Hagrid is helping Harry buy his magical school supplies.
The market does have a certain charm to it. It's a beautiful place to enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants or simply take photos of the ornate architecture.
29. Liberty
I didn't know Google Maps' price scale went up to four "$$$$" until I looked up Liberty (listed on Google Maps as "Liberty London"). A massive department store with Tutor-revival architecture from 1875, Liberty London is the definition of luxury shopping. I certainly wouldn't dream of buying anything, but the highly curated shops that primarily sell women's fashion, beauty, jewelry, homeware, and fabric are a joy to wander through.
Entertainment
30. See a show at a West End Theater
There is a seemingly endless list of theaters in London, especially in the West End. Any one of them will offer visitors a great performance and a fun night out.
However, I am particularly partial to Immersive London. Years ago, I went to an interactive show of The Great Gatsby, and still remember it as one of the most enjoyable things I've done in London. The actors were wonderful, but the joy of the whole thing was being moved around to different rooms, being told confidential information by different characters, and feeling like you were in the story.
The Great Gatsby ran for years and years at Immersive London and to my knowledge has closed recently. But it's still worth seeing what's on when you go or visiting any number of the other wonderful theaters in the area.
Food
31. Chinatown
Pass through the gate to enter Chinatown.
Red hanging lanterns stretch over the main roads in Chinatown.
If only I could convey the sweet and salty smell that hangs in the air in Chinatown through a screen. Stepping into Chinatown in London is a feast for the nose, eyes, and of course, your stomach.
When I was looking up where to eat, the internet basically said you can't go wrong, and I think that's true. From dumplings to sushi to noodles to hot pot, you could spend a year trying everything this small nook of the city has to offer.
Personally, I settled on Viet Food and was almost startled at how good my pho was. For the foodies taking a trip to London, Chinatown is a must!
32. Spitalfields Market
This place is so big you could spend a whole day here. Located on the East end of center-city London, Spitalfields Market is an expansive and lively farmer's market-esque shopping center with vendors selling jewelry, clothing, art, decor, and most importantly, food. Enjoy a sit-down lunch and get a coffee to go and wander through the stalls to try homemade fudge, leaf through old posters, and on your way out, buy a bouquet of fresh cut flowers.
Overlooks & rooftop views
33. The Garden at 120
The Gherkin Building on the right of the frame seen from the rooftop garden.
The Garden at 120 offers a quick and free partial view of London's skyline. Located at 120 Fenchurch Street, no ticket is required to access the rooftop garden, and I've never had to wait more than a minute to get in. When you enter the building, the staff on the ground floor will direct you to remove your bag so it can be x-rayed. Then, an employee will call an elevator for you (fancy!) and you'll be sent whizzing up to the 15th floor garden.
The garden is comprised of wisteria, roses, fig trees, several climbing vines, and more, but it's best viewed in the warmer months.
Tower Bridge seen from The Garden at 120.
Regardless, the main attraction is certainly the view. The rooftop offers an excellent view of The Gherkin building, Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, and the River Thames. There are tall glass barriers on the perimeter of the garden, but if you're tall, there are a few spots where it's possible to hoist your camera up and over for a clean shot.
34. Sky Garden
Located inside the Fenchurch Building which is nicknamed The Walkie-Talkie because of its shape, the Sky Garden is a public, top-floor garden that offers exceptional views of London. If you prefer to sit inside with the plants, grab a chair and enjoy gazing out of the huge floor-to-ceiling window. Or, if the weather's nice, pop out onto the balcony for an unobstructed view of the city below.
Though the Sky Garden is free and open to the public, visitors need to make a reservation far in advance. Sometimes it's booked so far out that there are no available tickets online, so be patient and check back frequently.
35. London Eye
The London Eye from the west bank of the Thames River.
The London Eye offers a spectacular view of Big Ben at night!
For a unique view of Westminster Palace, Big Ben, and the Thames River, consider booking a ticket to ride the centrally located London Eye Ferris wheel. If I were you, I'd try to book a ticket for sunset or at night to see the city lit up in all its glory.
It is possible to get tickets in person, but it's pricy, and booking well in advance offers a discount.
36. The Shard
This 87-floor skyscraper has a top-floor open-air viewing platform.
The Shard, seen through the glass on a rainy day at The Garden at 120.
The viewing decks from The Shard offer perhaps the best views of London. From the East End, you'll get an extraordinary view of Tower Bridge, the Thames River, and all the seemingly tiny buildings below.
Floors 68 and 69 are viewing platforms, which include a champagne bar, and floor 72 is the open-air sky deck. On days with highly limited visibility, guests will receive a complimentary return ticket valid for three months to ensure they can fully enjoy their visit despite the city's notoriously bad weather. Tickets can be purchased online in advance.
There's so much to see and do in the UK's capital city that it's a bit overwhelming in my opinion. So while this is by no means an exhaustive list, it's everything I'd recommend you check out on your first few trips.
As for getting around, it's easy to do walking tours of neighborhoods like Westminster or Soho, and that can be the best way to see them authentically. However, getting from one end of the city to the other will require you to take the tube or the bus. You could walk, theoretically, but you'd spend all your time doing it. London is massive, so try to group nearby attractions to avoid spending all day on the tube.
Is there something I missed in this list? Please let me know in the comments, and I'll try to visit next time I'm in London!
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