Things to do in London

Things to do in London: the sights, the food and the West End

London has around 9 million inhabitants, more than 170 museums, over 300 languages spoken every day and a theatre tradition stretching back to Shakespeare. No trip is long enough to see it all, and most people come back again and again.

A first evening might start with a musical in the West End and end with a pint and fish and chips in a traditional pub. The next morning begins with the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace and the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, before a food market by the Thames takes care of the rest of the day.

London is by far the biggest city in the United Kingdom, with royalty, theatre, free museums and international food at a level few cities can match.

London sights: a route along the Thames

Many of the most famous sights lie like beads on a string along the river. Start in Westminster and follow the Thames east on foot, and you can see the highlights in a day or two.

Big Ben and Westminster Abbey: where British history lives

Come up from Westminster station and you are standing beneath Big Ben. Walk across Westminster Bridge to the south bank, turn around, and you have the postcard view of Parliament and the Thames in one frame. A couple of minutes' walk away is Westminster Abbey, a thousand years old and still where British monarchs are crowned, most recently Charles III in 2023. Inside you pass the graves of Newton and Darwin before reaching Poets' Corner, and from the Abbey it is a ten-minute walk through St James's Park to the King's home.

Buckingham Palace: the Changing of the Guard

The palace is one of London's most iconic buildings, with 775 rooms and the famous balcony known from royal weddings and coronations. If the Royal Standard is flying above the roof, the King is at home. In summer, visitors can take an audio-guided tour of the State Rooms still used for state visits.

The Changing of the Guard takes place several mornings a week at 11am, when the guards in red tunics and bearskin hats march to the palace accompanied by military bands playing everything from traditional marches to pop and film themes. The ceremony lasts around 45 minutes, and the best view is from the steps of the Victoria Memorial opposite. Check the official schedule before you go, as the days vary.

Horse Guards: the cavalry on horseback

A five-minute walk from Buckingham Palace, between Whitehall and St James's Park, the Household Cavalry holds its own guard ceremony, with the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals in red and blue tunics and gleaming helmets, and no fences between you and the horses. In June, this is where Trooping the Colour takes place, the King's official birthday parade with more than a thousand soldiers, hundreds of horses and military bands.

The London Eye: panoramic views from the wheel

Across the river, the giant wheel turns slowly, and on a half-hour rotation you see the whole centre spread out below from 135 metres up. Book tickets online in advance, or the morning can easily disappear in the queue.

The Tower of London and Tower Bridge

The route ends at the Tower of London, the fortress William the Conqueror built in the 11th century. Within its walls are the Crown Jewels, including St Edward's Crown, used to crown Charles III, and the Cullinan diamond. The Yeoman Warders, known as Beefeaters, tell tales of prisoners and executions and look after the ravens, which legend says hold the kingdom together. If the ravens leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall.

Right next door, Tower Bridge spans the river, the bridge many people mistakenly call London Bridge. The Tower requires a ticket, but you can cross Tower Bridge for free, and from Potters Fields Park on the south bank you get both the bridge and the fortress in the same photo.

Things to do in London: museums, neighbourhoods and theatre

After a walk along the Thames comes the part of London many remember best: the musicals and plays of the West End, world-class museums, markets and neighbourhoods with their own character.

The British Museum, Tate Modern and Sky Garden

Many of London's biggest attractions are free and spread across the centre. At the British Museum in Bloomsbury you stand among Egyptian mummies and the Parthenon sculptures, Tate Modern on the south bank shows modern art in a former power station, and the Natural History Museum in South Kensington has the dinosaurs children love. At the top of the Walkie Talkie skyscraper in the City, Sky Garden offers tropical plants and panoramic views over London. It is free too, but you need to book a ticket in advance.

London from the Thames

Almost every major sight in London lies along the Thames, and a boat trip past them shows you the city from a different angle. Classic sightseeing cruises between Westminster and Tower Bridge take 40 to 60 minutes with commentary, while RIB speedboats race through the centre for an adrenaline rush. Uber Boat by Thames Clippers runs as local transport using the same contactless payment as the Tube, with stops between Battersea Power Station and Greenwich.

Notting Hill and Camden Market

In the west are the pastel-coloured streets made famous by the film Notting Hill, and every Saturday Portobello Road fills with one of the world's largest antique markets. Come before 11am to avoid the crowds and bring cash.

For contrast, Camden Market is a cluster of markets open every day along Regent's Canal, where you meet London's alternative soul, with street food from all over the world, vintage shops and the music scene that shaped Amy Winehouse.

The West End: musicals in theatreland

Evenings belong to the theatres. Around Covent Garden and Leicester Square they stand side by side, and London stages musicals at a level only New York can match, with Les Misérables, Hamilton and The Lion King playing to full houses year after year. Book tickets in advance, or try the TKTS booth in Leicester Square for discounted same-day seats.

Harry Potter in London

London is full of Harry Potter magic. The classic photo is taken at Platform 9¾ at King's Cross, where a luggage trolley disappears into the wall and Hogwarts scarves and wands are lent out for free. Expect a queue of up to an hour unless you come early in the morning or late in the evening.

The Victorian Leadenhall Market in the City was used for Diagon Alley, and the Millennium Bridge between St Paul's Cathedral and Tate Modern collapses in the opening scene of the sixth film. All are free and easy to reach by Tube.

To step inside the story itself, there are two experiences that need tickets.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London in Leavesden is reached by train from Euston to Watford Junction and a shuttle bus. Here you walk through the original Hogwarts sets, including the Great Hall and Diagon Alley, with costumes and props up close. Tickets sell out months in advance.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child plays at the Palace Theatre in the West End, with the story continuing 19 years after the films.

Food and pub culture in London

London has dozens of Michelin-starred restaurants, but you are just as likely to find the best meals in the markets, Indian restaurants and pubs.

Start at Borough Market by London Bridge, a food market with roots going back a thousand years, where you can graze on oysters, cheese from Neal's Yard Dairy and salt beef bagels worth the queue. Ten minutes away, Maltby Street Market is quieter and more local.

London's Indian restaurants are among the best outside South Asia, and on Brick Lane in the East End they line the street. Chinatown serves everything from dim sum to Sichuan hotpot, and Soho mixes Italian, Japanese and Spanish. For places you can't just google, five well-kept London restaurant secrets take you to restaurants hidden in basements and behind secret doors, and nine especially cosy restaurants gather London's most intimate tables.

Pubs are the heart of a London evening. Order a pint with a Sunday roast or classic fish and chips. On Fleet Street, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was rebuilt in 1667 and was a haunt of Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and other literary figures.

Last but not least, make time for afternoon tea, the British ritual of scones with clotted cream, small sandwiches and tea served on tiered stands. The Ritz and Fortnum & Mason have long waiting lists, but many hotels and cafés serve versions you can book the same week, and you can even have afternoon tea on board a classic red double-decker bus driving past Big Ben and Tower Bridge.

Travel tips for London

London is served by Heathrow, Gatwick and several other airports, with fast trains into the centre. The Heathrow Express takes about 15 minutes to Paddington, and the Elizabeth line runs right across the city.

Within the city, the Tube is fastest. Forget paper tickets: just tap your contactless bank card or phone at the barriers, and the system automatically caps your daily fare. The centre is also more walkable than the map suggests.

Your hotel can quickly become the biggest expense, so book early. Our guide to eight fantastic hotels in London has places worth the money in several price ranges.

London works all year: spring and September offer the best balance of weather and crowds, while December brings Christmas lights, markets and ice rinks.

With more time, Georgian Bath is under an hour and a half away by train, often combined with Stonehenge, and both Manchester and Edinburgh can be reached by direct train. Most people discover the same thing, though: London alone is more than enough for one trip, and reason enough for the next.

London: frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in London?

Four to five days gives you time for the main sights, a couple of museums, a West End show and neighbourhoods such as Notting Hill, Camden and Shoreditch. On a long weekend, choose a few areas and take it slowly.

Are London's museums free?

Many of London's biggest museums are free, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate Modern, the Natural History Museum and the V&A. Special exhibitions often cost extra, and some museums ask you to book a time slot.

What is the best way to get around London?

The Tube is usually fastest, and buses are great for sightseeing from the top deck. Use a contactless bank card or phone to pay, and walk between nearby sights in the centre, which are often closer than they look on the map.