London Travel Guide: 50+ things to do in London

This London Travel Guide has everything you need to know before your first visit to London. Or if you’re a London local (like I am!), then I bet you a tenner that you will discover a new London brunch spot or rooftop bar you haven’t heard of before in this guide.

In this guide, you will find recommendations on the best things to do in London. Including the best restaurants, bars, museums, cafes, hotels, activities and iconic London markets.

As well as information on the best way to get around London, when to visit and how many days you should spend in one of the best cities in the world. I’ve also included some example London itineraries to use as a guide for planning your perfect trip to London.

Best Places to Visit in London

Best time to visit London?

No matter what time of year you visit London, I promise that you will have an amazing time. Yes, even if it’s raining – because there is simply an endless list of amazing things to do in this city.

Personally, I think the best months to visit London are May, June or December. If you can avoid travelling in January or February, you’ll have a much better experience when visiting in any other month as these winter months are usually miserable and grey.

That being said, here’s a guide to help you choose the ideal time for your London trip:

Spring (March to May)

Weather: Mild temperatures, ranging from 10°C to 18°C (50°F to 64°F). Comfortable weather for sightseeing, long daylight hours in May (until 9pm).

Events: The Chelsea Flower Show, Eid Festival and St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Advantages/Cons: The city’s parks and gardens are at their most beautiful, with blooming magnolia trees, cherry blossoms, wisteria & more. It’s my favourite time in London.

Summer (June to August)

Weather: Warm temperatures, averaging 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F). Note: there are occasional heatwaves of 30°C-35°C and a lot of places in London don’t have air conditioning.

Events: London Pride, Notting Hill Carnival, Wimbledon Tennis Championships, lots of music festivals.

Advantages: Ideal for enjoying outdoor activities, open-air theatres, rooftop bars, and exploring London’s many parks. However, it’s also the peak tourist season, so popular attractions can be crowded, and hotel prices may be higher.

Autumn (September to November)

Weather: Cooling down, with temperatures ranging from 8°C to 15°C (46°F to 59°F), and beautiful autumn foliage.

Events: London Film Festival, Diwali, Halloween celebrations, and Bonfire Night.

Advantages: The crowds thin out after the summer, and London is adorned with autumn colours (Hampstead is a must-visit in Autumn). Plenty of museums & galleries to explore if it rains.

Winter (December to February)

Weather: Cold, with temperatures between 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F), and some years see snow (usually in January or February and never lasts more than a few days).

Events: Christmas markets, New Year’s Eve Fireworks, and Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.

Advantages: London transforms into a festive wonderland with Christmas lights, ice skating rinks, and holiday markets. It’s perfect for enjoying the festive atmosphere but be prepared for shorter daylight hours and colder weather.

how Many days to visit London

Asking how many days to spend in London is like asking how long is a piece of string. You could spend weeks in London and not even scratch the surface! Especially as London is also a great base to do day trips to other cities in England like Brighton, Cambridge, Oxford and Bath.

However I perfectly understand that if you’re only visiting London while on an extensive Europe trip, you may be limited on time. So therefore I recommend at least 3 full days to explore London.

Below are my top recommendations based on various trip lengths:

Example London Itineraries

How to get around London?

When it comes to getting around London, you couldn’t be in better hands! London is one of the top cities in the world for public transport options, which means navigating London is relatively easy and straightforward.

Before your London trip, I recommend downloading the Citymapper app which you can use to easily plan your journeys across London. You can also use Google Maps to do this too.

Whether you prefer travelling by train, bus, bike, or on foot, here’s a guide on how to get around London:

The London Underground (Tube)

The London Tube is the quickest and most efficient way to travel across London. With 11 lines covering the entire city, it’s easy to reach most destinations.

For tickets: You can purchase an Oyster Card for £7 from most newsagents however you can just
use your contactless payment card or Apple Pay. Daily and weekly travel cards are also available.

The tube typically runs from 5 am to midnight. There’s a 24-hour service (Night Tube) which runs on the Central, Victoria, Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines on Fridays and Saturdays.

4G and 5G mobile coverage is available at most stations (around 80% of all 272 stations). Notably the new Elizabeth line has mobile coverage on the tunnel sections too.

Fares range depending on which Zones you travel across. There are 6 main zones across the London Tube Network. A ride within Zone 1 costs £2.80.

There are “pay as you go caps” so if you do multiple journeys within Zones 1-3, you won’t pay more than £10 during a 24-hour period. A 7-day travel card for unlimited travel within Zones 1-6 costs £78.00.

It’s worth noting that in summer, the tube is almost unbearably hot. ESPECIALLY the Central, Bakerloo and Northern Lines. I recommend boarding at either the start or end of a carriage. Usually, there is a small window you can open, stand in front of it and you will benefit from a small breeze between stations.

London Buses

London’s iconic red buses are a convenient and more affordable way to travel short distances and see the city. They operate on an extensive network that covers areas not serviced by the Tube.

I find buses to be a more enjoyable experience, often with air-conditioning (that is non-existent on the tube) and you can enjoy 4g/5g mobile along your journey (great for watching TikTok videos).

For bus tickets, you can use either an Oyster Card, a contactless debit/credit card + Apple Pay, or a travel card. Cash payments are not accepted on buses.

Bus fares are a flat fee of £1.75 for adults. Because it’s a flat fee you only need to tap your card when you hop on the bus, you do not need to tap when you get off the bus. Even better, if you travel on multiple buses within a 1-hour period, you will only be charged £1.75. There is a daily cap on buses, you won’t be charged more than £5.25 per day.

Most buses run from early morning until midnight, with some night buses operating on key routes throughout the night.

Trains

There are also overground trains and National Rail services available across London as an alternative to getting the Tube.

Key stations include King’s Cross, Waterloo, Paddington, and Victoria.

Similar to the Tube, you can use an Oyster Card or your contactless card/Apple Pay for these journeys, or purchase tickets at the station or online.

From London, you can easily do day trips to nearby cities like Brighton, Cambridge, Oxford and Bath via train. I recommend using Trainline website or app to plan your journey and check prices.

Cycling in London

You may want to consider cycling across London. Some of my best memories in London have been riding a bike down the canals in East London and in Victoria Park. In recent years, London made significant improvements to its cycling infrastructure, with dedicated bike lanes and cycle paths.

Santander Cycles (Boris Bikes) are available for hire across the city. You can pick up and drop off bikes at over 800 docking stations across the city. It costs £1.65 to hire a bike for 30 minutes.

Lime bikes and e-scooters are also available. Download the Lime app to easily locate your nearest bike or scooter.

Taxis and Ride-Sharing

Black Cabs are the more traditional taxis that are available in London. They are easily hailed on the street or found at taxi ranks outside airports &stations and popular areas. They are metered and can be a bit on the pricier side but they are very reliable.

Ride-sharing services like Bolt, Ola, Gett, FREENOW and Uber are available in London.

Walking

Many of London’s attractions are within walking distance of each other, especially in central areas like Westminster, the West End, and South Bank.

However, don’t underestimate how HUGE London is. Your best bet for getting around London is to use a combination of the Tube, overground trains and buses.

I recommend wearing comfortable shoes and using Google Maps to navigate as you walk. After spending a day in London you’ll quickly realise why most locals wear trainers/sneakers.

Driving

I don’t recommend driving in London, there’s simply no need to rent a car in London as a tourist. Driving in London is super challenging due to traffic congestion, strict parking regulations, and the Congestion Charge in central areas.

In fact, getting around the south of England is relatively easy by train.

You’ll only need to consider renting a car if you want to visit places like The Cotswolds, Lake District National Park or Cornwall.

Uber Boats

River transport in London isn’t as popular or convenient as the Tube however it offers a scenic and relaxing way to travel through London along the river via Uber Boats by Thames Clippers.

Regular services run between key locations like Greenwich, the Tower of London, and Westminster.

You can purchase tickets online, via the Uber Boats app, or at the pier. Oyster cards and contactless payments are also accepted.