image of a red London telephone box in front of Big Ben in London

London Travel Guide

Welcome to London

Welcome to my London Travel Guide. On this page you will find links to all my posts about travel to London. This includes the best places to visit, things to do, what to see, and lots of resources, tips and inspiration to help you plan the best trip possible.

Why Visit London

Over 19 million people visit London every year making it one of the most popular cities to visit in the world. It is one of the great world cities, with incredibly rich and diverse culture. No matter what you are interested in there will be something for you in London.

People visit for the history, the pageantry, the wealth of attractions and iconic landmarks such as Big Ben and the Tower of London, the famous sights of the red double decker buses and black cabs. Not to mention the world class museums and galleries, vibrant neighbourhoods and street markets.

Then there are the posh afternoon teas and cosy nights in pubs. The rich art, theatre, literature and music scene. The hardest thing about a London vacation will be deciding what to see and what to miss out.

Highlights of London

Image of the White tower of the tower of London UK
Tower of London
Sunrise in London Image of tower Bridge London at sunrise
Tower Bridge
Visiting Westminster Abbey image of the Lady Chapel
Westminster Abbey
Image of the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, London. A famous London Landmark
Changing of the Guard
Image of St Paul's Cathedral at sunset from One New Change rooftop bar
St Pauls Cathedral
Image of theatre signs along Shaftesbury Avenue London
Theatreland
Image of curries at a food market stall in London
London markets & street food
Image of the Great Court at the British Museum, London
World Class Museums & Galleries
Image of St James's Park and the buildings of Horseguards Parade
Parks
Imnage of Big Ben and Boadicea Chariot statue London England UK
Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament
Image of Buckingham Palace a famous landmark in england
Buckingham Palace
Image of the Dublin Castle pub in Camden, London
London Local Pubs

Top Things to See & Do in London

World Class Museums & Galleries London has in excess of 200 museums, some of these are the best in the world such as the British Museum, National Gallery and V & A, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Natural History Museum, The Museum of London, Tate Gallery, The Science Museum. I still find it extraordinary that most of them are free, though a donation is always appreciated. Many also have wonderful giftshops with some of the best souvenirs you will find in London.

Diversity of its neighbourhoods and things to do in each For many people the diversity and energy of London is at the top of the list of why they love it. There are over 250 languages spoken in London and to really get to know London you need to get out and see the diversity in its suburbs.

Some of our favourites to explore include Marylebone, Mayfair, Soho & the West End, Covent Garden, Borough & the Southbank, Shoreditch & Hoxton, Dalston, Hackney Central, Battersea, Kensington & Chelsea, Brixton & Camberwell, Camden, Primrose Hill, Kings Cross, Notting Hill, Islington & Canonbury, Highgate, Hampstead, Muswell Hill, Richmond, Peckham, Bethnal Green, Stoke Newington & Deptford, Clapton, Bloomsbury

Historical & Iconic Sites Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament, Westminster & St Paul’s are two of the most famous churches in the world, Tower of London & Tower Bridge, Hampton Court Palace, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square

Royal London Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guard, Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, Banqueting House, Hampton Court Palace,

Green parks and gardens London has over 3000 parks including 8 Royal Parks. Make time in your itinerary to relax and recoup in some of the best St James’s (my favourite), Hyde Park, Green Park, Regent’s Park, Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath, Kensington Gardens

Theatre & Music opera, ballet, contemporary dance, classical music, jazz, theatre, and musical theatre. Outstanding music, dance & theatre is available nearly every night of the week. Top venues to explore include Royal Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, Southbank Centre, Barbican Centre, West End theatreland, Shakespeare’s Globe, National Theatre, Sadlers Wells, Old Vic, Donmar Powerhouse, The Globe Theatre

The Thames Explore the Thames – the lifeblood of the city. Walk along Southbank from Westminster to Tower Bridge, stop off at Borough Market for lunch, take a clipper boat down the Thames from Westminster to Greenwich. Walk over some of the famous bridges in London, Westminster, Millenium, Waterloo.

Must have Experiences Ride on the top of a double decker bus, afternoon tea in posh hotel, meal in a traditional pub, take a black cab, ride on the tube, full English breakfast preferably in old London caff on formica tables, have some down time in one of the glorious parks. Visit a market, walk along the Thames.

Best Day trips London has fast rail connections which makes means many day trips are possible . Some favourites are Brighton, Windsor, Bath, York, Oxford, Canterbury, Cambridge

image of the Savoy Hotel on the Strand. One of the most famous hotels in London
Savoy Hotel London
Image of Big Ben & the London Eye sunset London
London Eye & Big Ben
Image of theatres along Shaftesbury Avenue London West End
London Theatre District

Facts about london

Population 9 541 000

Area 1 572 km2 

Language English

Main Airports London has 5 main airports, Heathrow to the west, Gatwick to the south; Luton to the northwest; Stanstead to the Northeast and the City of London to the east. Heathrow is the busiest and the gateway for the majority of long-haul and trans-Atlantic flights to London. Flights from Europe are more likely to land at Gatwick, Stanstead or Luton.

Main train stations Kings Cross, St Pancras, Euston, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Waterloo, Victoria, Paddington. Trains throughout the UK are fast and frequent but need to be booked well in advance to get the best prices.

Main bus station Victoria

London Travel Guides