Things to do in London: the must-sees and our tips

In short: London is huge: plan your days by area. Start with the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, continue to Westminster, enjoy the great free museums, then explore the neighbourhoods (Covent Garden, Camden, Notting Hill) and end with a musical in the West End. Check whether you need an ETA before you go.

The Tower of London and Tower Bridge

The Tower of London, a thousand-year-old fortress, houses the Crown Jewels and its famous guards, the Beefeaters. Right next to it, Tower Bridge can be crossed on foot; its high walkway offers views over the Thames.

Westminster

Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, where coronations take place, form the political and historic heart of the country. Then cross Westminster Bridge to the South Bank and the London Eye.

The great free museums

The permanent collections of the major national museums are free:

• the British Museum (Rosetta Stone, Egyptian and Greek antiquities);
• the National Gallery, on Trafalgar Square;
• Tate Modern, in a former power station on the Thames;
• the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, in South Kensington.

Buckingham Palace and the royal parks

The monarch’s official residence, Buckingham Palace draws crowds for the Changing of the Guard. The nearby parks, St James’s Park, Green Park and Hyde Park, offer large green spaces.

The neighbourhoods

• Covent Garden: street performers, shops and theatres.
• Camden: market, alternative vibe and canal.
• Notting Hill: colourful houses and Portobello Road market.
• Shoreditch: street art, bars and nightlife.
• Borough Market: the great food market near London Bridge.

A musical in the West End

The West End is one of the world capitals of musical theatre. Book ahead for the most popular shows.

Greenwich and the Thames

Take a boat on the Thames to Greenwich: its observatory and the meridian, its park overlooking the Canary Wharf skyscrapers, and the Cutty Sark clipper.

Day trips from London

• Windsor and its castle.
• Oxford or Cambridge, the university towns.
• Stonehenge and Bath, for a long day.

Getting around

• The Tube and buses cover the whole city; contactless payment is accepted on public transport.
• From Heathrow, the Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in about 15 minutes.
• From Paris, the Eurostar arrives at St Pancras International in about 2 h 16.

All the tips for the country: Travel in the UK.

Where to stay in London

The West End and Covent Garden to be at the heart of everything, the South Bank for the Thames, South Kensington for the museums, Shoreditch for nightlife, King’s Cross if you arrive by Eurostar. Every area is detailed in our guide Where to stay in London.