London is one of the world’s great cities, with seemingly unlimited things to see and do. From the many historical sights of England’s monarchy to the amazing food scene of modern London, it’s easy for a traveler to feel overwhelmed with options. So what are the best things to do in London on your first trip?
While you can’t see it all, you can get a good mix of travel experiences. My list includes things that are quintessential London and doable on a quick visit to the city. I managed to do all of these in 48 hours, so you can trust me.
Visit Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is the church where England’s royal coronations, weddings, and funerals have been held for nearly 1000 years. Visiting the abbey allows you to connect all of English history from the Middle Ages to today. The architecture of this gothic cathedral is spectacular too, with soaring vaulted ceilings and intricate stained glass windows. There really is something of interest to everyone at Westminster Abbey.
When you visit the abbey, you’ll get an audioguide that tells you about some of the many memorials. You’ll see the tombs of several monarchs, including King Edward the Confessor and Queen Elizabeth I, plus memorials to many other important Britons like Isaac Newton and Geoffrey Chaucer.
I really enjoyed visiting the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, a museum located high in the upper areas of the church. It’s cool to see the architecture up close and look into the nave of the church from above. Plus there’s a collection of royal artifacts like Prince William and Kate Middleton’s marriage license.
Westminster Abbey is super popular, so it’s best to purchase timed tickets online at least a week in advance (£30 GBP). You can add on a ticket to the Jubilee Galleries online too (£5 GBP, I suggest a half hour after your main entry time).
Get your picture with Big Ben (and other landmarks)
London is a city filled with famous landmarks, and let’s be honest: you’re going to take some pictures with them. That’s totally ok! They’re some of the best souvenirs you can bring back home.
To get your photo with Big Ben, you can follow the crowd along Westminster Bridge and find a spot or continue all the way across for a clearer shot. Another option is to head across Parliament Square where several old, red telephone booths stand ready for your photo op. Westminster is home to many famous places, so give yourself time to walk around and explore.
Another great landmark for your photos is on the other side of the city at Tower Bridge (which is not called London Bridge, just FYI). Many places have a clear view of Tower Bridge, but try taking a photo from on the bridge too.
Tour the Tower of London
The Tower of London is perhaps the quintessential tourist stop in London. Don’t let its popularity scare you away though: the Tower is one of the coolest historical sites anywhere.
The Tower of London began as the White Tower, a castle built in the late 11th century by King William the Conqueror. Over the years, English monarchs added beefy stone walls and moats to protect the royal residence. Later on the Tower gained a somewhat sinister reputation. King Henry VIII used it as a prison, and the Tower Green was the site of high profile executions of Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey.
Today the Tower of London is also home to the British Crown Jewels, an eye-popping collection of regalia built with the wealth of an empire. Priceless royal crowns glitter with hundreds of precious stones and golden accessories shine with symbolism. Want to guess where the largest cut diamond in the world is? (Check out the royal scepter.)
When you visit the Tower of London, it’s best to get timed tickets online in advance (£36 GBP). Ideally, you want to go early in the morning and see the Crown Jewels first before there’s a line. I would skip the audio guide there, but do not skip the Yeoman Warder tour. Give yourself at least a few hours to explore. You could easily spend all day there if you have time.
Interested? Check out my full post on the Tower of London.
Eat at one of London’s food markets
London has a long tradition of public markets, and today’s food markets are the place to find everything delicious. You’ll have numerous options when you visit.
London’s most famous food market is Borough Market in Southwark. It’s home to purveyors of fine foods, busy street food stalls, and top-rated restaurants. Have I visited Borough Market? No. All I can tell you is that it will probably be busy, so go early.
A place I have visited is Old Spitalfields Market in East London. It’s truly a wonderland of food, with vendors serving cuisine from around the world. Portuguese pastries, Thai noodles, mango lassi, and birria tacos all crowd together under one big roof. If shopping is a thing that interests you, Old Spitalfields Market also has lots of independent merchants selling art, clothing, and more. I’ll stick to food, personally.
Avid foodies can find markets all around London: Camden Market, Shoreditch Market, and Seven Dials Market, to name a few. Just be sure to check the opening hours of each market before you go.
See a musical or play
London is home to one of the biggest theater scenes in the world. Tons of hit musicals like Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables got their start in London’s West End theaters. These days there are 39 theaters just in the West End, so you have plenty of shows to choose from.
I loved seeing a play at the Globe Theater, a modern reconstruction of William Shakespeare’s open-air theater. It’s a unique venue, with galleries of wooden benches around a plain stage and an open “yard” where you can stand in the crowd to watch. I booked a standing ticket for Romeo and Juliet. Though the play’s dialogue was all Shakespeare, they transformed the setting into the Wild West complete with an old-timey saloon band! So fun.
If you’re planning to see a show in London, it’s best to look up tickets in advance. Popular shows can book up several weeks beforehand. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can wait until the last minute and see what’s available at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square or via the TKTS website. Most shows take Sunday or Monday off. Prices vary, but you can find plenty of tickets for £25-50 GBP. (I got my standing ticket at the Globe for £5!)
Walk along the River Thames
London is the largest port city in the UK, and trade going up and down the River Thames is what allowed London to grow into the metropolis it is. Today, walking along the mighty Thames is one of the best ways to see the city.
I loved doing part of the South Bank Walk, which gives you great views of London and passes by some interesting places. You’ll see the Tate Modern gallery, the aforementioned Globe Theater, and a replica of Francis Drake’s ship the Golden Hinde, just to name a few.
London also has a few iconic bridges you can cross on foot. Westminster Bridge leads from Big Ben over to the South Bank Walk close to the London Eye. The Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian-only bridge that stretches from the middle of the City to the Tate Modern gallery. You can even walk across Tower Bridge, which seems absolutely huge from up close.
Get a sweeping view of London from above
Whenever I visit a big city, I love to find an observation point to get a view of the city from high above. And London has some great options to do just that.
To start with the obvious, you could head up to the observation deck of the Shard. The Shard is the tallest building in the UK, and the observation decks on the 68th to 72nd floors are way higher than other viewpoints in the city (£34 GBP). There’s also the London Eye, a huge observation wheel that lifts you 443 ft. into the air in large gondolas that seat up to 25 people (£30 GBP).
I decided to visit a somewhat shorter viewpoint at St. Paul’s Cathedral (£26 GBP). I had lots of fun climbing the 528 steps to the top of the dome and seeing the church structure up close. From the top gallery of the dome, it feels like you are standing in the center of the whole city.
There are many other options for great views from Tower Bridge’s glass floor walkways to Sky Garden in the “Walkie-Talkie” skyscraper (Londoners have a nickname for all their weird buildings).
Drink a pint at a classic pub
If there’s one thing London’s been doing well for a long time, it’s pubs. You’ll find these storied establishment everywhere in the city, and they range from elegantly decorated halls to cozy neighborhood hangs. Pubs are perfect places for a weary traveler to drop in for some refreshment.
A pub is not just a place for drinks, but a communal space for relaxing and often having a bite to eat. Many pubs have a speciality like craft beer, gin, or top-notch food. Typical pub food revolves around classic English comfort food like fish and chips and meat pies.
I love a pub with a good story, so I went on historical pub tour with Liquid History Tours (£29 GBP). (Book here so I can receive a small commission at no extra charge to you!) We visited a few pubs in the City of London and heard a few stories (was Sweeney Todd real or made up by the journalists of Fleet Street?). My favorite pub was Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a labyrinthine old place once frequented by Charles Dickens.
The basic thing to order at a pub is a pint of beer (£6-8 GBP). Typically, you’ll have you choice of “lagers,” which tend to be crisp and served cold, and “ales,” which tend to be robustly flavored and served slightly cool. (That’s oversimplifying it, but I’m more a fan of cider anyway.) Most pubs serve food for lunch and dinner with a mid-afternoon break. Generally you’ll order both food and drink at the bar. No tips are necessary.
Take the Tube
The London Underground is the world’s oldest subway system. Back in 1863, steam powered locomotives powered the first underground railway cars beneath the city. Today it’s commonly referred to as “the Tube,” and there are a total of 250 miles of tunnels in a system that connects all of London.
The Tube is usually the fastest way to get around central London, with trains coming every few minutes. The easiest way to navigate is with Google Maps. Just add your destination and click over to the train option to see which stations and lines to use. You can pay using official transport cards or with any contactless credit card or mobile device pay (just make sure to “tap out” at the exit gates using the method).
One caveat is that you may want to avoid the Tube during weekday rush hours, as it can be crowded. And always be sure to “mind the gap” when you’re getting on or off the trains.
Ride in a double-decker bus
London’s iconic double decker buses are actually a great way to get around town. Head upstairs and you’ll have a nice view of the city as you’re zooming along (or crawling along if the traffic is bad). You can keep sightseeing, even when you need a break from walking.
As with the Tube, I would start with Google Maps for navigation. You can also consult maps at the bus stops or ask a driver. You can pay using transport cards, contactless credit cards, and mobile device pay. For buses, you simply “tap in” when you board but don’t need to “tap out.”
If you want a cool opportunity to step back in time, find the T15 Heritage Route. Vintage Routemaster buses with their classic fabric seats ferry passengers between the Tower of London and Trafalgar Square, following the same route as the regular #15 bus. I randomly ended up taking one of these and it was fun.
Relax at one of London’s parks
The vast urban zone of London is home to a surprising number of beautiful parks. Take some time to relax and explore one!
I enjoyed strolling through St James’s Park in Westminster. It’s right next to the main road of Whitehall, but it’s a world away from all those monumental buildings. Swans glide across the pond, gardens burst with flowers–it’s a tranquil oasis of green. A little further west is Hyde Park, one of the largest parks in London and another option to explore.
There are lots of smaller parks and gardens scattered throughout London. Don’t forget to look for the green spaces when you’re planning your trip.
