London is known as one of the greatest cities in the world, unlike any other on earth, with a long list of famous landmarks as well as beautiful green spaces, fantastic shopping, exciting nightlife and a long and dramatic history. The city is also home to some of the best museums and art galleries on the planet, many of which are free. If you're crossing London off your bucket list soon, here's a look at its must-see attractions.
Credit: Bigstock.comLondon EyeLondon Eye
London Eye
The EDF Energy London Eye is Europe's tallest Ferris wheel, located on the south bank of the Thames and a major feature of the city's skyline. The 443-foot-tall structure was built as part of London's millennium celebrations and boasts some of the best views of the city from its 32 capsules, which can hold up to 25 people. It's a great way to start your holiday, offering an unforgettable perspective of over 55 of the city's most famous landmarks in just 30 minutes. A night tour means fewer crowds and even more spectacular views.
Credit: Bigstock.comTower of London
Tower of London
The Tower of London has been used as a castle in times of war and a monarch's residence during times of peace, though most famously it has been a prison and an executive site for rebels with a haunted history. Here you can take a spooky ghost tour or a more entertaining Beefeater tour, see the crown jewels and the hangman's block that beheaded a couple of Henry VIII's wives and a host of troublesome heirs to the throne.
Credit: az1172Big BenBig Ben
Big Ben
Big Ben is much more than just a clock. Parliament's clock tower is one of London's most iconic symbols. Big Ben is technically the name of the massive bell inside the tower that weighs over 13 tonnes. The clock tower is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower after being renamed in 2012 in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. The minute hands are almost 14 feet long and weigh about 220 pounds. Its timekeeping is tightly regulated by a stack of coins placed on the huge pendulum, and it has rarely stopped - even after a bomb destroyed the House of Commons in World War II, the clock tower survived while Big Ben continued to strike the hours. It looks particularly brilliant at night when the clock faces are illuminated.
Credit: Bigstock.comWestminster AbbeyWestminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is known as the largest church in the English-speaking world. It was the setting for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton and the place where kings and queens of England have been crowned and buried since 1066. The magnificent building is a true pageant of the country's history with 3000 tombs, the remains of 29 kings and queens and hundreds of memorials lying within its walls and beneath its stone slabs. To avoid the crowds, make sure you arrive early. If you are early you can enjoy parts of the abbey in relative peace before a mad rush breaks out, a rather surreal and unforgettable experience. The services are also open to the public and can be attended by those of any religious denomination.
Credit: Bigstock.comBuckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
The London residence of Queen Elizabeth II, Buckingham Palace, is open during the summer months while Her Majesty is on holiday, with the exception of the Queen's private quarters, of course. Highlights include the State Rooms where the Queen and members of the royal family host guests for official business - visitors can see some of the most magnificent pieces from the Royal Collection, including opulent chandeliers, paintings by Van Dyck and Canaletto and beautiful French and English Furniture If you've watched the Royal Wedding, you may recognise the Throne Room, which was the backdrop for the official photographs of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Credit: Bigstock.comBritish MuseumBritish Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is not only one of London's top free attractions, but this internationally renowned museum of history and culture is a masterpiece of architecture and treasures like some of the world's most famous antiquities. It features everything from Babylonian stonework, a world-famous Egyptian collection and artefacts from the Roman Empire to Rosetta Stone, Elgin Marbles and Lindow 'Bog Man'. The massive collection includes works of man from prehistoric to modern times from all over the world.
Credit: stevecadmanBritish Library
British Library
This impressive library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the largest research institutions in the world, offering the chance to wander through manuscripts that have illuminated lives for centuries. It contains 180 miles of shelves in the deepest basement in the city, with a spectacular room full of glass cases revealing all manner of treasures such as the Magna Carta, pages from Leonardo's notebooks, the original handwriting of the titans of English literature - from Chaucer and Shakespeare to Dickens and Wordsworth, illuminated manuscripts from the early Middle Ages and the Gutenberg Bible. You will find an entire wall dedicated to music, with manuscripts by Beethoven and the Beatles. Computers allow visitors to virtually flip through the pages of some of these incredible works.
Credit: Bigstock.comNational Gallery
National Gallery
The National Gallery is the crowning glory of Trafalgar Square as home to hundreds of the world's most famous and beautiful paintings. This vast space features Western European paintings from the 13th to 19th centuries, including works by masters such as Van Gogh, da Vinci, Picasso, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Renoir and Titan. As you are free to visit, if you are limited in time and only want to see one great masterpiece, look at Holbein's 'The Ambassadors'. The painting is full of symbolism and features the 'anamorphic perspective' that was a popular technique in early Renaissance art. The apparently blurred image in the foreground is transformed into a human skull when viewed from the side.
Credit: Bigstock.com Kensington Gardens Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace was the home of the late Princess Diana and the birthplace of Queen Victoria. Here you can experience life as a 17th and 18th century royal court as you make your way through luxurious state flats of the king and queen filled with remarkable paintings from the royal collection. The Victoria Revealed exhibition is set in the rooms Victoria lived in as a child, exploring her life and reign as wife, mother, queen and empress. The 20th century royal history is a recent addition, added in 2013. This stunning palace is located in the beautiful Kensington Gardens surrounding the royal residence, another must-see attraction in London.
Credit: The WolfHyde ParkHyde Park
Hyde Park
Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens are adjacent to Hyde Park, known as one of the largest city parks in the world. It covers 350 acres and features a large lake, lawn, over 4000 trees and ornamental gardens, as well as a number of interesting buildings and monuments such as the famous statue of Achilles, the Joy of Life fountain, the Serpentine Bridge and the Diana Memorial Fountain. Here, there is almost always something to see and do, including swimming, boating and cycling - even just doing a bit of people watching from the park benches can be a fascinating afternoon.
Credit: Bigstock.comHarrods
Harrods
You don't have to buy anything to enjoy London's most famous department store, it's worth visiting just for the experience. The luxury Harrods is really more of an attraction than a place to shop, with its magnificent Egyptian lift and elaborate Old World interiors, incredible food halls, perfumery and even a shrine dedicated to Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed (the former owner's son).
Credit: Bigstock.com Victoria and Albert Museum Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
This free museum is the largest museum of decorative and applied arts in the world. It was named in honour of the 19th century royal couple, more often referred to as the V&A. The sumptuous museum in South Kensington is a compendium of applied art across a variety of genres, periods and disciplines. The collections are organised by categories such as jewellery, textiles, furniture and architecture, making it easy to navigate this incredible museum. It holds the national photographic archive, important furniture from the Middle Ages to the present, an exceptionally diverse exhibition of historical musical instruments and an unrivalled collection of fashionable clothes from the 17th century to the present day. Temporary exhibitions and free guided tours are offered alongside the numerous permanent exhibitions.
Credit: Son of GrouchoNatural History Museum
Natural History Museum
Just across the street from the Victoria and Albert Museum, this huge museum is housed in a beautiful Victorian neo-Romanesque building, built in the 1870s specifically to house its huge collection of 50 million specimens. There are hundreds of well explained and exciting interactive exhibits, including the famous dinosaur collection with a roaring T. rex and an unforgettable model blue whale. The central hall houses the iconic Diplodocus skeleton. Be sure and take the self-guided tour of the state-of-the-art Cocoon where you can see hundreds of fascinating specimens and even peek into the laboratories to watch the scientists at work.
Credit: Bigstock.comWindsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is located just outside the city and, as the oldest and largest castle in the world, you won't want to miss it. It has been the official residence of the British monarch for over 900 years, with the State Apartments a landmark for many London holidaymakers. Still very much a working royal palace, Windsor is an official residence of Her Majesty the Queen, whose standard flies from the Round Tower when in residence. The Queen spends most of her private weekends here, and takes up official residence for a month during Easter (March to April), which is known as the Easter Court. She is also here for a week every June when she attends Royal Ascot and the Order of the Garter service.
Credit: Bigstock.com The London Bridge The London Bridge
The London Bridge experience
The London Bridge actually refers to several historic bridges that spanned the Thames between the city of London and Southwark in central London. The London Bridge Experience is a popular tourist attraction located on Tooley Street in crypts under the secondary abutment of the historic bridge, just outside London Bridge Station. It features real-life actors with incredible special effects and animation, taking visitors on a unique interactive adventure through time.
Credit: CyesutaShakespeare's Globe TheatreShakespeare's Globe Theatre
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is an identical reconstruction of the original building that housed Shakespeare's theatre in London, made entirely of English oak with tenon and mortise joints. The site includes an open-air cottage on the banks of the River Thames and an exhibition space dedicated to the writer of plays and Swan at the Globe Bar and Brasserie. The performances are designed to duplicate the original environment during Shakespeare's time - there are no spotlights and the plays are staged during daylight hours and in the evening with the help of internal projectors. There are no speakers, microphones or amplification and all music is performed live.
Credit: Bigstock.comSt Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral is one of the city's most iconic buildings and an architectural masterpiece carved into the London skyline. Highlights include the famous Whispering Gallery, known for its mysterious acoustics, and a burial crypt housing a number of famous British luminaries including Nelson, Wellington and Sir Christopher Wren, the Cathedral's designer. It's one of the city's most famous attractions, so you'll have to fight some crowds, but it's worth it.