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Talking about the sights of London can be endless. Read our review and you will find out what every tourist should see in London.
First things to see in London
We have included all the most interesting places in London in our rating. When compiling it, we took into account the feedback and recommendations of experienced guides and the Londoners themselves. In our general opinion, you should choose the following excursions in London:
1. Tower of London
Tower of London – medieval fortress
Like many of the best attractions in London, this one has a long history. The construction of the fortress, towering on the banks of the River Thames, began over 900 years ago. The building was intended for the conclusion of influential prisoners, including representatives of the royal families. Mary Tudor, Anne Boleyn, and Thomas More have been here. In certain years, it was also used as a royal residence. The fortress lost its main purpose only in the middle of the 20th century.
Official website: https://www.hrp.org.
2. St. Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral in London
If your trip to London is about seeing unique architectural monuments, take a trip to the city center to see this majestic cathedral. The impressive dimensions make the church of St. Peter, made in the Baroque and Renaissance styles, one of the largest in Europe and the world. The date of construction is the 7th century. Of great interest is the dome of the building, lined with lead plates.
Official website:https://www.stpauls.
3. London Eye
London Eye – large ferris wheel
Such sights of London cannot be ignored. The height of the giant Ferris wheel is 135 meters. Each of the 32 cabins, made entirely of glass (except for the floor), has air conditioning. The number of booths, in the shape of an egg, was not chosen by chance. It symbolizes the number of London Boroughs (excluding the City Borough). The wheel makes one full circle with stops every half an hour. During this time, you will have time to look at many of the main sights of London (we will briefly list them for you).
Official website: https://www.londoneye.com/
4. Tower Bridge
London Tower Bridge
Another correct option of what to see in London in 1 day is required for every guest of the city. The attraction is only a hundred years old. However, it is also considered the true symbol of the capital of Britain. By purchasing a ticket, you can visit the upper level of the structure – here guests are invited to watch a documentary film about its construction.
Official website: https://www.towerbridge
5. Buckingham Palace
Royal Buckingham Palace in London
Even today, Buckingham Palace is home to representatives of the royal family of England. The complex, with an adjacent territory of 20 hectares, should be called a mini-city: it has its own police station, pub, post office. The main building has just under 800 halls, employing 700 workers. Please note: tours of the palace itself are held only in August-September. However, you can watch the process of changing the royal guard all year round and completely free of charge.
Official website: https://www.rct.uk/visit
See the beautiful places in London in this wonderful video!
6. Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey or St. Peter's Cathedral in London
The date of construction of the attraction is the 11th century. Currently, the House of Commons and the House of Lords are located inside the abbey. If you don't know where to go in London but are passionate about British architecture and history, come here.
Official website: https://www.westminster
7. Big Ben
London's Big Ben
The name of this 96-meter architectural masterpiece of 1859, which is included in all lists of “the main sights of England”, was given by the bell located in it. Every hour, residents and guests of the capital learn about the time, thanks to the bells. The upper part of Big Ben boasts an observation platform – in order to climb to it, you need to overcome more than three hundred steps. Today, like many years ago, the tower is the largest clock in the world. Guides in London recommend booking excursions to Big Ben in advance: there is no free entrance to the tower for tourists.
Official website: https://www.parliament.
< h3> 8. Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster – Houses of Parliament in London
Meeting place for members of the British Parliament since the 16th century. From the 11th century until then, the castle served as a residence for members of the royal family. Over the centuries, the facade of the palace has been changed and reconstructed many times (the last reconstruction was carried out in the 19th century), several new buildings were attached to the main building. Please note that you can visit the Palace of Westminster in London only during the period when Parliament is on vacation.
Official website: https://www.parliament
9. British Museum
British Museum in London
The decision to create this grandiose museum complex was made in 1753. The museum has about a hundred galleries with exhibits on the subject of archeology and the history of the East, Africa, colonial Britain, etc. Guests can also get acquainted with antiques and relics of ancient Greece and other European countries. By the way, the staff of the institution includes not only people, but also six cats (they are busy catching rats).
Official website:https://www.britishmuseum
10. National Gallery of London
Visitors in Herry Lawford's London National Gallery
If you want to see the world's finest works of art, come to this gallery. In the spacious halls canvases of 12-20 centuries are exhibited. The modern complex also includes a coffee shop and a souvenir shop where everyone can buy books and souvenirs. Tours are conducted with audio guides (optional).
Official website: https://www.nationalgallery
11. Natural History Museum in London
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Natural History Museum in London
A large museum center with over 70 million specimens on display: paleontology (archaeological remains of animals), mineralogy (a huge number of minerals and stones), zoology (insects, birds and animals ), botany (plants of various types). It is necessary to allocate a whole day to see such sights.
Official website: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/
12. Hyde Park
Hyde park – the royal park in London
All residents of the British capital love to relax in this beautiful park area. On the territory, in addition to landscaped lawns and paths, there is a beautiful lake where you can swim, and a special platform for public speaking on any topic (in addition to calls for violence and other publicly prohibited topics).
Official website: https://www.royalparks
13. Churchill War Rooms
Churchill's War Rooms Bunker Museum in London Jenny Poole < p>The complex consists of a museum and a military bunker of the great military leader of the 20th century. “Rooms” are located underground, and in 1939-1945 they were used for their intended purpose – they were a secret point for command meetings. It was from here that Churchill controlled the battles taking place on the territory of four oceans and three continents. In the collections of the museum you can see, among other things, his personal belongings.
Official website: https://www.iwm.org
14. Trafalgar area
Trafalgar Square in London
The main square and the geographical center of the city, in the middle of which is built a 50-meter column of G. Nelson. It is worth coming here, for example, for the sake of visiting the portrait and national galleries. Here you can also take great memorable photos – Big Ben may be in the frame. Trafalgar Square hosts temporary exhibitions of paintings by contemporary artists and hosts all kinds of folk celebrations, including carnival.
Official website: https://www.london.gov
15. London Science Museum
Science Museum London Steph Gray
Another major museum center founded in 1857. The complex is located in a historic building designed by R. Ellison. If you are not fond of science, come see the original facade of the house. Even the best hotels in London do not have such an impressive view. As for exhibition samples, their number exceeds 300,000 units. There are interesting subjects to explore for people of all ages. Among the exhibits are the legendary locomotives Puffing Billy and Rocket.
Official website: https://www.sciencemuseum.
London attractions: what else to visit in London ?
If you have already seen all those sights of London, the photo with the names and descriptions of which we have now given, we recommend that you visit such interesting places and objects of the city as:
16. Borough Market
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Borough Market (“Borough Market”) in London Jeremy Keith
A huge food market in the capital, selling goods at retail and small wholesale. We included it in our list of attractions because it was organized (according to historians) no earlier than the 12th century. Here you can buy literally any food that only exists in the world – from fresh pastries to ready-made meat and fish delicacies. And also feel the indescribable atmosphere of old London.
Official website: http://boroughmarket
17. Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussaud's London Nikos Roussos
It is difficult to imagine a person who would not have heard about this great museum with wax figures. Despite the fact that Madame Tussauds herself was born in France, her famous exposition is located in the British capital. The collection contains figures of various politicians, athletes, cultural figures and celebrities. The precision of execution is amazing. Many wax figures are animated, some “stars” are allowed to be touched (for example, to take a funny photo). The figure of Madame Tussauds herself is also in the museum – it is installed at the entrance to it.
Official website: https://www.madametussauds
18. Museum Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes Museum in London Anders Thirsgaard Rasmussen
The Conan Doyle Master Detective Museum Complex is located in a four-story building at number 221 b (despite the fact that the building was originally listed at number 239) on Baker Street. The decor of the rooms recreates the atmosphere of the apartments of Sherlock, Watson and their housekeeper. On the last level of the museum there is an exhibition with wax figures of heroes from books.
Official website: http://www.sherlock-holmes.
19. Royal Covent Garden Theatre
A view of one of the most prestigious opera venues in London Adrián Pérez
The most famous and prestigious opera stage in the world, where the most talented and recognized orchestras and performers wish to perform. Before the current theater building was erected in 1858, there were two buildings on the same site (each was completely destroyed by fires). Note that in the past, the leaders of Covent Garden allowed the performance of productions in all theatrical genres. However, later they decided that only musical performances could take place on the stage: concerts, ballets, operas, etc.
Official website: https://www .roh.org.uk/
20. River Thames
Water transport on the River Thames in London Berit
A natural landmark that stretches through the districts of the capital, and crosses all of London. It can be confidently said that the Thames is one of the most famous river arteries of the world, flowing within the city limits. It was thanks to her that the heart of Britain became the financial and industrial center of the whole country. Even in the era of ancient Rome, there was a port here. The number of tourists who visit the river every year is in the millions.
21. Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace and Victoria Garden in West London
If you choose the most symbolic sights of London, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square, perhaps, will be the undisputed leaders. In general, London is famous for its palaces, and each of them is unique in its own way. One of the most modest royal residences can be called Kensington Palace, well known throughout the world as the residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales. However, many people are attracted here by another moment – for many years one of the most famous persons of the last century, Princess Diana, lived here. Today, one half of the building is open to the general public, while the other half is home to Prince William's family. The palace, built in 1605, keeps the history of the last 3 centuries of the British monarchy and its most famous representatives. So, Queen Victoria, who spent 20 years of her life within these walls, is dedicated to her own exhibition, where you can find out what hobbies the royal person had.
Official website: https://www .hrp.org.
22. Soho Block
Corner of Peter Street and Berwick Street in London's Soho Tom Morris
Nightlife in Soho, London Gotardo González
In the heart of the fashionable West End, located in the west of London, the Soho quarter is located, known as a colorful and very lively place with a variety of entertainment venues. A walk around the area will especially appeal to those who want to see the not-so-famous London, strict and a little prim, and the other – carefree and riotous. Many centuries ago, an English village was located on the site of this quarter, and in 1536 a hunting park was laid out here. At the end of the 19th century, the area acquired the status of an urban slum, where immigrants, unrecognized geniuses, Jews and other sections of society who did not fit into the prosperous image of the city lived. And now, a century later, Soho is still known for its diverse population, and local pubs, boutiques and restaurants are famous for numerous entertainment, inexpensive alcohol and affordable service.
Official site: https: //www.visitlondon.
23. Abbey Road
The famous Abbey Road pedestrian crossing in St. John's Wood in London
Abbey Road is another street in London where life is in full swing. Once upon a time, a couple of centuries ago, a street in the St. John's Wood area was called a haven of love and art – exalted ladies, actresses, and true romantics lived here. Over time, establishments with alcohol and entertainment appeared here, which were in demand among respectable guests, and couples in love liked to walk in parks with lush flowers. In the 20th century, Abbey Road gained worldwide fame due to two factors – at the beginning of the century, the eponymous recording studio was founded here, giving the world musical masterpieces from such artists as Pink Floyd, Duran Duran, U2, Radiohead and many other luminaries of music. And one of the intersections of this street was immortalized on the album cover of the Liverpool Four Beatles – this album was just recorded within the walls of the Abbey Road studio, and for half a century the folk trail has not overgrown the legendary intersection.
< em>Official website: https://www.abbeyroad
24. Oxford Street
Building between Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road in London Tiia Monto
Busy Oxford Street shopping street during Christmas shopping Jean-Etienne Minh-Duy Poirrier
While walking through the historic district of Westminster, the tourist guide will certainly lead you to the busiest street in London – Oxford Street, which originates from the Marble Triumphal Arch of Hyde Park and stretches east for 2.4 kilometers. This street is known as one of the longest European streets, where trade flourishes with might and main: hundreds of boutiques, shopping centers, shops, salons are concentrated along Oxford Street, most of which represent world brands. Millions of buyers find here something for themselves and their families – these are clothes, household appliances and electronics from well-known manufacturers. It will take more than one or a couple of days to visit all the outlets of the street. The peak of shopping here comes in the Christmas season – the street lights up with fabulous lights, creating a delightful and atmospheric spectacle.
Official website: https://www.oxfordstreet.
< h3> 25. Mary Ax 30
40-story skyscraper in London's financial district Paste
One of the symbols that reflect the modern look of London is a 180-meter skyscraper of an original design – it is a mesh shell that expands from bottom to top and then narrows at the top. When visiting the historic district, the Mary Ax 30 skyscraper will not go unnoticed – it attracts attention with its extraordinary architecture and the greenish coloring of the facade panels, due to which it received the colloquial name “cucumber”. Such an unusual shape was dictated by the peculiarities of the historical site – the design casts a minimal shadow on the objects located below, and the aerodynamic shape promotes the natural circulation of air currents. The first floors of the skyscraper are occupied by numerous boutiques, but the most interesting thing awaits visitors at the top – the best city restaurants are equipped here, and on the top floor there is an observation deck with a great view.
Official website: http: //www.30stmaryaxe
26. Charles Dickens House Museum
Facade of the house-museum of the great English writer Charles Dickens in London jelm6
Items belonging to Dickens and his family at the Charles Dickens House Museum in London Joyofmuseums
There is an old house on Downey Street, which keeps within its walls the symbols of the Victorian era and a piece of the life story of the legendary writer and his family. This is the Charles Dickens House Museum, which was once an ordinary old house. But the joint efforts of the Dickens Society led to the fact that the building, which was planned for demolition, was bought out and equipped as a museum. Today, this building is the only surviving house where the famous writer once lived and worked. The restorers did their best to recreate the authentic atmosphere – some of the things really once belonged to Dickens and members of his family, and the premises themselves reproduce the appearance of a typical English housing of the 19th century. On the ground floor there is a kitchen with utensils, a bedroom, a living room, on the second floor there is a creative studio where wardrobe items, manuscripts, first editions of books and other things of the writer are stored.
Official website: https://dickensmuseum.
27. Tate British Gallery
Historic Tate Building at Vauxhall Bridge in London Tony Hisgett
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Collection of works at the British Tate Gallery in London Francisco Anzola
In London, the country's largest museum complex of an artistic profile, the British Tate Gallery, has found its place, which houses masterpieces of national art dating back to the 16th century. This British museum was founded in 1897 by Sir Henry Tate, a businessman known as the inventor of refined sugar and cotton candy. He was a big fan of Victorian painting, so he considered the best solution to invest his finances in art by opening a gallery of works by his favorite artists. Over time, the collection began to grow, and samples of classical painting complemented more modern creations. By the end of the last century, the exposition had grown so much that it no longer had enough space, as a result, a new Tate Modern gallery was opened, where the collection of contemporary world art was transferred. The old Tate Britain still has national classics.
Official website: https://www.tate
28. Globe Theatre
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Modern building of the Globe Theater in London Ben Snooks
The Globe galleries and the audience during the show
On the south bank of the Thames is the oldest theater in London – Shakespeare's Globe, which was given world fame for the first productions in its history based on the works of Shakespeare. The history of the Globe dates back to the end of the 16th century, and to this day the architecture of the building feels the living breath of history, despite the fact that the theater was rebuilt three times. The last reconstruction was proposed by the American director Wanamaker, who in the 70s organized a trust fund intended for the restoration of the building. The modern building of 1997 was reconstructed in accordance with the traditions of those years when the theater was first created. It is noteworthy that the building has an original thatched roof. Performances are held here in the warm season, and tours are held daily. Not far from the Globe is a theme park-museum dedicated to Shakespeare.
Official website:https://www.shakespearesglobe
29. Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences in London, South Kensington
One of the most famous and largest concert halls in the UK is the Albert Hall in Westminster. It is designed for 10 thousand spectators and is essentially a charitable organization, the purpose of which is to promote education, science and art. The building was originally conceived by the architect F. Fowke as a Roman amphitheater, so it has an elliptical shape and is decorated in the Renaissance style, its roof is a transparent dome made of glass and metal structures, and the facade is decorated with allegorical elements. Since 1941, cultural events and concerts have been constantly held here, and at the end of the year the largest national event is organized, tickets for which are sold out many months in advance. Often the stage of the Royal Albert Hall is used for large social events, conferences and even sports matches.
Official website: https://www.royalberthall
30 .Cutty Sark Ship Museum
Aerial view of the Cutty Sark tea clipper in dry dock at Greenwich
Many people know the reverent attitude of the British to their historical past, which is represented in the country, including in the form of interesting museums. One of them is the unusual museum ship “Cutty Sark”, which witnessed the glorious history of Great Britain in the 19th century – the ship set off on its first voyage in 1869, and it spent several years at sea, supplying the country with one of the favorite products of the British – high-class tea. Today it is the only surviving ship of its kind in the world – at one time it was the fastest. The clipper went down in history 3 years after the first voyage – a ship loaded with tea set off from the port of Shanghai, but after a while it lost its rudder, they tried to control it downwind with improvised means, and the ship nevertheless reached the shores of London. Today, the ship's history can be explored within the walls of the museum inside, where you can see samples of goods ranging from tea and whiskey to buffalo wool.
Official website: https://www.rmg. co
31. Museum of Childhood
David Hawgood Museum of Childhood, London, two-storey building
Large toy robot at the Museum of Childhood GeorgeRexTA [at
Betta Bilda building blocks at the Museum of Childhood in London Sascha Pohflepp
Continuing to explore the museums of London, it is worth mentioning in its own way an unusual attraction – the Museum of Childhood. This is not even a museum anymore, but a huge playground – such a grandiose collection of toys, children's clothes and various items, perhaps, cannot be found in the whole country. The most numerous group of exhibits is represented by dolls, there are about 8 thousand of them, the oldest of which is more than 3 thousand years old, this is a paddle doll. The history of the museum itself began long before its modern name appeared – initially the toys were located in one of the departments of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Over time, the collection grew and was moved to the East End, where it is today. Of course, it is recommended to visit the museum with children – young visitors are invited not only to visit fascinating exhibitions, but also to work out in an art studio, and even take part in a theatrical performance.
Official website: https://www.vam.
32. St. Pancras Station
Landing stage – the main building of St. Pancras station in central London Tnarik Innael
European railway stations often become a true attraction, attracting attention with their history and architecture. These include London St. Pancras station – one of the most romantic places, which is decorated with the famous sculpture “Meeting Point”, dedicated to lovers who met after separation. The station was built back in 1866, and in order to equip it, vast territories had to be liberated from various objects, including the Church of St. Luke. And in honor of another, located near the temple – St. Pancras, the station itself was named. From an architectural point of view, the station is of great value – it is one of the finest examples of the neo-Gothic of the Victorian era: red brick walls topped with turrets and covered with a giant glass roof. The building of today's station has everything for a comfortable stay – a market, shops, a bar, restaurants and a luxury hotel.
Official website: https://stpancras.com/
33. Wembley Stadium
Wembley Football Stadium inside Steve.
London's ultra-modern sights also find their place in the tourist route, the presentation of which must certainly highlight one grandiose object – Wembley Stadium with a capacity of 90,000 spectators. By the way, according to this parameter, it ranks second on the continent. Today, the stadium is used for home matches, as well as for other sporting events and major concerts. Modern Wembley was built in 2007 on the site of its predecessor – the legendary arena of 1923, which was at that time the largest in the world. The new stadium is famous for its technical equipment – especially the unique roof, sliding in 3 directions, and escalators leading to the stands, with a total length of about 400 meters. In addition to football matches, Wembley has repeatedly become an arena for performances by world stars – such as Madonna, Oasis, Muse, U2 and others.
Official website: http://www.wembleystadium
34. Harrods
Large and trendy Harrods department store on Brompton Road in London User:Mikegr
One of the food halls of Harrods department store in West London Herry Lawford
The name of the legendary Harrods supermarket is well known not only among the citizens, but also among the guests of the capital – this is a real Mecca of shopping, a giant shopping complex with an area of 90 thousand square meters, which has more than 3 hundred departments and serves more than 300 thousand customers daily. And sometime in 1824, the founder of the department store was the entrepreneur C. Harrod, who started his business from the founding of a small haberdashery shop. However, the complex reached its true heyday thanks to the efforts of his son, who significantly raised the business. Harrods gained immense fame thanks to celebrities who once became the first buyers here – these are Charlie Chaplin, and Oscar Wilde, and Vivien Leigh, and Sigmund Freud, and even members of the royal family. Today, within the walls of the department store, you can not only shop, but also dine in one of the 32 restaurants operating here.
Official website: https://www.harrods.com
35. Phone booth and double-decker bus
Red telephone box in London Manish Prabhune
Red double-decker buses are a symbol not only of London, but of the whole of England
Even if you study the sights of London briefly, it is impossible to ignore the two main symbols of the city and all of England – the red telephone box and the double-decker bus. The appearance of red booths was associated with the invention of telephone communication at the end of the 19th century, when the first cast-iron “houses” with an arched roof and thick glass, providing ideal sound insulation, began to be built for telephone conversations. The red color is explained by the peculiarities of the local climate – against the backdrop of London fogs, the red booth is much easier to find. The double-decker bus began its history in the mid-19th century – its prototype was double-decker horse-drawn carriages with an open roof. The “follower” of the cavalry in 1923 was a bus with a roof that protected from the weather. The same bright red color has been given to the buses to avoid accidents in London's smog.
We hope that you will want to see all these fascinating sights in person when you come to London. Moreover, some of them can be visited completely free of charge at any time of the year. Read also about the sights of Liverpool and get inspired for your next trip around the UK.