I love London.
We have visited London many times on our travels and Caz even lived there for two and a half years from 1997-99 on a UK Working Holiday Visa.
London has so much going for it. Amazing history, great vibrancy, and an energy to rival any major city around the world. It’s also a great base for exploring the rest of the UK and Europe.
So what is it about London that keeps us going back?
Below are our highlights of things to do in London, PLUS, some tips from our Facebook community members.
Covent Garden
Located in the heart of the West End, Covent Garden is a popular shopping and leisure site.
Enjoy the wonderful street performers that entertain and the local street market. It’s amazing and you can easily spend the whole day there. Whilst there grab a drink at the popular and original Belushi’s Cocktail Bar from Blue’s Brothers fame.
Caz could be regularly found here sipping on jugs of Thunder Trousers. And the Punch and Judy Pub is one of London’s most iconic pubs with an upper floor balcony, which is particularly good in summer especially for people watching.
Camden Markets
One of our favorite days out is heading to Camden Town in North West London. It’s a sea of entertainment and overflows with a variety of open-air and indoor markets, shops, restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, theatres and cinemas.
There are great deals to be had, and the people watching is first class. The town attracts enormous crowds of Londoners and tourists alike and there is always something happening.
Sunday, in particular, is a great day for visiting the markets and stopping into one of its many pubs for an afternoon beverage.
London Parks
St. James’s Park is the oldest Royal Park in London and offers one of the best views of Buckingham Palace. It’s very green and is also surrounded by Westminster Palace and St James Palace.
It’s quite a pleasant walk from Parliament to Buckingham Palace through this park on the way.
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens are side by side and are enormous and include the ever popular Diana Memorial Playground and the Peter Pan Statue.
Changing of the Guard
A visit to London is not really complete without seeing this military tradition.
The Queen’s Guard in London changes in the Forecourt inside the gates of Buckingham Palace at 11.30am every day in the summer and every other day in the winter. Try to get there early and view the spectacle from outside the front gates.
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square is the largest square in London and one of its most well-known areas. It’s an iconic square with many sights including Nelson’s Column, the National Gallery, and many other statues and sculptures.
It plays the role of both a tourist attraction and the main focus for political demonstrations. The square is famous for its pigeons, but their population has dropped since measures were put in place as they were considered a health hazard.
It is also the place where you catch the night buses after the last tube has left and you missed it because you were too busy with that last pint in the pub. You should see how busy it is down there then.
Westminster Abbey
This 700-year-old building in the heart of London is a must see. It is steeped in British history having played host to many Royal weddings, including the most recent of Prince William to Kate Middleton.
It’s the final resting place of seventeen monarchs and is a very impressive looking Gothic building with stained glass. It really is beautiful both inside and out and worthy of a visit.
If you wish to worship you can visit Westminster Abbey for free. Others are charged and admissions fee.
Greenwich
It’s a classic photo opportunity: have your photo taken standing on the Prime Meridian Line at Greenwich. Head up the hill to The Royal Observatory and in the courtyard is a metal strip where you stand over the line and can be in the eastern and western hemispheres at the same time.
You can get to Greenwich easily by train or bus, or by taking a boat down the Thames. For the best experience, go by river, weather permitting, and return by rail.
Not only will your children enjoy the boat ride, but you’ll get to see the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Tower of London and Tower Bridge.
You’ll be traveling the Thames – the historic water highway from London – as royalty have traveled to Greenwich for hundreds of years. Also, arriving by river puts you in the perfect position to begin exploring Greenwich.
By water, the trip is about 30-60 minutes each way. You can get on board sightseeing cruises at Waterloo Millennium, Westminster and Tower piers.
Greenwich has many attractions; the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark, Gypsy Moth and Greenwich Market are just a few.
It has some outstanding pubs too, and the Trafalgar is one of them. This magnificent Regency style pub was built in 1837, the year Queen Victoria came to the throne.
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace is Queen Elizabeth II’s official residence and has been the official London residence of Britain’s sovereign since 1837.
Buckingham Palace operates a timed-ticket system, with admission every 15 minutes throughout the day. Tickets are valid only on the date and at the entrance time specified on the ticket. Regrettably, latecomers cannot be admitted.
Notting Hill
Notting Hill, made famous by the movie featuring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, but always well known by Londoners, is a district to watch the cosmopolitan world go by in one of its coffee shops, before some high-end shopping or more of an alternative feel at nearby Portobello Markets.
The best way to experience Notting Hill is at the very popular “Caribbean style” Notting Hill Carnival held every August.
Richmond
A fave day out for Caz was to take the tube to Richmond and walk along the Thames River and have a beer or two.
The walk through Richmond town centre, along the river and up Richmond Hill to the park is very beautiful and you’ll soon see why for hundreds of years it has been a favourite retreat of Royalty, the rich and the famous.
The frontage around Richmond Bridge has plenty of cafes and pubs for you to enjoy some quiet riverside life. The area is also close to Royal parks and historic houses, theatres, museums, and galleries.
Oxford Street
Brave this famous shopping district of London if you dare.
Be prepared for crowds so thick you will need heavily greased elbows to plough your way through. If you like shopping though, you’ll love the high-end stores that line this one and a half mile shopping mecca.
London Pubs
It is really hard to recommend pubs in London as there are so many of them and so many that are great. I’ve just chosen a few of my favourite, frequently visited watering holes for you to check out.
Waxy O’Connor’s in Leicester Square
Waxy’s is one of our fave bars to go for its warm atmosphere and quirky decor. It is a labyrinth of 4 unique bars covering 6 levels all linked together by a maze of staircases and passages.
Spend time in the tree room and be transported into a magical pixie land sitting amongst tree branches and tree trunks carved into seating area. And the beer selection is pretty good though. Come early as this place gets packed.
O’ Neills in Muswell Hill
Not usually on the tourist trail, this pub is housed in an old restored church.
The building is beautiful inside and out. The architecture makes for amazing acoustics for their live music sessions. Used to be a favourite night out for Caz’s travelling household.
Have a pint on a boat on the River Thames
I was originally going to recommend the Queen Mary, but have sadly discovered she has been moved.
As soon as the sun came out in London, you could guarantee our lively group would head down to the Queen Mary moored on the Thames at Embankment for a pint of snakebite or two in the sun. It was a great day and sometimes night out.
There are other boats on the Thames where you can go for a lovely summer ale. Truly worth it.
Walkabout
When I lived in London, the Walkabout was called the Outback and there was only one of them in Covent Garden.
During my time there more and more opened up throughout the city and now they can be found everywhere throughout the country.
Another antipodean place, which does draw in visitors from all over the world, it is a great place to get your Down Under fix, listen to live music and have lots of fun with fellow travellers.
Circle Line Pub Crawl
Try it if you dare. There are over 30 stops on the Circle Line. Get off at each stop and head for the nearest pub.
Drink only half a pint (believe me by stop 5 you’ll realize why) and then move to the next one. Caz did it with a big group and made it even more fun by creating rules for each pub.
If you broke the rule you had another drink. Just see if you can make it thee whole way round, we certainly did not.
Weatherspoon Pubs
Weatherspoon pubs are scattered throughout the entire city (and country). These pubs don’t always have the most happening vibe and atmosphere, but they do have really cheap food and drink.
For those on a budget you might find yourself gravitating to these pubs for a cheap night out.
The South Bank
The South Bank area has many of the famous landmarks you would wish to see on a trip to London, including the London Eye and the Tate Modern, along this stretch of the River Thames, from Westminister Bridge to London Bridge.
The Houses of Parliament
If you can somehow find your way inside a good place to have a drink is the bars from within the houses of Parliament. Caz knew someone who worked in there and was able to sneak her in for a few with the toffs. A great experience.
Facebook Fan Suggestions
Below are tips from members of our facebook fan page:
Marian Krueger – The National Gallery with free admission is a must see! http://nationalgallery.org
Brian Hicks – Frevds on Shaftsbury Avenue, little jem of a cocktail bar. A Long Island Iced Tea for £6 and that’s cheap for London. Great vibe and lovely bar staff.
Travlrz – The Borough market (http://www.boroughmarket.o
Joanna Golding – have pizza at Dickens Inn at St Katherines Dock (next to the Tower of London) – it’s incredible!
Never-Ending Footsteps – Definitely Camden Town, one of the coolest places in London. If you’re into music then Denmark Street is a must-visit too.
Joanne Griffith-Poplar – Great curries or fantastic bagels on Brick Lane. Check out the views of London from Alexandra Palace (known as Ally Pally locally!). Sing karaoke in Leicester Square and take in some great culture at the Tate Modern on the South Bank…then walk along South Bank. Enjoy my hometown!
Staci Welch – Camden is still my favorite with young punks sitting along the streets like a scene straight off a Clash album cover, all of the different levels, indoor and outdoor markets, crazy shops tucked into nooks & crannies. Luv it.
Sean Bredbenner – Just got back from 5 days in London and absolutely loved it. The Windsor Castle pub (Notting Hill) has to be the best pub in the city. Get there early to get a table.
Elizabeth Hughes – I’m in London. Best thing have bought for my trip is a Palace Pass – its for 5 palaces (Tower of London, Hampton court, kensington, kew and another I cant think of) £41.00 and its valid for a year so you can go back to your fave palaces over and over again 🙂 and you get discounts and free stuff.
Tours By Locals – I love love LOVE London. My sister lives near Camden Town and it was the highlight of my year to visit her for a week in 2010. So many faves, but I’ll mention three: I loved Borough Market, watching an excellent Shakespeare production at the reconstructed Globe Theatre and strolling around the Hampstead High Street, then enjoying a walk on Hampstead Heath and a pub lunch at the edge of the park.
Kaylin E Stephens – For airports, I prefer Gatwick. It’s smaller and easier to get around, although more expensive to get to (Gatwick express train is around £15 each way, I think; I chose it because I had an early flight out that morning, but there are probably slower, cheaper ways to get to/from). From Heathrow, you can take the tube £4 to/from the city, although it takes an hour to the center.
Robin Dickinson – Allow plenty of time. Take your sketch pad!
Traveling with Sweeney – Churchill’s War Cabinet Rooms are fascinating. Love walking along the South Bank (stop at the Tate Modern and then have lunch near there), see a play at the Old Vic. A hotel I like is the Sherlock Holmes on Baker Street. I love a lot about London, actually. Really nice view is from the upper walkway of the Tower Bridge. The ferry to France is an enjoyable way to go to and from England.
Read More:
- Things to do in London
- London for families: Your questions answered
- 5 of the best London accommodation options from budget to luxury
Plan Your Trip to London
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We also really enjoyed Waxy’s and Camden Market.
And right now there’s a fabulous exhibit in Kensington Palace that’s on the seven princesses that lived and died there. It’s sort of like a creepy art installation and it’s really cool.
G’day Guys,
Thanks for mentioning the exhibit, sounds interesting. Are you currently in London?
I just had a skype chat with my sister this morning, who’s living in London. She was chatting over a beer in a loud pub… So jealous 🙂
Ah, Camden Markets. Very special place to hang out and observe.
Hi Lina,
The pubs in London and the UK are the best. So much character and atmosphere. Wish we could be there too.
And yes Camden is GREAT for people watching.
Lol, you’ve done a great job here. London looks much better than I remember in these pics:)
Love the pic of you in Greenwich park. I lived there for 3 years (not actually in the park, right by it;) when I was a student. Those were the days and the Circle line pub crawl would have been right up my alley.
In fact I did get my photo in the Southern Cross magazine following a party. It’s a publication for Aussies and Kiwis living in London. Wonder if it still exists?!
Hey Annabel,
Yeah we really enjoyed Greenwich. We actually went to a friend’s wedding there. Living there must have been cool.
Haven’t heard if Southern Cross Magazine but the one we used to go by was http://www.tntmagazine.com/
I like Waxy’s. If you’re in West London, try the Windsor Castle (pub!) in Notting Hill. It’s very old, looks a bit hobbity with really low doors and cosy corners. They have great food, too!
Hi Christina,
Love the sound of the Windsor Castle pub. Will check it out. Actually, we could have named many many pubs in London. They have got it going on 🙂
beautiful photos – I’m a bit jealous!
for museum/history buffs, I would suggest both the British Museum and the Imperial War Museum – both are free (except their temporary exhibitions) and you could easily spend a day (or several)there
and I agree with ‘Travelling with Sweeney’ about the Churchill museum/Cabinet War Rooms – a fascinating snapshot into history
(can you tell I’m a bit of a history buff?!)
G’day AGirlFromOz,
Well we love free, so people should definitely go check out the museums if you’re into history.
And yes you are obviously a history buff 🙂
That is a pretty comprehensive list of things to see in London. You have to love the markets there; Camden and Borough markets being my two favorites. On modern art, I’d definitely recommend Tate Modern and the Saatchi Gallery. I miss London a little, can’t wait to get back there 🙂
Thanks Jarmo,
We miss London too, and definitely looking at returning next year to take in the Olympics, amongst other things. Cheers.
I too love London. Can’t see myself living somewhere else at the moment! I would also add museums in your list. They’re some of the best in the world. My favourites are the British Museum, National Gallery and Tate. Add that with V&A, NPG RCA etc. and you’re really spoilt for choice.
Amer,
How long have you lived in London? There are worse cities in the world that’s for sure 🙂
I’d add the Hunterian Museum – Free. http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums
Thanks for the add Maria. And of course we love FREE 🙂
Great post guys! As an Aussie living in London now, I can definitely backup a lot of what you guys have recommended, especially the Church and the Walkie! 😀
One thing though, the actual Circle Line tube line is closed on the day they actually do the pub crawl, so it has to be done on foot. 🙂
Hey Justin,
So you’ve been to the Church. Not sure we would go back now, but it was one crazy experience way back when 🙂
And the Walkabouts were always good for a catchup on Aussie sports/music/chatter…
Thanks for pointing out the Circle Line is closed on that day. But why??? 🙂
Great summary of my home town guys! I did the circle line pub crawl years ago as a student and the transport police banned us from using the tube half way round! I think Justin is right and now you have to do it all above ground but great fun none the less 🙂
Hi Jayne,
Hope we covered most things. That’s disappointing about the tube situation in regards to the pub crawl, but I can understand why 🙂
P.S…We must meet up next summer when we come over.
Wow, great tips for London and love the beautiful photographs accompanying your commentary too. I was in London for 6 weeks last spring and I think only experienced about half the items you listed here, so thanks for the ideas for future visits 🙂
– Lily
Hi Lily,
Your welcome. Hope you get back soon. We could probably stay another 6 months and not get bored.
One of my favorite cities! Lots of great ideas for the next time I go.
I LOVE camden market! and Camden town. There are always great gigs going on in camden. Such a great, vibrant atmosphere! I miss it!
Camden is a cool place to hang. We used to love going there on a Sunday and listening to some music in the pubs there. Fun fun fun
I used to catch the train into London on the weekend, usually got off at Charing Cross, bought a hot drink and went on a walk through Covent Garden, took the backstreets to Oxford St and spent a while reading in a bookstore. Blissful weekends 🙂
I also recommend wandering Liberty’s department store for vistiors – I don’t know why, but it feels very “English” and it has a great history.
Thanks for the recommendation Vanessa. We will check that one out!
London is such a vast interesting city I spent a few months there in 2009 living with my cousin and had such an awesome time!
Fantastic place! Can’t wait to go back
You can now meet other travelers who are going to London on the same dates as you on Mingle Trips.
Meet other travelers and locals, have a good time. 🙂
Cheers
Thanks for the tips!
I had an amazing time last year, and wish I would have seen this list before I left! (Not that I would have had the time to add even more to the adventure :P)
Like a lot of other people who have commented, I would definitely recommend checking out some of the museums too. The British Museum left me in awe just by walking in!
I was fortunate to have visited during the Notting Hill Carnival (without having a clue how big of a deal it really was), and just wanted to note that it is amazing in and of itself, but kind of inhibits actually seeing the neighborhood if that is the goal. Definitely worth checking out though, and I would recommend looking into the transportation schedule in the area beforehand. It took some friends and I about 2 hours to find a bus stop as all of the Tube stations were closed in the area. We were able to explore and experience even more of the carnival though which was a blast!
Great list and an amazing city- I can’t wait to go back!
So glad you had an amzing time in London- it is such a great city. thanks for your tip. The Notting Hill CArnival is lots of fun!
I love London, for me it is the most cosmopolitan city in Europe and maybe in the world. I lived there for 8 years and everyday I think about this amazing city where I left my hart 🙂
Love London too and miss it now we’re living in Sydney. You’ve covered some great places… Battersea Park is a hidden gem, often overlooked as people are more likely to head to Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens. Battersea Park Children’s Zoo is great for families.
Also, if you’re on a budget and can’t afford a London Tour Bus, the No. 11 bus from Fulham to Liverpool Street passes most of the major sites.
The Cheshire Cheese Pub on Fleet Street is one of the oldest pubs in London and definitely worth a visit.
I miss London more now I’ve written this!!
GREAT tips Sarah!! Thank you. Will be definitely doing these next time we go to London. Love the tour bus tip- so great to make those paid tours free.
Nice list – as a Londoner now living in Norway (been here 14 years now!) I still go back several times a year and I have to say it’s an even better place to visit than to live in…I recently compiles a list of some more unusual things to see/do in London, only one of which was mentioned in the comments here so hopefully this will give a new angle on the Big Smoke:
http://grownuptravelguide.com/been-there-havent-done-that-5-things-you-shouldnt-miss-in-london
A tip for the summer – Brockwell Lido in South London. A fabulous outdoor pool – I will be posting a comprehensive article on this gem nearer the season but have a picture here:
http://grownuptravelguide.com/brockwell-lido
Awesome Andy. Thank you fro sharing your list. Very helpful to our readers and to us for when we return
Loved the site-seeing spots you shared! Check out our world travel tips as well: http://GreenGlobalTravel.com
Love this post – thanks so much for sharing. I’m heading to London in a week and I’ll definitely be using some of your tips
Lovely post with photos and tips…Only know Camden Town from your blog…
Meanwhile, welcome to visit my blog site http://letsgo-travel.com/my-blog-london/
I went to England when I was 18 and spent time with my family. I got to see a bit of London, but mostly spent time near Canterbury.
I remember it being so very pretty (it was so green!), so very cold, and the pubs are the best I have ever seen! I remember going to a few (too many) pubs and looking at the different atmosphere in each one. We dont have pubs like that in Australia ~ they are so cozy over there!
Thanks for the great photos and london travel tips..brings back good memories.
We miss the English and Irish pubs a lot. They do have a different atmosphere, more homely and cozy. The Irish ones are so great because they usually have the local band playing which is always great fun
I’ve been living in London for the last 7 years, but still I haven’t seen it all. It’s an amazing place. You can wonder around it for days and discover something new every day.
Musicals!!! Last year my dad and I went to london for two days (which is becoming a tradition) and after day 1 we were thinking we should do something else this year, but after the musical (“Priscilla, Queen of the desert”), we knew we had to go back! We love London and each year we find new things to do, but the musicals we go see when we’re there are the cherry on top of the cake!
I used to love seeing musicals too. You can often pick up cheap tickets. It is a great night out
We haven’t tried getting cheap tickets yet. Probably next year. And the year after that it’ll be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory:-)
Thanks for this tip. This blog helped me to plan my travel in London.
Need advice??????
I’m planning to visit in June – hope it doesn’t get hotter than 25C. Do you think – should I visit during Aug (before or just beginning of fall).
You should be right in June. London rarely gets over this temp even in the summer. August will be hotter than June
Nice post. Please suggest some more places to visit in london.
we are planning to visit london soon.
Hi Justin, here is a link to our City Guide on London: https://www.ytravelblog.com/things-to-do-in-london/
Great recommendations. Check this article, I liked the tips and had a great time exploring them.
http://larswindhorst-archive.co.uk/2013/09/a-managers-perspective_lars_windhorst/
London is one of my favourite cities. Glad to see some great recommendations on here but you’re missing all of East London!!! Shoreditch and Hackney are two really cool areas of London with so many exciting things to do. Definitely a place I’d recommend spending more time in on your next trip!
Very nice! I am going to London for the first time (solo!) in March. Can’t wait!!
Coming from the states. I have never been in London. A book I read tells me to “get lost in a neighborhood.” Which would you suggest?
We’re Londoners who are wildly passionate about all the delicious food found around this world-famous and historical city. By booking on Secret Food Tours
Wow, what a list! London is really huge and it takes you literally days and days to explore about half of it and there will always be something that you didn’t manage to see. That’s why this amazing city city lures you again and again to come back. 🙂
I visited London about 3 months ago, but I was there only 4 days, it was just a stop, unfortunately. 🙁 I wanted so bad to see it all, but there wasn’t enough time. I had to decide what to see, so I took some reccommendations from different sites that can help you see the best parts of London if you are short on time. Here are some links that can help you http://thebackpackers.net/information/top-attractions/ and http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/sightseeing/london-attraction/top-ten-attractions?ref=mosaic
Great tips! I’m going to London this February for the first time and I’m really excited!
Hi Craig, i agree with you that London is such an amazing place to hangout..the thing that i liked the most are Food Tours..Every time i visit London i must try Food Tours..till now i visited London 2 times and my experience is marvellous
Even though the blog post is written four years ago, the writing is till apt. From staying, eating and touring around London, your blog gives such an insight to a fellow reader. Good work!
Lovely place, I’d love to get to know London.