Attraction
British Museum
Britain's great museum of world history and culture in Bloomsbury, with free entry to a permanent collection spanning two million years of human civilisation.
The range of things to do in London is wide, and many of the best are free, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate Modern and the Natural History Museum. Westminster is home to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, while the City and the South Bank cover St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London and a riverside walk with theatres and galleries. Covent Garden and Soho sit at the heart of the West End, and areas such as Shoreditch, Camden, Notting Hill and Greenwich each have a distinct character.
London's food scene reflects its mix of communities, with markets such as Borough Market, curry houses on Brick Lane, Chinatown in Soho, traditional pubs and a large number of restaurants serving cuisines from around the world. Afternoon tea and Sunday roasts are popular with visitors. Four to five days is a sensible length for a first visit, giving time for the main museums, a West End show and a few neighbourhoods. With a week you can add day trips to places such as Windsor, Oxford or Bath.
Attraction
Britain's great museum of world history and culture in Bloomsbury, with free entry to a permanent collection spanning two million years of human civilisation.
Attraction
Nearly a thousand years of royal history on the Thames, home to the Crown Jewels, the White Tower and the famous Yeoman Warders.
Attraction
The nation's collection of Western European paintings on Trafalgar Square, with free entry to works from the 13th to the early 20th century.
Attraction
The Gothic church beside Parliament where English and British monarchs have been crowned for centuries, full of royal tombs and memorials.
Attraction
A cathedral-like Victorian museum in South Kensington with free galleries of dinosaurs, minerals, wildlife and earth sciences.
Attraction
Britain's national gallery of modern and contemporary art, set in a former power station on the South Bank with free collection displays.
Café
A specialty coffee shop and roaster's outlet at Borough Market, serving filter and espresso coffee and selling beans that can be sampled in store.
Café
A family-run Italian espresso bar on Frith Street, opened in 1949 and open from early morning until the small hours.
Café
A specialty coffee bar on Leather Lane near Farringdon, known for carefully prepared espresso and filter coffee and its barista training.
Hotel
A landmark luxury hotel on the Strand, open since 1889, with Thames views, the American Bar and the Gordon Ramsay Savoy Grill.
Hotel
A Mayfair grande dame dating back to 1812, famed for its Art Deco interiors, afternoon tea and long association with royalty and celebrity.
Hotel
César Ritz's Piccadilly hotel, opened in 1906, famous for its Louis XVI-style interiors and its afternoon tea in the Palm Court.
Hotel
A characterful Georgian townhouse hotel in Soho, named after the essayist William Hazlitt and furnished with antiques and period details.
Hotel
A Georgian-style boutique hotel tucked down a narrow lane by Smithfield, with period furniture, open fires and roll-top baths.
Hotel
The original Hoxton hotel, opened in 2006 near Old Street, with 210 compact-to-roomy bedrooms, a rooftop Peruvian restaurant and a busy lobby.
Bar
A celebrated Soho jazz club, founded in 1959 and now on Frith Street in Soho, with two shows a night and dining until late.
Bar
The Connaught hotel's award-winning Mayfair cocktail bar, named the world's best bar in The World's 50 Best Bars in 2020 and 2021.
Bar
A flower-covered Fuller's pub in Kensington dating from 1750, known for its memorabilia, real ales and long-running Thai kitchen.
Bar
A historic Fuller's pub hidden down Rose Street in Covent Garden, with wood-panelled rooms, a real fire and classic pub food.
Bar
An award-winning Bethnal Green cocktail bar with a French accent, listed in The World's 50 Best Bars in 2018 and 2019.
Restaurant
Fergus Henderson's influential Smithfield restaurant, founded in 1994 and known for nose-to-tail British cooking from a daily changing menu.
Restaurant
The original Dishoom, a Bombay-style café in Covent Garden serving breakfast, small plates, grills and curries from morning until late.
Restaurant
Founded by Thomas Rule in 1798, this Covent Garden institution serves traditional British dishes and is especially known for its game.
Restaurant
Brett Graham's Notting Hill restaurant, holding three Michelin stars in the 2026 guide for refined, produce-led modern cooking.
Restaurant
A Mayfair Indian restaurant inspired by colonial-era gymkhana clubs, holding two Michelin stars in the 2026 guide.
Restaurant
A grand all-day café-restaurant on Piccadilly, housed in a 1920s former car showroom and serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
Thing to do
London's celebrated food market beside London Bridge station, with traders selling produce, cheese, bread, street food and specialist groceries.
Thing to do
A landscaped public garden and viewing gallery on the top floors of 20 Fenchurch Street, with free timed tickets to admire the skyline.
Thing to do
A reconstruction of Shakespeare's open-air playhouse on Bankside, staging plays alongside the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and running guided tours.
Thing to do
A sprawling canal-side market in Camden Town spread across the Lock, the Stables and Hawley Wharf, known for street food and independent traders.
Thing to do
A Sunday-only street market off Hackney Road where traders sell cut flowers and plants, lined by around sixty independent shops.
Tour operator
A long-running London walking tour company offering guided walks every day, from Jack the Ripper and Beatles routes to village London and pub walks.
Tour operator
A London bike tour and hire company running guided cycle and e-bike tours of the capital's sights, plus hire of bikes from tandems to children's bikes.
Tour operator
A not-for-profit social enterprise whose London walking tours are led by guides with personal experience of homelessness.
Tour operator
High-speed RIB rides on the Thames from London Eye Pier, ranging from the hour-long Ultimate London Adventure to trips out to the Thames Barrier.
Tour operator
A London company running film and TV location tours, from Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes walks to coach trips to Downton Abbey country.
Four to five days is enough to see the main museums and landmarks and visit a few neighbourhoods. A week allows for day trips and a slower pace.
Covent Garden, Soho, South Bank and Westminster are central and convenient for first-time visitors. Kensington suits museum visits, while Shoreditch and King's Cross offer more choice at mid-range prices.
The Elizabeth line, the Heathrow Express to Paddington and the Piccadilly line all connect Heathrow with central London. Gatwick, Stansted and Luton are linked to the city by train.
London is an expensive city, particularly for hotels and dining out. Many major museums are free, and using contactless payment on public transport caps your daily fare.
Late spring and summer offer the most daylight and outdoor events, while autumn is quieter. Rain is possible at any time of year, so pack a light waterproof.