Top things to do in London
Attractions, tours and activities in London
Recommended museums in London
Where to discover culture and the arts in London
London: the city's best neighbourhoods
Find a great area to stay in London
-
Mayfair
0.9 miles from city centre
The glamorous residents of Mayfair have money to burn. Come and ogle at their sprawling mansions, exclusive shops, auction houses and rarefied art galleries. If a bespoke suit from Savile Row doesn't tempt you, survey the fine Victorian architecture around the garden squares or the intricate design of the Royal Arcade.
Places to stay from £44 per night
-
Kensington
2.8 miles from city centre
Kensington is a mix of residential and commercial areas that ooze class. Stretching from Old Brompton Road to Kensington High Street, you’ll find bistros, cafés and boutiques galore. Stop to admire Kensington Palace, or visit the nearby Victoria and Albert and Natural History Museums. The streets around Holland Park are perfect for walking.
Places to stay from £18 per night
-
Covent Garden
0.4 miles from city centre
The ornamental pineapples adorning the market’s lamps are a reminder of the fruit and vegetable stalls that once occupied Covent Garden, an important centre for London’s vibrant creative arts scene. See the 17th-century St Paul’s Church or explore the boutiques that line the alleys. Parisian-style cafés with terraces adorn the street corners.
Places to stay from £45 per night
-
Westminster Borough
1 miles from city centre
Westminster, home to some of London's best-known landmarks and the seat of government. Slip through the shadows of history at The Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square with the bells of Big Ben marking the passage of time. Stroll past Whitehall to Downing Street (the Prime Minister's official home and office) and on to Buckingham Palace.
Places to stay from £11 per night
-
St James
0.1 miles from city centre
St James's is a sophisticated neighbourhood filled with mature parks, galleries and high-end restaurants. Edged by Buckingham Palace, Green Park, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus, St James's plays host to a range of cultural and artistic events throughout the year including London Fashion Week. Head to Jermyn Street for luxury shopping.
Places to stay from £50 per night
-
Marylebone
1.6 miles from city centre
Lined with beautiful Victorian terraces, the traditional streets of Marylebone contain acres of parks and garden. Amateur sleuths shouldn’t miss Sherlock Holmes’ legendary residence at 221b Baker Street. You’ll spot the beautiful, circular All Souls Church with its striking conical tower. From here, wander towards Bond Street’s upmarket shops.
Places to stay from £23 per night
-
Knightsbridge
1.7 miles from city centre
Knightsbridge is a honeypot for wealthy shoppers - and the postcode of choice for the even wealthier. Harrods is the centrepiece, a unique department store with five acres of shopping. The nearby Harvey Nichols food court is legendary for its gourmet delights. The park behind The Brompton Oratory provides an oasis among the stucco-fronted edifices.
Places to stay from £105 per night
-
Belgravia
1.4 miles from city centre
This is one of the world's most elegant - and wealthy - residential neighbourhoods. Belgravia’s palatial Georgian-style houses are peppered with delightful garden squares, including Belgrave Square and Eaton Square. Elizabeth Street holds a number of quirky delights, like stationers, luxury chocolatiers, bakeries and antique shops.
Places to stay from £19 per night
About London
Including tips for the best time to visit London
London's inherent uniqueness and mix of cultures have made it one of the most visited cities in the world. Its diverse bundle of boroughs are often like mini cities in their own right, with each one offering something different to the last.
London's iconic skyline is an eclectic combination of instantly recognisable landmarks, from the historic Tower of London to the ultra-modern skyscrapers of The Shard and 20 Fenchurch (better known as 'The Walkie-Talkie'). A walk through the ‘Square Mile’ immerses you in the original Roman settlement, with parts of the ancient defensive wall still visible. You'll also find some of the London's cosiest (and oldest) pubs around there, such as Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a former haunt of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain.
For lovers of the arts, look no further than the world-class theatres of London's West End and the live music venues of Camden, Soho and Shoreditch. You'll also find endless galleries and museums dotted around, such as the free-to-visit British Museum, Natural History Museum and the National Gallery.
Amongst all the impressive architecture and endless points of interest, it's easy to forget how green London is. 47% of the city is made up of public green space, including 3,000 parks. The most popular spots include Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and Green Park, but it's worth venturing out to places like Richmond where you can walk amongst roaming wild deer.
London is served by several major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, City, Stansted, Luton and Southend. Travel is made easy by the extensive public transport links, as well as private coach services.
Tonight
From £130 per night
Next weekend
From £165 per night
| Most popular time to visit | October–December |
| Cheapest time to visit | January–March |
| Local currency | GBP |
| Language | English |
| Average weekend price | £162 per night |
| Average weekday price | £161 per night |
| Typical stay | 2 nights |
Points of interest in London
Stay near the top sightseeing spots in London
-
The Shard
1.8 miles from city centre
-
Wembley Stadium
7.3 miles from city centre
-
O2 Arena
5.7 miles from city centre
-
Tower Bridge
2.2 miles from city centre
-
Oxford Street
0.9 miles from city centre
-
London Eye
0.4 miles from city centre
-
London Bridge
1.7 miles from city centre
-
Royal Albert Hall
2.2 miles from city centre
-
Piccadilly Circus
0.4 miles from city centre
-
Emirates Stadium
3.4 miles from city centre
London reviews
What other travellers say about London
It is looking a bit shabby compared to before Covid.
27 April 2024
It is looking a bit shabby compared to before Covid. It is also less safe and you feel this in the evenings. Whilst we were there there were several knife attacks, there were several demonstrations, the traffic was bad to start with but became impossible with the demonstrations. It is no longer a world leading city, I would suggest other places in UK would probably be nicer. It really needs improving and some decent leadership, very sad to see. :-(
London has always been a bucket list destination, and it did...
27 April 2024
London has always been a bucket list destination, and it did not disappoint at all. Getting around London, and to/from the airport was so simple and stress free. This was a short trip to see musicals, and they were great. The Novello Theatre was beautiful, but unless we could get box seats, we would not go there again. We had a very hard time even seeing the stage due to the way the seats are. Everyone in front of you had to lean forward to see, which made it even harder for those behind, especially those of us that are short, with tall people in front. We did not have this problem at any of the others. Waterstones bookstore was across from hotel, if you love books, you want to go there. We mailed books to our family in the U.S., they received them 2 days later. All food was great, all over, so we cannot highlight just one! We didn't see anything I would avoid on this trip, but will be going back for a much longer one later in the year. We would reccomend allowing PLENTY of time to get to Stansted flying out, the passport/visa line was very slow moving. We always anticipate this could happen, and we were fine, but there was so many in front of us that did not allow enough time, and missed their flights. I felt sorry for the agents working the line/counter, people were not being very nice to them, instead of owning their own lack of due diligence, and moving on, I am taking 2 out of every 5 with flights leaving in 5 to 15 minutes, and they still had to check in and go through security, expecting staff to wave a wand and get them on a flight that had closed gates already. Check your travel, make sure there are no strikes, so you have a plan!! We flew into Luton, so I am not sure, but I will say that Stansted is nice and has PLENTY to occupy your time while waiting for your flight.
I was there for business.
26 April 2024
I was there for business. No time to visit except Tate Modern that was used to be more surprising. Now it looks like an handbook. Too bad. Still with scattered masterpieces though. It always worth visiting.
London was great but the Mayor is ruining it.
26 April 2024
London was great but the Mayor is ruining it. Taxi to Euston station was very slow and drop off point was outside, no cover from the rain, a long way from the station and required walking up steps. Complete lack of concern for train travellers.
Always a great place to visit.
25 April 2024
Always a great place to visit. We have been a couple of times in last 12 months and have done completely different things. So much variety. We had a cultural, historical, musical and gastronomical weekend.
london can be expensive but plan a bit i stay in a less...
25 April 2024
london can be expensive but plan a bit i stay in a less expensive area visit posh expensive places in day i use greggs, walk a lot i always eat breakfast usually greggs lots to see lots to do try not to look lost or like a tourist, however very safe i find. obviously if you are very drunk or looking for drugs you will find drama and trouble same as anywhere, excellent busses and travel network, love it for few days
Popular places to stay in London
Stay in some of the best accommodation London has to offer
-
St Paul's Studios apartment Hammersmith, London
From £218.50 per night
-
41 Westminster Borough, London
From £427 per night
-
Pan Pacific London City of London, London
From £395.25 per night
-
The Kings Arms Pub & Boutique Rooms Westminster Borough, London
From £220 per night
-
The Savoy Westminster Borough, London
From £675 per night
-
Other accommodation in London
Choose from a wide variety of places to stay in London
-
Apartments
From £22 per night
-
Villas
From £120 per night
-
Cabins
From £60 per night
-
Cottages
From £57 per night
-
Glamping Sites
From per night
-
Serviced Apartments
From £25 per night
-
Holiday Homes
From £75 per night
-
Guest Houses
From £16 per night
-
Hostels
From £9 per night
-
B&Bs
From £22 per night
-
Homestays
From £21 per night
-
Boats
From £316 per night
-
Luxury Tents
From per night
-
Self Catering Accommodation
From £19 per night
