London travel guide

Tower of London

William the Conqueror began this fortress after 1066, and in nearly a thousand years it has been a palace, a prison and a place of execution; ravens still live on the green. Inside the Jewel House are the Crown Jewels, still used at coronations, and entry includes a tour with a Yeoman Warder. Timed tickets sell out on busy days, so book online and go straight to the Jewel House when the gates open.

Westminster Abbey

Every coronation since 1066 has taken place here, under a soaring Gothic nave and close to the tombs of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Look up at the fan vaulting of the Lady Chapel, and find Poets’ Corner, where Chaucer and Dickens lie. It opens to sightseers Monday to Saturday only; on Sundays you can attend a service for free but not tour.

British Museum

Two million years of human history sit under one roof, reached through a vast courtyard covered by a glass and steel canopy. The Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and the Egyptian mummies are all free to see. Book a free timed ticket to skip the queue, and come on a Friday evening, when it stays open until 8:30pm.

National Gallery

Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait and Turner’s Fighting Temeraire are a few rooms apart here, free to see. From the front steps you look straight down Trafalgar Square to Big Ben. Pick a time slot online; on Fridays it is open until 9pm.

Tate Modern and the South Bank

The old Bankside power station keeps its giant Turbine Hall, which fills with a new commissioned work most years, and its collection galleries are free. Climb to the viewing level for a long look across the Thames at St Paul’s. Walk there along the South Bank from Westminster, or cross the Millennium Bridge from St Paul’s.

Buckingham Palace

Guards in red tunics and bearskin hats march to the palace gates for the Changing the Guard, the London scene most visitors come for. Inside, the State Rooms hold the royal picture gallery, with Rembrandt and Vermeer. They open only in summer (9 July to 27 September in 2026), and the ceremony runs on set days, so check the Household Division calendar before you go.

Natural History Museum

The building is half the reason to go: a Victorian cathedral of a hall, its terracotta walls carved with animals and plants. A blue whale skeleton dives from the ceiling there, and the dinosaur galleries are next door. Entry is free; book a ticket to be sure of getting in at weekends and school holidays.

Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens

Hire a deckchair or a rowing boat on the Serpentine, the lake that runs between these two joined royal parks, and you could forget you are in a city of nine million. They stretch from Marble Arch to Kensington Palace. Walk west through them to reach the South Kensington museums.

Greenwich

Britain’s naval past fills this riverside town, from the Cutty Sark, a tea clipper you can walk beneath, to the Painted Hall of the Old Royal Naval College, its walls and ceiling covered in baroque murals. Get there by DLR or Thames Clippers boat. Cutty Sark and the National Maritime Museum stay open, but the Royal Observatory on the hill is closed for renovation from November 2026 until at least summer 2027.

Borough Market

There has been a market by London Bridge since medieval times, and today its stalls under the railway arches sell British cheeses, oysters, hot sandwiches and pastries to eat as you walk. Graze rather than sit down. It is closed on Mondays; come before noon on Saturdays, when the crowds are worst.

A Sunday roast in a pub

Roast beef, lamb or chicken with crisp roast potatoes, a puffed-up Yorkshire pudding and gravy is the British weekend meal, best in a warm pub with the papers. It is served from lunchtime on Sundays. Book a table at a popular pub, and plan nothing for the afternoon.

Beigel Bake on Brick Lane

Thick slices of hot salt beef, carved by hand and piled into a chewy bagel with sharp mustard, cost little and taste of the old Jewish East End. The bakery has stayed open around the clock since the 1970s. Expect a queue at night; it moves fast.

Fish and chips

Cod or haddock in crisp batter with thick-cut chips is best eaten hot from the paper, sitting on a bench outside. Find a local chippy rather than a tourist-street pub, and add mushy peas and a splash of vinegar.

Afternoon tea

A tiered stand of crustless sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and jam, and small cakes, with a pot of tea: a ritual credited to a Victorian duchess who was hungry before dinner. Hotels and tea rooms serve it from mid-afternoon. Book ahead, especially at weekends.

Best: Late May to June

Mild, sunny days and long evenings, with big events like Trooping the Colour and Wimbledon's start.

Best: September

Warm, mild weather, fewer crowds after school holidays, and a full calendar of festivals and exhibitions.

Harder: July and August

The warmest, busiest months, with school summer holidays, Wimbledon and Notting Hill Carnival.

How do you get around London?

• Tube and busesThe Tube is fastest across the city, while buses are cheaper and flat-fare.
• Buses and tramsOn buses and trams you touch in only once, when you board. Buses don’t take cash.
• Airport transferPay as you go with contactless or Oyster works on the Elizabeth line and Piccadilly line from Heathrow, and on Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink from Gatwick. Heathrow Express and Gatwick Express don’t count towards the daily cap.
• Entry permit (ETA)Most visitors need an ETA, an online travel permit, before travelling to the UK, including people from the EU, US, Canada and Australia. Apply on GOV.UK or the official UK ETA app, not a lookalike site.
• Daily capTouch the same card or phone in and out on every Tube and rail journey. Daily caps then limit what you pay; forget to touch out and you may be charged a maximum fare.

Do you need cash in London, and do you tip?

• CardsCards and phone payments are taken almost everywhere, and some places are card-only. A few market stalls and small cafés still want cash or set a card minimum.
• ATMsCash machines are common in banks, supermarkets and stations, but may charge fees.
• Taxis and hotelsRound taxi fares up; a porter tip of about £2 is appreciated.
• Service chargeRestaurants often add an optional service charge, commonly 12.5%. If none is added, 10 to 15% is a usual tip for good service.

Local manners

• QueueingQueue in an orderly line and wait your turn, at bus stops and shops alike.
• Please and thanksSay please and thank you freely, to drivers, staff and strangers.
• SorryBrits say sorry even when it is not their fault; a quick apology goes a long way.
• Small talkTalk about the weather; it is a safe and friendly opener.
• EscalatorsOn Tube escalators, stand on the right and walk on the left.

Useful apps

• Citymapper: Your Transport AppBest live transit routes across London buses and tube
• Uber: Rides, eats, and moreRide-hailing around London with fixed fares shown
• Google MapsWalking directions and live tube and bus times
• Deliveroo: Food & ShoppingFood delivery from London restaurants to your door

Download links for these are in the London guide in the Journey app.

Before you book

Check your government’s travel advice before you book.