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Discover London’s 200 best spots for your trip

From the classic London Eye and The London Eye Entry Ticket, to lesser-known spots worth adding to your trip.

Prices & booking information
Opening hours & visit duration
Best time to visit
Location & practical information
Local tips for every spot

London Eye

★ 4.5 · 203,441 reviews

Discover London from above aboard the South Bank's giant observation wheel. Enjoy a slow 30-minute rotation in a glass capsule, taking in Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster, and views stretching to Windsor on clear days.

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Reasons to go

Built for the millennium in 1999-2000, it was originally intended as a temporary structure but became permanent.
It has 32 glass capsules that complete a full rotation in about 30 minutes.
On a clear day the views stretch as far as Windsor.

🏛️Landmark

The London Eye Entry Ticket

★ 4.6 · 39,600 reviews

Step into a glass capsule on the London Eye for a slow half-hour ride above the South Bank. Take in 360-degree views across the Thames to Big Ang, the Houses of Parliament, and, on clear days, as far as Windsor.

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Reasons to go

Built as a temporary millennium landmark in 2000, it became a permanent fixture of London's skyline.
It has 32 glass capsules and takes about 30 minutes to complete one rotation.
It sits directly across the Thames from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

🏛️LandmarkFree

Trafalgar Square

★ 4.6 · 140,096 reviews

Discover Trafalgar Square, London's buzzing civic heart. Snap photos with Nelson's Column and its bronze lions, watch street performers, and use it as your base for walks to the National Gallery, Covent Garden, and Whitehall.

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Reasons to go

Laid out in the 1840s to commemorate the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar
Nelson's Column at its center is guarded by four bronze lion statues
Borders the National Gallery, which offers free entry to its collection

🎨MuseumFree

Imperial War Museum

★ 4.7 · 30,847 reviews

Step into the Imperial War Museum, housed in a former Lambeth psychiatric hospital. Walk beneath tanks and aircraft suspended in the atrium, explore galleries on the World Wars and the Holocaust, and hear personal testimony brought to life through volunteer-led talks.

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Reasons to go

The atrium suspends real tanks and aircraft overhead rather than displaying them on the ground
Dedicated Holocaust Galleries require a separate free timed ticket due to demand
The collection spans from WWI through recent conflicts across more than four levels

🏛️Landmark

Royal Albert Hall

★ 4.8 · 47,842 reviews

Discover the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington, an iconic red-brick, glass-domed rotunda dating back to 1871. Admire the striking exterior for free, or catch a concert inside during the BBC Proms to experience its celebrated acoustics and atmosphere firsthand.

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Reasons to go

Opened in 1871 and named after Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert.
Hosts the BBC Proms, a summer-long classical music festival, alongside events ranging from boxing matches to concerts.
The circular, glass-domed rotunda design evokes a Roman amphitheatre and is known for its distinctive acoustics.

🎨MuseumFree

Natural History Museum

★ 4.6 · 37,688 reviews

Step into the Natural History Museum's cathedral-like halls in South Kensington. Wander beneath Hope the blue whale skeleton, explore dinosaur galleries and mineral collections, and take in the ornate terracotta architecture around you.

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Reasons to go

The entrance hall's suspended blue whale skeleton is nicknamed Hope.
The Darwin Centre houses a cocoon-shaped building with behind-the-scenes science displays.
The terracotta facade and ornate entrance hall were designed as a cathedral-like showcase for natural science.

🌳NatureFree

Kensington Gardens

★ 4.7 · 30,644 reviews

Explore Kensington Gardens, the elegant former private grounds of Kensington Palace. Wander past the Italian Gardens' fountains and the Round Pond, spot the Peter Pan statue, and watch swans glide across the Serpentine.

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Reasons to go

Once the private grounds attached to Kensington Palace, giving it a more formal, ornamental layout than Hyde Park next door
Home to George Frampton's Peter Pan statue and the Italian Gardens' fountains
The Diana Memorial Playground was designed specifically with accessibility for children with disabilities in mind

🏛️LandmarkFree

Westminster Bridge

★ 4.6 · 11,646 reviews

Step onto Westminster Bridge, London's classic green-painted crossing over the Thames. Snap that iconic view of Big Ben and Parliament on one bank with the London Eye slowly turning on the other.

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Reasons to go

Opened in 1862 and painted the same green as the House of Commons benches nearby.
Regarded as offering London's best photo angle on the Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower with the London Eye across the river.

🌳NatureFree

St James's Park

★ 4.7 · 63,522 reviews

Discover St James's Park, London's oldest Royal Park, where a lake bridge frames views of Buckingham Palace and Whitehall. Stroll past resident pelicans near Duck Island, fed daily since Charles II received them as a gift in 1664.

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Reasons to go

The park dates to Henry VIII and was later reshaped into an English landscape garden.
Pelicans have lived here since 1664, when a Russian ambassador gifted the first pair to Charles II, and they're still fed daily near Duck Island.
The lake's bridge frames a view taking in both Buckingham Palace and the Whitehall skyline.

🏛️Landmark

St. Paul's Cathedral

★ 4.7 · 57,158 reviews

Discover St. Paul's Cathedral, Christopher Wren's baroque masterpiece that survived the Blitz to define London's skyline. Climb to the Whispering Gallery for its acoustic trick, then higher still for sweeping City views, before visiting the crypt to see Wren's, Nelson's, and Wellington's tombs.

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Reasons to go

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren and completed in 1710 to replace the medieval cathedral lost in the Great Fire of London
The Whispering Gallery lets visitors test its acoustic trick before climbing further to the Stone and Golden Galleries
The crypt holds the tombs of Wren himself, along with Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington

🌳NatureFree

Greenwich Park

★ 4.8 · 50,658 reviews

Explore Greenwich Park, London's oldest Royal Park, rising from the Old Royal Naval College to the Royal Observatory. Stand astride the Prime Meridian, admire deer and flower gardens, and take in panoramic views across the Thames to Canary Wharf.

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Reasons to go

Enclosed as a royal park in 1433, making it one of London's oldest
The Prime Meridian runs through the park at the Royal Observatory, letting visitors stand in both hemispheres at once
A resident deer herd roams the park alongside its 17th-century formal gardens

🏛️Landmark

Tower of London and Crown Jewels Exhibition Ticket

★ 4.6 · 32,009 reviews

Step inside the Tower of London, where nearly a thousand years of royal history unfolds along the Thames. Join a free Beefeater tour to hear tales of executions and ravens, then view the dazzling coronation regalia in the Crown Jewels exhibition.

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Reasons to go

Founded by William the Conqueror shortly after 1066, making it nearly 1,000 years old.
Houses the Crown Jewels, a working coronation regalia collection still used in royal ceremonies today.
Free tours are led by Yeoman Warders, the 'Beefeaters,' who recount the tower's history as prison and execution site.

🎨MuseumFree

The National Gallery

★ 4.8 · 62,817 reviews

Step into one of the world's great painting collections, right on Trafalgar Square. Wander grand galleries lined with Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Turner's seascapes, and masterworks of Dutch and Italian Renaissance art, all free to explore.

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Reasons to go

Home to Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Turner's late seascapes
Collection spans over 2,300 paintings from the mid-13th to early 20th century
Holds one of the finest groups of Dutch and Italian Renaissance paintings outside their home countries

🎨Museum

Churchill War Rooms

★ 4.6 · 15,806 reviews

Step into the underground bunker where Churchill ran Britain's war effort. Wander through the Cabinet Room and Map Room exactly as they were left in 1945, guided by an in-depth audio tour.

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Reasons to go

The bunker beneath Whitehall was the actual command centre from which Churchill and his War Cabinet directed WWII
The Cabinet Room and Map Room have been preserved untouched since 1945
It's part of the Imperial War Museum group, run as a paid ticketed site rather than a free national collection

🌳Nature$$ · Mid-range

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

★ 4.7 · 54,240 reviews

Explore Kew Gardens, home to the largest living plant collection on Earth. Wander the steamy Palm House, cross the Treetop Walkway 18 metres up, and wander themed gardens shifting with the seasons.

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Reasons to go

A UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 260 years of botanical research history.
Home to more than 50,000 plant species across 300 acres of glasshouses, arboretum, and themed gardens.
The Xstrata Treetop Walkway lifts visitors 18 metres above ground for a canopy-level view.

🏛️Landmark

Tower of London Early Access with Beefeater and Crown Jewels

★ 4.5 · 1,770 reviews

Step inside the Tower of London before the public crowds arrive. Follow a Yeoman Warder through tales of executions and imprisonment, then view the Crown Jewels while the galleries are still quiet.

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Reasons to go

The Tower has stood on the Thames for nearly 1,000 years, serving as fortress, royal residence and prison.
The Crown Jewels on display are the working regalia still used in actual coronations, not replicas.
Legend holds that the kingdom will fall if the resident ravens ever leave the Tower.

🏛️LandmarkFree

Big Ben

★ 4.6 · 99,558 reviews

Discover Big Ben, London's most unmistakable silhouette above the Thames. Snap photos of the Elizabeth Tower's neo-Gothic dials and, if you're there on the hour, catch the Great Bell's famous chimes.

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Reasons to go

The name Big Ben technically refers to the 13.7-tonne bell inside, not the tower itself
The neo-Gothic Elizabeth Tower was completed in 1859 to a design by Augustus Pugin
Tower access is restricted to UK residents on separate pre-booked tours, unlike the exterior view

🌳Nature

White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Day Trip

★ 4.6 · 3,106 reviews

Escape London for the day on a journey to England's dramatic southeast coast. Walk along the chalk-white cliffs of Dover with views toward France, then wander Canterbury's medieval streets and its UNESCO-listed cathedral.

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Reasons to go

On clear days the cliffs' vantage points allow views across the Channel to France.
Canterbury Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

🚶NeighborhoodsFree

Notting Hill

Wander the pastel-painted streets of Notting Hill, London's most photogenic neighbourhood. Browse antiques, vinyl, and street food along Portobello Road Market, or time your visit for August's vibrant Caribbean-rooted Carnival.

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Reasons to go

The neighborhood's fame was cemented by the 1999 film "Notting Hill" starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.
Portobello Road hosts one of the world's largest antiques markets, held every Saturday.
It's home to Notting Hill Carnival, Europe's biggest street festival, rooted in the area's Windrush-generation Caribbean community.

🚶NeighborhoodsFree

Covent Garden

Explore Covent Garden's Victorian market hall, now a lively piazza ringed by cafes and shops. Watch jugglers, opera singers, and escapologists perform on the cobbles, then wander into Neal's Yard and Seven Dials for independent finds.

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Reasons to go

The cast-iron market hall was slated for demolition before being saved and converted into a shopping arcade in the 1970s
Street performers are selected and scheduled by the market itself on a formal rota
The Royal Opera House sits just off the piazza

🏛️Landmark

Tower of London

★ 4.7 · 121,156 reviews

Step into nearly a thousand years of history at the Tower of London. Explore the White Tower's armour, see the dazzling Crown Jewels, and follow a Yeoman Warder's tour into tales of prisoners, executions, and the resident ravens.

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Reasons to go

Founded around 1078 by William the Conqueror, making it nearly a millennium old.
Houses the Crown Jewels and armour once worn by Henry VIII within the White Tower.
Free Yeoman Warder tours, included with entry, recount the site's history as a prison and execution ground.

🏛️LandmarkFree

Piccadilly Circus

Step into Piccadilly Circus, London's neon-lit crossroads at the edge of Soho and the West End. Snap photos beside the winged Shaftesbury Memorial statue as the illuminated screens light up the curved corner building after dark.

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Reasons to go

The junction has hosted illuminated advertising screens on its curved corner building since the early 20th century.
The Shaftesbury Memorial fountain steps serve as a well-known meeting point in London.
It sits right at the boundary of Soho and the West End theatre district.

🎨MuseumFree

Tate Modern

★ 4.5 · 83,333 reviews

Step inside the former Bankside Power Station, now home to Britain's national collection of modern art. Wander the cavernous Turbine Hall's large-scale installations, browse works by Matisse, Picasso, Rothko, and Warhol, then take in Thames views from the top-floor restaurant.

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Reasons to go

The museum occupies the former Bankside Power Station, a converted industrial building on the Thames.
Its Turbine Hall is one of the world's most recognizable spaces for large-scale contemporary art installations.
The permanent collection includes works by Matisse, Picasso, Rothko, and Warhol, with free entry to the main galleries.

🚶NeighborhoodsFree

Greenwich

Discover Greenwich, the riverside heart of Britain's seafaring story. Wander the Old Royal Naval College and Cutty Sark, straddle the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory, and browse the weekend market's crafts and street food.

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Reasons to go

The Royal Observatory sits directly on the Prime Meridian, letting visitors stand astride 0° longitude.
The Old Royal Naval College's baroque courtyards were designed as part of Britain's naval heritage complex.
The preserved tea clipper Cutty Sark is docked here as a relic of Britain's maritime trading era.

🚶NeighborhoodsFree

Soho

Wander Soho, London's tangled hub of theatres, bars, and late-night energy. Stroll Old Compton Street's LGBTQ+ scene, browse Berwick Street's record stalls, and drift into Chinatown's edge on Gerrard Street after the West End curtains fall.

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Reasons to go

Old Compton Street anchors one of Europe's most established gay villages
Berwick Street's market stalls and record shops recall Soho's bohemian, jazz-era past
It sits at the edge of Chinatown on Gerrard Street and a short walk from Carnaby Street

🏛️Landmark

Westminster Abbey

★ 4.6 · 52,111 reviews

Step inside Westminster Abbey, coronation site for every English monarch since 1066. Wander the fan-vaulted Lady Chapel and Poets' Corner, tracing the graves of Newton, Darwin, and centuries of royals along the way.

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Reasons to go

Every coronation since William the Conqueror in 1066 has taken place here.
Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin are buried in the nave, near the writers gathered in Poets' Corner.
The Henry VII Lady Chapel features fan-vaulted ceilings noted by visitors as a highlight of the interior.

🛍️Shopping$$$ · Expensive

Harrods

★ 4.4 · 127,561 reviews

Step inside Harrods, London's grandest department store behind its illuminated Knightsbridge facade. Wander the tiled Edwardian food halls and multiple floors of luxury fashion, soaking up the spectacle even if you don't buy a thing.

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Reasons to go

The store spans an entire block of Brompton Road behind its illuminated Edwardian facade.
It houses 7 floors and over 300 departments.
The food halls retain their original tiled Edwardian ceilings.

🛍️Shopping$$ · Mid-range

Borough Market

★ 4.6 · 129,478 reviews

Discover Borough Market, London's legendary food hub near London Bridge. Graze your way past stalls of fresh oysters, paella, artisan cheese, and baked goods, arriving early to beat the lunchtime crowds.

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Reasons to go

One of London's oldest markets, trading in some form near London Bridge for centuries
Stalls specialize in single items done well, from fresh oysters to paella cooked to order
Layout rewards an early visit before the lunch rush thins out popular vendors' stock

🎨MuseumFree

Victoria and Albert Museum

★ 4.8 · 68,143 reviews

Step into the V&A, the world's leading museum of art and design. Wander galleries of fashion, jewellery, photography, and sculpture spanning 5,000 years, then explore its ornate Victorian courtyard.

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Reasons to go

Founded in the mid-19th century specifically to make art and design accessible to the public
The collection spans fashion, jewellery, photography, and decorative arts from across the globe
Located in South Kensington within walking distance of the Natural History and Science Museums

🎨MuseumFree

Science Museum

★ 4.6 · 76,620 reviews

Explore the Science Museum in South Kensington, a hands-on trip through space, aviation, and computing history. Get up close to the Apollo 10 command module and historic steam engines through interactive exhibits made for curious minds of all ages.

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Reasons to go

Houses a full-scale Apollo 10 command module, the actual capsule that flew astronauts around the Moon in 1969.
The aviation gallery has an elevated walkway letting visitors view historic aircraft from unusual angles.
Entry to the main collection is free, with paid tickets only required for the IMAX and special exhibitions.