Victorian Tower Bridge over the Thames with the skyscrapers of London rising behind it

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LondonTravel Guide

United Kingdom7 stories

World-class free museums, buzzing markets, West End theatre, royal parks and a thousand years of history along the Thames.

When to come

May–September

What it costs

Expensive. Part of the reason to come is what you can book when you arrive.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a weekend here planned hour by hour.

A weekend, hour by hour

London is inThe ones everyone goes to Worth the splurge Enough for a long weekend Deepest in Europe

When to go

May–September

Budget level

Luxury

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with

Bath160 km
a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mid)
Bruges, Belgium240 km
a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mixed)
Manchester260 km
a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mid)
Ghent, Belgium270 km
a short hop — comfortable overland · both good in May, June, September · a different price level (mid)

Plan itWhere to stay in Londonad · Booking.comTours and tickets

On the map

Finding London

Open in Google Maps Larger map

The stories

Reading London

Aerial view of London at sunset: Tower Bridge, the River Thames and the skyline of the City

The List

The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London

United Kingdom · 12 min

Battered fried fish with thick-cut chips and onion rings in a takeaway box — classic British fish and chips

Food

What to eat in London: the dishes that define the city

United Kingdom · 2 min

Planning

London, place by place

Everything below is named in one of our own stories about London. The line under each is the sentence that recommended it, and the link goes to the piece it came from.

Where to stay

The areas and addresses our writers put first

Tom Podmore
Covent Garden and the Strand
For first-timers who want to walk everywhere, the West End is unbeatable: theatres, restaurants and the river within minutes.
Where to Stay in London for Every Budget: The Areas That Make Sense Check prices
Mark Saxby
South Bank and Borough
Cross the river for modern hotels with skyline views, the Tate Modern, Borough Market's food stalls and riverside walks past Shakespeare's Globe.
Where to Stay in London for Every Budget: The Areas That Make Sense Check prices
Ambitious Studio* | Rick Barrett
Shoreditch
East London suits travellers who care more about coffee, galleries and nightlife than about proximity to Big Ben.
Where to Stay in London for Every Budget: The Areas That Make Sense Check prices
Mayfair and St James's
London
If London luxury is the point of the trip, this is its historic heart.
Where to Stay in London for Every Budget: The Areas That Make Sense Check prices
King's Cross and Bloomsbury
London
Once scruffy, King's Cross is now one of the city's smartest regeneration stories, with canal-side dining and direct rail to Paris.
Where to Stay in London for Every Budget: The Areas That Make Sense Check prices
Paddington and Earl's Court
London
West London's terraces around these two rail hubs hold London's densest supply of affordable rooms.
Where to Stay in London for Every Budget: The Areas That Make Sense Check prices

Where to eat

Tables worth crossing the city for

Cody Martin
Borough Market
Trading under the railway arches by London Bridge on a Southwark site with centuries of market history behind it, this is where London does cheesemongers, bakers and street food from most of the world at once.
The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London See on the map

What to see

The things that justify the trip

Liam Charmer
The London Eye
Thirty minutes of slow rotation above the Thames, looking straight across at Parliament and the Elizabeth Tower that houses Big Ben.
The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London See on the map
Javier Martinez
Camden Market
Canal-side counterculture that has been commercialised for thirty years and somehow still works: vintage clothing, records, street art and food from most continents.
The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London See on the map
Fas Khan
Greenwich
Ride a boat down the river rather than taking the train - the approach matters.
The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London See on the map
Ignacio Brosa
The Royal Parks
Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park, St James's Park, Green Park, Richmond, Greenwich and Bushy - all free, all open daily, and collectively the reason London is liveable.
The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London See on the map
Mieke Campbell
Notting Hill and Portobello Road
Pastel terraces, antique arcades and a market at full roar.
The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London See on the map
Sung Jin Cho
Sky Garden
A planted terrace under glass on the upper floors of the Walkie-Talkie tower in the City, with a wide view west along the river.
The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London See on the map

Don't miss

Sights & experiences

Borough Market

market

London's most famous food market, under the railway arches by London Bridge.

8 Southwark St, London SE1 1TL

British Museum

museum

One of the world's great museums — the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures. Free entry.

Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG

Our picks

What we'd do in London

See and do

The Tower of London and Tower Bridge
A fortress nine centuries old guarding the Crown Jewels, beside the bridge that became the city's shorthand.
Read: The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London
Find tickets
The honest verdict
May, June or September for the classic trip.
Read: When to Visit London: The Honest Season-by-Season Truth
Borough Market
Trading under the railway arches by London Bridge on a Southwark site with centuries of market history behind it, this is where London does cheesemongers, bakers and street food from most of the world at once.
Read: The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London
Find tickets
A West End show
Dozens of productions run at once across the theatre district around Shaftesbury Avenue and Covent Garden.
Read: The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London
Find tickets
The London Eye
Thirty minutes of slow rotation above the Thames, looking straight across at Parliament and the Elizabeth Tower that houses Big Ben.
Read: The 10 Experiences You Cannot Miss in London
Find tickets

Eat and drink

Fish and chips
The national dish, and still capable of transcendence: fish in a shattering golden batter, thick-cut chips, mushy peas, a wallop of salt and vinegar.
Read: What to eat in London: the dishes that define the city
The Sunday roast
Sunday afternoon in a London pub is organized around this: roast beef or chicken, crisp-edged potatoes, a billowing Yorkshire pudding, and gravy over all of it.
Read: What to eat in London: the dishes that define the city
A proper curry
Curry is London food, full stop — the legacy of generations of South Asian Londoners.
Read: What to eat in London: the dishes that define the city
The market graze
Borough Market deserves its fame: cheesemongers, oyster stalls, sizzling international counters under Victorian ironwork.
Read: What to eat in London: the dishes that define the city

Where to stay

Shoreditch — design-led east
East London suits travellers who care more about coffee, galleries and nightlife than about proximity to Big Ben.
Read: Where to Stay in London for Every Budget: The Areas That Make Sense
Check ratesad · Booking.com

Before you go

Practical essentials for United Kingdom

Money

Pound sterling (GBP)

Language

English; Welsh is co-official in Wales.

Power

Type G, 230V 50Hz

Getting around

In London tap in and out with a contactless bank card, phone or Oyster and daily and weekly caps apply automatically; national rail links the other cities.

Tipping

10–12.5% in restaurants with table service, often already added as a service charge; no tip is expected in pubs where you order at the bar.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink everywhere.

Driving

Left-hand side; visitors may drive on a full national licence for up to 12 months, so no International Driving Permit is needed.

Emergency

999 (112 also works); 101 for non-emergency police, 111 for NHS advice

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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