Top sights in London with my highlights
What makes London so special? Find out here! We are huge London fans and were recently in the British metropolis and capital of England again for five days. of England. Here you will find everything you need to know about the most important sights in London. You can visit all the main attractions in London in 3 to 5 days .
A list of the most famous sights in London could follow here. We decided against it, because the British capital offers you so much that you can come back a few times and still not have seen everything.
Have fun reading!
What's a must-see in London?
These are the top London sights
I have summarised the most famous landmarks in London as well as the most historically important places in the city and activities here. These are the places I think you must visit on your first visit to London.
1. The Tower of London
2. London Eye Ferris Wheel
3. Harry Potter sites and Warner Bros Studios.
4. Big Ben and Palace of Westminster
5. View from The Shard
6. Brick Lane Market
7. Hyde Park
8. Westminster Abbey
9. St Paul's Cathedral
10. Musical (my favourite: Hamilton)
Important sights in London
1 Buckingham Palace
Buckingham is the official seat of the royal family. However, it is only open on weekdays and outside the summer holidays. Only in August and September, when the Queen is on holiday, you can visit 19 rooms of the building. These include the Throne Room, White Drawing Room (room for receptions), the Ballroom, the Picture Gallery and the Gardens.
In front of Buckingham Palace is a fountain with an equestrian statue of Richard the Lionheart. From here you can watch the changing of the guard or just take pictures of the palace.
If you fancy a crowd, you can watch the Changing of the Guard at 11am. Before that on the website to find out when the changing of the guard takes place. It doesn't happen every day.
Link to the website with the dates of the Changing of the Guard.
Or with a local guide and exciting background information (I haven't done it myself yet, but it was recommended to me).
For a good seat at the Changing of the Guard, you should arrive at least 2 hours early.
Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace - overrated and overcrowded for us. 
Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. The Changing of the Guard is so popular that you need to be there at least 2 hours early.
2. Westminster Abbey
Officially, Westminster Abbey is called: The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster. Since William the Conqueror, all the kings and queens of England (with a few exceptions) have been crowned here. Some of them also found their final resting place here. We still have fond memories of the wedding of Prince William and Kate in the collegiate church. The funeral service for Lady Diana also took place here. As you can see, it's quite a historic place.
You will also find gravestones of important personalities (writers, artists and politicians such as Stephen Hawking, Charles Dickens, Isaac Newton) here. For Britons and fans of the royals, there is probably no place more important than Westminster Abbey.
All information about the visit:
Tickets in the London Pass included, otherwise £18.
Note: Watch the series "The Crown" on Netflix before your next visit. Then you'll know all about the royal family. Rumour has it that the series is very close to reality.
Top sights in London: Westminster Abbey (especially for royals and fans of it).
3. Big Ben
The famous clock tower in London is one of London's landmarks. What many people don't know: Only the clock is called Big Ben, the 96.3 metre high tower itself Elizabeth Tower. At last, Big Ben can be visited again without scaffolding, because the long restoration is finished for all visitors in 2023.
Incidentally, the bell weighs 13.5 tonnes and the sound is known as the "voice of Britain".
Big Ben is located right next to the House of Parliament and cannot be missed. The best view is from the London Eye, a helicopter flight over London or a boat trip on the Thames.
Are you wondering, as we are, whether you can visit Big Ben?
The answer is disappointing for us:
Big Ben is not open to the public. Only British citizens can make an application to their MP to climb the Elizabeth Tower, see the bell and carillon and enjoy the view. Pity.
Big Ben in London is one of the landmarks and always a highlight.
4 Saint Paul's Cathedral
What would the London skyline be without St Paul's Cathedral with its 110m high dome? Enter via the portal and reach the impressive nave, at the end of which is the dome. St Paul's Cathedral is one of the most important cathedrals in the world. This is where Princess Diana and Prince Charles said "I do". Pictures of the wedding still flicker across the TV today.
Unfortunately, the Whispering Gallery is now closed. You can no longer go up the 257 steps. In the past, everything you whispered here towards the wall could be heard clearly from the other side 30 metres away. Great fun, not only for children.
The nave, cathedral and crypt are still open for viewing. You should book tickets in advance or if you have a London Pass, the visit is included.
For a great view, walk across the Millennium Bridge from the opposite side of the Thames towards St Paul's Cathedral.
St Paul's Cathedral in London
Tower Bridge
London's landmark par excellence is Tower Bridge. Opened in 1894, the bridge is one of the most important arteries across the Thames. Take the hop-on hop-off bus over it, walk across or even better, take part in the Tower Bridge Experience experience. The experience of walking high up over Tower Bridge is really cool. So are the vaults underground.
In the Tower Bridge Experience is included in the London Pass.(even without queuing) so you can enjoy the view down the glass-floored walkway!
Tower Bridge from The Shard 
View from the Tower Bridge Experience 
View of Tower Bridge from the Tower of London
6 Tower of London
The Tower of London is a permanent institution and one of the most famous attractions in London. Until the 17th century this fortress served as a royal residence, until the 20th century as a prison and until today you can find the royal treasury with the crown jewels here.
The Crown Jewelshave been on display here for300 years. Of course, you can also take a look at them. You pass them on an escalator. There is no standing still. Photography is strictly forbidden.
Queues are inevitable here. There are no fast-track tickets to shorten the waiting time.
There are currently 36 Beafeaters (the Queen's personal guard) in the Tower of London. One of them is the Raven Master. He looks after the welfare of the 6 ravens that live here on the grounds. Book your ticket in advance here for this popular London attraction with crown jewels.
7 London Eye - the Ferris Wheel
Experience the London skyline from the Coca Cola London Eye - the official name of London's Ferris wheel! Even if the prices seem expensive to many, it's worth it!
London's modern landmark on the Thames attracts many tourists. The Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the Thames is 135 metres high, making it the largest in Europe.
As we travelled at the beginning of April, we did not book a ticket with a time slot (£37). When suddenly the sun was shining and the view was good, we walked along the Thames at the South Bank to the London Eye. We upgraded our London City Passes(go here for London Pass comparison) with £10 for a Fast Track ticket on the spot.
The tickets, for London Pass holders, we had to pay for in full (£40). Had we booked these tickets in advance, we would have saved £3 per person and only paid £37. A tip for you: Book your Fast Track ticket online before you travel. For an extra £4 you can book the fully flexible ticket for a specific day. Then you are not bound to a time window and can visit the London Eye whenever you want via the Fast Track entrance.
The gondolas can hold 25-28 people. There could easily be twice as many people in them. But to ensure a good view for everyone, they refrain from doing so, which we think is great. If you're lucky and the weather is good, you'll get a view that stretches for miles.
Info and tickets to the London Eye:
Fast track ticket without queue for London Eye with fixed time.
Regular ticket in advance online, with time slot: £38. On site: £40
Regular ticket in advance on the internet "Fast Track" with time slot 53 £ and Fast-Track Flexi all day: 58 £
Note: Save on the photo package which you can purchase for £25. We have rarely seen such poor photo montages. Take your own photos. These are 100% better quality and without cut off arms. Check out the pictures on site and you'll understand what we mean).
Opening hours: The times change all the time. In the morning, the Ferris wheel is always open from 10am. Sometimes until 8.30pm and sometimes until 9.30pm. Check the exact opening hours on the official website before your trip.
How to get there: By underground: Westminster or Waterloo.
The view from the London Eye is amazing! We definitely advise you to ride it!
8 The View from The Shard - View.
"Experience the Greatest View of London" is emblazoned on the flyer. He's right. In our opinion, the best view of London is from The Shard, London's tallest building. The "Shard" rises 310 metres into the air and is the new landmark in Southwark. In our opinion, you have the most beautiful view of London from here!
Unfortunately, you have glass panes in front of it and everything is reflected when you take photos. Thanks to technical aids (lens hood) it works without reflections!
High up we sat at the window and enjoyed the sunset with a glass of champagne (it was my birthday). The view and the colours from up here are gigantic. When night falls and all the lights below you start to glow, you have the best time up here!
Best time to visit
Be prepared for long waits in summer when the weather is good and during holiday periods. We were lucky in early April and were able to go up straight away. The View from The Shard is justifiably one of London's most popular attractions. We went up at around 5pm.
There were already many people sitting on the floor in front of the glass windows, but somehow we managed to get a seat. Last admission is one hour before closing. Enjoy the sunset (unfortunately facing away from Tower Bridge and all the sights) and especially the light afterwards. Then it gets really beautiful and most tourists leave the viewing platform.
Info and tickets for The View from The Shard
As owner of the London Pass and London City Pass free.
Tip: Book your tickets before your trip here on the internet and save a lot of money.
Opening hours: Generally 10am - 10pm, but; 10am - 7pm Sunday - Wednesday, late October to late March.
Restaurants at The Shard - fine dining with a view.
Info: If it's so foggy you can't see at least 3 of the landmarks, you'll get free entry again within the next three months.
Getting there: Underground Jubilee and Northern; get off at London Bridge.
View The View from the Shard in London - the most beautiful and highest viewing platform in London. 
Sunset from The Shard, one of the top sights in London.
9 Westminster Palace
The Palace of Westminster is the seat of the British Parliament, which consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The complex is also known as the Houses of Parliament.
Together with Westminster Abbey, Westminster Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The neo-Gothic façade with the towers, which also includes Big Ben, is one of the most popular photo motifs in London.
Info about the Palace of Westminster
Nearest tube station: Westminster
Opening hours: Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm (closed Sat and Sun).
Westminster and Big Ben, unfortunately currently hidden in scaffolding!
10 Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square was named after one of the most important battles of the English against Napoleon. It is a large square in the heart of London and is considered by many to be the "centre of the city". Particularly popular are the fountains and Nelson's Column, named in honour of Admiral Horation Nelson, who fell at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Four bronze lions stand guard at the feet of the column. Legend has it that the lions come to life when Big Ben once strikes 13 times. The embassies of Canada and South Africa are located in this square, as you can see from the flags on the outside as you walk past.
It's always busy, so for photos you'll need to come here either early in the morning or in the evening. Just off Trafalgar Square is the popular National Gallery, the capital's largest art museum. In rainy weather, it's off to the museum. The most interesting artists (for me) exhibited here are the Impressionists Cezanne, Monet and Van Gogh. Everything older is too gloomy for me (Rubens, Rembrandt and Co.).
You can get all the information about the museum on the website of The National Gallery.
Trafalgar Square London
11 Piccadilly Circus
A great photo opportunity, especially at night, as the huge video screens illuminate the square.
Five busy streets converge here.
Entrance to the West End and Soho districts.
Popular tourist magnet because it is conveniently located.
Piccadilly Circus in London. Every tourist passes by here at least once.
12 Hyde Park
Hyde Park is the city's "green lung". It is one of the Royal Parks and one of the largest inner-city parks in the world. At the north-eastern corner of the park you will find the famous "Speakers Corner". Here anyone can give a lecture or listen to others give a lecture.
Underground station: Hyde Park Corner
Hyde Park London, the green lung of the British capital More attractions & must-sees
13th Borough Market
Borough Market is the most famous and, for us, the best market when it comes to food! It's crowded, of course, but the food - we're still raving about it now!
The market hall is the oldest in London.
Ifyou like meat, make sure you get a steak sandwich at The Beefsteaks. Dom loved it so much he bought a second one straight away. Also good are the muffins, donuts, real Colombian coffee and much more! You can eat here until you burst.
We find Camden very touristy in general. That was already the case 20 years ago when we visited London for the first time. That's why we skipped Camden on this trip and visited other markets instead.
Info on Borough Market:
Opening hours: Monday - Thursday: 10am - 5pm, Friday: 10am - 6pm, Saturday: 8am - 5pm.
Nearest underground station: London Bridge
For us, Borough Market is one of the most beautiful markets in London!
14 Street Art
When you're in London, street art is everywhere. Especially in the Shoreditch district you will find artworks by the world's most famous artists, such as Banksy. Take the Street Art Tour in Shoreditch to discover lesser-known artists. We start at 10 am with guide Dave and about 20 other interested people.
On the 3-hour tour, Dave shows us not only three original Banky's (sorry, I'm a big fan). But also works by ROA, a work of art by Space Invader and also lesser-known artists.
We stand at one wall for about an hour and learn how quickly artworks are created here and new ones are added. Dave discovers something new almost every day.
The neighbourhood lives from its artists, many walls are released by the house owners to be plastered over. I wish it were the same in my home country.
Of course you can discover street art on your own. But we wanted to learn stories about artists and their works.
We probably would have overlooked one or the other work. Some of these installations are too hidden or small.
Cost: £20 (pay in cash at the beginning)
After the tour Dave will send you a very long email with links to the artists, the artworks and films on YouTube. So good!
Check out other cool London city tours we've tested here.
15. go to a musical in London's West End
Whenever we're in London, we go to see a musical. Les Miserables, Hamilton, Wicked, Book of Mormon, Come from away, The Phantom of the Opera and many more.
Dom and Katrin are big fans of these. Now we all went to the best hip-hop musical in the world together: Hamilton! You have to see it. Unfortunately it's very expensive and almost always fully booked. Tickets are always released three months in advance. So you have to be quick. Hamilton is worth seeing (we've seen it now in New York on Broadway and in London's West End).
We even won tickets to Book of Mormon for Dom. If you like South Park, you'll love this musical and the humour! Every day you have the chance to take part in a lottery at the entrance. You have to fill in a form and be there at 5.30pm for the draw.
If you're lucky enough to be one of the winners, you'll get 1 or 2 tickets (you can specify) in the first row! Brilliant, isn't it?
There is also a daily draw for Hamilton (via app). Try your luck, we haven't had one for this popular musical yet.
16 Warner Bros. Studios - "Making of Harry Potter" Museum
A visit to the Warner Bros. Studios and the "Making of Harry Potter" is an experience not only for Harry Potter fans. Here you can marvel at real film sets and props.
Read on here for a detailed: Report on the Harry Potter Museum and Studio Tour in London
The Harry Potter Studio Tour enchants us and we could spend hours marvelling at Hogwarts, Gringotts and the Diagon Alley. The original Hogwarts Express is here, as is the Knight Bus.
You can marvel at Harry's home in Privet Lane, his little chamber under the stairs or the wall at Platform 9 3/4. Things get spooky in the Forbidden Forest.
We are thrilled about this Harry Potter tour in the studios. There's a surprise at the end, the end of the last film, so to speak. Brilliant!
Information about the Harry Potter Studio Tour
Duration of the tour: 3 - 4 hours. Travel time from London approx. 1 h
How to get there: From London Euston by train to Watford, then onto the Harry Potter double decker bus direct to the Studio (return bus for £2.50).
Tickets for adults aged 16 and over: £45
Tickets for children (5 to 15 years): £35
Family tickets (2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult & 3 children): £148
Don't want to travel to the festival on your own and worry about tickets? Get your Guide offers you the convenience of pre-booking your admission and bus transfer.
Costumes of Professor Dumbledore Severus and Snape are available right at the start in the Great Hall of Hogwarts! 
17 Tate Modern Gallery
The Tate Gallery of Modern Art is one of the world's largest museums of modern art. Located directly on the Thames, you should definitely pay a visit to the free museum.
Tate Modern London
18 Natural History Museum London
The Natural History Museum in London is divided into 4 sections and is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. From dinosaurs to earthquake simulation, you'll find a lot of great stuff here! I love museums in the UK. Already in Edinburgh and Glasgow I was absolutely thrilled by the Natural History Museums.
The Natural History Museum is free of charge.
Underground station: South Kensington
Opening hours: daily 10 am - 5.50 pm. Last admission 5.30pm.
Closed from 24 - 26 December
Map with all attractions in London
To make it easier for you to find your way around, we have marked the most important London attractions on the map. We've also added our highlights and tips for restaurants, bars, markets and parks.
It's best to download the map offline to your mobile phone. You can open it in Google Maps and use it to navigate around London.
Frequently asked questions about London
What is London known for?
London's three most famous sights are the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Big Ben. More than 20 million people visit the British capital every year. London is also known for its expensive rents in the centre. The city on the Thames is considered the most expensive city in Western Europe. London is flashy, always fashionably trendy and quite expensive for us.
How many districts does London have?
The city lies on the Thames, has 13 boroughs in Inner London. In Greater London there are 33 boroughs.
How much does a week cost in London?
With flights and accommodation, you have to reckon with at least 700 - 800 euros. Hotels are the most expensive. Consider Victoria Park Plaza on park-plaza-victoria-london.londonhotelsuk.net to enjoy unforgettable time spending in London! To save your budget but still get comfort and luxury, pay attention to Easyhotel Victoria London. This charming hotel will impress you with its unique design and service!
Is London expensive?
London is generally expensive. Due to the Brexit, the pound has lost some of its value against the euro. Nevertheless, shopping, eating out or staying in a hotel is generally more expensive than here.
Where are most of the sights in London?
Most of the highlights are in central London along the Thames. They are not far from each other: London Eye Ferris wheel, Tate Museum, Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and Tower Bridge.
Where do you get the best view in London?
We love watching the sunset from The Shard. The city and the Thames are at your feet. You can also catch a great view of the city from the Sky Garden. The third (and free) spot we recommend is the viewing terrace at the Tate Modern Museum. Although you're nowhere near as high here, we still find the view quite nice.
Sightseeing tips
Buy a London Pass for sightseeing
Sightseeing tickets in London are not cheap. A ticket to the London Eye alone (without queuing) costs £27. That's almost €32! That's why we advise you to consider whether one of the London Passes for sights and attractions is worth it.
Alternatively, buy tickets online before you travel and save money.
Buy tickets online before your trip if you don't want to buy a London Sightseeing Pass. This will not only save you money (tickets are often cheaper online), but also time. For some sights (London Eye) you have to buy time-based tickets (for a certain time) or buy tickets to use the Fast Track (without queuing).
Tickets for popular attractions:
London Eye without queuing (Fast Track)
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket
Harry Potter Studio Tour
Jack the Ripper Tour
Ticket for The Shard (great view of London)
Boat on the Thames Tour
Ticket for the Tower of London and Crown Jewels
Kensington Palace Ticket
Ticket for St. Paul's Church
