London, england
Attractions Guide
Introduction
London is a massive urban metropolis with thousands of years of history and countless things to do, including many iconic structures. The city is also known for its extremely diverse cuisine offerings from around the world, which includes an amazing variety of street food as well.
London is home to some of the best museums in the world, many of which are free to enter. These include the British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, the National Gallery, the Museum of Natural History, the British Library, the Tate Modern, the Imperial War Museum, and more.
Apart from the free museums, most of the city's attractions are not free. One of the best ways to experience London and all it has to offer is by purchasing a London Pass, which gives you access to many of the city's greatest attractions including a hop-on hop-off bus and Thames River cruise for a low price.
Big Ben & Westminster
In the Westminster neighborhood, you'll find many of the city's great sights, including Big Ben and the massive Palace of Westminster. The best views of these iconic buildings are from Parliament Square Garden and from the Westminster Bridge over the River Thames. Across the bridge you'll find the famous London Eye Ferris Wheel, offering stunning views over the city.
Westminster Abbey
Next to Big Ben across the Parliament Square Garden park is England's most important church, the Westminster Abbey. This 900 year-old gothic church features stunning architecture on the outside and is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Inside Westminster Abbey are the tombs of many kings and queens throughout the country's history, as well as the tombs of many famous English people, including Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, and Charles Dickens. The abbey also hosts a lovely cloister.
Churchill War Rooms
Also nearby Big Ben and Westminster Abbey you'll find the historical Churchill War Rooms, which housed the British government during WWII and contains many intriguing Winston Churchill exhibits.
Buckingham Palace
You can take a short walk through St. James's Park from the attractions of Parliament Square Gardens to Buckingham Palace, which is the official royal home of the Queen of England.
Buckingham Palace is quite impressive from the outside and you can witness the changing of the guard, however tours of the palace's lavish interior are only available from late July through late September. For tours inside the palace it is recommended to make bookings in advance.
Top Museums
A short walk north from Big Ben and Buckingham Palace is the stunning Trafalgar Square with its massive column and fountains. Nearby you can visit the historical Covent Garden covered market and its specialty shops if you like.
National Gallery
The National Gallery sits right on Trafalgar Square and is one of the most important museums in the world, housing an extensive collection of fine art in a massive neoclassical building. Like many of London's museums (including the British Museum and Victoria Albert Museum) entrance is completely free.
British Museum
About a 15-20 minute walk from the National Gallery is the British Museum, a gigantic palatial building containing countless treasures and artifacts from all over the world, arranged in an elegant manner. The museum features many different exhibits from thousands of years of human history.
Victoria & Albert Museum
On the western side of London, you'll find the vast Victoria & Albert Museum, the largest decorative arts and design museum in the world, which hosts many different exhibits including the famous Cast Courts sculpture wing divided into two breathtaking rooms. The museum also hosts the National Art Library holding many important books, including early editions of the books of Aristotle and Homer, and much more.
Natural History & Science Museums
Next door to the Victoria & Albert Museum is London's Natural History Museum, which is perhaps the best natural history museum in the world, and certainly one of the largest, with countless exhibits set amongst striking ornate interiors. Also nearby is the vast free entry Science Museum, which features many interesting and diverse interactive exhibits.
British Library
To the north of the British Museum you'll find the British Library, containing many important historical documents and books, including two copies of the Magna Carta, a notebook of Leonardo da Vinci, original scores and lyrics by Mozart, Beethoven, and The Beatles, many medieval books and ancient manuscripts, and much more.
Tate Modern Museum
On the other side of Central London across the river from the Tower of London is the Tate Modern, one of the largest modern and contemporary art museums in the world, which also offers free entry.
Tower of London & Tower Bridge
Downtown in the City of London neighborhood, you'll find the famous riverfront Tower of London, a royal fortress and castle with an extensive 900 year-old history. Here you'll find many exhibitions and rooms to explore, including the priceless Crown Jewels collection.
Tower Bridge
In front of the London Tower castle is the iconic Tower Bridge, one of the most recognizable bridges in the world. You can enter the bridge's museum inside the towers and walk along a transparent glass floor between the towers, high above the street below.
Nearby the Tower of London is the 203 foot (62 m) tall Monument to the Great Fire of London, which you can climb to the top of for great views over the area. This monument is located very close to the modern London Bridge (with the original bridge located in Lake Havasu, Arizona, USA).
St. Paul's Cathedral
On the same side of the river near the Tower of London is the colossal St. Paul's Cathedral, the UK's second largest church famed for its massive dome and its majestic breathtaking interiors and painted ceilings. Be sure to climb to the top for amazing views.
You can also take in spectacular views of the cathedral's dome and towers rising above the skyline from the Millennium Bridge just to the south of the cathedral. This stunning bridge spans the River Thames.
Windsor Castle
If you're visiting London you should strongly consider visiting Windsor Castle, which is located approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of the city center. This massive royal residence has a long history stretching back to the 11th century and features very lavish interiors along with stunning architecture.
Windsor Castle is one of the most popular castles in England, and is highly recommended to visit. You can easily reach the castle via public transportation, car, or tour, but be sure to set aside most of an entire day for your visit.
Hyde Park & Abbey Road
Near the Victoria & Albert Museum you can walk through the gorgeous Hyde Park, a massive urban park with an extraordinary history. Stroll along and explore this picturesque park where many famous historical figures once walked, where you'll also find the posh Kensington Palace, a royal residence you can tour.
Sherlock Holmes Museum
To the north of Hyde Park you might like to visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum, which is located at the actual address of where the fictional detective once lived. Inside are impressive Victorian furnishings.
Abbey Road Zebra Crossing
Futher north of Hyde Park is the Abbey Road Zebra Crossing for where the iconic album cover for The Beatles' Abbey Road was photographed. The street has changed quite a bit since the 1960s, however this remains a popular photo spot especially amongst Beatles fans. Adjacent is the Abbey Road Studios where The Beatles recorded music which includes a memorabilia shop.
Harry Potter Attractions
Leadenhall Market (Diagon Alley)
Near the Tower of London you can visit the stunning Leadenhall Market, which you may recognize as the setting for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. This Victorian-style covered marketplace is very photogenic and hosts many great shops and restaurants.
Platform 9 3/4
Very close to the British Library is King's Cross Station, which is the famous rail station featured in the Harry Potter series. Here you'll find an excellent photo spot where you can grab the luggage cart going through the wall at Platform 9 3/4, as well as a Harry Potter memorabilia shop adjacent.
Harry Potter Studios
To the northwest of London is a very popular tourist attraction, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, where Harry Potter Fans can tour many of the sets used in the movie series and view important props from the films.
More Attractions
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
Across the river from the Tower of London (next to the Tate Modern) in Southwark is the Shakespeare's Globe Complex, rebuilt to look just like the original theatre built in 1599. Here you can watch a play or take a tour of this incredibly historically accurate building if you like.
London Shard & HMS Belfast
Nearby is the famous Southwark Borough Market, where you can try food from all over the world. You might also consider going up to the top of the iconic London Shard building to enjoy some of the best views over London. This skyscraper is the tallest in the U.K., at over 1,000 feet (over 300 m) tall.
Also near the London Shard is the historic HMS Belfast, a massive naval ship turned into a museum located right on the river.
Lambeth Neighborhood
In the Lambeth neighborhood located east of Westminster is the Imperial War Museum, featuring many military exhibits and craft such as tanks and planes, which is yet another great museum offering free entry.
In Lambeth you'll also find one of the top 25 nightclubs in the world, the legendary Ministry of Sound, which frequently hosts the world's best DJs.
Royal Greenwich Observatory
On the eastern outskirts of London near the River Thames you'll find the 18th century Royal Greenwich Observatory, a historic astronomical observatory turned museum. This famous observatory is the location where Greenwich Meantime and Time Zones were standardized. The Observatory sits directly on the Prime Meridian.
Google Maps Attraction Lists
Save London Attraction Lists to your Google Maps Account:
1. Click Link above while logged into Google account on your device.2. Click Follow, and the attraction pins will be saved in your Google Maps.
