83 things to do in London, from the first pelican chicks born there in 360 years to a ball pit cocktail bar

London has enough to fill several lifetimes. We’ve narrowed it down to the things actually worth your time, the classics everyone should do at least once, and the ones most visitors never think to.

Let’s start this feature by acknowledging the cold, hard truth: it’s pretty tough to pick the best things to do in London. Even as a team of avid London chroniclers, our calendar is full of new spots that are opening, obscure gems and places we love so much they warrant going back time and time again. There are so many places to see in this city that you could write an encyclopaedia on it and barely scratch the surface.

That said, there are some landmarks, locations and activities that are so iconic or straight-up awesome that you simply have to give them a try. First time in London? Grab an eyeful of Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge and the London Eye. Live in London but not made time to see the exuberant Changing of the Guard ceremony or Roman worship at the Mithraeum? Shame on you.

These places and activities are the things we recommend everyone do in London. No matter how many times you’ve been or how long you’ve lived here, you’d be surprised by the things that fall through the cracks. You won’t find all of these destinations in the guidebooks, some are secret gems, others are some of the city’s biggest icons, but they all offer a genuine slice of London worth experiencing.

Worth knowing before you dive in: this is an evergreen guide, the kind of list you can come back to whenever, built around things that are genuinely always worth doing in London. If you’re after what’s actually on right now, check our guides to things to do in London today, this week or this weekend instead.

Ready to explore? Let’s roll.

Unmissable things to do in London

Snap pics at Buckingham Palace

If you don’t snap a picture out the front of Buckingham Palace, have you really even visited London? The chances of actually seeing royalty are pretty low, but it’s definitely a London must-see.

Those iconic gates also make quite the backdrop for your snapping spree, but did you know you can actually step inside and explore parts of the palace yourself when the State Rooms open for summer?

How to go? Check availability and book your ticket directly through the Royal Collection Trust.

Ride the London Eye

The London Eye has long cast off its rather dated original name, The Millennium Wheel, but it still has the great views and wow factor it did when it opened in the year 2000. Let’s face it, you can’t not feature it in a guide to the top places you ought to see in London.

Glide serenely around the 25-minute circuit and take in the views. You can see the entire city unfolding beneath you, even as far away as Windsor on a clear day.

How to go? Book your tickets in advance directly with the London Eye.

Visit Westminster Abbey

You may recognise Westminster Abbey as the backdrop for several elaborate royal weddings that were beamed around the world, Charles and Diana, Kate and Wills among them. If it’s fit for a royal wedding then you just know it’s going to be pretty spectacular, and it sure is.

It’s also the final resting place of some of Britain’s most famous people. That list is too long to recreate here, but includes a slew of kings and queens, eight prime ministers, Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer, Henry Purcell, William Wilberforce and Laurence Olivier, among others.

How to go? Buy tickets with an audio guide directly through Westminster Abbey’s own site.

Visit the Kyoto Garden

We doubt you expected to find a Japanese garden in London, but then again why should you be surprised, this is one of the most multicultural cities in the world after all. The Kyoto Garden was given as a gift by the people of Kyoto, marking the friendship between our two nations.

It’s a delightful place for a stroll, with some truly stunning features, a many-tiered waterfall and a collection of Japanese stone lamps just the tip of the iceberg.

How to go? Visit Holland Park, opening times can be found here.

See immersive art at Frameless

London has some of the world’s finest art galleries, but if you’d like something new, pop down to Frameless. They take what you’ll find on the walls of The Tate and The National Gallery and blow it up to larger-than-life sizes, warping and animating it so it feels like you’re actually walking through the masterworks of art history. Let us tell you, it’s impressive.

How to go? Book a ticket directly.

Try the duelling bagels of Brick Lane

For many years there’s been a divide among Londoners. It involves two famed bagel houses on Brick Lane, so entrenched in our collective imagination that you need only refer to them as “the yellow one” and “the white one.”

Beigel Bake (the white one) has the perk of running 24/7, while The Bagel Shop (the yellow one) offers the charm of history, it’s the first and oldest bagel shop in London, founded in 1855.

How to go? If you want to join the debate, grab a pastrami from both and choose your side.

Catch views at Sky Garden

There are a few impressive gardens in London, but perhaps the most unusual is Sky Garden. As the name suggests, it’s a green space near the top of the “Walkie Talkie” building, England’s highest public garden, and totally free.

How to go? Book a free visit here or pop in for breakfast when there are zero queues. They also throw some pretty wild parties up here for the big nights of the year (New Year’s Eve, Halloween), check their site nearer the time.

Witness Roman worship at the London Mithraeum

London has had a long and storied past. We can trace this city all the way back to the Romans, and in fact, some of the Roman rituals are still recreated today. At the London Mithraeum, the ancient rites of Mithras worship are recreated for all to see, on the very site where Mithras was worshipped thousands of years ago.

The museum also holds interesting artefacts found on the dig site, one only discovered in the 1950s.

How to go? Book your free, timed entry directly.

Hear the PM speak at the Houses of Parliament and see Big Ben

Say what you like about politicians, you’ve got to admit they’ve got a pretty incredible home base in London, the intricate Gothic architecture is seriously top-notch. You can tour the insides when they’re not busy running the country, or attend the famed shouting match that is Prime Minister’s Questions, as well as other debates, so long as there’s space, they’ll let you in.

You’ll also be able to snap pics in front of Big Ben, top marks if you can tell us its real name.

How to go? Book a tour directly with UK Parliament.

Look around the London Transport Museum

Not all of London’s museums hold items dating back millennia. One we think you really should see covers a few hundred years of groundbreaking innovation in London’s transport. At the London Transport Museum, you’ll see vintage vehicles from the days when buses were just hitting the road, tube posters from when the tube only ran one line, and heaps of other weird and wonderful things you didn’t know you wanted to see until you stumbled across them here.

Walk across Tower Bridge

Pretty close to the top of the list of things to see in London is Tower Bridge (not to be confused with the far less pretty London Bridge further upriver). Impressive, majestic, imposing, we could think of lots of superlatives to use here, but we recommend you just check it out for yourself.

Don’t miss the chance to walk across the glass platform on the top deck and watch the ant people crossing beneath you, if you dare.

How to go? Buy tickets in advance for a discount.

Take a gin distillery tour

In recent years London has undergone a bit of a gin revolution. The botanical spirit has gone from being the gut-rot drunk during the Victorian ages to a spirit of noble standing among hipster distilleries pushing it to entirely new levels.

You can tour many of these distilleries and sample their finest liquor as you go, many offering masterclasses on pairing the right flavours of gin with the right tonics.

How to go? Here’s our guide to the best gin distillery tours in the capital.

Get into London’s grisly history at the Tower of London

The clearest example of London’s dramatic and sometimes devilish history is the Tower of London. Centuries ago, it was the place for notorious prisoners, generally of the political variety.

Today, it’s a kind of grim attraction, with the added bonus of being home to the impressive Crown Jewels and a tradition that’s happened daily for the past 700 years.

How to go? Book tickets directly with Historic Royal Palaces.

Take a high-speed tour of the Thames

You could, should you choose, cruise the Thames on a Thames Clipper, putting along at a stable and comfortable speed, idly waiting for the next big landmark to pop up. Then again, you could whiz down the river at breakneck speeds on the back of a speedboat, imagine how Big Ben looks as you zip by at high speed, or the adrenaline you’ll feel narrowly missing one of the struts holding up Tower Bridge.

A couple of companies offer this, if you’re bold enough to give it a try, we’d recommend Thames Tigers or Thames Rockets.

How to go? Book in advance on one of the above links.

Dine at The Shard

If you’re looking for the best things to see in London, you won’t need to work hard to spot The Shard, Europe’s tallest building and immediately recognisable as the most glittering part of the London skyline. There’s a super impressive observation deck, as well as several bars and restaurants (including one of our favourites, Aqua Shard) if you want to get inside.

How to go? Free just to look, or book a table at one of the restaurants, or visit The View from The Shard directly, prepare to spend big bucks either way, the tableside views explain why.

Get lost in the lights of Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus is one of those totally overwhelming and totally awesome places that remind you you’re standing in one of the world’s great cities. A road junction in London’s West End, it’s a central point for shopping, nightlife and dining, as well as a bright attraction in its own right.

Don’t just look at the big screens though, make sure to look out for the Eros Statue for a good slice of an older side of London.

Be wowed by St Paul’s Cathedral

Wondering what to see in London? St Paul’s Cathedral should go straight to the top of your list. Arguably Sir Christopher Wren’s most beautiful work, and he had a fair few, the Baroque beauty is free to enter if you are worshipping, or grab a ticket to explore it all, including the Dome.

Don’t forget to descend into the crypt, where you’ll find the graves of some truly fascinating people including Sir Alexander Fleming, Lord Nelson and Turner.

How to go? Book a ticket directly with St Paul’s.

Spend time in Trafalgar Square

London’s most famous public square was originally named to commemorate Britain’s victory over France in the Napoleonic Wars. Today, it’s a bustling hub in central London, expect lots of people, various art installations and buskers.

There’s also the Fourth Plinth, an art installation that changes every few years, and the faces of the bizarre-looking lions to take a good look at, once you know what we mean you really can’t unsee it. Just don’t feed the pigeons, it’s against the rules.

Check out the waxworks at Madame Tussauds London

If you ask us, there’s nothing quite as fun as pulling silly poses next to your favourite celebrity, and Madame Tussauds is the global attraction that lets you do just that. We might be biased, but we think London has the best Madame Tussauds, from Marvel heroes and singers (we always head straight for Queen Bey) to Star Wars characters and a couple of Royal faces.

How to go? Book your tickets directly.

Shop in Covent Garden

Exploring one of the city’s most iconic and bustling neighbourhoods is definitely one of the things you have to do in London. We’re talking about Covent Garden, with its plethora of fabulous shopping, dining and nightlife options, prepare your credit card for a rinsing if you go shopping, otherwise just gawk at the talented (and not-so-talented) performers thronging around the market.

The area is also full of great pubs and more than its fair share of great restaurants if you need somewhere to recharge after your shopping spree.

See the smallest listed buildings in London

With history in such abundance here, London has hundreds of protected buildings, it’s two of the smallest that are among our favourites, and guess what, they’re not even buildings. They’re actually phone boxes, the prototypes that went on to become the K2 phone boxes, standing in the entrance to the Royal Academy and well worth a poke around and a snap.

How to go? Visit during the RA’s opening hours, you’ll find the boxes in the grand gateway, bright red, you can’t miss them.

Have a wild night in Soho

Long associated with the more salacious side of life, Soho has been London’s nightlife hotspot for decades thanks to its proximity to the city’s theatres. It’s also been a hangout for London’s famous artists and writers, Bacon, Burroughs and Freud all spent time milling about the cafes and bars of Soho’s seedy streets.

While it’s cleaned up its act a little today, it’s still got that decadent vibe, the naughty neon signage certainly helps, alongside the great spread of bars on offer.

Watch a football game

Football is a way of life in the UK, and London is home to some of the world’s most famous clubs. We’ll let you into a secret though, we’re not even massive footie fans, what we will say is that seeing a game live is an experience you’ll never forget.

The energy is electric, the passion unrivalled. London on match day is something else, one of those things you sort of have to do in this city, up there with the London Eye and drinking pints in a famous boozer.

How to go? Pick a team you want to see play and book tickets via their website, well in advance.

Get an eye for archaeology at the British Museum

If you could only visit one museum in your entire life, the British Museum would be a pretty good shout. The history under its roof is astonishing, particularly the Egyptian collection, which includes the famed Rosetta Stone and some stunning sculptures, and if it’s sculpture you want, the Greek section has you covered too.

Our favourite item in the collection isn’t in either of those areas, though. It’s found upstairs, the Sutton Hoo helmet, a stunning Anglo-Saxon piece found while excavating a ship burial.

How to go? Entry is free, so just turn up, or book a guided tour directly.

See the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (or Horse Guards Parade)

Us Brits love a bit of pomp and pageantry, especially involving the Royal Family, and it doesn’t get more pageant-y or pompous, in a good way, than the Changing of the Guard. That’s the well-known ceremony where the Palace Guards do an elaborate handover between the Old Guard and the New Guard, and you can also see the parade at Horse Guards Parade if you can’t get enough.

How to go? It’s free to watch, be sure to get there early, or read our full guide on the best places and times to visit.

Explore Chinatown

Walking around Chinatown is probably our second favourite thing to do in this city, after eating our way around Chinatown. The area can be overlooked amid the heaving crowds of tourists and abundance of choice, but if you know where to look you’ll find some seriously good places to eat, Beijing Dumpling is one of those spots, and the ever-fantastic Four Seasons is another.

When you step back out into the street, belly full and the area’s lanterns hanging above, you can’t help but feel the magic.

Be a culture vulture on the South Bank

The South Bank is one of London’s most bustling spots and a real must-do. The name gives it away, a stretch along the south bank of the Thames, and one of London’s most important cultural hubs to boot. The South Bank Centre, BFI Southbank, Royal Festival Hall and The National Theatre mean that if you’re looking for musical performances, art exhibitions, theatre or film, it’s a great place to start.

Add a fab second-hand book market, street food market and some brilliant restaurants and you’re onto a winner.

How to go? See what’s on at the South Bank Centre website. Read our South Bank area guide too.

See Churchill’s War Rooms

You can actually visit the very rooms where Winston Churchill conducted the Second World War. The Churchill War Rooms are a spin through some of this city’s most recent major history, and one that provides plenty of visceral insight into the running of the world’s greatest conflict.

They’ve kept the rooms much as they were in the 1940s, with information added for context, a real hands-on experience, as much about feeling the tension of the day as learning about it.

How to go? Turn up or book a ticket directly with IWM.

Drink at London’s old pubs

If there’s one thing both local Londoners and visitors love equally, it’s visiting London’s old pubs, definite contenders for London’s most important cultural icons. They range from kooky and quirky through to modern foodie haunts, with plenty of crossover, and there’s even a few said to be haunted, so keep your wits about you as you sip a pint.

If you only hit one, make it Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street, possibly the oldest of the bunch, said to be haunted, and once the watering hole of Mark Twain and Charles Dickens.

See the pelicans and relax on the lawn at St James’s Park

St James’s Park, the 23-hectare green space that sits out the front of Buckingham Palace, has ample space for a picnic, a gorgeous lake and playground equipment for the kids. You’ll also find plenty of squirrels and some pretty spectacular birds, did you ever expect to catch pelican feeding time at a park in London?

2026 brought a genuine milestone too, the first pelican chicks born in the park’s history.

How to go? Find more information at the Royal Parks website.

See great art and soak in the history at Somerset House

Somerset House is one of central London’s most striking spots. An old historic mansion, the last of the Thameside palaces that once lined this part of the river, it’s been transformed into a cultural hotspot that doubles as an art gallery, event space, cafe, restaurant and entrepreneurial hub, there’s always plenty to explore.

That art gallery, The Courtauld, is a good one too, with excellent Renaissance and modern art, including Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.

How to go? See what’s on at the Somerset House website.

Find London’s Harry Potter filming locations

There is something about stepping foot in London that makes you suddenly go a little bit (or maybe a lot) Potter mad, it happens to everyone. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get your HP fix, there are many Harry Potter filming locations in London, making it easy to do a DIY whip around a few spots, or make a day of it with our own Harry Potter self-guided walking tour.

The places you’ll visit are scattered between many of the must-see things in London too, so it’s a good way to take in the sights.

Go indoor skydiving

Adrenaline junkies gather round. London has an indoor skydiving tunnel where you can simulate the effects of falling from the sky at extreme speed. We’ve been down there and can confirm it’s hella good fun, you’ll also be amazed by the skill of the people operating the thing, and you can even take your jump in VR and watch a simulated skyline pass you by.

How to go? Book tickets directly, well in advance.

Live the life aquatic at the Sea Life London Aquarium

Did you have a fish tank as a kid? Now imagine that times about fifty thousand, and you’ve come some of the way to imagining the Sea Life London Aquarium. As well as one giant tank with all sorts of cool sea creatures, there are numerous other exhibits with marine animals including penguins and sea turtles.

Our favourite part? The shark tunnel, and the section near the start where you can walk over the top of the tank and see what’s going on below.

How to go? Book your ticket directly.

Enjoy an afternoon tea

If there’s one must-try signature dish in London, it’s afternoon tea, complete with scones, sandwiches and, most importantly, tea. The city presents plenty of options, you can stop off for a simple, quick one, or, as we suggest, head somewhere a little more fancy and enjoy the whole experience in style.

We’ve got a guide to all the best ones here, including a guide to vegan afternoon tea.

How to go? Book one of the city’s famous afternoon teas, The Ritz, Claridge’s, The Dorchester and The Goring are classics.

Discover the history of the Knights Templar at Temple Church

This peculiar church located just off Fleet Street is one of the oldest buildings in London, experts date it back to the reign of King John (1199-1216). Why the name Temple? Because it was originally owned by the Knights Templar, that’s how old this place is.

You can have a good look around, much has been renovated over the centuries, but there are some genuinely ancient bits to see. Read the full history in our article here.

How to go? Check opening times here, they do vary slightly, and head down when it’s open.

Walk Millennium Bridge (if you dare)

One of the most interesting things about London is the juxtaposition of historic old buildings and brand-new ones. Take the Millennium Bridge, a glitzy, relatively new bridge spanning the Thames, everyone in London seems to have an opinion on it, love it or hate it, very few people are ambivalent, so why not add yours?

Oh, but beware, it has been known to wobble.

Climb the O2 Arena

We used to call it the Millennium Dome, now it’s known as the O2 Arena, either way, it’s one of London’s most iconic buildings. But did you know you can actually climb to the top of it in a daring afternoon of fun? At Up at the O2, you’ll strap in and ascend to one of the best viewing points in the city.

How to go? Book ahead directly.

Soak up the finest in modern art at Tate Modern

Tate Modern is the younger and more rebellious sister of the stately Tate Britain. Devoted to modern art, it’s the best place in London if you’ve any interest in contemporary work, the collection is a who’s who of modern art, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso, you name it.

How to go? Plan your visit on Tate Modern’s website. You can cross Millennium Bridge to get there, ticking off two entries in one.

Or soak up some art history at the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery

Sitting side by side, the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery house two of Europe’s most important art collections. The National Gallery features works by many of the world’s great artists, from the 12th to 20th century, while the National Portrait Gallery selects works based on the significance of the subject.

How to go? Entrance to both is free. The National Gallery also offers late-night art classes from time to time.

Visit Dickens’ House

Few people have impacted the English language like Dickens, and few have captured the London they lived in like him either. Whether you’re an avid reader or just curious what Dickensian London was really like, you’ll get a kick out of the Dickens Museum, based out of his old house and preserved well by the team behind it, you can see the desk he wrote some of his finest works from, and the podium he gave his renowned readings from.

Stroll in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Sure, London’s got some very old parks to explore, but there’s also a pretty special new one. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has lovely waterside walks and heaps of nature along the way, plus the Olympic Stadium and art trails to check out as you explore.

Our favourite part of the day? Finishing off the walk with a pint in one of Hackney Wick’s fantastic craft breweries.

How to go? Check the park’s website for the latest opening times.

See The Monument

It’s hard to overstate the impact the Great Fire of London had on the city back in 1666. Not only did several Londoners lose their lives, but it razed much of the city to the ground, and there’s no starker reminder of this than The Monument, an impressive column erected to memorialise the event.

How to go? You can walk right up and around The Monument, but to climb to the top you’ll need advance tickets from The Monument’s website.

Eat your way around Borough Market

Borough Market is a food lover’s dream come true. Located under a railway line not far from London Bridge, it’s totally enticing, with food from all over the world, from British scotch eggs to Argentinian street food and so much in between. Prepare to be amazed, and to leave very full.

If you fancy yourself a foodie, we’ve got you covered on what to eat here.

Ride the Thames Clipper

Don’t just take in the Thames from the riverside, get on it with the Thames Clipper. It’s one of those London secrets hidden in plain sight, a public transport service plying its way along the river, and a jaunt that won’t break the bank.

How to go? Get tickets from the Thames Clipper website or tap in with a contactless card at the pier.

Check out The Barbican Centre

The Barbican is one of the capital’s most controversial buildings, built in the Brutalist style, so much so that it was once voted the ugliest building in London. We strongly disagree, it’s one of the city’s most striking examples of 20th-century architecture, and that’s before you get inside, it’s a bit of a maze, but there’s a theatre, cinema, concert hall and a large-scale conservatory filled with flora from around the world.

How to go? Visit the Barbican’s website to see what’s on.

Learn about this city’s history at London Museum

So, London has a lot of great museums, but what about one totally devoted to the capital itself? Enter London Museum, formerly known as Museum of London. The old London Wall site closed for good in December 2022 after 45 years, and the museum’s new, free permanent galleries open in Smithfield’s beautifully restored Victorian General Market on 28 November 2026, a decade-long, £437 million transformation.

Expect highlights including the Lord Mayor’s Coach, Banksy’s Piranhas artwork, Charles I’s execution vest and the Cheapside Hoard, alongside archaeological treasures from beneath the Bloomberg building, discovered during the Mithraeum dig. Until then, London Museum Docklands remains open, also free.

How to go? Check London Museum’s website for the latest on the Smithfield opening.

See a play at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Sadly, Shakespeare’s original Globe Theatre is no longer with us, but we do have this very sympathetic replica to enjoy, not too far from where the original stood, and full of interesting history. The programme includes plenty of Shakespeare as well as other shows, and tickets can be very affordable, especially if you book last minute and aren’t too picky.

Our top tip: book standing tickets. If you can handle watching a play on your feet they’re a great way to save money, and that’s how most people would have taken in Shakespeare back in the day.

How to go? Book directly at The Globe’s website.

Or see a West End play or National Theatre show

There’s no doubt one of the top things to do in London is catch a show. Head for the bright lights of the West End, or the more high-brow National Theatre, whichever you choose, you’re in for a treat, London attracts many of the world’s best shows and there’s always something cool happening.

We keep an up-to-date guide of everything on stage right here, and a night in the West End is nothing without a bit of dinner.

How to go? Book directly with individual theatres or via London Theatre.

Relax in Hyde Park

Arguably the world’s most famous park (take that, New York), a visit to Hyde Park is definitely one of the main things to do in London. Covering 142 hectares, it’s the largest of London’s Royal Parks and the perfect place to escape the city’s sprawling concrete jungle, with no end of life to see, from riding pedalos on the Serpentine Lake to perusing art at the Serpentine Galleries, or just chilling on the grass with a good book.

How to go? Visit the Royal Parks website.

Get your detective on at the Sherlock Holmes Museum

More than a century after the original book was penned, the Sherlock Holmes detective stories, and their various screen adaptations, still delight audiences around the world. The Sherlock Holmes Museum takes you through the world of Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective, and gives insight into the author and what inspired him.

How to go? Purchase tickets on arrival, check the museum’s website for more info.

Stroll in Regent’s Park

Another Royal Park, Regent’s Park is tucked between Baker Street and Camden, offering a gloriously green escape just north of the centre. London has a lot of parks, but there’s a lot to love here, the Isabella Plantation, a gorgeous woodland full of shady copses and pretty azaleas, and Queen Mary’s Rose Garden, which bursts into bloom each summer, are two highlights.

Have more time? Head to ZSL London Zoo, also in the park.

How to go? Check the Royal Parks website for info and opening times.

Check out animals at ZSL London Zoo

ZSL London Zoo is one of the oldest in the world, and more importantly, at the forefront of animal welfare and conservation work. It’s pretty amazing to see so many animals from all over the world, you might even forget you’re right in the middle of London.

It’s one of our picks for the best things to do in the capital if you’re with kids, and adults should keep an eye open for the Zoo Lates that run through the year.

How to go? Book tickets directly.

Shop in Camden Market

There’s no denying London is seriously cool. Fashion, art, theatre, we’re at the forefront of it all, and if you’re looking to up your own style stakes, head to Camden Market and pick up some very chic souvenirs.

The several markets that together make up Camden Market are some of London’s most iconic shopping spots. While the shopping scene isn’t quite as cool as it used to be, it’s still a must-see, with plenty of quirky and brilliant pieces to take home.

How to go? Check the website for more information and opening hours.

Visit the grave of Marx in Highgate Cemetery

If you end up buried in Highgate Cemetery, you know you’ve made it, possibly not for a great reason, but made it nonetheless. It’s a bit of an unusual choice, but we highly recommend a stroll amongst the graves, the overgrown cemetery is really quite something, not least because it’s the final resting place of many notable people.

Pick up a map to find the most famous ones, Karl Marx among them.

How to go? Check Highgate Cemetery’s site for opening times.

Take a hop-on-hop-off bus tour and see all the sights in a day

If you want to see all the London sights and you’re feeling impatient about getting it done, let us introduce you to a novel idea: the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. The concept is simple, you get on a bus that whips you around all the must-see places in London while you listen to a guide, then jump off at the most interesting points and hop back on when you’re ready.

How to go? Book onto a tour with The Original Tour.

Swim on Hampstead Heath

A sprawling green space, Hampstead Heath is one of London’s largest and oldest public parks, perfect for a walk or a picnic. Perhaps the most popular and unique attraction, however, are the three outdoor swimming pools on offer, especially good for a warm summer’s day, though the chills don’t deter plucky Londoners in the colder months either.

Walk the canals of Little Venice

Tucked away in a quiet but beautiful part of London, Little Venice feels like an escape to a different city. There aren’t as many canals as in Venice, but the combination of colourful boats (some home to cafes, restaurants and even a theatre) and pretty canals is a winning one.

You can even take a ride on a gondola, or hire out your own boat and make a day of it.

Eat curry and shop vintage on Brick Lane

Everyone’s heard of Brick Lane. Carving its way from Shoreditch to Whitechapel, it’s just as cool as it ever was thanks to an energetic vibe and appealing mix of markets, restaurants, vintage shops and street art. Famous for the curry houses that once lined large parts of it, there are still a few gems standing, where better to go for a curry and some BYO drinks on a Friday night, or to pick up some vintage threads if you’re a fashionista?

Ride the famous cable cars

How does a cable car ride over the Thames sound? Great, and it’s not going to be hella expensive either. These bad boys are not only one of the most unique ways to catch a glimpse of the city from above, they’re also one of the most affordable too, running between North Greenwich and the ExCeL, though we wouldn’t blame you for just hopping on for the ride there and back.

How to go? Book directly with the London Cable Car, or combine your ticket with a Thames Clipper journey.

Discover some great street art in Shoreditch

Shoreditch was covered in street art way before it was cool. Today, it’s one of the world’s best street art locations, fact. Pieces range from the politically charged to the world-renowned, including a piece by THE Banksy, and the scene is ever-changing, no two visits will ever be the same.

How to go? Do a DIY tour, or read our own guide to Shoreditch street art.

Take a Jack the Ripper tour of the East End

The story of Jack the Ripper, with his spate of violent and gruesome murders of women in the East End, is one of the most gripping cold cases in history, and still continues to intrigue. Much of the area he stalked is still about, and still hung with the dark past he left behind.

You can delve into the grisly world of Jack the Ripper’s London on a tour of the East End, though it’s maybe not ideal for young children.

How to go? Book a walking tour directly with London Walks.

Witness geezers flogging flowers at Columbia Road Flower Market

Onto far more lighthearted things but still staying in London’s East End, we just love the gorgeous Columbia Road Flower Market. Every Sunday, this market springs to life with an amazingly colourful selection of cut and potted flowers, many sold by vendors who’ve been at it for decades, with a great atmosphere to match.

How to go? Turn up on a Sunday morning when the market is running. Our top tip: arrive around 1-2pm as the market’s closing and you can snag some killer deals on the plants.

Be stunned by God’s Own Junkyard

If there’s one thing this quirky art store-cum-gallery has never said, it’s “I think that might be too much neon.” This kaleidoscope of colour is stacked full of it, thanks to the late collector and neon artist Chris Bracey, with genuinely memorable results, if you’re after a seriously cool souvenir of your time in London, this is a good shout.

How to go? No booking necessary, visit the website for more information.

Learn about the Cutty Sark

Once at the cutting edge of engineering, the old ship Cutty Sark is now an artefact of the maritime past. It’s seriously cool to look around and imagine the days it would have spent sailing the high seas in the late 19th century, one of the fastest ships of its time, used for getting tea around the empire as quickly as possible.

How to go? Book tickets directly with the Royal Museums Greenwich.

Stand on the Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory

Greenwich is home to many of the capital’s most interesting attractions, few more so than the Royal Observatory and the Greenwich Meridian. It’s pretty incredible to stand on the point where time is measured from, longitude 0 degrees, tucked inside the grounds of an observatory that’s been at the forefront of astronomy and physics for centuries.

You can even visit the planetarium while you’re there.

How to go? Book tickets directly with Royal Museums Greenwich.

Embrace your inner kid at a ball pit cocktail bar

This addition to the London bar scene is a curious one, but we love it for a chance to blast your way down memory lane. It’s essentially a bar with a bunch of ball pits, and no small amount of puns about their balls, you get sloshed, you jump around, it’s all a whole load of fun. Simple.

How to go? Book yourself in here.

Be moved by The Painted Hall

The Painted Hall is another case of Sir Christopher Wren totally smashing it out of the park. The architect, who also designed St Paul’s Cathedral, created this incredible Baroque hall alongside Nicholas Hawksmoor, and it’s often nicknamed “London’s Sistine Chapel,” no, that’s not overhyping it at all.

How to go? Book your ticket online to secure entry.

Watch a candlelight concert

In recent years London has undergone a candlelit concert craze, there’s not a weekend that goes by without some kind of candlelit event to attend. You basically see a concert that ranges from orchestral versions of your favourite pop music or film scores to renditions of grand classical suites, all performed in stunning locations like churches and town halls lit by thousands of candles. It. Is. Stunning.

How to go? You can find a list of upcoming concerts here.

Dig into military history at the Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum documents every major conflict Britain has been involved in since the First World War, and does it with real weight, the Holocaust Galleries in particular are among the most carefully designed of their kind anywhere. There’s plenty here beyond the two World Wars too, an espionage gallery covering the Special Operations Executive, a genuine Spitfire and V-2 rocket suspended overhead, and a rotating third-floor exhibition space.

Allow at least three hours if you want to do it justice.

How to go? Entry is free, book a timed ticket directly with IWM to guarantee entry during busy periods.

Get kooky at the Horniman Museum

The Horniman Museum rarely makes it onto visitors’ lists of must-see museums in London, more’s the shame, as this kooky museum is one of our favourites. It was started by a collector who, let’s be honest, seemed like a bit of an oddball, and the end result is a truly distinctive museum unlike any other in London, taxidermy, hands-on exhibits and temporary shows that pop up on an ad-hoc basis.

The Horniman was also the first UK museum to send Benin Bronzes back to Nigeria, a genuinely admirable move.

How to go? No booking required, entry is free.

Go on an immersive cocktail experience

Immersive is a buzzword we’ve been hearing a little too much of in recent years, but when it comes to the cocktail experiences this city does so well, we’re willing to give it a pass. These are places you go to get dressed up and take part in a little immersive theatre, with cocktails along the way, smuggling booze into a mock Alcatraz, or stepping into a mock Avatar world.

It’s never anything less than a good laugh, and quite unlike anything else you can experience in London.

How to go? Search current experiences directly with providers like Alcotraz.

Expand your waistline at Brixton Village

Brixton Village is one of the earliest spots to put Brixton firmly on London’s hipster map. What was a sad, run-down market was transformed into a haven of pop-ups, cool restaurants and independent boutiques around a decade ago, and it’s been going strong ever since, many of the old market and shop traders still there, sitting alongside some of Brixton’s best-known restaurants and bars, Honest Burgers’ original location among them.

How to go? Just turn up, but bring an appetite.

See the dinosaurs at Crystal Palace Park

Things weren’t all grim and glum in Victorian London, a number of “pleasure parks” were opened throughout the capital in the period. One of these was Crystal Palace Park, a lovely spot for a summer picnic, home to the weird Victorian dinosaur installations dotted around the park, the beady-eyed will notice they’re horribly inaccurate but pretty cool nonetheless.

The dinosaurs have just come through a full restoration, declared complete in July 2026 and repainted in their original Victorian colours.

How to go? Check the Crystal Palace Park Trust website for the latest opening times.

Go to outer space at The Science Museum

Learning is cool, okay? No, seriously, it is, at The Science Museum in South Kensington’s Museum Mile. With tons of fun and interactive exhibits, it’s always on our list of great places for an inspiring afternoon, one minute you’re learning about the Space Race, the next what really makes our brains work.

How to go? Entry is free, no booking required.

Dive into high culture at the Victoria and Albert Museum

A cultured day out in London doesn’t come much better than a visit to the opulent Victoria & Albert Museum. It’s a museum of applied design, which might sound a little dull, but don’t be fooled, you’ll be perusing everything from large-scale Greek and Roman statues to decadent interiors, Asian ceramics and Persian rugs, plus a jaunt through the history of fashion.

Wear comfortable shoes.

How to go? Entry is free, no booking required.

Shop on Portobello Road

Portobello Road is one of London’s most famous shopping areas, and it’s not all about malls and high street brands like you might find on Oxford Street. What you’ll find are collections of antique shops and vintage stores selling everything from vintage fashion to trinkets from every corner of the world.

You can also swing by some of Notting Hill’s pastel-coloured houses, easily one of the most photogenic parts of the city.

Learn about our animals of the past at the Natural History Museum

Walking a fine line between kind of creepy and utterly awesome, the Natural History Museum is one of the most iconic places you can visit in the capital. There’s a truly incredible amount of taxidermy here, plus exhibitions devoted to our solar system and a giant animatronic T-Rex that’s been scaring the life out of little kids for years.

How to go? Entry is free, no booking required.

Take a ride on the Mail Rail

London’s underground is world famous, but there’s another subterranean railway you ought not miss. It’s the Mail Rail, a small, old train once used to transport mail around the city, and these days it’s open for anyone to ride, passing right under the heart of London in a tiny, capsule-like carriage, while you hear all about the history behind it.

How to go? Book tickets directly with the Postal Museum.

Spot royals at Kensington Palace and Gardens

If you’re hoping to spot a young royal, and let’s be honest, aren’t we all, your best bet is Kensington Palace and Gardens. It’s been the London home of certain branches of British royalty since the 17th century, and has plenty of history to go with it, even if you don’t spot Kate, Wills and their brood, the palace and gardens are still pretty spectacular.

How to go? Book your ticket and tour directly with Historic Royal Palaces.

Stroll the stunning Kew Gardens

Calling Kew a “garden” seems like a mammoth understatement given its full name, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It’s the largest botanical garden in the world, and it’s seriously sprawling, divided into various subsections, including the Diana Memorial Garden.

It’s worth checking the website for special events, Kew never shies away from a chance to lay on an interesting evening or two.

How to go? Book your ticket directly with Kew.

Visit the home of Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace

We’ve all heard the tales of Henry VIII, England’s most infamous king (and rather dreadful husband), so why not visit one of his favourite palaces? Beautiful in an imposing way, Hampton Court’s elaborate Baroque and Tudor architecture is half-fortress, half OTT palace, also home to a surprisingly beautiful garden, tennis courts, the world’s largest grapevine and a rather intriguing maze that’s 100% more difficult than it looks.

Visit in winter for a spin on their ice rink, one of the biggest in London.

How to go? Book your tickets directly with Historic Royal Palaces.

See deer at Richmond Park

London has lots of parks, but this one has a special place in our hearts. The main reason it’s one of the best places to go in London is its abundance of rather adorable deer, don’t get too close though, they are wild animals.

Even without the deer, Richmond Park is one of the most striking parks in London, a Royal Park where the deer are a throwback to the days when Henry VIII used to hunt here. There’s a rather complex history to the hunting ground too, and to a certain location within it.

The London x London Take: if you’re only in town for a couple of days, string together Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s and the South Bank on foot and you’ll cover a genuinely huge amount of ground in an afternoon. For a longer stay, it’s the smaller, stranger entries on this list, the Mithraeum, God’s Own Junkyard, the ball pit cocktail bar, that make repeat visits to London worth it.

Unmissable places in London: map