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London
Instantly recognizable icons like Big Ben and St. Paul's Cathedral welcome you to history-laden London, the UK's multicultural capital that's a tireless innovator of art and culture.
Attractions
Must-see attractions for your itinerary
The West End
A splendid mixture of architectural styles, Westminster Abbey is considered the finest example of Early English Gothic. It's not merely a beautiful place…
South Bank
One of London's most amazing attractions, Tate Modern is an outstanding modern- and contemporary-art gallery housed in the creatively revamped Bankside…
Kensington & Hyde Park
With its thunderous, animatronic dinosaur, riveting displays about planet earth, outstanding Darwin Centre and architecture straight from a Gothic fairy…
London
Sir Christopher Wren’s 300-year-old architectural masterpiece is a London icon. Towering over diminutive Ludgate Hill in a superb position that's been a…
London
Few parts of the UK are as steeped in history or as impregnated with legend and superstition as the titanic stonework of the Tower of London. Not only is…
South Bank
Seeing a play at Shakespeare's Globe – ideally standing under the open-air "wooden O" – is experiencing the playwright's work at its best and most…
The West End
With almost six million visitors trooping through its doors annually, the British Museum in Bloomsbury, one of the oldest and finest museums in the world,…
Kensington & Hyde Park
One of London’s best parks, Hyde Park spreads itself over 142 hectares of neat gardens, wild expanses of overgrown grass and glorious trees. As well as…
Attractions
Top picks from our travel experts
Kensington & Hyde Park
The Museum of Manufactures, as the V&A was known when it opened in 1852, was part of Prince Albert’s legacy to the nation in the aftermath of the…
South Bank
Southbank Centre, Europe's largest space for performing and visual arts, is made up of three brutalist buildings that stretch across seven riverside…
South Bank
It’s hard to imagine South Bank without the London Eye (officially named the lastminute.com London Eye after its current sponsor), the world’s largest…
Kensington & Hyde Park
A delightful collection of manicured lawns, tree-shaded avenues and basins immediately west of Hyde Park, the picturesque expanse of Kensington Gardens is…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Built in 1605, Kensington Palace became the favourite royal residence under William and Mary of Orange in 1689, and remained so until George III became…
The West End
This Soho favourite attracts a cross-section of the good, the bad and the beautiful. Fairly attitude-free, it's perfect for pre-club drinks or just an…
Kensington & Hyde Park
The Science Museum will mesmerize with its interactive and educational exhibits covering everything from early technology to space travel. Take the family…
London
Rebuilt in 1667 after the Great Fire, this is one of London’s most famous – and most crowded – pubs. It has strong literary connections, with Mark Twain,…
The West End
The most famous feature of the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) is Elizabeth Tower, more commonly known as Big Ben. A major £61-million…
The West End
Perpetually busy, the pint-sized Lamb & Flag is full of charm and history: there's been a public house here since at least 1772, when it was known as the…
The West End
Cool, assured, and expertly staffed, this tiny Soho cafe-bar is perfect for a Negroni (the speciality), house cocktail (mostly £12) or top-notch coffee,…
The West End
This legendary, twin-storied bohemian boozer has quite a history: it was the meeting place of the Free French Forces during WWII and de Gaulle is said to…
Kensington & Hyde Park
This splendid Victorian confection on the southern edge of Kensington Gardens is as ostentatious as its subject wasn't. Queen Victoria’s humble German…
South Bank
Seeing a play at Shakespeare's Globe – ideally standing under the open-air "wooden O" – is experiencing the playwright's work at its best and most…
The West End
A splendid mixture of architectural styles, Westminster Abbey is considered the finest example of Early English Gothic. It's not merely a beautiful place…
South Bank
Puncturing the skies above London, the dramatic splinter-like form of the Shard has become an icon of the city and is one of the tallest buildings in…
East London
Housed in an 1802 warehouse, this educational museum combines artefacts and multimedia displays to chart the history of the city through its river and…
The West End
The full-on pageantry of soldiers in bright-red uniforms and bearskin hats parading down the Mall and into Buckingham Palace is madly popular with…
The West End
Built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham, Buckingham Palace replaced St James's Palace as the monarch's official London residence in 1837. Queen Elizabeth…
Kensington & Hyde Park
One of London’s best parks, Hyde Park spreads itself over 142 hectares of neat gardens, wild expanses of overgrown grass and glorious trees. As well as…
The West End
A lovely pub in a very busy corner of Soho, the White Horse ticks all the boxes: friendly staff, cheap drinks (it’s part of the Sam Smith brewery empire)…
London
Sir Christopher Wren’s 300-year-old architectural masterpiece is a London icon. Towering over diminutive Ludgate Hill in a superb position that's been a…
Kensington & Hyde Park
With its thunderous, animatronic dinosaur, riveting displays about planet earth, outstanding Darwin Centre and architecture straight from a Gothic fairy…
The West End
With almost six million visitors trooping through its doors annually, the British Museum in Bloomsbury, one of the oldest and finest museums in the world,…
The West End
Both the elected House of Commons and the House of Lords, who are appointed or hereditary, sit in the sumptuous Houses of Parliament, officially called…
Kensington & Hyde Park
Built in 1871, thanks in part to the proceeds of the 1851 Great Exhibition organised by Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband), this huge, domed, red…
London
Few parts of the UK are as steeped in history or as impregnated with legend and superstition as the titanic stonework of the Tower of London. Not only is…
South Bank
One of London's most amazing attractions, Tate Modern is an outstanding modern- and contemporary-art gallery housed in the creatively revamped Bankside…
South Bank
For a thousand years, a market has existed at the southern end of London Bridge, making this still-busy ancient gathering point a superb spectacle…
Greenwich
Greenwich Park is one of London’s loveliest expanses of green, with a rose garden, impressive playground, a 6th-century Anglo-Saxon burial ground and…
The West End
Built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham, Buckingham Palace replaced St James's Palace as the monarch's official London residence in 1837. Queen Elizabeth…
Kensington & Hyde Park
With its thunderous, animatronic dinosaur, riveting displays about planet earth, outstanding Darwin Centre and architecture straight from a Gothic fairy…
South Bank
One of London's most amazing attractions, Tate Modern is an outstanding modern- and contemporary-art gallery housed in the creatively revamped Bankside…
Kensington & Hyde Park
This gallery is one of London’s most important contemporary-art galleries. Damien Hirst, Andreas Gursky, Louise Bourgeois, Gabriel Orozco, Tomoko…
Kensington & Hyde Park
The Museum of Manufactures, as the V&A was known when it opened in 1852, was part of Prince Albert’s legacy to the nation in the aftermath of the…
London
Fans of Victoriana and the Arts and Crafts Movement should make time for this sensational little gallery. The beautiful Georgian mansion, located in…
The West End
London’s wholesale fruit-and-vegetable market until 1974 is now mostly the preserve of visitors, who flock here to shop among the quaint Italian-style…
Greenwich
Rising like a beacon of time atop Greenwich Park, the Royal Observatory is home to the prime meridian (longitude 0° 0' 0''). Tickets include access to the…
North London
With its clean lines and the simple arches of its twin train sheds, you might be forgiven for thinking that King's Cross is a more modern building than…
Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9¾
North London
Pottermania refuses to die down and Diagon Alley remains impossible to find, but if you have junior witches and wizards seeking a wand of their own, take…
London
The ferns, fig trees and purple African lilies that clamber up the final three storeys of the 'Walkie Talkie' skyscraper are mere wallflowers at this 155m…
North London
Sprawling Hampstead Heath, with its rolling woodlands and meadows, feels a million miles away from the city – despite being about 3.5 miles from Trafalgar…
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London
North London
Housed in the former Midland Grand Hotel, a red-brick Gothic Victorian marvel designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1873, the St Pancras Renaissance…
Kensington & Hyde Park
This grandly housed gallery In the Duke of York's Headquarters hosts temporary exhibitions of experimental and thought-provoking work across a variety of…
North London
This magnificent neoclassical mansion stands at the northern end of Hampstead Heath in a glorious sweep of landscaped gardens that lead down to a…
South Bank
A grungy road under Waterloo station seems an unlikely place to find art, theatre and restaurants, but Leake St is the latest of London's railway arches…
Planning Tools
Expert guidance to help you plan your trip
Things to Know
London is a world city with so much to see – here are our top tips for navigating the Big Smoke and doing as the locals do.
Read articleBest Neighborhoods
There's way more to London than Soho, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street. Step beyond the center with our guide to the capital's neighborhoods.
Read articleDay Trips
Step away from the crowded streets of London on one of our favorite day trips from the capital. All aboard!
Read articleMoney and Costs
London has a reputation as one of the most expensive cities in Europe, but it's perfectly possible to visit – and see the sights – on a budget.
Read articleTransportation
London has a huge public transportation system, but is not the most intuitive city to navigate. Here's what you need to know about getting around London.
Read articleFree Things to Do
Travelling on a budget? London is packed to rafters with amazing free experiences that also get you under the skin of the capital.
Read articleSpending Diaries
I traveled to London to see Paul Mescal on stage. It was the perfect excuse for a long weekend getaway.
Read articleTraveling with Kids
London is a huge city that can be tiring for tiny travelers. Here's how to make the most of a family visit without running out of steam.
Read articleArticles
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