LONDON TRAVEL GUIDE
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London is one of the most popular cities for visitors in the world. Every year an estimated 18 million people flock to sample the culture and history which make it so special.
Nearly 9 million people call London home and it is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world.
It is also where you will find some of the world’s most iconic buildings – Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London as well as 170 museums, numerous parks, restaurants and shops.
With so much to see and do what are you waiting for?
Below you will find links to all the information you need to plan your visit to London. For general planning advice check out my UK travel planning page and my guide to the best booking websites for UK travel.
—-> Join my UK and London travel planning group on Facebook for more tips, inspiration and help from other travelers planning future travel to London and the UK.
- LONDON TRAVEL GUIDE
- PLAN YOUR TRIP TO LONDON
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO LONDON
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT LONDON?
London is busy pretty much all year round so deciding when to visit can be tricky if you are hoping to avoid the crowds!
London is particularly busy in July and August during the UK summer school holidays and again in December during the festive season.
To help you plan your visit to London read my guide to “When is the best time of year to visit the UK?” which looks at every season as well as detailing a month by month guide to events and festivals occurring throughout the year in London and the UK.
LONDON ATTRACTIONS AND THINGS TO DO
There are so many must-see sights and attractions to visit in London that choosing which ones to add into your itinerary can be a challenge.
My ultimate London bucket list is a great place to start when deciding what are your must-sees and do’s!
TOWER OF LONDON
BIG BEN
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
TRAFALGAR SQUARE
COVENT GARDEN
KEW GARDENS
LONDON EYE
TOWER BRIDGE
LONDON ITINERARIES
Coming soon a comprehensive selection of itineraries including one day, two day, three day, four day and five day London itineraries.
Also a selection of themed itineraries to suit families, foodies, culture lovers, history lovers, shoppers and more!
LONDON ITINERARY FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS
WHERE TO STAY IN LONDON – LONDON ACCOMMODATION GUIDE
Decide where to stay in London can be tricky especially for first-time visitors.
My recommendation is to stay in the centre of London. While it may be slightly less expensive to book a hotel outside the centre it is not worth the hassle of a daily commute.
If you plan to book a hotel or apartment during your London stay I recommend using booking.com.
I personally use them for all my hotel bookings wherever I am in the world. They have a wide selection to suit all budgets and many come with free cancellation up to 24 hours before (invaluable if your plans change unexpectedly)
Airbnb is another great option when staying in London and I have included some selections to suit all budgets in my London Accommodation Guide.
LONDON AREA GUIDE
TOP 10 FAMILY FRIENDLY HOTELS IN LONDON
TOP 10 LUXURY HOTELS IN LONDON
HOW TO GET AROUND LONDON – LONDON TRANSPORT GUIDES
The public transport system in London is excellent with a choice of using the underground (the Tube, trains, buses, boats and even bicycles.
We recommend buying an Oyster card if you are planning to use public transport.
Read our comprehensive guide to using the Underground and other public transport in London.
Transport Guides
- How to travel from London to Stonehenge (coming soon)
- How to travel from London to Edinburgh (coming soon)
- How to travel from London to Windsor Castle (coming soon)
- How to travel from London to Coventry (coming soon)
TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VISIT TO LONDON
If you are visiting London for the first time you may be wondering what to expect. Excited but perhaps a little nervous as we all are when we visit somewhere new for the first time.
My travel tips for first time visitors to London is an essential guide which provides you with all the need-to-know information to make your visit a little easier.
If you are traveling to London and have a tight budget or simply want to start planning and estimate costs (and maybe realising just how expensive it is) check out budget travel tips for London and 32 things to do for free in London.
—> CLICK HERE FOR MY BUDGET TRAVEL TIPS FOR LONDON
BEST LONDON TOURS
There are lots of great tours available to take in London including sightseeing walking tours and even themed walking tours.
I book my tours with either Get Your Guide or Take Walks depending on the type of tour I am looking for.
Get Your Guide offer a HUGE variety of tours and are also great for inspiration when planning your visit.
TOURS OF LONDON FROM GET YOUR GUIDE
TOURS OF LONDON FROM TAKE WALKS
Take Walks (formerly Walks of Italy) offer a selection of small group tours in London including the following:
LONDON PACKING LISTS
If you are unsure about what to pack for your London trip I recommend including the following items.
You can find a detailed packing list (including a free printable) in this packing guide for London in winter or this all-seasons packing guide for the UK.
TRAVEL BOOKS FOR LONDON
If you are looking for some movies travel inspiration for London (to watch on the plane perhaps) my article featuring 15 of the best movies featuring London is a sure to hit the mark!
UK TRAVEL PLANNING CHEATSHEET
Click here for all the practical information and resources you need to help you plan your UK vacation – all your questions answered!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
