21 Top Places to Visit in London (for 1st time visitors)

London is home to many wonderful places. Each has its own story and can be explored from its perimeters. It is a great city for many reasons.

London has left behind a structure, palace, or monument as it’s moved through every era of its rich history that spans thousands of years.

There is also a lively, modern story to tell, with street art, unique architecture, great coffee, and stunning views.

We spent 10 days in London(I lived there for nearly 2 years). All tips are based upon personal experiences.

This post should be more about places to visit in London than things. Although some of these are interchangeable, I’ll have two separate posts that will focus just on the top attractions in London and then things to do in London like “see a show in the West End” or “eat a pub lunch”.

These are some of the London neighborhoods you can explore like Camden, Kensington, and Shoreditch. Others will be tourist attractions such as the Shard and the Tower of London.

We will soon have individual posts with in-depth information on many of these places to see in London.

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You can’t rely solely on Google and social media for your research.

St Jame’s Park

My favourite park in London is The 58-acre St Jame’s Park. It’s home to the Mall and Horse Guards Parade and is on the doorstep of Buckingham Palace. The Mall is lined by trees and is a grand procesional route that has witnessed many historic ceremonial marches over the years.

It’s the smallest of the Royal Parks and has a quiet beauty about it with its manicured gardens, blooming flowers, ponds, ample birdlife, and meandering paths under the shade of hundreds of trees.

There are beautiful views from here of the London Eye, Westminster, St James’s Palace, the Horse Guards Parade, and Buckingham Palace from the footbridge spanning the central lake.

Walking through this area on my daily commute to work was something I did when I lived in London. It was a beautiful commute!

Buckingham Palace

Let the path through St James’s Park take you to one of the most famous palaces in the world. It is possible that the Union Flag will fly above Buckingham Palace. This signals that the Queen has not been in residence. The Royal Standard is only flown at royal residences when the sovereign is present.

Queen Elizabeth has chosen to spend her remaining days at Windsor Castle, her favorite place.

The Changing of the Guards is the most well-known thing to do. We timed it for our last day, which also happened to be the day they don’t perform! Before you plan your itinerary, make sure to check the schedule.

The views are beautiful from the Queen Victoria monument, which is visible from Buckingham Palace’s front. This marble monument is 25m high and commemorates Queen Victoria’s death in 1901.

On select days, you can visit the palace. Check out more tours of Buckingham Palace.

Borough Markets, London Bridge + South Bank

Foodies will love the Borough Markets, located on the South Side of the Thames at the London Bridge

Borough Markets are a collection stalls and vendors that sell fresh produce. Whether you’re hungry for strawberries dipped in chocolate, soft local cheeses, bowls of Vietnamese pho, sausage rolls or a refreshingly swet peach prosecco, you’ll find it here.

I’ll warn you; weekends are shoulder to shoulder busy. It is much more peaceful during the week.

Monmouth Coffee was a great coffee shop. It was one of our favourites in London.

The Southbank, where the markets are located, has iconic London views, the trendy Tate Modern and fun bars lining the river. We especially loved Anchor Bankside (4 minutes walk). You never know what you might find as you walk the narrow cobblestoned streets.

You might also consider visiting:

• London Bridge Experience (fun attraction in London for teens)
• Tate Modern
• Millennium Bridge
• Founder’s Arms Pub

Kensington

Are you ready to discover the more wealthy neighborhood with a touch of Royal?

Kensington (including South Kensington), is a beautiful area in London. It features elegant streets lined with period architecture and beautifully landscaped parks and gardens, fine museums, and elegant shops.

You’ll also find restaurants that range from casual pubs and bakeries to upper class fine dining.

Don’t miss:

• High Tea at The Ampersand Hotel
• Coffee: Farm Girl
• Harrod’s – in nearby Knightsbridge
• Natural History Museum
• V & A museum
• Science museum

Kensington Palace and Gardens

We decided at the last minute to visit Kensington Palace (like when we walked up to the front door) and we’re so glad we did. It was our first Royal London experience.

Kensington is well-known as The home of the Young Royals.

It’s the official residence of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (i.e. Prince William, Kate, and their children. Harry and Meghan lived here for a time, and most famously, it was beloved Princess Diana’s home.

I vividly remember visiting Kensington in the days after Diana’s passing. The perimeter was filled with flowers, several feet deep.

This is also where Queen Victoria was born. Follow her royal footsteps as you tour her re-imagined childhood bedrooms and the King and Queen State Apartments. and the magnificent King’s State Apartments and Queen’s State Apartments.

I loved the Life through a Royal LensExhibition sharing the Royal Family through photography. The views from the windows, and the elaborate Kings StaircaseAnd King’s Gallery.

The most beautiful Kensington Gardens with Diana, their memorial and the legacy she left behind in doing good for the planet.

I wish we could have explored the area more, but we had no choice but to rush to the nearby Ampersand Hotel for high tea.

Book your tickets in advance to the palace

The Shard

The Shard, the tallest building of Western Europe, is visible from the sky above London.

It’s quickly becoming a London icon and popular place to visit, especially for the incredible views from its 72^nd floor open-air platform. A viewing platform is also available on level 69.

The Shard View is an expensive thing to do in London, but the 244m high sweeping London views make it worthwhile. The view of the River Thames running through the city from east to west is breathtaking.

You should aim for sunset an hour before it happens so you can enjoy the sunset panoramic views, dusk golden light views, and nighttime views as London lights sparkle.

You must reserve your tickets at least 48 hours in advance. It will save you money. This attraction is included in the Go City Pass. This would be the highlight of the pass!

Soho + House of MinaLima

I wish we had spent more time exploring Soho. Every time we walked through this area, I felt its bohemian vibe.

It was once a popular spot for music and nightclubs, but it has since slowed down. It’s still a much loved and proud LGBTQ area of London, and there are a lot of fun cafes, stores, bars, and restaurants here.

On this family trip to London, we visited  The House of MinaLima in SoHo – a must for all Harry Potter fans. I created a list with suggestions for things to do in London for teens.

This gallery and storeThis gallery showcases the graphic art from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. It was created exclusively by Miraphora mina and Eduardo Lima.

It’s only while exploring the Wizarding World art on display here that you realize just how much these graphic designers are responsible for the magic of the Harry Potter films.

Westminster Abbey

I enjoyed our self-guided tour of Westminster Abbey more than I thought I would, as did our kids (14 & 10).

This church is not only the finest example early English Gothic architecture, but it also serves as a place of worship. But it is also the Royal Church.Every monarch since William the Conqueror, including many who were married in the abbey, has been crowned here.

An audio tour of the abbey that can be listened to by the user, explains the history and tells the stories of the church.

You’ll walk through the beautiful, tiled sanctuary where weddings happen; the elaborate quire; visit the tombs of many royals and important people; pay your respects at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier; and see the bland Coronation Chair.

Don’t miss the Poets Corner where you’ll find the resting places of some of England’s finest: Chaucer, Dickens, Tennyson, Kipling, and Hardy.

Walking through the cloisters or gardens gave me a unique view of the abbey.

Big Ben & Houses of Parliament

Big Ben and Houses of Parliament are more of a thing to do that a place to visit.

The Houses are where the most important business of running the country takes place. You can visit the inside of the building during a select number of days and times. I was fortunate to have a friend working there when I lived in London who invited me in for a drink at one of the pub’s inside. It was a great experience!

Big Ben is the Tower clock tower with iconic clock tower measuring 13.5 tonnesMost visitors look up at it. Officially, it’s the Elizabeth Tower, but everyone calls it Big Ben after Benjamin Hall, the First Commissioner of Works when it was finished in 1858.

It is possible to see it from many locations in London, including Westminster Bridge, London Eye, the London Eye, the London Eye, and cruising along the river. Our favorite spot is from Parliament Square.

Parliament Square is located next to Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. It houses statues of prominent political figures such as Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Winston Churchill.

One of our favorite iconic London photos we captured on our trip – that even local Londoners didn’t know about – was that of Winston Churchill looking out upon Big Ben.

You can find it just around the corner. no. 10 Downing Street, the official office of Britain’s leaders, and the home of the Prime Minister. The security has made it impossible to see the Georgian building and its front door, so you can only see it from afar.

Don’t let its small outside appearance deceive you. It’s actually three houses joined in one and has around one hundred rooms!

St Paul’s Cathedral

One of the most famous cathedrals in the world, St Paul’s Cathedral is one of London’s most magnificent buildings seen throughout the city.

In fact, there is a rule that St Paul’s must be visible from There are eight different places in LondonThis is why many modern skyscrapers have unusual shapes. They are making space for that line of sight!

Now that you’ve seen that impressive dome from around the city, it’s time to see it from the inside and learn about this Sir Christopher Wren: Architectural masterpiece, constructed after the Great Fire of London in 1675-1710.

Monograms travel provided a guided tour. Standard admission includes an audio guide. You can visit the crypt to see the memorials of hundreds well-known and great people, including Nelson and Wellington who are directly under the dome.

Sadly, the whispering gallery around the base of the dome was closed when we visited, but this is one of the best things to do in St Paul’s as well as the Stone Gallery and Golden Gallery, both at the top of the dome offering incredible views of London.

Ask the attendants whether they can take you to the spiraling. Harry Potter staircase. This staircase in St Paul’s was used as the “Divination Stairwell” located in the North Tower of Hogwarts Castle for the Harry Potter films, .

Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour

At the top of Kalyra’s London experiences for teens was the Harry Potter Studios tour. This backlot tour is located approximately one hour north of London and will take visitors through sets, props, interactive exhibits, and real movie locations from Harry Potter.

You’ll be amazed at how they created magical scenes from such small, intimate settings. This magical deep dive into The Wizarding World was a hit with everyone.

The self-guided tour takes three to four hours.. This will allow you to read the stories, ride the broomstick and walk through the forbidden forest with the scary spiders.

See our family’s experience at the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studios here.

Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a famous place in London.

It’s really the center of London and has always been a place for Londoners to gather, whether that is to bring in the New Year together, or protest, rally or march for important rights and causes.

The Lord Nelson’s statue 52 m high dominates the square as do the lions representing Britain’s courage. (You’ll see them all over London). The National Gallery is the impressive building in the background.

The pedestrian lights around Trafalgar Square are my favorite thing about it. They are. Traffic lights for LGBTQ people This includes two men and two ladies holding hands and forming an heart. There are also various gender symbols, including a transgender sign.

Tower of London

A Tower of London tour featuring a Red-Coated Beefeater is a popular thing to do in London.

Since Tudor times, Yeoman Warders have guarded the Tower of London from Henry VIII’s decision that the Tower should be protected with a part of the royal bodyguard.

They were originally part of the Yeoman of the Guard – the monarch’s personal, crack bodyguard who traveled with him everywhere.

Nicknamed ‘Beefeaters’,The Yeoman Body, which consists of 32 men and ladies, is drawn from the Armed Forces and must have a perfect record of service and high rank.

They giveFree 45-minute tourThey share the macabre stories and entertaining tales of its past years (and I mean centuries), as a Royal residence. It was also a treasury, armory, and zoo. (Thank goodness they stopped that!

The Tower of London is actually an actual castleThe original White Tower, which is located in the middle of the site, is comprised of twenty-two towers. It was built by William Conqueror in 1070. It was built in the 1200s. The walls, towers, moat and surrounding area have remained there ever since.

After your tour, take a stroll around the grounds of the old castle to see the:

• Waterloo Barracks holds exorbitant crown jewels
• the beheading place of Ann Boleyn and Catherine Howard (King Henry VIII’s wives)
• The prison towers are worth a visit to see the incredible etchings (especially the astronomical ones) on the walls.
• The famous ravens that guard the courtyard keep an ear on everyone are the famous ravens. They are the spirits of the many tortured souls who were executed here.
• The Bloody Tower, where the prince brother were held for safety, was later vanquished by Richard III to make way for the crown. As we live in Raleigh, we enjoyed learning about Sir Walter Raleigh’s 13-year imprisonment here and seeing his personal herb garden.
• You can enjoy beautiful views of Tower Bridge from the Castle Battlements by walking around the castle walls.

We all really enjoyed this top London attraction.

Fortunately, there were no lines during our post-pandemic trip (and early start). If it were a “normal” day just the lines to see the crown jewels themselves would be 2.5 hours. My personal opinion is it’s not worth the wait – but not much is in my eyes!

Honestly, while they were absolutely stunning, I could not help but think about how much world poverty and peasant challenges could be solved if these just weren’t sitting here in thick glass protected by the military looking beautiful for people to gawk at.

Regents Park

Wowzer! This was my first-time visiting Regents Park, Central London’s biggest park, and I was impressed.

Regent’s Park is one of London’s eight Royal ParksIt covers 395 acres. Its beauty unfolds as you stroll across grassy meadows past water sculptures & topiaries; through colorful and blooming gardens; and across multiple playgrounds & sporting fields.

Highlights include:

• Queen Mary’s Garden
• Boating Lake
• Open-Air Theater (performances in summer)
• Avenue Gardens
• ZSL London Zoo

For more tips and photos, check out our Camden post.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park was the first place I visited in London when I moved there in 1997.

It’s one of the most well-known of the London Parks, most notably for its Long history as a place of protest and rallies, and for its Speakers CornerForum where people from all walks share their opinions.

It attracted my youthful hippy heart for these reasons. On this trip, I didn’t love it as much as the other London Parks, but it’s still one of the things to do in London for those seeking a little nature respite.

Hyde Park is located near Buckingham Palace. It has a beautiful rose park, trees to climb, the Diana, Princess Of Wales Memorial Fountain Fountain, and a pretty Lake. We enjoyed the views here with a coffee from the waterside café. It wasn’t the best coffee, but it wasn’t awfully bad either.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is another iconic and special place to visit in London. Nearly everyone who visits London knows the tower bridge’s elegant beauty with its neoGothic turrets, blue suspension cables, and other modern features.

You can go up the tower to see the Tower Bridge Exhibition, which is a paid exhibition that explains the engineering of the bridge. Or, Tower Bridge: Free walkYou can enjoy spectacular views of the Thames and the Tower of London from your terrace.

For a better view and more information about the bridge, you can also climb up the towers. This attraction is free and included in your London attraction passes.

You can check the times when the Tower Bridge will raise its bridge arms so that boats below can pass. You will need to make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance to enjoy this unique experience.

On average, Tower Bridge opens its bascules around 800 times a year, that’s around twice a day. Here are the opening hours.

Take a river cruise to see it all from the bottom.

British Museum

As we’re not big museum people, we popped into the British Museum for “just a quick visit” and I instantly regretted it.

The British Museum is a magnificent place, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting London for longer than an hour.

It’s England’s largest museumThis museum is known for being one of the finest and oldest in the World with extensive collections that span European, Greek Roman and Middle Eastern cultures.

The collection of Egyptian mummies was amazing, as well as the Rosetta Stone. If you’re short on time, grab a confusing map to help you find the most interesting sights. It’s massive!

The historic Plough Pub is located near the London Museum. We recommend that you stop by this Victorian pub for lunch, or just a pint.

It was recommended to us by our Raleigh friends Jenny and Curt, who are also London’s top pubs. Curt’s dad’s ashes sit in this pub, so we popped in to say G’day and have a drink with him.

Covent Garden

Covent Garden is one of the most popular places to visit in London. This was my weekend escape when I lived in London. It’s more refined now that there are no Aussie bars. I still love it!

Explore theCobblestoned areasThe central market, which was established as a marketplace in the middle of the city, is surrounded by a number of buildings. Convent garden in 1500s.Although it served many different purposes, it was the largest produce market in the entire world by the 1800s. Its immense size led to its relocation in 1974.

Fortunately, the community fought to stop its demolition and it was kept going into this beautiful tourist and shipping destination that was established in 1980.

There are many restaurants, bars, and local shops.. Explore the narrow alleyways that lead to the square to discover what else is there. You can find the street below the famous Punch and Judy bar, where performers rotate all day. Good luck trying!).

You’ll also find several theaters. The girls and me watched Matilda in the small Cambridge Theater. It was incredible and we highly recommend seeing a theater show during your visit to London.

Camden Town

Camden Town is famous for its alternative, punk rock, grunge vibes. It’s gotten a little more yuppy since I lived in London, but the personality of “Come as you are!” still reigns supreme.

Camden has a long history with live music. It was the home of Amy Winehouse, and the Hawley Arms is known as Amy’s pub as she frequented it so much.

Craig and me enjoyed a pint at Dublin Castle’s live music venue, where Coldplay got started. It’s also the place where Bonn Scott, lead singer of ACDC drank himself to death.

Be careful in Camden, it’s a party place.

We learned many of these musical facts from the mural in our Holiday Inn hotel right on the canals.

Camden is also a popular destination for daily activities Camden MarketsOn weekends, it is most popular to sell. Here you’ll find loads of stalls selling all kinds of wares including an abundance of food stalls representing cuisines from around the world.

A walking path runs along the canals and takes you to Regents Park. You can also ride a boat on the canals to Little Venice and vice versa.

Shoreditch

Hip Shoreditch is open!

This East London neighborhood has been the most hip and alternative area of London since I was a Londoner.

It was quieter than a weekend because we visited on Monday. I think I’d rather Enjoy the weekend atmosphere when it’s more alive with its buzzing markets and street activity.

One thing you’ll notice about this place to visit in London in comparison to other neighborhoods is the abundance of street art dressing up the walls.

Street art in the UK is technically illegal and still considered criminal activity. Therefore, it can be very easy to create street art, but also to take it down.

Shoreditch is an exception and is the best. epicenter of London’s street art sceneas they fight back against the vandalism label. The most well-known secret street artists of all time – Banksy has left his mark in Shoreditch several times.

Running through Shoreditch Brick LaneThe best place to find vintage shopping and exceptional service. Indian restaurantsThis is where you go to get your favorite curry dish, even though I was living in London in 1997.

Prices have gone up though with this area’s gentrification. There are no longer five-pound curries. But the rich, aromatic flavors are still available. Monsoon was recommended by a local Indian. We loved it!

What was once the world’s largest brewery, The Old Truman Brewery is now a space for edgy markets, vintage stores, bars, and live music venues. Columbia Flower Market Sundays is meant for being spectacular and fragrant.

Greenwich

Greenwich is the home of time, located approximately 40 minutes southeast from Central London along the Thames. It’s a must-see on any London trip.

You can make this amazing day trip from London City even more memorable by making it a sightseeing cruise along Thames.

You have two options: either take the Thames Clipper or a guided river cruise with commentary. If you do another Thames River sightseeing cruise, I’d skip the guided commentary to Greenwich and just get the ferry.

Greenwich is an English village.It is a place that feels like royalty but still has the palace heritage and grand architecture.

The Royal Observatory, the home of time, is a highlight. It’s here you can learn the fascinating history of how the Royal astronomers experimented and studied the stars to come up with today’s modern version of time.

The views from this location are even better as you can see out over the greenery of Greenwich Village and Greenwich Park, which is the old hunting area behind the palaces. Looking beyond that is the stunning buildings of the Queen’s House, National Maritime Museum, and the Old Royal Naval College, likened to architectural splendor of the Palace of Versailles.

I loved going to the Queens HouseI have done more than I ever imagined and I am proud of it National Maritime MuseumIt is well worth visiting.

The village has a Greenwich covered market that you can browse and stop by for lunch or drinks. We had coffee at Gail’s Bakery, lunch at Grind, and a drink at the Gipsy Moth.

Richmond

Richmond is an area many first time visitors to London (or those with less time) may not get to experience, but it’s one of my favorite places in London to visit.

We didn’t get to it on this trip, we considered it, but since the flowers weren’t in full bloom we decided to hold off instead of wasting our money visiting the nearby Kew Gardens, but I have been before!

Richmond is a leafy area along the Thames River.This is where you can get to know a quieter, slower side to London.

Along the way, you’ll find the very popular and beautiful Kew Gardens. You can also go to Richmond Park to spot deer, walk along the river and explore Hampton Court’s Tudor palaces, which are the home of King Henry VIII.

After visiting this location, take the tube to the next stop and enjoy lunch at the Slug and Lettuce. Next, take a lovely stroll along the Thames.

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