Once-In-A-Lifetime Things To Do In London: The Ultimate Bucket List

If you’re readying a sojourn to England’s superior and you cognize it’s your 1 and lone accidental to spot it, past you’re going to privation to cognize what are the once-in-a-lifetime things bash successful London.

This usher is not going to diagnostic each your touristy attractions, you don’t request to sojourn different wax depository oregon thrust different hop-on, hop-off autobus tour.

This usher features each the iconic sites, the unmissable landmarks, and the unsocial ways to spot London’s unthinkable past and divers culture.

London Eye from the northbound bank

I’ve not lone visited London respective times, but I lived determination for 2.5 years, and I situation accidental there’s not a nook oregon cranny I haven’t explored (or a British slang connection I haven’t adopted, apparently).

So arsenic the British, would say, “let’s person astatine it!”

1. Discover the magic astatine Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios, London

Entrance to Harry Potter Studios

High connected the database of galore visitors to London is the Harry Potter circuit astatine the Warner Bros Studios. It was 1 of our favourite things to bash successful London with kids.

Located astir one hr northwest of London, this backstage circuit volition instrumentality you done sets, props, and interactive exhibits of the existent movie settings of the Harry Potter movie series.

READ MORE: Guide to the Harry Potter Studios circuit successful London!

We had to publication successful beforehand for Harry Potter!

You’ll beryllium amazed astatine however they created magical scenes from specified small, intimate settings. We each loved this magical heavy dive into the Wizarding World.

Allow for 3-4 hours for the self-guided tour. That volition springiness you capable clip to work the stories, thrust a broomstick, locomotion done the forbidden wood and those scary spiders, and portion butterbeer.

You must publication successful advance for timed introduction tickets, otherwise, you volition hold for hours.

2. Do a Beefeater Tour successful the Tower of London

Our Beefeater circuit guide

A sojourn to the Tower of London would not beryllium arsenic bully without doing the escaped 45 infinitesimal beefeater tour. 

Nicknamed Beefeaters, Yeoman Warders person been guarding the Tower of London since Tudor clip erstwhile Henry VIII decided that the Tower should beryllium protected by portion of the royal bodyguard.

They were primitively portion of the Yeoman of the Guard – the monarch’s idiosyncratic bodyguard who traveled with him everywhere.

The Yeoman Body of 32 men and women are each drawn from the Armed Forces, and indispensable person an impeccable grounds of work and precocious ranks.

Visiting the Tower of London was fascinating!

They stock entertaining and gruesome stories of its macabre past from its erstwhile years (and I mean centuries) arsenic a Royal residence, armory, treasury, and zoo (thank goodness they stopped that!)

The Tower of London is really a castle comprising twenty-two towers but sitting successful the mediate is the archetypal White Tower built successful the 1070s by William the Conqueror. The walls, towers, and moat surrounding it came successful the 1200s and person been determination ever since.

There is simply a batch to spot and bash here, including seeing the Crown Jewels.

Top tip: Get determination for doors opening and bargain a skip the enactment ticket. The Tower of London is notorious for its agelong lines, which tin widen into hours. Tickets volition besides beryllium cheaper online. It’s besides portion of the London Pass by Go City.

3. Experience bonzer views from The London Eye

London Eye Views

One of the astir celebrated tourer attractions successful London, with immoderate of the champion views of the city, is the London Eye connected the River Thames.

It is the tallest reflection instrumentality successful Europe and a large mode to spot antithetic viewpoints of the celebrated buildings successful London, similar the Big Ben and Houses of Parliament. 

The capsule you beryllium successful moves dilatory capable (30-minutes to bash a afloat revolution) that you get clip to bask the acquisition and get large photos.

4. Visit a Royal Park

St James Park

Londoners emotion their Royal Parks. These 5000 acres of prime greenish spaces supply a beauteous respite from a engaged time exploring the city. 

There are 8 royal parks successful London, galore of which are successful the cardinal area, and each are escaped to visit.

They’ll person beauteous gardens, fields for picnics and sports, lakes with vessel rides, tree-lined paths, beauteous views, chaotic life, and galore volition person nationalist events, concerts, and festivals.

My favorites are St James’s Park, Regent’s Park, Kensington Gardens, Greenwich Park, and Hyde Park.

Regents Park

As you are astir apt connected a abbreviated sojourn to London, if you lone person clip for one, marque it Regents Park. It’s besides wherever you’ll find London Zoo (great for kids) arsenic good arsenic an outdoor theatre, botanic garden, and a water for boating on. It’s 1 of the astir divers parkland successful London.

London is afloat of delightful parks, gardens, and squares each implicit the city!

5. Eat astatine Borough Market

Borough Market

Ok, Borough Market has go a spot of a tourer gimmick these days, but it’s the astir iconic nutrient marketplace for thoroughfare nutrient successful London, truthful you determine if you’d similar to wage £10 for a tiny vessel of risotto with 2 ingredients successful it.

Borough Market is located connected the southbound broadside of the River Thames, adjacent to London Bridge, and houses a postulation of nutrient stalls and vendors selling caller produce.

It’s afloat of saccharine treats and snacks to try, specified arsenic strawberries dipped successful chocolate, brushed section cheeses, bowls of Vietnamese pho, sausage rolls oregon a refreshingly saccharine peach prosecco.

On the periphery, you’ll find pubs, cafes, restaurants, murals and a fewer Harry Potter filming locations, including the Leaky Cauldron Pub.

I’ll pass you; weekends are shoulder-to-shoulder busy. During the week it is simply a overmuch quieter experience.

Don’t Miss: If you privation thoroughfare nutrient but little touristy, caput to Brick Lane for the nutrient hallway determination – it has thoroughfare nutrient for each nationality imaginable. Also, the vintage markets and shops are large there, and it’s good known for its bagels.

6. Experience a Traditional Afternoon Tea

Afternoon beverage astatine The Ampersand Hotel successful South Kensington was fantastic!

It is alleged that afternoon beverage began successful England successful 1840, by Anna Stanhope, the Duchess of Bedford.

As meal was served precocious successful the evening, this was a mode of satisfying her hunger pains mid-afternoon.

It became a fashionable signifier of amusement and implicit the years it became an acquisition for much than conscionable the wealthy. 

Some besides accidental the French started it. But, let’s not get progressive successful that battle.

For now, we’ll observe the English contented of precocious tea, named truthful for the precocious tables it’s served on. They travel successful layers of savory and saccharine items specified arsenic scones with jam and cream, digit sandwiches, macaroons, and pastries.

Creating peculiar memories implicit day beverage astatine The Ampersand Hotel

While you mightiness deliberation you’re required to portion copious amounts of beverage with it, you tin take to person coffee, and galore volition present travel served with flutes of champagne oregon cocktails. Now we’re talking! 

Ampersand Hotel

High Tea astatine the Ritz is the astir celebrated for mounting the modular for day tea. The Savoy is different old-school favourite for accepted pomp. We had galore recommendations for precocious beverage astatine Fortnum & Mason.

The Lanesborough is going to springiness you that vibrant floral Bridgerton day beverage flair. Equally aesthetically pleasing – successful a agleam and modern mode is the Ampersand Hotel wherever we experienced our science-themed precocious tea, which made Kalyra’s London for teens list!)

There’s adjacent a quirky acquisition similar afternoon beverage connected a London bus oregon connected a Thames River cruise.

Top tip: Click to work much astir our science themed day beverage at the Ampersand Hotel successful Kensington, and if you’re readying to sojourn different parts of the UK, we besides had an astonishing afternoon beverage successful Oxford.

7. See the Changing of the Guard astatine Buckingham Palace

Changing of the Guard astatine Buckingham Palace. Image by DepositPhotos.com

Ok, truthful technically we didn’t spot the changing of the defender astatine Buckingham Palace connected our past travel – but I did spot it erstwhile I lived successful London.

We had planned for it connected the time it doesn’t happen, so, cheque the schedule!

This is however you marque Buckingham Palace a small much than conscionable a sticky beak done the gates and a fewer “I was here” photos.

Buckingham Palace

The Changing of the Guards is the ceremonial wherever The Queen’s Guard hands implicit work for protecting Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Palace to the New Guard.

The pomp and ceremonial of the precision drill and bands playing stirring euphony marque it 1 of the astir fashionable London attractions – and it’s free!

Buckingham Palace has been the authoritative London Residence of the Royal Family since 1837. If the Royal Standard emblem is flying it means Queen Elizabeth II is successful residence, and if the Union emblem is flying it means she’s retired of town.

As the Queen has chosen of precocious to reside much astatine Windsor Castle, her favourite of each her palaces, the likelihood are you’ll spot the Union flag.

8. Eat a Traditional Sunday Roast

Sunday roast astatine the Edinboro Pub, Camden

You volition spot them each crossed London and the UK – accepted Sunday Roast. It is simply a British taste acquisition not to miss.

It’s said to person started during the reign of King Henry VII successful 1485. The royal guards would devour roast beef each Sunday aft church, which is claimed to person fixed them the sanction ‘beefeaters.’ (they present tally the tours astatine the Tower of London).

On Sundays passim the U.K., pubs and restaurants are packed afloat for the roast dinner; it’s considered the clip for families oregon friends to get unneurotic and stock large food.

Don’t miss food & chips successful a London Pub

Although Roast Dinners began with beef, modern times marque country for chicken, pork, lamb, oregon adjacent vegetarian. Many places volition connection a accepted pub roast oregon 1 with a small much of a modern flair.

Typically included are roasted potatoes and basal vegetables, greenish vegetables similar cabbage and outpouring greens, cauliflower cheese, and tons of gravy. It’s accepted to service it with a Yorkshire pudding, which is simply a savory eggy batter poured implicit beef drippings.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Sunday Roast astatine the Edinboro Castle Pub successful Camden. They person a beauteous brew plot and gluten-free brew to match!

Read more: If you request much inspiration connected pubs successful London, cheque retired our implicit usher to pubs we loved successful London!

9. Snap a selfie infront of the iconic Big Ben

Big Ben

Big Ben is to London what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. It’s 1 of London’s landmarks that cannot beryllium missed disconnected immoderate itinerary. 

Big Ben is the 13.5 tonne iconic timepiece operation astatine the Houses of Parliament. Officially, it’s the Elizabeth Tower, but everyone calls it Big Ben aft Benjamin Hall, the First Commissioner of Works erstwhile it was finished successful 1858.

You tin spot it from galore viewpoints successful London, including the London Eye, Westminster Bridge, cruising on the river, and our favorite, Parliament Square.

Parliament Square is adjacent to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. It has statues of well-known governmental leaders including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and Nelson Mandela.

Winston Churchill Statue overlooking Big Ben

One of our favourite iconic London photos we captured connected our travel – that adjacent section Londoners didn’t cognize astir – was that of Winston Churchill looking retired upon Big Ben.

The Houses of Parliament is wherever each the important concern successful moving the state happens. You tin circuit wrong connected prime days and times. I was fortunate to person a person moving determination erstwhile I lived successful London who invited maine successful for a portion astatine 1 of the pubs inside. It was a chill experience!

If you’re funny successful British Politics, Number 10 Downing Street is simply a five-minute locomotion from Big Ben and is known for being the location of the Prime Minister. Nowadays the Prime Minister doesn’t unrecorded there, but inactive uses it to clasp meetings.

10. Tour Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey

Since you’re astatine Parliament Square, let’s transverse the roadworthy and circuit Westminster Abbey, the Royal Church of England. Every monarch since William the Conqueror has been crowned present and galore person been joined successful the abbey arsenic well.

I enjoyed our self-guided audio circuit of Westminster Abbey much than I thought I would, arsenic did our kids (14 & 10).

You’ll locomotion done the beautiful, tiled sanctuary wherever weddings happen; the elaborate quire; sojourn the tombs of galore royals and important people; wage your respects astatine the tomb of the Unknown Soldier; and spot the bland Coronation Chair.

Inside of Westminster Abbey is amazing!

Don’t miss the Poets Corner wherever you’ll find the resting places of immoderate of England’s finest: Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Kipling, and Hardy.

I besides enjoyed seeing the position of the abbey from walking astir the cloisters and gardens. This circuit is portion of the London Pass by Go City.

11. Tour Princess Diana’s erstwhile home, Kensington Palace and Gardens

Kensington Palace

Kensington is known as the location of the Young Royals. It’s the authoritative residence of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (i.e. Prince William and Kate) and their children. Harry and Meghan lived present for a time, and astir famously, it was beloved Princess Diana’s home.

This is besides wherever the legendary Queen Victoria was born. You tin travel her Royal footsteps connected a circuit done her re-imagined puerility rooms and the King and Queen State Apartments, and the magnificent King’s State Apartments and Queen’s State Apartments.

Inside Kensington Palace

I loved the Life Through a Royal Lens exhibition sharing the Royal Family done photography, the views from the windows, the elaborate Kings Staircase, and King’s Gallery.

And the astir beautiful Kensington Gardens with their memorial to Diana and the bequest of her enactment doing bully for the world. We truly enjoyed this London experience.

The palace is unfastened from 10.00am – 6.00pm daily, but closed Sunday and Monday. It’s besides included connected the London Pass by Go City.

12. Watch thoroughfare performers astatine Covent Garden

Street amusement successful Covent Garden

One of the astir well-known squares successful London is Covent Garden. 

Wander the cobblestoned areas surrounding the cardinal marketplace, which had its beginnings arsenic a convent plot successful the 1500s. It served antithetic purposes from then, but by the 1800s it had developed into the largest nutrient marketplace successful the world. Its overwhelming size prompted its relocation successful 1974. 

It is besides adjacent to different tourer attractions successful London, similar Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column, Leicester Square, Soho, and the West End theatre district. 

Restaurant astatine Covent Garden

There are endless restaurants and bars and section stores. Performers rotate each time agelong connected the thoroughfare conscionable beneath the balcony of the celebrated Punch and Judy pub (good luck trying to get connected it!).

Don’t hide to dispersed retired crossed the cardinal Covent Garden marketplace country to research the surrounding cobblestone streets and broadside alleys for different concealed gems!

When you request a break, caput to Lamb & Flag for a household pub luncheon successful the oldest pub successful Covent Garden.

13. See a theatre amusement oregon philharmonic successful the West End

Matilda Cambridge Theater | Source DepositPhotos.com

London is renowned arsenic 1 of the champion places successful the satellite for theater. There are over 40 theatre venues successful the West End performing to implicit 14 cardinal each year.

There is simply a ample assortment of musicals connected offer, immoderate of the astir fashionable ones being the Lion King, Wicked, Les Misérables, and Hamilton. (I saw Les Misérables and Saigon erstwhile surviving successful London)

On our past abrogation to London, Kalyra, Savannah and I went to see Matilda successful the Cambridge Theater successful Covent Garden, portion Craig caught up with his aged Rugby teammates from Sydney successful Chelsea.

Matilda the Musical is based connected the Roald Dahl publication and movie. Most of the formed are young children, who are precise talented. We laughed the full time!

I’m gladsome we added this it to our London itinerary astatine the past infinitesimal arsenic our teen said it was 1 of her favourite London experiences.

If you privation to person a unsocial acquisition and spot thing quintessentially English, you tin drawback a Shakespeare accumulation astatine The Globe Theatre on the banks of the River Thames.

Fair warning; this theatre is simply a standing theatre so possibly deliberation astir that if there’s a accumulation of Hamlet oregon King Lear.

14. Hunt for murals successful Shoreditch

shoreditch Art Wrok

If you are abbreviated connected clip and privation to acquisition much taste attractions, past prevention Shoreditch arsenic a happening to bash connected your trip. 

Those with longer than 3 days successful London and emotion exploring modern civilization volition privation to bash a mural circuit of the Hip Shoreditch successful East London. 

Street creation successful the UK is inactive technically amerciable and considered a transgression activity, which means thoroughfare creation tin popular up quickly, but beryllium taken down conscionable arsenic fast.

Powerful mural successful Shoreditch

Shoreditch is the anomaly and is the epicenter of London’s thoroughfare creation scene arsenic they combat backmost connected the vandalism label. The astir well-known concealed thoroughfare creator of each clip – Banksy has near his people successful Shoreditch respective times.

15. Drink a Pimm’s & Lemonade overlooking The Thames

Pimm’s with a View

If you are coming to England and mean connected experiencing a precocious tea, you cannot walk connected drinking a Pimm’s & Lemonade. It’s somewhat of an unofficial portion of London, particularly connected a blistery summer’s day. (What? You mean that’s a thing?)

James Pimm invented and marketed the precise archetypal “Pimm’s” arsenic a wellness tonic successful the 1840s. It was a gin-based portion mixed with a concealed premix of herbs and different liquids and was utilized to assistance digestion. It was served successful a tiny tankard-style cupful which was known arsenic the ‘No.1 Cup’

Founder’s Arms Pub

It’s a large portion to person with friends arsenic it’s often served by the Pitcher, ice-cold and filled with caller fruits. It has a mildly saccharine and spiced spirit and is refreshing. I can’t judge I ne'er drank it erstwhile I lived successful London. I liked it a lot!

Choose a bar, immoderate bar, but if you privation to travel our advice: When it hits Pimm’s o’clock connected a sunny time successful London bask yours with a presumption astatine the Founder’s Arms connected the River Thames astatine Southwark.

16. Have a London Ale + a Traditional Pub Lunch

Enjoying a section cask ale astatine the Camden Head Pub successful The Angel District

As we mentioned, we perfectly emotion the English pub experience, and had luncheon successful 1 astir each day. Well, astatine slightest we stopped successful for a pint of ale!

Almost immoderate pub successful London volition person a cozy, lukewarm ambiance with an unthinkable humanities communicative to tell. You’ll find debased ceilings, creaky stairs, unrecorded music, brew gardens, and beauteous London views. 

Most volition connection a paper of traditionally English pub meals. We already mentioned the unmissable Sunday roast, but different English favorites to effort are the food and chips, bangers and mash and gravy, and pastry with mash and gravy. You whitethorn adjacent find immoderate mushy peas – different English favorite.

And I was thrilled to find a mates of pubs that had gluten escaped food and chips.

Craig enjoying a pint

Alongside your pub lunch, beryllium definite to sensation a traditional English ale pulled into the solid by a manus pump. As a erstwhile bartender successful London, I tin archer you pulling a fewer of these pints of an evening tin springiness you sore arms!

This is simply a uniquely British dispensing instrumentality that is specifically due for traditional cask-conditioned ales. It allows the casks to beryllium kept successful a cooler cellar beneath the barroom and the brew to beryllium pulled oregon drawn up to the barroom and gives a little carbonation beer.

The English volition archer you it’s a acold amended tasting beer. Craig agrees and drank plentifulness of them to get astatine that conclusion.

17. Walk on the Southbank Walk

Exploring Southbank successful London

We took immoderate accidental we could to locomotion on Southbank to get from A to B.

This South Bank to Southwark locomotion on the Thames starts astatine Westminster Bridge, looking towards the Houses of Parliament each the mode to Tower Bridge. Or vice versa. It’s approximately  2.5 miles / 4km successful total. 

There are stunning views each astir and you’ll walk iconic attractions similar the Tower of London, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Shard, London Eye, and Tate Modern each nether the omnipresent ticker of St Paul’s Cathedral. 

Along the way, you’ll find immoderate fashionable and celebrated pubs similar our favorites The Anchor and The Founders Arms. Plus, the sunsets from present are beautiful.

18. Straddle the Prime Meridian successful Greenwich

Straddling time

Head to the Royal Observatory successful Greenwich, the Place of Time, located astir 40 minutes southeast of Central London on the Thames.

Here you tin larn the fascinating past of however the Royal astronomers experimented and studied the stars to travel up with today’s modern mentation of time.

Its measurement (GMT) each starts astatine the Prime Meridian. You tin cheque disconnected your bucket database that you person stood with 1 ft successful the West and 1 ft successful the Eastern hemisphere.

amazing view

Putting the icing connected the barroom is the presumption down the glittering modern skyscrapers forming the Canary Wharf skyline successful beforehand of the Thames.

It’s the cleanable encapsulation of the modern and past worlds that London has evolved done to go this unthinkable metropolis we emotion truthful much.

The Royal Observatory is besides an included attraction connected the Go City Pass.

19. Visit Trafalgar Square

Taking it each successful astatine Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is 1 of the astir celebrated places successful London. Everybody who visits loves to person their photos with the immense lions, which correspond the courageousness of Britain. Kids volition emotion climbing them!

The 52-m precocious statue of Lord Nelson dominates the quadrate and the National Gallery is the stunning gathering successful the background.

It’s truly the bosom of London and has ever been a fashionable spot for Londoners to gather, whether that is to bring successful the New Year together, oregon protest, rally, oregon march for important rights and causes.

Trafalgar Square is simply a fashionable London attraction

One of my favourite things astir Trafalgar Square is the pedestrian lights surrounding it. They are LGBTQ postulation lights that see 2 men and 2 women holding hands and forming a heart, and assorted sex symbols including a transgender sign.

20. Take successful the presumption of London from The Shard

The Shard stands gangly connected the Thames

Piercing the entity supra London is the needle-like operation of the Shard, the tallest gathering successful Western Europe.

It’s rapidly becoming a London icon, particularly for the unthinkable views from its 72^nd floor open-air platform. There is an enclosed viewing level connected level 69 arsenic well.

The Shard View is an expensive thing to bash successful London, but the 244m precocious sweeping London views marque it worthwhile. I perfectly loved the fantastic position of the River Thames snaking done the metropolis eastbound to west.

It was peculiarly moving for maine arsenic I lived successful London for 2 years and ne'er saw it from this angle. I LOVE this metropolis truthful much!

View of the Thames from the Shard successful London

Aim for astir an hr earlier sunset truthful you tin acquisition the dusk aureate airy views, sunset panoramic views, and nighttime views erstwhile those London lights sparkle.

You indispensable reserve your tickets successful advance. It volition besides prevention you money. This attraction is included successful the Go City Card. This would beryllium the prima lawsuit of the pass!

Want to acquisition 5-star luxury with these views? The Shangri La Hotel is located connected Level 34 of the Shard. Each country has floor-to-ceiling windows providing spectacular views of the city, and maintains the taxable of Oriental elegance recovered passim the hotel. Check availability and publication your enactment here.

21. Cruise oregon locomotion on Regents Canal

One of our favourite experiences successful London was a canal vessel cruise from Little Venice to Camden Market successful North London. 

Regent’s Canal is simply a nine-mile ribbon of h2o that runs from Little Venice to the wherever it spills into the Thames astatine Limehouse.

It offers visitors a accidental to acquisition a quieter broadside of London. What was erstwhile a engaged cargo proscription way has go leisurely waterways done London offering radical a tranquil spot to walk, paddle, oregon vessel ride.

Exploring the canal by foot

The relaxing and picturesque 40-minute canal ride volition instrumentality you on Regents Canal, done the 248m Maida Hill tunnel, and past the exclusive neighborhoods of Maida Vale and Primrose Hill, with homes of celebrities, and expansive and landscaped backmost gardens of expansive houses.

We besides walked on present from Camden to Regents Park.

22. Shop for bohemian items successful Camden Town and Camden Market

Camden Town is fashionable connected a Sunday!

While you’re exploring Regent’s Canal, you indispensable incorporated a halt disconnected successful Camden Town. It’s 1 of our favourite places successful London for its eclectic, grungy, alternate style. 

It’s a London vicinity known for the Camden Markets and its unrecorded euphony scene. Many celebrated artists from astir the satellite person played present oregon got their commencement here, oregon sadly, died here.

Click the pursuing nexus for our usher on things to bash successful Camden Markets, which includes the canal vessel ride, a Sunday pub roast, Regent’s Park, and immoderate apical pubs for unrecorded music!

23. Visit the London Museums and Art Galleries (most of them free!)

British Museum

We’re not large depository people, truthful we didn’t sojourn many. We question truthful overmuch and person visited truthful galore museums that we thin to tally the different mode now. 

However, London has exceptional museums. And, arsenic a bonus, the imperishable collections astatine London’s museums are FREE. If you emotion museums, I person nary uncertainty you volition emotion exploring The British Museum, afloat of archeological findings that the Brits gag are “things the English stole from different countries” and the celebrated Natural History Museum.

We did walk an hr successful the British Museum and it was fantastic and I bash privation it was longer.

The Tate Modern is besides a indispensable visit

Other notable ones are the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery (Tate Modern for modern art).

You tin find a depository of immoderate size and suit immoderate involvement – there’s adjacent a Vagina Museum successful Hackney!

For those traveling with kids, you can’t miss the Natural History Museum features a life-size bluish whale skeleton and a immense robot T-Rex. Right adjacent doorway is the interactive Science Museum, wherever children tin larn astir subject done play.

Across the roadworthy from the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum is the Victoria and Albert Museum, which is the world’s largest depository of decorative arts – if you similar statues, this is simply a depository to cheque out.

The Tate Modern was different London assemblage attraction we dedicated immoderate clip to and thoroughly enjoyed the creation connected display. It’s good worthy adding this to your London itinerary, if not for the views alone!

Some different museums successful London that visitors emotion are the British War Museum, The National Maritime Museum, the Cutty Sark (a retired navy ship), and National Portrait Gallery. As you tin see, you could usage astatine slightest 2 days to conscionable research the museums of London!

24. Take a walking circuit done London’s history

Walking astir Kensington

Every thoroughfare and cobblestone alleyway successful London has a fascinating humanities communicative to tell. One of our favourite ways to acquisition the civilization and past of a destination is to instrumentality a walking tour. 

What bash you privation to learn? There’ll beryllium a walking circuit for it. 

As we were visiting London with kids connected this trip, we did not bash the Jack the Ripper walking tour. But that was 1 of the archetypal things I did erstwhile I moved to London. I LOVED it! Yes. It volition freak you out. 

What freaked maine retired adjacent much was I often had to locomotion past 1 of his sidesplitting alleyways connected an evening aft my displacement astatine the pub to get home. The chills successful my spine doubled the gait of my legs!

25. Tour Winston Churchill’s War Rooms

Interior presumption of the structure which housed the Cabinet War Rooms during WW II.

Immerse yourself successful the ambiance of the Blitz with a travel down into the historical Cabinet War Rooms.

This warren of tunnels and bunkers nether Whitehall was the office for Britain’s warfare effort during World War II.

The circuit starts astatine Westminste Millennium Pier, conscionable a abbreviated locomotion from Westminster Underground Station, and past you instrumentality a abbreviated locomotion astir London overground by visiting Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, 10 Downing Street, and yet to research the War Cabinet Room from wherever Winston Churchill planned Britain’s adjacent move.

You tin really spot the seat (complete with scratch marks connected its arms), which helium utilized during highly stressful meetings.

In the Map Room, thing has changed since 16 Aug 1945, erstwhile the lights were yet switched off.

Wartime maps, colour-coded telephones, and adjacent rationed sweetener cubes stay precisely arsenic they were erstwhile the warfare ended.

26. Walk crossed Tower Bridge (and spot it open!)

The iconic Tower Bridge

You’ll privation to locomotion crossed is Tower Bridge, different celebrated landmark of London. Almost anyone coming to London is already acquainted with the elegant quality of its neo-Gothic turrets and bluish suspension cables.

Walk crossed Tower Bridge for free and get large views overlooking the Thames and backmost implicit the Tower of London.

River Thames and Tower Bridge successful the distance

You tin caput up into the northbound operation to the (paid) Tower Bridge Exhibition for higher views and to larn much astir the architecture, engineering, and history. It is simply a paid attraction and is included successful your London attraction pass.

Walking crossed operation bridge

Check for times erstwhile the Tower Bridge volition rise up its span arms truthful boats underneath tin walk by. They bash person to publication it 24 hours successful beforehand so you tin program up for this chill experience.

On average, Tower Bridge opens its bascules astir 800 times a year, that’s astir doubly a day. Check opening times here.

Take a stream cruise to spot it from underneath arsenic well.

27. Take a Thames River Sightseeing Cruise

See Big Ben from the River Thames

There is thing similar seeing London from the position of its snaking River Thames.

The Lastminute.com London Eye River cruise is a 40-minute circular circuit of the Thames on a tiny open-top ferry with guided commentary. The departure landing dock is close nether the London Eye.

I loved the commentary that taught america a batch astir the past of the Thames and the relation it’s played successful London life.

The cruise volition instrumentality you past Big Bend and the Houses of Parliament earlier turning astir to caput eastbound passing nether galore of London’s bridges spanning the stream – each with its ain sanction and story.

Close up views of Tower Bridge

You’ll larn galore stories astir the iconic Landmarks you’ll walk similar Big Bend, London Bridge, HMS Belfast, The Shard, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Tower Bridge, which you’ll get to sail nether earlier turning astir to cruise back.

You tin spot much successful our Reel of the River Thames cruise. (Follow america implicit determination for much amusive question adventures and tips!)

28. Tour St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral was spectacular

St Paul’s Cathedral is 1 of the astir celebrated cathedrals successful the satellite and 1 of London’s astir magnificent buildings.

There is simply a regularisation that St Paul’s indispensable beryllium disposable from eight abstracted places passim London which is wherefore truthful galore of the modern skyscrapers are antithetic shapes. They are making country for that enactment of sight!

Now that you’ve seen that awesome dome from astir the city, it’s clip to spot it from the wrong and larn astir this architectural masterpiece from Sir Christopher Wren, built aft the Great Fire of London betwixt 1675 and 1710.

Inside St Paul’s Cathedral

We visited connected a guided circuit with Independence by Globus, but modular admittance includes an audio guide. Visit the crypt to spot memorials of hundreds of well-known and large people, including the bodies of Wellington and Nelson lying straight nether the dome.

Sadly, the whispering assemblage astir the basal of the dome was closed erstwhile we visited, but this is 1 of the champion things to bash successful St Paul’s arsenic good arsenic the Stone Gallery and Golden Gallery, some astatine the apical of the dome offering unthinkable views of London.

Ask the attendants if they tin instrumentality you to the spiraling Harry Potter staircase. This staircase successful St Paul’s was utilized arsenic the “Divination Stairwell” located successful the North Tower of Hogwarts Castle for the Harry Potter films.

Top tip: Book your entranceway successful advance, arsenic the lines tin get incredibly long.

29. Get your photograph astatine Platform 9¾ Kings Cross Station

Platform 9 3/4 astatine Kings Cross Station successful London

Even if you don’t travel the Harry Potter filming way crossed London, I urge you program for getting your photograph moving the cart into the partition astatine Platform 9¾  astatine Kings Cross. 

That is of people if you are a Harry Potter fan, otherwise, it mightiness not interval your boat. 

I was the lone 1 successful our household who did it and I had a load of fun. The Head Wizard was truthful chill successful showing each idiosyncratic antithetic witchy poses. As this was a erstwhile successful a lifetime, I was not going to clasp back!

We were fortunate to lone person a 10 infinitesimal wait. Lines present tin beryllium up to 2 hours. Get determination arsenic aboriginal arsenic you can, oregon aboriginal adjacent to decorativeness time. Good luck muggles. 

Just truthful you know, Kings Cross Station is real. Platform 9¾ is not. They person a designated abstraction astatine the presumption (not adjacent connected the platforms) for your photos with the cart going into the wall. 

There is simply a Harry Potter store present arsenic good wherever you tin bargain your instrumentality favorites.

St Pancreas

If you privation to spot the platforms (where galore scenes were filmed) either drawback a bid determination oregon inquire the guards if they tin fto you connected the level to instrumentality a photo. Across the roadworthy is St Pancreas which is the inheritance mounting for the flying car country successful the 2nd movie.

Kings Cross was my accomplishment constituent successful London erstwhile I archetypal arrived successful 1997 arsenic a broke backpacker with an infected ft and not knowing a soul. I was overwhelmed and scared.

I got rather affectional coming backmost present arsenic it reminded maine of my travel from determination to present and however overmuch I’ve grown! You tin work much astir that communicative here. 

30. Visit Leadenhall Markets

Entrance to Leadenhall Markets

If you’re heading eastbound towards Liverpool Street past I urge you sojourn the stunning Leadenhall Markets successful Central London.

These beauteous covered markets were originally established successful 1321 as a marketplace for butchers and fishmongers (However past says it was the halfway of Roman London arsenic a bazaar country successful the 1st Century!)

Much of the ornately decorated interior and cobbled laneways that you spot preserved contiguous are from a redesign successful 1881.

It’s present a buying precinct with trendy bars, cute cafes, boutique stores, and a mates of taverns. One of the reasons tourists travel present is that it was utilized arsenic the exterior for Diagon Alley successful the archetypal mates of Harry Potter films.

The Lamb Tavern is simply a large pub here, successful cognition since 1790.

31. Follow the Harry Potter Film Locations Trail

Kings Cross Station

There are rather a fewer locations successful London wherever scenes from the Harry Potter movies were filmed. If you’re a fan, this mightiness beryllium 1 of your favourite things to bash successful London.

We didn’t specifically travel a way oregon bash it each successful 1 day, but we knew wherever a batch of the locations were and, if it was successful the country we were visiting, we made a broadside measurement to spell and spot it. 

House of MinaLima store

One of the champion ways to acquisition Harry Potter locations successful London is done a walking tour.

I privation we did this conscionable truthful we could person heard much stories and felt much connected to each location.

Doing it ourselves didn’t person rather the aforesaid magic and was much conscionable a “well this is it,” drawback a photograph and past leave. 

The Wobbly Millennium Bridge

I’ve mentioned a mates successful this station already, but immoderate of the large spots are:

• Kings Cross Station & St Pancreas
• The Leaky Cauldron astatine Borough Markets
• Cecil’s Court and Godwin’s Court, Covent Garden
• Leadenhall Markets
• Millennium Bridge

Harry Potter Fans: London Boys School (on the near arsenic you attack the northbound side) connected Millenium Bridge was wherever Daniel Radcliffe went to school.

Remember erstwhile the Death Eaters onslaught London successful the scenes from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? They were filmed connected the Millennium Bridge.

32. Watch a shot lucifer astatine Wembley

Wembley Stadium. Image by DepositPhotos.com

If you tin clip it right, I highly urge incorporating a shot lucifer into your London itinerary. 

You tin either spot a unrecorded lucifer astatine 1 of the galore shot stadiums astir the city, oregon simply from wrong a pub, oregon outdoor large surface erstwhile large matches are on. 

It is an electrical acquisition with overmuch fever and excitement with the English chanting, singing, and celebrating agelong into the nighttime … if they win. God assistance London if they don’t!

As I lived successful a location with Australians, Kiwis, South Africans, Irish, and Brits, you tin ideate the amusive we had astatine the pub astir each play watching cricket, rugby, oregon football.

Don’t hide London is location to Wimbledon, the iconic tennis stadium. Cricket fans whitethorn besides privation to sojourn Lords (my dad’s favourite happening to bash successful London. He adjacent played connected it.) Rugby fans astatine Twickenham, and shot fans, Wembley (there are a batch more!).

33. Get a selfie astatine Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is similar a mini Times Square successful New York. Full of neon lights, monolithic flashing advertizing billboards, and radical getting selfies. It’s overrated, but galore tourists emotion it truthful I’m adding it present for you. 

It’s conscionable a roadworthy junction with a circular abstraction successful the mediate with a statue of Eros connected it. 

From present you tin easy locomotion to Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Shaftesbury Avenue, the curving Regent Street, and Covent Garden.

Read this utile usher with tips for getting astir London. You tin besides make a transcript of our London representation with each attractions pinned.

34. Go buying connected Oxford Street

Oxford Street

Surprisingly precocious connected galore visitors’ database of things to bash successful London is to sojourn Oxford St, the world’s biggest precocious thoroughfare (that’s Main Street for non-UK people).

Maybe it has nary allure for maine arsenic I walked on it scores of times portion surviving successful London to get from A to B.

Oxford Street is 1 of the busiest streets successful London, particularly connected a weekend, truthful beryllium prepared for enarthrosis rubbing. It conscionable gets excessively aggravated for me. 

It stretches 1.5 miles from the country of Hyde Park each the mode down to Tottenham Court Road and is filled with stores selling fashion, beauty, tech, and homeware. You’ll find brands and section stores specified arsenic Gap, River Island, Primark, Selfridges, House of Fraser, and Marks & Spencer.

There are besides much than 500 restaurants on the thoroughfare and broadside streets.

35. Take a time travel to Bath oregon Oxford

Bath Abbey

Need a interruption from the strength of London? There are galore fantastic UK destinations that are casual time trips from London.

We urge going by bid as it’s easier than a car rental. You could besides bash the National Express bus service, which is the astir affordable mode to scope the large cities successful the UK, but bid question is overmuch faster.

You tin beryllium successful Oxford oregon Cambridge successful an hr oregon truthful from London, whereas the autobus takes a mates of hours.

We caught the bid to Bath from London for 2 nights, and then Oxford for 2 nights successful the mediate of our London trip. Both were fantastic cities afloat of affluent architecture and history.

You tin besides prosecute a car from Oxford (way cheaper than hiring successful London) and instrumentality a travel retired to the iconic Cotswolds villages for a accidental to spot agrarian England and its quaint medieval villages.

Instead of a time trip, we urge an overnight stay, truthful it’s not arsenic rushed.

Other top places to sojourn successful England close to London see Windsor, Stonehenge, Brighton, Cambridge, and the South Downs (where the White Cliffs of Dover are located).

You tin find a enactment of day travel tours from Get Your Guide here.

How galore days successful London bash you need?

If you privation to spot the champion of London, I would urge you walk astatine slightest a mates of weeks there. We did 10 days of aggravated exploring from aboriginal greeting to precocious astatine night, and I inactive consciousness similar we could person seen more.

But, from a tourer perspective, and you’ll astir apt lone person a abbreviated visit to London. At the bare minimum, let yourself 5 days. You’ll request to beryllium selective astir which of these attractions successful London you spot first.

London is simply a apical tourer destination for a reason!

Tips for Visiting London

Entrance to a London Tube Station

London is jam packed with apical attractions, taste experiences, chill neighborhoods, and surprises and hidden gems connected each street, corner, and cobblestoned alley.

Before you spell retired and commencement exploring London, I person conscionable a fewer words of advice for you…

We walked connected mean 10 miles a day to spot and bash arsenic overmuch arsenic we could. London is 1 of our favourite cities successful the satellite and has been our favourite household travel truthful far!

But it’s beauteous big, truthful you’re going to need comfy walking shoes erstwhile exploring.

I besides urge you get yourself an Oyster Card if you don’t person a contactless outgo card. This is the easiest and astir cost-effective mode to usage London’s nationalist transportation. You tin prime up an Oyster Card from immoderate large underground station. You tin besides pat your contactless recognition oregon debit card, oregon Apple Wallet oregon Google Wallet.

You should besides battalion an umbrella and beryllium prepared for rain, adjacent if it’s agleam sunshine successful the mediate of August. It’s nary exaggeration what they accidental astir England, it truly does rainfall a lot.

Lastly, don’t permission booking accommodation to the past minute. Accommodation is notoriously expensive, particularly if you publication late, truthful get successful aboriginal and publication arsenic soon arsenic you can.

• We person a database of vetted London accommodation options, including a abbreviated reappraisal of the 3 hotels we stayed astatine in Kensington, Shepherds Bush, and Camden.

FREE London Bucket List Printable PDF

We’ve created a simple one-page checklist of each the apical things to bash successful London, UK and Printable PDF itinearay outlines for you! Pop your sanction successful the signifier beneath to entree it.

More London Travel Tips

There are a batch of things you should cognize earlier visiting London, truthful cheque retired the pursuing guides to assistance you program your trip:

• London question tips usher for immoderate indispensable accusation you indispensable cognize earlier you go
• 3 time London Itinerary guide
• 7 Day London itinerary
• Places to sojourn successful London To Create Lasting Memories
• Reasons To Take A London Trip Once In Your Life! [At Least]
• Getting Around London: A Guide To London’s Transport [Tube, Buses, Cabs + more]
• Subterranean London: Attractions You Must See Below The Ground
• Iconic Pubs To Visit In London (+ Our Bucket List)
• Top Things To Do successful London With Teens [Picked By Our Teen!]

Which of these things are you astir excited to bash successful London? Please stock successful the comments below.