1. The Shard
Credit: @londoncityspots
The Shard is a 95-storey supertall skyscraper designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano. It is the tallest building in the United Kingdom, and the sixth-tallest building in Europe at a height of 309.6 metres (1,016 ft).
A mixed-use “vertical city,” The Shard offers more than 25 floors of office space, three floors of restaurants, a 17-story Shangri-La London hotel, 13 floors of apartments and a triple-height viewing gallery, as well as an open-air viewing floor on level 72.
2. Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch.
It has 775 rooms which include 19 Staterooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle) and 24 metres high.
The Palace is very much a working building and the centrepiece of Britain’s constitutional monarchy. It is also the venue for great Royal ceremonies, State Visits and Investitures, all of which are organised by the Royal Household.
Opening Hours: Daily: 09.45 to 18.30
Getting there
By Tube: Victoria Station – Victoria, District & Circle Line
3. Palace of Westminster (Big Ben & House of Parliament)
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
It also houses one of London most famous icon – Big Ben which is the largest four-faced chiming clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world.
Opening Hours: Every Saturdays – 9.15 am to 4.30 pm (except during Christmas)
Getting there
By Tube: Westminster Station – Jubilee, District & Circle Line
4. Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is one of the most iconic London attractions is named after its two impressive towers & was designed by Wolfe Barry and Horace Jones, the royal architect who also designed the Smithfield Market.
The bridge was constructed from more than eleven thousand tones of steel and granite blocks that were transported from Cornwall. The power to raise the bridge was originally powered by steam, although fossil fuels are now used.
Opening Hours: April – Sep : 10.00 – 18.30 / Oct-March : 09.30 – 18.00
Getting there
By Tube: Tower Hill Station. 5 mins walk from the tube station.
By Bus: Bus routes to Tower Bridge: 15, 42, 78,100, RV1.
5. Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is one of the world’s greatest churches, a designated World Heritage Site and ‘Royal Peculiar’, which means the Dean is directly answerable to the monarch.
The coronation of Kings and Queens has taken place here since 1066, and many of the nation’s Kings and Queens are buried in the Abbey.
Opening Hours
Mon, Tue, Thur & Fri : 9.30am – 4.30pm / Wed : 9.30am – 7.00pm
Saturday : 9.30am – 2.30pm / Sunday : Worship only – No Tourist Visiting
Getting there
By Tube: St James’s Park St – District and Circle Lines / Westminster St – Jubilee, District & Circle Lines
6. Trafalgar Square
Credit: @samishams_
Trafalgar Square, at the heart of London, is one of the city’s most vibrant open spaces & is a landmark in central London enjoyed by Londoners and all visitors alike.
It is a lively place often used for a wide range of activities including special events and celebrations like the Royal Wedding, Olympics One Year to Go, St Patrick’s Day and Chinese New Year; filming and photography; and rallies and demonstrations.
At its centre is Nelson’s Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of contemporary art.
Getting there
By Tube: Charing Cross Station – Bakerloo and Northern lines. Exit Trafalgar Square.
By Bus: Trafalgar Square : 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 23, 24, 53, 77A, 88, 91, 139, 159, 176, 453.
7. St Paul’s Cathedral
Credit: @henezzaa
The present St Paul’s is the fifth cathedral to have stood on the site since 604, and was built between 1675 and 1710 after its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London.
This was the first cathedral to be built after the English Reformation in the sixteenth century when Henry VIII removed the Church of England from the jurisdiction of the Pope and the Crown took control of the Church’s life.
Opening Hours: Mon to Sat: 8.30 am – 4.00 pm / Sunday is open only for worship.
Getting there
By Tube
1. St Paul’s Station Central Line.
2. Cannon Street Station & Mansion House Station is only 5 minutes walk away.
By Bus: Bus Routes to St Paul’s: 4, 11, 15, 23, 25, 26, 100, 242
8. Harrods
Credit: @elodie_london
Harrods is one of the most famous luxury malls in London. The store occupies a 5-acre (20,000 m2) site and has over one million square feet (90,000 m2) of selling space in over 330 departments which offer a wide range of products and services.
Products on offer include clothing for women, men, children and infants, electronics, jewellery, sporting gear, bridal trousseau, pets and pet accessories, toys, food and drink, health and beauty items, packaged gifts, stationery, housewares, home appliances, furniture, and much more.
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat : 10am – 8pm / Sun : 12pm – 6pm
Getting there
By Tube: Knightsbridge Station. Exit Brompton Road.
By Bus: Harrods : 9, 10, 14, 19, 22, 52, 74, 137, 414, 452, C1
9. British Museum
Credit: @earthpix.eu
British Museum is one of the world best museum in the world in human history and culture. The Museum houses a vast collection of world art and artefacts and is FREE to all visitors.
With more than 8 million permanent collections, whereby are amongst the finest, most comprehensive, and largest in existence and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.
Opening Hours: Daily 10.00 to 17.30
Getting there
By Tube: Holborn Station – Central & Piccadilly Line/ Tottenham Court Road Station – Central & Northern Line.
By Bus: British Museum – 1, 7, 8, 19, 25, 38, 55, 98, 242
10. Oxford Street
Credit: @dav_ni
Oxford Street is London’s leading luxury shopping destination & it is also Europe’s busiest & dense shopping street, with approximately 300 shops.
Getting there
By Tube
1. Oxford Circus Station – Bakerloo Line / Central Line / Victoria Line
2. Piccadilly Circus Station – Bakerloo Line / Piccadilly Line
By Bus: Oxford Street- 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 23, 25, 53, 55, 73, 88, 94, 98
11. London Eye
Credit: @agneskoltay
At 135m, the famous London Eye is one of the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel & the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK. It was conceived and designed by Marks Barfield Architects and was launched in 2000.
Opening Hours: Daily 10.00 am – 8.30 pm
Getting there
By Tube: Waterloo Station – Waterloo & City, Bakerloo, Jubilee & Northern Line. Exit South Banks.
By Bus: London Eye – 211, 77 and 381.
12. Borough Market
Credit: @violettapolese
Borough Market’s gourmet food market is one of the largest food markets in London & consists of up to 70 stalls and stands.
Producers from all over the country bring a range of fresh produce to the market, including fish, meats, vegetables, ciders, cheeses, bread, coffees, cakes and patisseries. Other stalls specialise in produce imported from abroad.
Opening Hours
Every Thursday 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM / Friday 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM / Saturday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Getting there
By Tube: London Bridge Station – Circle & District Line
wow. Its very nice post. I want to add some other tourist attractions in London in this list as-
– Victoria And Albert Museum
– Zsl London Zoo
– Madame Tussauds Museum
– Tate Modern
– Greenwich Park
– Kensington Palace
Hi Tommy, i wonder is the admission fee stated above still up to date?
And also all the bus route are they still valid and accurate? I understand that this was written way back in 2012 and i’m going there soon. So, finding this blog very useful. Thanks.
Hi Kelly, it will be advisable to double check though we do update it once a year
Hi Tommy,
Awesome blog you have there!
Me & my bf planned to travel – paris, london, amsterdam & venice. Do you think it’s possible to cover all these places in 3 weeks?
Could you please advise too the sequence? Thank you!