London is one of my most favourite places in the world. In my opinion, there’s a bit of everything. I have visited London many times throughout my life, and every time, there is something I haven’t done or seen before. Even the stuff I have done before, never cease to fascinate and excite me. In this blog, I’ll give you a guide of what you can do when you visit London. There is something for everyone whatever your interests are.
11 Things to do in London
For the history nerds…
#1 The Tower of London
Home to the Crown Jewels and the famous Yeoman Warders, the Tower of London is one of the fortresses in the world, it’s White Tower built in 1078. This World Heritage Site has been home to Kings and Queens throughout history, housing them before their coronations or their executions (most famously Anne Boleyn). The Tower was used as a prison from 1100 until 1952 (The Krays were the last to be imprisoned there). There is so much to learn here, it’s well worth the visit. The Tower is open daily, and entry currently costs £29.50 for adults. I would suggest spending at least half a day here. You can also have a Yeoman Warder guided tour around the Tower if you would prefer.
#2 Hampton Court Palace
In my opinion, Hampton Court Palace is one of the grandest buildings I have ever seen. The building was originally commissioned by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1514. When he fell from favour in 1529, it became one of King Henry VIII’s most favoured residences. King Henry VIII added to the already grand palace, and it was added to again in 1600’s by King William III. There is a lot of history within the walls of this Palace. There’s also rumour of ghosts roaming the halls. There are expansive gardens that belong to the palace which you can walk through. Hampton Court Palace is currently open Wednesday to Sunday (this will change during summertime) and tickets currently cost £26.10 for adults.
#3 Buckingham Palace
Probably one of the most famous landmarks in London, Buckingham Palace is the King’s official residence. Open for private guided tours through winter and spring and open to the public for 10 weeks in British Summertime, the Palace is home to vast state rooms and gardens. Exclusive Guided Tours are currently £90 per person. Summer opening prices are currently £30 if booked in advance, £33 if bought on the day.
The Queen’s Gallery is open most of the year. However, as it is part of a working palace, it is subject to closures at short notice, also note that the gallery is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Queen’s Gallery exhibits rare furniture and artwork that are part of the Royal Collection. Tickets for the Gallery currently cost £17 for adults.
The Royal Mews is open from March until October (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays). The Royal Mews is responsible for all road travel arrangements for the Royal Family and is home to one of the finest working stables in existence. It is also home to the magnificent 260-year-old Gold State Coach which has been used for generations for coronations and jubilees, it will be used in May 2023 for King Charles III’s coronation. Currently, adult tickets cost £15.
#4 Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is home to the current Prince and Princess of Wales, their family and other royals. This working palace is situated in Hyde Park and has housed Royals for over 300 years. As this is a living palace, only a small section is open to the public. I say small section, it’s a large palace and the section that is open is less than half of the main building. There is an interesting history at Kensington Palace, it is where Queen Victoria grew up under strict rules and where Princess Diana lived before her untimely death.
Museums…
#5 Natural History Museum
Housed in an architectural beauty, the Natural History Museum is fantastic! There is so much to see from dinosaurs, to fossils, to gems, an earthquake simulator and so much more. There is a magnificent whale skeleton hanging in the great hall, I recommend heading to the top floor to see it from above, it’s breath-taking. It is free to enter the museum, but note, there may be special exhibits or events you may have to pay for. You can expect to spend at least a half day here and you still won’t see all of it.
#6 British Museum
Head to a very popular photo spot, the British Museum. With its variety of exhibitions, you’ll learn so much here. As with most museums, entry here is free. Depending on how much you want to see is how long you can expect to be here. There are special events and visiting exhibitions throughout the year so keep an eye out on the British Museums website or social media pages for more information.
For insta worthy snaps…
#7 Sky Garden
Located on the 35th floor of a London skyscraper, you’ll visit the popular Sky Garden. It’s high viewpoint gives incredible views of London and the wider area. Even on a cloudy day you can see for miles (we could see the Wembley Stadium arch which is around 15 miles away). Photos do not do it justice; you just have to visit and see the views for yourself. Admission is free and you book a time slot which gives you an hour in the gardens. There are restaurants within the Sky Garden but they are on the pricey side.
#8 London Eye
Another spot for great snaps, the London Eye has amazing views of Westminster and the surrounding area. Located on the River Thames, the 32 pods slowly rotate round the wheel, the experience last around 30 minutes. Standard adult tickets cost around £40. As the London Eye is part of the Merlin Entertainments franchise, you are able to get multi-attraction passes which will get you into London Sealife Aquarium and Madame Tussauds (2-attraction pass is £50; 3-attraction pass is £60).
Note: Personally, I think the London Eye is expensive for what it is. You get much better views (and wider views of the city) either from the Sky Garden or from walking around Westminster and the rest of the city.
#9 Walking around London
Expect to rack up thousands of steps and a whole load of amazing photos while walking around the City of London. The city is very walkable, you’ll have no problem getting to and from each sight.
I would recommend starting somewhere like Buckingham Palace and walking up The Mall (the big red road in front of the place), you can go through to Trafalgar Square or Horse Guards Parade from here. From Trafalgar Square you can either head up to Leicester Square (check out the statues) or down through Whitehall (the Cenotaph and Downing Street) to Westminster (Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey). From Westminster, you can head along the Thames Embankment for views of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, The Shard, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and so much more. You’ll also find some hidden gems from time-to-time such as centuries-old steps down into the Thames. You’ll be walking a lot, but you’ll have a great time and there will be plenty of opportunities to stop along the way. London really is a fascinating place and there is so much to do and see!
Note: You can do hop-on-hop-off bus tours to get around if you aren’t keen on walking and/or want to see a lot of sights. I recommend going with Golden Tours. Tickets are either 1, 2 or 3 day passes with prices starting at £30. Please note that bus tour tickets do not include admission to attractions.
Costly but super worth it…
#10 West End Show
This is an absolute must! London’s famous West End is home to many musicals and plays. Whilst seeing a show can be costly, it is well worth it. You will leave which ever show you choose to see completely buzzing.
My recommendations:
SIX the Musical – Watch Henry VII’s wives battle it out for top queen in this fun musical concert. With historical fact bought to life through pop/rock songs and an all-female cast, you will not be disappointed. You’ll be singing the songs for days!
The Lion King – One of the best musicals I have ever seen! We all know the story and the music, but the stage show is something else! It amazing! I’ve seen it 5 times and it’s better every time.
Les Miserables – Based on the book by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables is brought to life in this incredible stage show. The show was updated in 2021 with new sets and stage choreography, some of the effects throughout the show are fantastic. This is one of my favourite musicals ever!
Note: Musicals and plays can cost anything from £20 to £200. You can use an app called TodayTix to try to get cheap tickets or you can visit box offices or ticket stands around London to see if you can get on the day or cheaper tickets.
#11 Harry Potter Studios
If you are a Harry Potter fan, you will want to visit the Warner Bros Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter. See the film sets, props and costumes for yourself and marvel at the intricate details of each film. The studios are just outside the City of London, it’ll take around 1-1.5 hours to get there from the city centre. Adult tickets cost around £50. You can either make your own way there (by driving or by train) or you could catch the Harry Potter bus. You can expect to spend a full day here. For more details about this amazing day trip, you can read my full magical Harry Potter Studios blog right here!
I can’t wait for my next trip to London in May 2023. I’ll be visiting some of my favourite places and going out to discover new places.
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