West End and Covent Garden
Ideal for: first visit, nightlife
Theatres, shops and restaurants in the heart of the city. Very central, often expensive.
London
Museums, theatres and parks: a huge capital, best discovered area by area.
Plan your stay in London
Best areas to stay in London
South Bank
Ideal for: couples
The banks of the Thames, with walks, arts venues and city views.
South Kensington
Ideal for: families, seniors
The great museums district, elegant and calm, near Hyde Park.
Shoreditch
Ideal for: solo, nightlife
Street art, bars and markets: trendy East London.
King's Cross
Ideal for: arriving by Eurostar
Around St Pancras (Eurostar) and King's Cross stations: very handy when arriving from the continent.
Practical info about London
London is huge: choose an area near a well-connected Underground (Tube) station. Contactless payment is accepted on public transport.
The United Kingdom is not part of the European Union: check entry requirements before you go, as well as your mobile plan (a travel eSIM can help).
What to see in London
- The Tower of London and Tower Bridge;
- Westminster: Big Ben, Parliament and the Abbey;
- the great free museums: British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum;
- Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park;
- neighbourhoods: Covent Garden, Camden, Notting Hill, Shoreditch, and a West End musical.
Arriving in London
Eurostar links Paris to St Pancras International in about 2h16. From Heathrow, the Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in about 15 minutes. An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and a passport are required for EU travellers.
All our tips in Travel in the UK.