Top London attractions

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Discover the best London attractions, including free and must-see attractions

London is a city teeming with world-famous landmarks, from awe-inspiring edifices such as St Paul's Cathedral to royal residences including Buckingham Palace. We've highlighted the must-see attractions for any visitor to London, to serve as a handy starting point for your exploration of the city.

Use the grid to find your favourite attraction or browse through the full list below.

Top London attractions: the full list

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace Rd, London, SW1A 1AA

As the home of the Queen, the palace is usually closed to visitors, but you can view the interior for a brief period each summer while the Windsors are away on their holidays; you'll be able to see the State Rooms, still used to entertain dignitaries, and part of the garden. Read more about Buckingham Palace
Changing the Guard

Buckingham Palace, London, SW1A 1AA

Taking place on alternate days, this ceremony sees soldiers, accompanied by their regimental band, march between Buckingham Palace and Birdcage Walk. After a symbolic handing-over of the Palace keys, the posting of sentries and other military formalities, the Old Guard and the New Guard proceed to alternate their posts. Read more about Changing the Guard
Kensington Palace

The Broadwalk, Kensington Gardens, London, W8 4PX

Acquired by William and Mary in 1689, Kensington Palace was radically altered first by Sir Christopher Wren and again in the reign of George I. The Palace has recently re-opened after major refurbishment, with improved visitor access and facilities as well as 'Victoria Revealed', a new, permanent exhibition, which looks at the life and reign of Victoria through her own words. Read more about Kensington Palace
Hyde Park

Serpentine Rd, W2 2UH

At 1.5 miles long and about a mile wide, Hyde Park is one of the largest of London's Royal Parks. London's oldest boating lake, The Serpentine, is here. The park perimeter is popular with skaters, cyclists and horse riders. Read more about Hyde Park
Royal Albert Hall

Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP

Built as a memorial to Queen Victoria's husband in 1871, the Royal Albert Hall's vast rotunda was once described by the monarch as looking like 'the British constitution'. It has been the venue for the (now BBC) Proms since 1941. You can take in the Royal Albert Hall's splendid exterior and regal interior on regular tours. Read more about the Royal Albert Hall
The Mall

The Mall, SW1Y 5AH

The Mall is the grand processional route that runs along the north side of St James's Park from Buckingham Palace through Admiralty Arch down to Trafalgar Square. The Mall became a ceremonial route in the early twentieth century – on state occasions the Queen rides her golden carriage down The Mall past waving crowds. Read more about The Mall
Palace of Westminster

Whitehall, London, SW1A 0AA

Designed by Charles Barry, the Palace of Westminster – which comprises the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben - is now a wonderful mish-mash of styles, dominated by Gothic buttresses, towers and arches. Tours are conducted each year during the Summer Recess of Parliament. Read more about the Palace of Westminster
Big Ben

Until Feb 29 2016, Palace of Westminster

The world's most celebrated clock is also a pedant's dream. Big Ben is just the main bell, not the tower – we all know that. But then the über-pedants insist that the edifice isn't even called St Stephen's Tower, as the regular pedants hold, but is officially The Clock Tower. Designed by architect Charles Barry as part of the Palace of Westminster, The Clock Tower was completed in 1859. Read more about Big Ben
Westminster Abbey

Parliament Square, London, SW1P 3PA

The cultural significance of Westminster Abbey is hard to overstate. Its popularity can only have increased since the wedding in April 2011 of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Poets' Corner is the final resting place of Geoffrey Chaucer and Robert Browning. Read more about Westminster Abbey
St Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8AD

The passing of three centuries has done nothing to diminish the magnificence of St Paul's Cathedral, Christopher Wren's masterpiece and London's most famous cathedral. A £40 million restoration project has revived the extravagant main façade. Read more about St Paul's Cathedral

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London Eye

South Bank, London, SE1 7PB

On a clear day the London Eye, the world's largest observation wheel, offers views as far as 25 miles away. Booking is advised but a number of tickets are held back for same-day sale on site, although weekends and school holidays tend to sell out in advance. Read more about London Eye

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Somerset House

The Strand, London, WC2R 1LA

Somerset House contains a formidable art gallery (the wonderful Courtauld), a beautiful fountain court, a terraced café and a classy restaurant. The venue hosts an outdoor film screen in summer and a wonderfully atmospheric ice-rink in winter. Read more about Somerset House
Southbank Centre

Belvedere Rd, London, SE1 8XX

This riverside titan of arts and entertainment has morphed and expanded in the past few years securing its position as one of the most attractive cultural hotspots in London, helped by its accessible location and proximity to the National Theatre and Tate Modern. Read more about the Southbank Centre
National Theatre

South Bank, London, SE1 9PX

The concrete-clad, 1960s modernist grandmother of them all: no theatrical tour of London is complete without a visit to the National. But you don't have to buy a ticket to get a feel for the atmosphere – the alfresco stage routinely lays on free events, especially during the Watch This Space summer festival. Read more about the National Theatre
Shakespeare's Globe

21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London, SE1 9DT

The original Globe Theatre, where many of William Shakespeare's plays were first staged and which he co-owned, burned to the ground in 1613. Nearly 400 years later, it was rebuilt not far from its original site and has proven a huge success. Read more about Shakespeare's Globe
Tate Modern

Bankside, London, SE1 9TG

This powerhouse of modern art is awe-inspiring even before you enter, thanks to its industrial architecture. It opened as an art museum in 2000 and has enjoyed spectacular popularity ever since. Read more about Tate Modern
Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge, London, SE1 2UP

Opened in 1894, this is the 'London Bridge' that wasn't sold to America. Originally powered by steam, the drawbridge is now opened by electric rams when big ships need to venture this far upstream. The Tower Bridge Exhibition is an entertaining display on the history of the bridge, which provides a crow's-nest's view along the Thames. Read more about Tower Bridge

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Tower of London

Until Feb 29 2016, Tower of London

The interior of the Tower of London's Medieval Palace has been restored with replica furniture and wall-hangings, and imbued with medieval smells and sounds. There's plenty here to fill a whole day, and it's worth joining one of the highly recommended and entertaining free tours led by the Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters). Read more about the Tower of London

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HMS Belfast

Morgan's Lane, Tooley St, London, SE1 2JH

Europe's largest cruiser from WWII, HMS Belfast is now a floating naval museum, a landmark on the Thames near Tower Bridge. The HMS Belfast makes an unlikely playground for children, who tear around its cramped complex with ease. Read more about HMS Belfast
City Hall

The Queen's Walk, London, SE1 2AA

City Hall is Foster and Partners' offices for the Mayor and the London Assembly. Meetings of the Mayor's Advisory Cabinet and the London Assembly and its Committees, including the monthly Mayor's Question Time, are open to the public. During the week you can visit the exhibition spaces on the second and lower ground floors. Read more about City Hall
Cutty Sark

King William Walk, London, SE10 9HT

Badly damaged by fire in May 2007, Cutty Sark -the last surviving tea clipper - re-opens after extensive renovation on April 26, 2012. On-board displays are dedicated to the ship's history and various cargos during her 140-year lifespan, from tea to wool to buffalo horns. Read more about Cutty Sark
Royal Museums Greenwich

Romney Rd, London, SE10 9NF

To mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, as of January 2012 the umbrella title for the National Maritime Museum, Queen's House and the Royal Observatory Greenwich is Royal Museums Greenwich. On this site in and around Greenwich Park you'll find the UK's only public planetarium and be able to enjoy spectacular views over London from the top of the hill. Make a day of it and travel to Greenwich by boat or DLR as alternative modes of transport. Read more about Royal Museums Greenwich
Kew Gardens

Until Feb 29 2016, Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is a magnificent World Heritage Site covering 300 acres with over 30,000 species of plants. There's also an aquarium on site, play areas for kids and the Xstrata Treetop Walkway – 18m up in the air, it provides a fresh perspective on the spectacular woodland below. Read more about Kew Gardens
Battersea Power Station

Kirtling St, SW8 5BN

A Grade II-listed Art Deco masterpiece, and Europe's largest brick building, Battersea Power Station is a London icon that has appeared in films such as Alfred Hitchcock's 'Sabotage' and Monty Python's 'The Meaning of Life', episodes of 'Doctor Who' and, perhaps most famously, on the cover of Pink Floyd's 1977 album 'Animals'. Read more about Battersea Power Station