Top 9 Tourist Attractions in London (Insider Tips + Map)
Updated: Mar 10
There are some cities and towns which feel 'manageable' as a tourist - they tend to be small, have up to 3 key tourist attractions and are usually fairly walkable.
Then there are cities that can feel a little bit overwhelming - you usually need to choose between an array of activities and perhaps even tackle public transport.
And then there's London.
I truly believe that you could spend decades living here, filling up your weekends with activities and still never get through them all. The city holds >300 museums and galleries alone. It can all be a bit much. I've found plenty of resources online providing itineraries of various lengths but they all produce some very exhausting days and aren't too easy on your wallet (London is expensive and visiting sights can add up). So I've put together an ultra selective pick of my top 9 iconic sights for your first visit to London.
This is split into three groups by region for ease of travelling - Westminster, The City and Other
Contents
Group A: Westminster
1. Buckingham Palace
Before I moved to London, I held two very arbitrary associations with the city:
a) Rain
b) The Queen
So it felt only appropriate to start our list with one of the world's most iconic royal destinations: Buckingham Palace.The highlight for me was the Palace's changing of the guards, held at 11am daily from May to July and on alternate days for the rest of the year. The ceremony takes 40 minutes and is packed full of all the pomp you'd expect from the Royal Family.
If you want to get a good view of the changing of the guards, either visit in the winter months when there are fewer crowds or plan to arrive at about 10.30. If you are lucky enough to visit on a quiet day and stand at the gates to the palace, you'll be able to see the guard change and all the action at the forecourt, as well as the band marching down the Mall. If you don't want to risk it, and are visiting in summer I suggest watching from the Mall and perhaps even following the guards down to the Palace.
Once you're done watching the changing of the guards, you have two options:
If you're hungry, walk down the mall towards Trafalgar Square (#4) or
Walk towards Westminster Abbey (#2)
You can enter the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace in the summer months for about £30, but if you have limited time in London I wouldn't necessarily recommend this.
Fun fact: Take a look at the flag pole on top of the Palace. When the Queen is in residence, the Royal Standard flag is raised. A soldier is responsible for taking it down the moment the Queen leaves.
2. Westminster Abbey
The site of coronations and royal weddings, Westminster abbey is quite fascinating. Entry costs about £25 and comes with an audioguide. Note that the Abbey is not open to visitors on Sunday. If your time in London is very limited, or you aren't particularly interested in the Abbey, I think it's worth seeing its exterior. Once you're done, head towards Big Ben.
3. Big Ben & The Parliament
In my opinion, if you have limited time in London it's not worth touring Big Ben or The Parliament. That said, it would be a mistake not to admire both from the outside - Big Ben from the road and Parliament from across the River Thames. They're very convenient to see, both are right next to each other and don't cost a dime to look at.
4. Trafalgar Square & the National Gallery
Trafalgar Square is one of the city's most popular public square and has been the site of anti-war demonstrations, New Years Eve celebrations and victory parades. It's also generally quite iconic.
5. See a West End Show
I thought this would be a bucket-list type item until I went for another show, and another and then another. The ridiculous range of plays, theatre and musicals on the West End is one of my favourite things about London. I think it's also a brilliant thing to do as a tourist.
My hot tip: Download the 'todaytix' app, click 'rush & letter' and set alerts for all the shows you're interested in. Be online at 10am when rush tickets are released and click quickly. This way, you can get excellent seats for £25 (they would otherwise cost >£100). In the old days, rush tickets required lining up for hours, but the new system means the quickest fingers win and I'm all for it (especially because tourists don't really have time to waste in a line)
Group B: London City & The Thames
6. Tower of London
The Tower of London contains London's most dramatic (and sometimes macabre) history. It also houses the impressive Crown Jewels. Skip the line tickets are ~£30 per person - check them out here.
7. Tower Bridge and the Thames
Don't confuse Tower bridge with the far less interesting London bridge down the Thames. Tower bridge is an easy one - take some photos from The Queens Walk and then walk across the bridge and admire it.
8. St Paul's Cathedral
A masterpiece by Sir Christopher Wren, St Paul's Cathedral is lovely to visit. For royal fans, it's been home to a number of royal events including Charles and Princess Diana's wedding. It's free to enter if you're worshiping or buy a ticket so you can explore it all – including the Dome.
Group C: South Kensington
9. Visit a museum (but chose carefully)
London has museums aplenty, and South Kensington is museum Mecca. Many museums in London are free, which is a great way to save some money in an otherwise expensive city.
The biggest and most famous 8 museums include:
The British museum: The biggest, most controversial and most crowded. If you visit and are short on time, I highly recommend having a plan for what exactly you're there for
Victoria & Albert Museum: Much more calm and my personal favourite, a mix of history, design, and random odds nd ends
Natural History museum: Go here to see the famous whale skeleton
The Science museums: The most kid friendly
The National Gallery: Art
Tate Britain: British Art
Tate Modern: Contemporary Art
Imperial war museum: All things war
This flow chart from Wikipedia is the best way I've found to pick museums to visit, depending on your interests and the amount of time you have. Start with a major museum in a red box and go from there
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