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London Travel Guide

These days, a new Ottolenghi restaurant opening or a new show at the Tate Modern is reason enough to book a last-minute trip. While you're there, we recommend balancing museum hopping with pub crawling, and hitting up as many markets as must-book restaurants. 

Best Places to Stay in London

36 Best Hotels in London Right Now
36 Best Hotels in London Right Now
Oh boy, do you have options.
15 Posh Boutique Hotels in London
15 Posh Boutique Hotels in London
There's more to London's hotel scene than the big players.
The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in London
The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in London
Among the top picks are some icons you might not expect, happy to mix elegance and inclusivity for intergenerational stays.
Affordable London Hotels
Affordable London Hotels
We’ve scoured the capital to find the best options everywhere from leafy Chiswick to cool Shoreditch.
11 Best London Airbnbs
11 Best London Airbnbs
From Hyde Park to Shoreditch, and everywhere in between.

Editor Hotel Recommendations

Top Activities in London

Brought to you by GetYourGuide

The Best Things to Do in London

  • 25 Best Things to Do in London
    25 Best Things to Do in London
    From the loveliest museums worth exploring on a rainy day to the prettiest views, these are the must-do things in London.
  • 15 Best Walking Tours in London
    15 Best Walking Tours in London
    Lace up those sneakers—here are London's best walking tours for your next visit.
  • 15 Best Museums in London
    15 Best Museums in London
    Whatever you're into, London's got a museum for it.
  • London's Top Free Attractions
    London's Top Free Attractions
    Yes, London is an expensive city to visit, but there's no need to spend wildly on admission tickets or booking tours when so much of the city's best experiences come free of charge. Whether you’re looking for history, art, music, food, or children’s activities, these 12 suggestions will round out any visit to London.
  • London’s 10 Best Small Museums
    London’s 10 Best Small Museums
    There are more than 200 museums in London, catering to every imaginable interest and field of study—dentistry! The Tube! Dungeons! Even people who live in London may only visit a fraction of these museums, so it feels extra intimidating as a visitor who wants to branch out from the V&A. Here are ten of our favorite small museums, which pack plenty of history into manageable boundaries.

Editor Recommendations

  • Dennis Severs' House
    Dennis Severs' House
    United Kingdom, London, 18 Folgate St
    Fancy a trip back through time?
    Read full review
  • Churchill War Rooms
    Churchill War Rooms
    United Kingdom, London, Clive Steps, King Charles St
    This underground lair is where Churchill spent endless hours plotting Allied victory during the Second World War.
    Read full review
  • British Museum
    British Museum
    United Kingdom, London, Great Russell St.
    You could spend several lifetimes in Britain’s largest museum.
    Read full review
  • West End Theatreland
    West End Theatreland
    United Kingdom, London,
    London's answer to New York's Broadway cuts across a swathe of the West End of the city in Covent Garden, Soho, and Picadilly.
    Read full review
  • Royal Academy of Arts
    Royal Academy of Arts
    United Kingdom, London, Burlington House, Piccadilly
    The R.A., as it's more fondly known, has been around for 250 years, run by artists, and is home to an incredible collection of global art. 
    Read full review
  • Sir John Soane's Museum
    Sir John Soane's Museum
    England, London, 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields
    The former home of architect and collector Sir John Soane, this is the most atmospheric museum in London.
    Read full review
  • Tower of London
    Tower of London
    United Kingdom, London, St Katharine's & Wapping
    Home to England's crown jewels as well as some grizzly events in the past.
    Read full review
  • The Dare Skywalk
    The Dare Skywalk
    United Kingdom, London, The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
    A steep, 90-minute climb along a narrow glass walkway over the Tottenham Hotspur’s iconic stadium.
    Read full review
  • King's Cross
    King's Cross
    United Kingdom, London, Pancras Road, Kings Cross
    Abandoned railroad totally transformed into a shopping and gallery experience.
    Read full review
  • Wilton's Music Hall
    Wilton's Music Hall
    United Kingdom, London, 1 Graces Alley, Whitechapel
    Hidden down a tiny back alley in East London, it's the last intact survivor of Britain’s grand music hall era.
    Read full review
  • London's Lidos
    London's Lidos
    United Kingdom, London, London Fields West Side
    These outdoor pools substitute for seaside resorts on sunny days, and serve the needs of fitness nuts on wintry ones.
    Read full review
  • London Transport Museum
    London Transport Museum
    London,
    Okay, stay with us—this one is much more entertaining than it sounds. In what used to part of the Covent Garden market, you’ll find the story of London’s public transport came to be, with buses and chunks of trains on show.
    Read full review
  • Horniman Museum and Gardens
    Horniman Museum and Gardens
    London,
    Horniman looks a bit like a very ornate train station and is surrounded by 16 acres of garden. Within, you’ll find large natural history and anthropology galleries, as well as an aquarium, carefully curated wild-looking gardens, and a beautiful Victorian conservatory.
    Read full review
  • Charles Dickens Museum
    Charles Dickens Museum
    London,
    Charles Dickens’ novels come to life inside this elegant Georgian townhouse where the author lived for a handful of years. Spend an hour or two seeing more than 100,000 objects that give insight into the author's life.
    Read full review

The Best Places to Eat and Drink in London

Innovators: Kit Kemp on Designing Hotels That Are Purposefully Eccentric
Innovators: Kit Kemp on Designing Hotels That Are Purposefully Eccentric
The British designer and hotelier believes hotels should have a point of view.

Editor Restaurant and Bar Recommendations

  • Anglo Thai
    Anglo Thai
    $$$ | United Kingdom, London , 22-24 Seymour Pl
    A beacon of warmth, even on London’s grayest days
  • Darjeeling Express
    Darjeeling Express
    $$ | United Kingdom, London, Kingly Court, Carnaby St, Soho
    Asma Khan's one-time pop-up supper club recreates the Indian favorites of her childhood.
  • Chishuru
    Chishuru
    $$ | United Kingdom, London, 3 Great Titchfield St.
    Make a reservation now, and don't look back.
  • E Pellicci
    E Pellicci
    $ | United Kingdom, London, 332 Bethnal Green Road
    Whatever food you choose, always order a cup of strong “builder's” tea.
  • Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
    Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
    United Kingdom, London, 47 Frith St.
    Soho's premier jazz venue.
  • Tayyabs
    Tayyabs
    $ | United Kingdom, London, 83-89 Fieldgate St.
    Appropriately famous, BYOB Punjabi diner in Whitechapel serving fabulous  lamb chops and soft tender chunks of chicken tikka.
  • Rochelle Canteen
    Rochelle Canteen
    $$ | United Kingdom, London, 16 Playground Gardens
    A firm foodie favorite that still feels like a well-kept secret.
  • Circolo Popolare
    Circolo Popolare
    $$ | United Kingdom, London, 40-41 Rathbone Pl
    People are here for a good time, even on a weeknight.
  • Honey & Co
    Honey & Co
    $$$ | United Kingdom, London, 54 Lamb's Conduit St
    In a new location, but as welcoming as ever.
  • Cafe Cecilia
    Cafe Cecilia
    $$$ | United Kingdom, London, 32 Andrews Rd
    Forget gastropubs, this is the place to go for a hearty yet sophisticated Sunday lunch.
  • Petersham Nurseries Restaurant
    Petersham Nurseries Restaurant
    $$$ | United Kingdom, Richmond, Off Church Ln, Petersham Rd
    As delicious as it is good for the planet.
  • BAO Noodle Shop
    BAO Noodle Shop
    $ | United Kingdom, London, 1 Redchurch St,
    Slinging rich, beefy noodles perfect for a rainy London day.
  • Manteca
    Manteca
    $$ | United Kingdom, London, 49-51 Curtain Road
    It's all about the meat.
  • Sessions Arts Club
    Sessions Arts Club
    $$$ | United Kingdom, London, 24 Clerkenwell Green
    What a true delight this short little menu is.

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