From the classic Tower of London and Easy Access Tower of London and Crown Jewels Tour, to lesser-known spots worth adding to your trip.
1★ 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.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
2h30
Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon or early evening
Walking intensity
Active — lots of walking
2★ 4.7 · 1,537 reviews
Skip the line at the Tower of London without the early alarm clock. Explore the White Tower's armouries, marvel at the Crown Jewels vault, and join a Yeoman Warder tour at your own comfortable pace.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
2h30
Best time
morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
3★ 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.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
2h
Best time
early morning
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
4★ 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.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
2h
Best time
morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
5★ 3.9 · 9,500 reviews
Discover Tayyabs, Whitechapel's legendary Punjabi grill house. Dig into sizzling lamb chops and halal classics in a lively, no-frills setting, bringing your own bottle to complete the affordable, unpretentious feast.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
6★ 4.5 · 5,426 reviews
Discover SMOKESTAK, Shoreditch's go-to spot for proper low-and-slow barbecue. Dig into crispy ox cheek, smoked brisket, and charred greens shared across the table, weekend queues and all.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h15
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, early evening or evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
7★ 4.6 · 10,036 reviews
Step into Old Spitalfields Market's Victorian iron-and-glass halls in East London. Browse rotating stalls of independent fashion, art, and design alongside permanent shops and food vendors, then wander over to nearby Brick Lane.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h
Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening or evening
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
8★ 4.8 · 1,602 reviews
Step into Discount Suit Company, a hidden speakeasy bar built inside a former tailor's shop near Petticoat Lane Market. Settle into the dim, moody space and sip well-crafted cocktails, including standout sours, served by attentive staff in this small, character-filled spot.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h30
Best time
early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
9★ 4.4 · 834 reviews
Discover Rochelle Canteen, tucked inside a converted 1930s bike shed in an old Shoreditch schoolyard. Settle in for a relaxed lunch of daily-changing seasonal British dishes, served with the unhurried, hands-on warmth of a small team who genuinely care.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h30
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, early evening or evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
10★ 4.5 · 950 reviews
Discover Brick Lane, East London's buzzing hub of curry houses, bagel shops, and Sunday market stalls. Browse vintage clothing and vinyl, sample multicultural street food, and wander past ever-changing street art before continuing on to nearby Spitalfields.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h
Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon or early evening
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
11★ 4.1 · 400 reviews
Discover % ARABICA's minimalist coffee bar tucked inside Spitalfields Market. Sip a standout Kyoto or Iced Spanish Latte while soaking up the sleek, design-conscious vibe amid market browsers and fellow coffee lovers.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
25 min
Best time
early morning, morning, lunchtime, afternoon or early evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
12★ 4.6 · 7,746 reviews
Discover Columbia Road Flower Market, London's Sunday-only burst of color in East London. Wander past vendors piled high with blooms and plants, then browse the independent boutiques and cafés lining the Victorian shopfronts before the stalls pack up.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
45 min
Best time
early morning, morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
13★ 4.4 · 702 reviews
Discover Allpress Coffee Roasters on Redchurch Street, Shoreditch's own bean-roasting café. Sip a reliably good flat white, pick from a strong pastry selection with genuinely good gluten-free options, and let the friendly staff guide your break.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
25 min
Best time
early morning, morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Easy pace
14★ 4.6 · 725 reviews
Discover Nagare Coffee, a Spitalfields gem where Scandinavian minimalism meets English heritage charm. Sip expertly crafted espresso amid warm wood tones and vintage touches in one of London's most photogenic cafés.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
25 min
Best time
early morning, morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Easy pace
15★ 4.5 · 101 reviews
Discover Holy Carrot Bistro in Spitalfields, a plant-based spot that wins over even devoted meat-eaters. Settle in for a relaxed lunch or dinner with friendly staff, hearty flavourful dishes, and a menu built for mixed dietary groups.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h15
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
16★ 4.8 · 47,551 reviews
Step into Dishoom Shoreditch, a buzzing homage to old Bombay's Irani cafés. Settle in under warm lighting and ceiling fans for crowd-pleasing Indian dishes and genuinely warm hospitality, best enjoyed with a booking ahead.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h15
Walking intensity
Easy pace
17★ 4.6 · 1,085 reviews
Discover Crispin, a striking pavilion restaurant near Spitalfields. Settle into a design-forward room for a seasonal, produce-led lunch or dinner, and enjoy the kind of attentive, name-remembering service diners rave about.
Typical visit
1h30
Walking intensity
Easy pace
18★ 4.5 · 893 reviews
Step into Dennis Severs' House, a Spitalfields townhouse frozen mid-moment. Wander in silence through candlelit rooms of half-eaten meals and rumpled beds, imagining the fictional Huguenot family that's just stepped out.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
50 min
Best time
lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Easy pace
19★ 4.7 · 8,647 reviews
Step into Whitechapel after dark on this evening walking tour. Follow your guide through the actual streets and alleys tied to the 1888 murders, hearing the victims' stories and the unsolved mystery that gripped Victorian London.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
2h
Best time
early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
20★ 4.4 · 14,490 reviews
Grab a bite at Beigel Bake, Brick Lane's round-the-clock bagel institution. Bite into a hot salt beef bagel loaded with tender meat and sharp pickles, grabbed quick and cheap any hour of the day or night.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
35 min
Walking intensity
Easy pace
21★ 4.7 · 165 reviews
Discover Townhouse, a café hidden downstairs inside a Fournier Street antique shop and gallery. Browse the shop and gallery upstairs, then settle into the period kitchen setting below for coffee amid a Downton Abbey-like atmosphere.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
35 min
Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon or early evening
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
22★ 4.5 · 874 reviews
Step up to a genuine slice of Roman Londinium hiding in plain sight near Tower Hill. Trace the surviving stretches of London Wall, read the interpretive signage on its Roman and medieval layers, and fold it into a City walk alongside the nearby Tower of London.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
15 min
Best time
morning or afternoon
Walking intensity
Easy pace
23★ 4.8 · 1,498 reviews
Discover Shoreditch's backstreets on this walking tour through London's street-art heartland. Wander lanes near Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market as guides point out ever-changing murals and graffiti, revealing the stories behind the artists and the area's creative transformation.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
2h
Best time
morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
