London tourist attractions
The most visited attractions in London are the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum and Science Museum – all of which are free. The most popular paid attractions include the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s. Surprisingly, places like the London Eye and Madame Tussauds don’t even make the Top 10.
Craig recommends… I’ve written a bucket list of London’s top attractions and reviewed more than 200 of them on my London travel blog. Check out my Top 10 free attractions, Top 10 kid’s attractions and example itineraries as well – I’ve put together a few ideas for quick day trips, weekend stopovers, three day stays, right up to four days, five days, six days and seven day stays.
London landmarks
Famous London landmarks that all tourists should try and see during their holiday – everything from Big Ben to Buckingham Palace.
Family days out with kids
Family-friendly attractions that make great days out with kids – from zoos and museums, to boat rides and open-top sightseeing buses.
London bucket list
Choosing which attractions to see and which ones to skip isn’t easy, so we’re going to help you with this big bucket list of the best places to visit.
Art galleries
London has one of the finest art collections in the world, and popular galleries like the National Gallery and Tate Modern are free to enter.
Museums
There are hundreds of museums in London. The big four are the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum and V&A.
Political attractions
You’ll find the PM in No.10 Downing Street, the government in Parliament, and the other political departments around Whitehall.
Royal palaces and mansions
Every tourist visits Buckingham Palace, but did you know that there are five more Royal palaces worth seeing in London?
Parades and ceremonies
Changing the Guard is a must-see attraction on every tourist’s itinerary, but did you know about the other daily parades and ceremonies?
Military attractions
These tourist attractions span 2,000 years of British history, from the Romans right up to Churchill’s underground bunker in Whitehall.
Maritime attractions
The river runs right through the centre of the city so a sightseeing boat is a great way to see some of London’s famous landmarks.
Sightseeing buses and boats
Catching a sightseeing bus is one of the most popular things to do on holiday. But how about catching a boat up the river instead?
Things to do for free
There are so many free attractions in London that you could literally spend an entire week over here and not spend anything on entry fees.
The best viewing spots
London has some of the tallest buildings in Europe, offering you a spectacular view of the city’s skyline from their observation floors.
Churches and cathedrals
Christopher Wren built fifty-one city churches after the Great Fire of London including his masterpiece – the spectacular St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Parks and gardens
London has four parks right in the centre of the city, and some of the surrounding hills give you a great view of the skyline.
Day trips from London
If you’re staying for a while then you’ll have time for one of these popular day trips that take you further away from London.Search for events
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Hire a deckchair in one of Londons parks Hire out a deck-chair in one of London's Royal parks and have a nice, relaxing sit-down and do a bit of people-watching
Sketchbook Tour of the National Gallery Get your sketchbook and pencil ready for ninety minutes of drawing famous paintings at the National Gallery.
Martin Parr: Only Human An exhibition by one of Britain's best-known photographers - Martin Parr - revealing what Britons are like following the EU referendum
Helen Fielding and David Sedaris in conversation Helen Fielding and David Sedaris will be talking to Nina Stibbe about the art of diary writing at the British Library.
Berberian Sound Studio The Donmar Warehouse is putting on a production of Berberian Sound Studio - based on Peter Strickland's horror movie
Sunday organ recitals at St Pauls Cathedral Listen to one of the country's finest organists play on the Grand Organ at St Paul's every Sunday
Craig’s review of Leicester Square Everybody looks wrecked in the morning but I'm the middle-aged kind of wrecked, where you roll out of bed feeling like you've only had five minutes kip. These sleeping kids in Leicester Square are the other type: they look like they're at the tail-end of a long night out that still hasn't ended yet. I'm glad I don't have to do that anymore -- I much prefer Leicester Square during th… continued
Craig’s review of London Buses I'm fifth in line behind three beer bottles and a half-eaten hamburger in a sauce-splattered carton. The other guy standing here is trying to peel the pages of his rain-sodden newspaper apart while we're waiting for the bus to loom out of the morning mist. There's a stream of headlights approaching down the road but by the time they arrive they have revealed themselves to be cars… continued
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