84 Best things to see & do in London

The Tower of London is one of the UK’s most iconic and impressive historical attractions. Yes, it’s stuffed with tourists but for good reason: inside, you’ll get up close to the Crown Jewels, including the Queen’s crown and the armour of the great Tudor King, Henry VIII. Its White Tower is the oldest intact building in London, built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century.

The resident Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters) give excellent free tours of the various wings, uncovering some gruesome stories from the Tower’s role as a prison in the Middle Ages. This is where ‘traitors’ were executed – the water gate entrance, built by Edward I, witnessed a stream of prisoners enter the Tower for execution, including Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More and Catherine Howard. The unfortunate’s head would be displayed on a spike at London Bridge afterwards.

Look out for the resident ravens – legend has it that if they desert the tower, the kingdom will fall.

The hallowed galleries of the National are home to one of the greatest collections of Western European paintings in the world. There are more than 2,300 works on display here.

Step out of the bustle of Trafalgar Square into the palatial building to take a tour of the classics, from the Italian Renaissance to the French Impressionists.

There has been a Palace at Westminster since at least the 10th century, but the neo-Gothic buildings that comprise the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben were built over a period of 23 years, between 1837-60. Designed by Sir Charles Barry and AWN Pugin, the building is set on a huge concrete plate on the banks of the Thames to keep the building stable. There are over 1,000 rooms, 100 staircases and three miles of passageways over four floors.

Today this is where the British Government meets, and although many visitors see these distinctive buildings as simply part of London’s historic skyline, it’s well worth venturing beyond the elegant facades to have a look inside.

Sit in on ‘Prime Minister’s Questions’ in the House of Commons or take a guided tour focusing on the decorative splendour of the House of Lords. You can also climb the Elizabeth Tower, which holds the clock famously known as Big Ben.

Adopted as the British monarch’s official London residence on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837, the world’s most famous – if architecturally bland – royal palace is viewed by most visitors from the outside only. Walk up the Mall to get the most impressive view, and once you’ve mingled with the crowds, dip into leafy St James’ Park for coffee with the squirrels, who eat out of the hands of passersby.

In the summer months, the State Rooms and gardens open up to visitors; you can take your own picnic if visiting the gardens, and there are pre-bookable Gardener’s Tours for green-fingered visitors.

A must-do on every London visitor’s itinerary, the imposing, colonnaded British Museum truly lives up to the hype. One of the oldest museums in the world (established 1753), its enormously rich collection of more than seven million artefacts, many collected and brought back to London from across the world by British explorers and archaeologists during the days of the British Empire.

The ethics may be questionable, but it has ensured thousands of ancient relics that may otherwise have been lost have been safeguarded. Discussions go on about the rights of returning many of these artefacts to their original countries, but for the moment they are still on display to be enjoyed and marvelled at.

The addition in 2000 of a soaring, glass-domed atrium – the Great Court, designed by Norman Foster – brought a dash of contemporary cool to a historic landmark.

Instantly recognisable, and one of London’s best-loved monuments, St Paul’s Cathedral was the greatest achievement of 17th-century architect Sir Christopher Wren. Taking 33 years to build, it was declared officially complete on Christmas Day 1711 (although work continued for some time after) and remained the tallest building in London until 1967. Through astonishing luck – or perhaps divine intervention – St Paul’s survived (virtually unscathed) the 1940 World War II bombing blitz – and the ensuing fire – that flattened or destroyed almost every other building for miles around it.

Still the second largest cathedral in the UK, the church is famed for the height of its vast dome (111m) and the incredible acoustics of the Whispering Gallery. Legend has it that if you stand on one side of the gallery and whisper along the wall, someone listening on the opposite side (33m away) will be able to hear you.

From the 25m blue whale skeleton that hovers over the central atrium to the theatrically-lit Earth Hall, exploring the natural forces behind our planet’s existence, the NHM is a spectacle from start to finish.

Adults and kids alike will be entranced by the elegantly-arranged collection spread over 43 galleries. Its treasures – everything from dinosaur fossils to diamonds and Martian meteorites – entice Londoners back for multiple visits.

Designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1873, the museum is an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture, its facade designed with delicate columns, articulated arches and carvings of plants and animals.

Although founded officially in 1840, these renowned, UNESCO-listed botanical gardens have been around since the 1750s. They now showcase 30,000 species of plant over around 300 acres – and paired with Wakehurst in Sussex forms the largest botanical garden in the world.

It’s not just for visual enjoyment, there’s a strong conservation purpose here too. The gardens are a world leader in plant science and conservation. The Herbarium and Fungarium contain over 8 million preserved plant and fungal specimens from all over the world.

The Victorian Palm House is a centrepiece, alongside energy-efficient modern hothouses, an aquarium in the Princess of Wales Conservatory, and a raised treetop walkway (200m long and 18m high) through a woodland glade. Also look out for ‘The Hive’, a 17m-high, multi-sensory experience to highlight the extraordinary life of bees.

The gardens offer a year-round programme of tours and talks plus stunning site-specific art exhibitions – all adding up to a memorable, nature-inspired day out for anyone.

A Tudor royal pleasure palace set in 60 acres of gorgeous formal gardens and 750 acres of parkland. Anyone with the remotest interest in English history will get a kick out of exploring this sprawling Tudor and Baroque estate, where the infamous Henry VIII lived, loved and held lavish banquets.

Navigating the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze, commissioned around 1700, is something of a rite of passage for British kids, with families often opting to visit the gardens alone (maze-only tickets are available). But don’t miss the Great Hall and royal apartments, the elaborate dome in the Chapel Royal or the gallery – reputedly haunted by Henry’s fated fifth wife, Catherine Howard.

You can also play Mary Poppins with a walk on the palace roof, on guided summertime tours that take in the intricate brickwork and chimneys and give VIP views of the estate.

Despite religious wars and changing affiliations through the centuries, Westminster Abbey has been the traditional place of royal coronations, and the resting place of monarchs – since William the Conqueror arrived in 1066. In recent times, the Abbey has hosted the funeral of Princess Diana and the royal wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton.

The current building was built on the orders of King Henry III in 1245. It has also become a final resting place for prominent citizens – poets, actors, scientists and military leaders. It contains the remains of 3,300 notables, including 16 monarchs and 8 Prime Ministers.

Today, you can see the Coronation Chair, a throne where all British monarchs (bar two) have been crowned since 1066, Henry VII’s chapel, and towers built by Sir Christopher Wren and his protege, Nicholas Hawksmoor. You can pay your respects to the British pillar of science, Sir Isaac Newton. Poets’ Corner, in the South Transept, is a shrine to Britain’s most famous poets and writers, many of whom are buried or commemorated here. The tradition started when Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English Literature, was interred here.

The world’s greatest collection of design objects and decorative arts has seven miles of galleries devoted to everything from ancient oriental rugs to Victorian fashion, rock’n’roll album art to iconic 1960s furnishings.

Its hallowed west London halls contain over four million items, running alongside which are some of the capital’s most cutting-edge temporary arts exhibitions – often celebrating the work and impact of a single artist or designer. The institution is also a major centre for study, home to the National Art Library and the RIBA Architecture Study room.

The V&A’s rich variety of exhibits includes the Great Bed of Ware, mentioned in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a Cold War era Egg Chair and an Ossie Clark jumpsuit worn by Mick Jagger. Temporary exhibitions might look at Sixties fashion, or the history of underwear.

The days of small, barren enclosures and depressed animals are long gone -London Zoo has transformed into a model zoo for the 21st century. Enclosures are more spacious with richer vegetation, only holding large animals that are better suited to enclosures. The zoo also now focuses more on smaller (and often more interesting) creatures and habitats, with a strong conservation theme throughout, and an emphasis on education and interaction for children.

Don’t miss the Asiatic lions or the Western Lowland gorillas (you can’t possibly miss the giraffes). The newish ‘Tiger Territory’ is an enclosure for two Sumatran tigers, which has been specially designed to mimic the tiger’s natural habitat with tall trees (for climbing) and a pool (tigers love to swim).

There’s also an adventure playground and a hugely popular ‘Bed Bugs’ initiative, where children aged 8-11 can stay overnight in the insect house, for games, storytelling and torch-lit exploration of the zoo.

Steeped in the glamour of rail travel’s golden age, the vintage British Pullman train harks back to the roaring 1920s, with wood-panelled lounge cars, retro upholstery and liveried waiters serving Champagne and canapés.

Sister train to the Orient Express, the Pullman operates a variety of themed tours, visiting famous British cities and attractions (Bath, Bristol, Oxford, Highclere Castle, Sissinghurst, Chatsworth House & more) – a great way to tick off two bucket list experiences at once. Or you can simply go on a tour of the countryside while enjoying a Champagne afternoon tea.

Founded in 1856 as a visual hall of fame for the country’s great and good, today the National Portrait Gallery is still a vital part of British culture. The form may be traditional but the collection of 175,000 portraits range from stiff-upper-lipped royals and Victorian politicians to modern-day celebrities and Olympic heroes.

If you’re in London in summer, look out for the gallery’s prestigious BP Portrait Award; otherwise, the rotating exhibitions of portrait photography cover lively themes such as rock’n’roll, fashion and dance.

With uncounted masterpieces created by the artist-filled centuries since the Renaissance, alongside priceless works plundered from across the former British Empire, London’s art collections are both staggering and unrivalled. These, plus a thriving art scene today that continues to add modern pieces to the classics, make London an art-lover’s paradise.

The capital’s art galleries range from vast, palatial buildings filled with classical paintings, to edgy white-cube galleries where up-and-coming artists show their work.

Huge riverside museums might take up half a day as you explore dozens of themed galleries, ticking off bucket list works and learning about the evolution of painting and sculpture.

Look out for smaller specialist venues, too, and a vibrant street art scene, especially around East London.

Like MoMA in New York or the Pompidou Centre in Paris, London’s Tate Modern is an energetic and uniquely site-specific art space. This former power station beside the Thames houses a permanent and rotating exhibition of contemporary art that gets London talking and walking around its inventive exhibition spaces.

From Damien Hirst to Monet, Rothko to Miro, Lichtenstein to Warhol, the treasures in this 1940s industrial construction are legendary. The main galleries feature a rotating selection of the 60,000-piece permanent collection.

But the big buzz is usually about its colossal Turbine Hall, which hosts temporary, site-specific installations from big names like Louise de Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor and Bruce Nauman.

Britain’s capital is perhaps most famous worldwide as the home of the monarchy, from the colourful tales of King Henry VIII and Queen Victoria to their modern, paparazzi-snapped descendants. Dotted all over town are historic royal palaces, residences and historic monuments that symbolise the long history of the British Monarchy.

Thankfully, most have been updated and adapted for the demands of modern tourism, and are at least partly accessible to visitors. Each reveals, through museums, guided tours and interactive exhibits, some different aspect of the truth and legends that make up Britain’s extraordinary and unique royal history.

London’s theatre and music scene is one of the oldest in the world – and its theatres and concert halls some of the most striking in design and architecture.

From the loving recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre on the Southbank to the Brutalist blocks of the National Theatre, and the ornate Royal Albert Hall, with its unbeatable acoustics for orchestras, the buildings are as much a part of the story as the plays and concerts you’ll see performed inside.

The famous ‘West End’ (around Covent Garden and Soho) is the centre of it all, home to a collection of historic theatres which house a mixture of long-running plays and musicals and short-running shows. But you’ll find great theatres as spread out as London Bridge, Hackney and Chelsea, too, often with a certain ethos, such as championing new writing or showcasing different styles of dance.

Iconic black cabs, scarlet double-decker buses, architectural wonders as train stations, the world’s first underground railway system – London’s transport history is fascinating, even for those without train-spotting tendencies. This surprisingly compelling museum explains how transport development directly influenced the evolution of the city we know today.

There are interactive exhibits (including a tube simulator), original artworks and posters, and the real stars, the collection of heritage vehicles from the 19th and 20th centuries: trains, buses, cabs and more. Plenty of interactive exhibits ensure children will be engaged; the ‘Track it Down’ trail designed by Guardian cartoonist Stephen Appleby helps families to navigate key exhibits.

This grand Portland stone building on the Thames, the original Tate Gallery, has lately been eclipsed by its edgier younger sibling, the Tate Modern. This is a pity – the Tate Britain houses an impressive collection of classical and modern British art that’s second only to the National Gallery.

Come here to see evocative landscapes and striking portraits by British greats such as Gainsborough, Freud, Bacon and Constable – who gets an entire room to himself – as well as Turner, whose works number into the thousands.

The gallery is best known for its works by deceased painters, but the always-controversial annual Turner Prize (October to January) is an exhibition of the best contemporary British art of that year – and a highlight of the London art calendar.

With several distinct shopping areas and countless brilliant department stores and shopping streets, London requires some space in your suitcase. It’s, without doubt, the world’s premier shopping destination.

Whether browsing the designer boutiques around Bond Street or Marylebone, ticking off the historic department stores of the West End, or seeking out individual, legendary shops and historic markets – there is something for every taste and every budget. Even if you’re not a shopper, wandering London’s markets and best shopping areas is a quintessential London experience not to be missed.

More than 40 large-scale, world-class theatres make up the ‘West End’, all crammed into a small, buzzy area of central London, around Leicester Square, Soho, Covent Garden and Shaftesbury Avenue. Theatres here have a heritage stretching back five centuries – several are home to shows that break world records for length of run and ticket sales, and many are elaborate listed buildings with beautifully-preserved Georgian or Victorian features.

While the West End is most famous for its blockbuster musicals, its theatres stage a wide variety of genres, including serious drama, comedy and avant-garde performance pieces.

This suspension bridge, built in 1894 across the River Thames, is one of London, if not the world’s, most famous landmarks and an architectural marvel.

This unique bridge consists of two towers connected by walkways. Cars and pedestrians cross on the lower road level, which famously opens up from the centre to allow ships to pass under. Visitors can cross a glass floored walkway at the upper levels, with views down the Thames and across over the Tower of London.

British food has undergone a revolution in the last twenty years; high-profile chefs such as Mark Hix and Fergus Henderson have sparked a culinary revival, with traditional flavours and dishes reinvented with contemporary techniques and ingredients.

Rich gravies and jus characterise many meat dishes; tangy with blackcurrants, red wine and handfuls of sage and marjoram, while strongly-flavoured hard cheeses – most notably Cheddar – flavour many vegetable and pasta dishes.

Bread remains a national passion; good bakers can be found everywhere, with chewy sourdough, fluffy white ‘bloomers’ and sugar-coated doughnuts (filled with raspberry jam) classic favourites. Traditional British desserts are sweet and treacley, while cakes are often rich with dried fruit.

From a battle of Britain Spitfire to the casing of the ‘Little Boy’ atomic bomb, and a journey through the trenches, this grand Victorian building houses exhibitions that paint a visceral picture of combat from the First World War to present-day peacekeeping missions.

The museum’s acclaimed Holocaust and Second World War galleries have been overhauled, with bold new exhibits and never-displayed-before artefacts. There are also plenty of specialist tours as Highlights of IWM, a journey through the Atrium, once the exercise courtyard of the infamous ‘Bedlam’ hospital, exploring over a century’s worth of conflict and the often moving stories behind the extraordinary collection of military aircraft, tanks, weapons, paintings, photography, clothing and more.

Anyone who has ever found Shakespeare dry should make the pilgrimage to The Globe. This is Shakespeare as Shakespeare was meant to be experienced: bawdy, funny and heartbreaking.

In a project driven by actor and director Sam Wanamaker, this exact replica of the Elizabethan Globe theatre was built on the banks of the Thames, about 230m from the spot where the original stood in 1599. Rain or shine, the performance goes on, with theatregoers crammed into the open-air yard or huddled on benches in the sheltered, tiered seating. The atmosphere is electric.

Interactive, innovative and packed with wow-factor exhibits, this vast, seven-floor museum is traditionally seen as the preserve of school groups – but grown-ups overlook this at your peril.

Come here for treasures such as the command module from the Apollo 10 spacecraft, astronaut’s space suits, early computers and thrilling flight simulators. The Flight Gallery, complete with full-size craft from the beginnings of aviation, will make even the most museum-jaded traveller’s heart soar.

The museum is adored by families for its lower floors, which focus entirely on stimulating mini-scientists: the spectacular Wonderlab is spread across seven zones, offering the chance to interact with scientific phenomena, see live science shows and demonstrations and get hands-on with experiments and displays.

From the moment you step through the vast carved doors of the Great Hall, you know you’re somewhere truly magical. This is no mere theme park – instead, you’ll find thousands of exquisitely detailed artefacts, lovingly preserved from the eight Harry Potter movies, filmed at adjacent Leavesden studios.

The sets are the biggest draw, from a cobbled Diagon Alley to The Great Hall, the Gryffindor dorms to Dumbledore’s office, and the Hogwarts Express, which you can climb aboard. Just watch out for Dementors.

But this showcase of sets, iconic props and costumes is beautifully displayed to allow an immersive, interactive experience that stays with you long after you’ve left. Even if you’re not a Potter fan, the incredible attention to detail, commitment to storytelling and sheer craftsmanship that has gone into both the film sets and the subsequent Studio Tour, can’t fail to move anyone with even the most passing interest in movies.

An aristocratic habit started by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840, pausing for tea, cakes and sandwiches at three or four in the afternoon is a good old-fashioned English treat.

Although there are afternoon teas offered across the city (and just about everywhere and anywhere these days), for the authentic, traditional afternoon tea – as the Duchess would have expected it – you need to attend one of London’s historic, grand dame hotels.

The great and the good have been flocking to the grand salons of Claridges, the Savoy and the Ritz (among others) for over a century. Settle in among the glamorous surroundings for miniature sandwiches and cakes served on gleaming silver stands, with tea poured by elegantly-livered waiters. In most cases, you can up the ante just a little further by adding a glass of champagne to the package.

Staff worked 14-hour shifts in this subterranean bunker, from which the cigar-puffing Winston Churchill directed operations during the Blitz. The warren of rooms, which remains exactly as it was in 1945 – from the rationed sugar cubes to the military maps – provides a fascinating glimpse of London during World War II.

During air raids, the weather indicator was changed to ‘windy’ as a joke. Ironically, it recently emerged that this secret nerve centre was neither bombproof nor gas-proof.

Glastonbury for garden-lovers, this five-day flower show comes to West London each May, drawing crowds of plant, flower and landscaping enthusiasts to its displays in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Mini, themed gardens might imitate a Japanese garden or create a fairytale setting; stands for landscaping, furniture and accessory companies inspire ideas for your garden at home; and clouds of diverse flower varieties create a rainbow of blooms. The overall feel is Alice in Wonderland meets Gardeners’ World.

Arguably the world’s greatest maritime museums, showcasing the rich and unrivalled maritime history of the world, but especially Britain. With an extensive collection of over 2 million objects, including ship models, paintings, maps, and navigational instruments, the museum offers a comprehensive exploration of maritime heritage.

Look out for galleries dedicated to Trafalgar and Sea Traders. There are also galleries that explore the world of piracy, polar worlds, tales of Pacific exploration and stories from the deep.

The museum is part of the Royal Museums of Greenwich, which include the Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory and Queen’s House – well worth a full day to explore them all.

Especially for under 12s

There are two galleries just for kids, as well as special kid-friendly events.

London is home to a variety of Harry Potter attractions that offer fans a chance to immerse themselves in the world of wizardry.

The most famous is the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, home to the sets, costumes, and props used in the films.

Other attractions include Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station, the West End stage show ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child‘, several specialist merchandise shops and a number of walking tours that take in the London ‘muggle’ sites featured in the movies.

The pomp and ceremony surrounding the British Monarchy is globally revered, and this, the annual parade in celebration of The Queen’s ‘official’ birthday (not on the actual date), is the tour-de-force of British tradition. Tracing its origins back to the 17th century, the event conveys the valour and pride that still lingers in one of the few remaining monarchical nations.

Regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies perform this traditional ceremony on a Saturday in June, when over 1400 officers and men are on parade in full regalia, together with two hundred horses. Over four hundred musicians from ten bands and corps of drums march and play. The Queen arrives to carry out an inspection of the troops, greeted by a Royal salute.

After around 2.5 hours, the event concludes with a fly-over by the RAF.

A food market has stood beside London Bridge since at least the 12th century, and the current model – with Victorian architecture and railway arches covering many of the food outlets – has had a huge revival in recent years as London has become one of Europe’s biggest foodie hubs.

Stalls range from traditional fruit and veg to artisan bakers, charcuterie, cheese counters and chocolatiers, with some of the capital’s best restaurants in the historic streets that wind out from the main marketplace. Unquestionably London’s biggest culinary draw with over 100 stalls, it’s phenomenally popular with tourists, but local foodies also flock here for the fantastic street food, which ranges from artisan chorizo sandwiches to Egyptian curries, fresh pasta and Indian dosas, eaten on the go as trains rumble overhead.

Instantly recognisable as one of London’s greatest icons, the Royal Albert Hall is the capital’s premier venue – a beautiful, circular concert hall, founded in 1871, and based on the design of a Roman amphitheatre.

Outside, its red and gold frontage dominates the southern edge of Kensington Gardens, while inside – beneath the largest unsupported glass dome in the world – the main auditorium is almost overwhelming in its scale, with over 5,000 seats, many in galleried, gilt-edged ‘boxes’.

The Hall hosts everything from rock concerts to classical music and theatrical events such as Cirque du Soleil, and remains a pillar of the capital’s cultural life as the home of the Proms, a classical music festival that runs from July to September. Steeped in history, this is the place to perform in London, and everyone from Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff to Adele has performed on its stage.

You can also take 60-minute daytime tours to go behind the scenes, and learn about the history and architecture of this monument to the arts.

With a Hyde Park backdrop, this handsome red-brick palace has been modernised over the centuries, but dates back to the 1700s. Much has happened in these hallowed apartments: Queen Victoria was born here and the late Princess Diana lived here; now William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have made it their London home.

The latest big renovation project finished in summer 2012, with newly landscaped gardens, revamped state rooms and exhibitions like Victoria Revealed, an exploration of Victoria’s reign in her own words.

The highlights here are a collection of Queen Victoria’s jewellery, an interactive display where you can step into Victorian garb and a statue of Diana, Princess of Wales in the Sunken Garden. The palace’s rotating programme of temporary exhibitions is well worth checking out, previously including a display of Princess Diana’s dresses and a look back at Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

Few capital cities can match London for the number of elegant parks that stretch out alongside the busy streets, great swathes of tree-lined green, spanning over 5,000 acres. There are eight Royal Parks to explore,  originally created as hunting and pleasure grounds for the royal family, each one a different experience.

The oldest park, St James, dates back to 1532, when Henry VIII purchased the land for a deer park. Surrounded by palaces on three sides – Westminster, St James’ and Buckingham – this is the heart of royal London, and where Elizabeth I held all manner of pageants and fetes during her reign.

The other main parks in central London are Hyde, Regents, St James and Green Park, while Richmond and Greenwich sit to the west and east respectively. All of the parks are dotted with cafes, and can be a wonderful place to sit with a picnic and watch Londoners slowing the pace for an hour or two.

Host of the renowned Summer Exhibition, the Royal Academy has been promoting art and artists since the 1700s.

Its prestigious art school has turned out the likes of William Blake and has championed careers of such now-starry names as Norman Foster, David Hockney, Anish Kapoor and Zaha Hadid.

The original 17th-century mansion on Piccadilly is now linked with the Academy’s grand 19th-century former university building on Burlington Gardens, both abuzz during the annual Summer Exhibition.

Along with this egalitarian celebration of art (it’s the world’s largest open-entry exhibition, for professionals and amateurs alike), the Academy regularly hosts the world’s best-attended art shows.

Its permanent collection is one of Britain’s oldest. The 30,000-strong collection takes in such British greats as Reynolds, Turner and Constable, and masterpieces including Michelangelo’s Taddei Tondo.

This 150-year-old, 921-ton sailing ship was one of the last British ‘tea clippers’ (a merchant sailing ship) to be built – and is now the last surviving in the world. After it was badly damaged by a fire in 2007, conservation work preserved the vessel and raised it to reveal the go-faster carvings that powered it to the eastern tea ports.

The Cutty Sark now sits in a dry dock museum, where you can learn about the cargo she carried and the countless countries she visited during her 140-year lifespan. Climb aboard to explore the decks, step under the hull, and gaze up at her three masts soaring over the National Maritime Museum.

There are regular family events throughout the year, with plenty of hands-on fun. There’s also a kids’ gallery and a ship simulator aimed at children.

This world-renowned museum showcases the history and achievements of the Royal Air Force, one of the oldest and most distinguished air forces in the world. It covers World War I, the RAF Nursing Service, bombers, helicopters, Battle of Britain, marine craft and an aircraft factory.

The museum’s vast collection includes a wide range of aircraft, aviation artefacts, interactive exhibits, and multimedia displays that highlight the evolution of aviation technology and the heroic endeavours of RAF personnel. There are flight simulations, a 4D theatre, a Spitfire experience, and a Dambusters VR factory.

Home of both the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet, this magnificent building combines an original 18th-century concert hall, a Victorian flower market, and an elegant modern glass wing.

Performances are equally spectacular, featuring lavish sets and spine-tingling appearances by some of the world’s leading singers and dancers.

Something seriously spooky can found lurking on the Southbank, just beyond the London Eye. This light-hearted look at some of London’s most gruesome periods of history, its shadiest characters and most horrific happenings is delivered with a good dose of gallows humour, via rides, live action and at times quite impressive special effects.

Learn what happened to Gun Powder Plotter, Guy Fawkes during his 10 days of torture, take a visit to Sweeney Todd’s barber shop, wander – if you dare – through Whitechapel Labyrinth, Jack the Ripper’s lair, and plunge to your virtual death on the Long Drop, a recreation of 18th-century Newgate gallows.

Fiercely funny and gratuitously gory, come with a well-lined stomach and steady nerves.

This 17th-century hilltop observatory, designed by Sir Christopher Wren at the behest of Charles II, is where astronomers and scientists pinned down the concept of time and space. Stand on the Meridian Line – Longitude zero degrees – from where Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is calculated. The astronomy galleries are a must-see, as are the daily planetarium shows, which include ‘Sky Tonight Live’, led by a Royal Observatory astronomer.

The observatory is home to London’s only planetarium and the UK’s largest refracting telescope. It also hosts prestigious temporary exhibitions like Astronomy Photographer of the Year. Allow two hours to see the whole thing.

As part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site, it is flanked by the National Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark and Queen’s House Museum, with bundled tickets available for all.

At a whopping 2,500 acres, taking in woodland, grassland, planted gardens and ponds, Richmond is the largest of London’s royal parks. It’s changed little since its inception as a deer park by Charles I in the 1600s (although the land’s royal connection dates back to the 1200s). A sense of that royal history remains.

Deer, red and fallow, still graze and shape the park, their outline as distinctive as its ancient oaks. There’s a myriad of nature trails and cycleways, making it a fine place to walk, cycle and even horse ride. There are views of the city’s St Paul’s Cathedral-crowned skyline from King Henry’s Mound.

Other highlights in the park include botanical gardens at the Isabella Plantation, a blooming technicolor treat in spring and autumn, and afternoon tea at Pembroke Lodge Georgian mansion.

This prestigious art museum houses an extensive collection of European fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries, fittingly displayed in a historic townhouse in Manchester Square.

The art collection, brought together by the first four marquesses of Hertford, includes masterpieces by renowned artists such as Rembrandt, Velazquez, and Titian.

The world’s most famous department store – touristy, yes, but also glamorous, glitzy, and unmissable.

A treasured survivor of the Second World War, this towering naval warship was launched over 80 years ago, and after a career that including firing some of the first shots at the D-Day landings, her nine decks now make up one of London’s most fascinating interactive war exhibitions.

Permanently moored as a museum ship on the Thames’ Southbank at Queen’s Walk, entry offers the opportunity to climb the ladders, learn the secrets of the command room and uncover the ship’s history, from her launch on St Patrick’s Day 1938 to her 25 years active Royal Navy service and life as a London landmark for the past half-century.

This interesting museum delves into the history, heritage, and impact of the British Army. With a vast collection of artefacts, artworks, and interactive exhibits, the museum offers sometimes sobering insights into the soldiers’ lives, battles, and innovations that shaped the army’s evolution over the centuries.

This riotous sightseeing boat tour along the Thames ­– run by an award-winning theatre company – is a hugely entertaining way to learn about London’s richly gruesome history – and see the main sights. Great for all ages, brilliant for kids.

The Royal Mews house an impressive collection of Royal State Coaches and Carriages, including the instantly recognisable Gold State Coach, commissioned in 1760 and used at the coronation of every British monarch since George IV.

Designed by John Nash, the architect responsible for redesigning Buckingham Palace, the Mews takes in the pre-existing riding school (constructed in 1760s), a grand clock tower, quadrangle, coach houses and two sets of state stables.

As a working branch of the Royal House, the Mews is responsible for all royal road travel, by car, horse and carriage plus the care and training of the Queen’s Windsor Greys and Cleveland bays horses.

Covent Garden piazza is one of London’s best-loved tourist draws; a quaint old apple market, built in 1830, and converted in 1980 into a hubbub of street performers, cafes, bars and restaurants. The central covered quarter is home to the daily market; on Mondays it’s an antique-hunters heaven, while Tuesday to Sunday sees stalls selling everything from hand-made jewellery to bespoke waistcoats, one-off clocks and hand-dyed scarves.

The two sub-ground terraces are home to two of London’s favourite watering holes, the Crusting Pipe, where buskers play classical music for the gathered drinkers, and the Punch & Judy, which also has a terrace overlooking the main piazza.

In culture and literature, this cobbled square is inextricably linked with the story Pygmalion and its musical adaptation My Fair Lady. Many come to Covent Garden piazza purely for its atmosphere, created by buskers, jugglers and other street performers – if you want London at its most vibrant, this is the place to come.

From classic drama to musical comedy, the National’s three stages (the Olivier, Lyttleton and Dorfman) epitomise the best of British theatre. Generations of renowned actors and directors have made their mark at this hulking, concrete riverside venue, which continues to surprise, provoke, and move audiences.

You can take a peek behind the scenes on one of the theatre’s Backstage Tours, which run most days of the week – contact the box office to find out more.

The main public art gallery of Buckingham Palace, the Queens Gallery exhibits works of art from the Royal collection on a rotating basis – there are usually around 450 works on show.

One of the world’s highest observation wheels, the Eye gives you a gentle, rotating ride 450ft above the London skyline. On a clear day, the glass capsules have views stretching 25 miles across the capital, with iconic London architecture – from Big Ben to the Tower of London – laid out directly underneath.

This iconic bit of engineering and its dazzling views has charmed even hard-to-please Londoners. There’s no better way to get acquainted with the lie of the land.

This atmospheric indoor garden, occupying 3 floors at the top of a skyscraper, offers stunning 360-degree panoramic views of the city. There’s an observation deck and several dining options – a fine dining restaurant, an Italian restaurant and a brasserie – all with views.  A great place to break from sightseeing.

Located in the elegant surroundings of Somerset House, the Courtauld combines temporary exhibitions with a permanent collection including works by Manet and Van Gogh.

London’s impressive aquarium, set on the South Bank, is home to hundreds of species of fish and a selection of sharks. Great for families and nature lovers, but nothing especially unique.

One of the largest libraries in the world, containing an estimated 170-200 million items. Priceless exhibits include the Magna Carta, Beowulf, Captain Cook’s journal, and the Lindisfarne Gospels.

Towering 800 feet above ground level, the View from the Shard offers London’s most sky-scraping views. Step out onto the 72nd storey and feel the wind in your hair on the open-air Skydeck, with 360° bird’s eye views of London that reach for 40 miles. The viewing gallery on level 69 keeps the panorama behind glass but Renzo Piano’s daring design means views, from inside and out, remain just as impressive.

At almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in London, The View is by far the capital’s most vertiginous vantage point. It’s also home to London’s highest Champagne bar and special events that have included silent discos, yoga classes and concerts.

A fascinating museum with five galleries that document the history and workings of one of the world’s oldest and most influential central banks. Learn about the Bank’s history (founded 1694), its role in maintaining the stability of the UK’s economy, the development of banknotes, and handle some gold.

The UK’s leading museum of contemporary design and architecture holds a collection covering a wide range of design disciplines, from fashion to furniture, and showcases the work of established and emerging designers from around the world. Look out for excellent temporary exhibitions, and a great shop packed with design products.

This is, without doubt, one of London’s most atmospherically set stages, encircled by Regent’s Park and its elegantly planted Queen Mary’s Garden. With the stage, bar and lawn picnic areas canopied by trees and latticed by climbing plants, fairy lights and lanterns, the magic begins even before the curtain goes up.

For the most part, there’s no curtain as such, although each show stages its production using the al fresco setting with varying degrees of ingenuity. Seasonal set pieces include crowd-pleasing Shakespeare plays such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night (the debut show in 1932), but the theatre has won a very respectable number of awards for productions that have transferred to the West End and Broadway.

Beloved of teens, tourists and tie-dye fans, this rambling collection of markets, selling everything from clothes and crafts to vinyl and vegan food, stretches along Camden Lock and the historic Pickford Stables.

One of the oldest and best toy shops in the world, complete with costumed staff and huge-scale, techy toys, this is heaven for kids (grown-up ones too).

Upscale, modern department store with innovative products and design – shopaholic heaven, especially for fashion, with a clutch of excellent cafes.

It may not sound exciting, but the British Postal Service – one of the worlds’ first – has a rich and fascinating story to tell, and a visit here offers the chance to ride on the Mail Rail, a hidden underground railway that was used to transport mail across London. There’s also an extensive stamp collection for stamp lovers.

The house museum of a family of Huguenot weavers living in London from 1724 to 1914. Its ten rooms are cluttered with period features and multi-sensory installations that capture what life might have been like in the 18th and 19th centuries.

These chilling ghost walks take you back to the East End streets of the 19th century, when notorious serial killer known as Jack the Ripper ran riot. Also a fascinating insight into the hardships of Victorian life.

Enter the world of the lovable big green ogre, wander through the Kingdom of Far Far Away, and meet the characters from the Shrek movies, such as Donkey, Princess Fiona, and of course, Shrek himself. Highlights include an immersive 4D bus ride and a magical mirror maze.

The Foundling Hospital was Britain’s first home for abandoned children – today, it’s a museum telling the moving story of the 25,000 orphans raised there.

There’s licence to celeb-selfie to your heart’s content at this waxworks museum, home to some 300 life-like, life-size wax models of people from the worlds of music, movies, fashion, sports, royalty, politics, history and fiction.

Einstein, Dickens, and Chaplin offer some old-fashioned glamour, while recent arrivals include Stormzy and Dua Lipa. There are big names from Hollywood, Bollywood and well beyond but there’s also a good serving of British stardom: you can buddy up to James Bond (aka Daniel Craig), scrutinise Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) and get on the starting blocks with Mo Farah.

You also get to meet the Queen, accompanied by Will and Kate. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, meanwhile, were recently relocated to the new glitzy Awards Party area, following their move to the United States.

Thanks to artistic director Kevin Spacey, this 19th-century theatre has enjoying a glittering revival. One of London’s premier sites for performances by some of the world’s best-loved actors.

Only discovered in 1954 during the rebuilding of London after The Blitz, these fascinating remains of a Roman temple dedicated to the god Mithras date back to the 3rd century AD.

The temple and was likely used as a place of worship and initiation for the secretive Mithraic cult. Visual, light and sound effects, along with thousands of Roman artefacts also found during excavations, transport you back to the site in AD 240.

Collector Robert Opie’ vast and fascinating collection of everyday objects representing iconic British brands from the last two centuries, including Victorian ‘wind pills’ for seasickness to World War II ration books. Buy a ticket online here.

Hidden away in the attic of St Thomas’s Church is Britain’s oldest surviving operating theatre – recreated in its entirety. Built in 1822, before the invention of anesthetics, it was located in the eaves to muffle patients’ screams.

Founded in the name of Britain’s 18th-century ‘Playboy’ Prince Regent, this is London’s most elegantly manicured park, where public lawns and seasonally planted flower beds encircle ‘secret’ rose-scented gardens, an outdoor theatre, a boating lake, and London Zoo.

The 300-year-old home of Dr Samuel Johnson, who compiled the first English dictionary here (on display) in 1755. The townhouse is one of the few remnants of Georgian London remaining in the City.

Provocative and pricey works by modern British artists, displayed in one of London’s best commercial galleries.

This offbeat museum shows the changing style of Britain’s homes from 1600 to the present. Peep into the parlours (stage sets) of the British middle classes from 1600 to the 1990s.

One of the world’s oldest and most curious natural history museums, with 62,000 obscure specimens. Musty cases are stuffed with monkey skeletons, pickled toads, jars of worms, obscure species (a three-toothed puffer fish), endangered and extinct ones (dodo bones).

320 hectares of ancient London parkland, complete with woods, grassy meadow picnic spots, ponds to swim in and, set at one of the highest points in London, some of the best views over the capital.

London’s best-known platform for new playwrights. Effortlessly cool, intellectual, and influential, this is theatre at its most exciting.

Leaving from Greenwich, this dizzying cable-car ride takes you over the Thames and towards the Royal Docks, with exhilarating river and skyline views.