Introduction
Must-see
Neighbourhoods
Seasonal events
Planning toolkit
Once you're there
Things to do

London travel guide

London: A Modern Babylon and Tireless Innovator that Ticks all the Boxes

London – there’s no city quite like it in the world. The capital of the United Kingdom and one of the most important financial hubs on the planet. Its humble beginnings as an early settlement for hunter-gatherers is a far cry from what it is today - a buzzing megalopolis of epic proportions. Today it continues its reputation as one of the world’s leading cities in the arts, entertainment, fashion, and finance.

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Table of contents

Must-see in London

The treasures you can’t leave London without seeing

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The Palace of Westminster, Westminster

The Palace of Westminster: The seat of the British government since 1532.

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Westminster Abbey, Westminster

Westminster Abbey: Where the UK's Kings and Queens have been crowned since 1066.

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St Paul’s Cathedral, the City of London

St. Paul’s Cathedral: The final resting place of Lord Horatio Nelson.

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Buckingham Palace, Green Park

Buckingham Palace: The official home of the British monarch.

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Tower of London, the City of London

The Tower of London: One of London’s four UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites.

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The Tate, Southwark

Tate Modern: Over 800 works of contemporary art are on display in this architectural jewel of a gallery.

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Natural History Museum, South Kensington

The Natural History Museum: London’s favorite museum is home to 80 million specimens and counting!

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The Shard, London Bridge

The Shard: London’s tallest building boasts excellent 360-degree views across the capital.

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The London Eye, Waterloo

The London Eye: The world-famous Ferris wheel providesspectacular views of Big Ben and more.

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Tower Bridge, City of London

Tower Bridge: London’s most famous bridge is considered a marvel of Victorian engineering.

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The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square

The National Gallery: The world-class art museum is home to Van Gogh’s sunflowers.

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Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

The home of world-famous ballet and opera performances in London’s Covent Garden.

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The British Museum, Bloomsbury

The British Museum: Eight million objects and priceless artifacts make this spot a must-see for all.

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Borough Market, London Bridge

Borough Market: The capital’s oldest foodie market is a gourmet paradise.

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Kew Gardens, Kew

Kew Gardens: There are over 300 acres to explore at London’s go-to green destination.

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Shakespeare’s Globe, Southwark

Shakespeare Globe: The place to go for top-notch theater performances in an Elizabethan setting.

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Harry Potter Studio Tour, Watford

The Harry Potter Studio tour: The magical home of the Harry Potter film franchise.

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Royal Observatory, Greenwich

The Royal Observatory: The home of the Prime Meridian Line and the UK’s largest refracting telescope.

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British Library, King’s Cross

The British Library: The impressive collection includes original manuscripts from Charles Dickens.

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The Victoria & Albert Museum, South Kensington

The V&A: World-class art, fashion, and sculpture are just some of the highlights to see at this London landmark.

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London's neighbourhoods

Explore London's best neighborhoods

Kensington and Chelsea
The Ultimate Guide to Royal London
Shoreditch
London’s Cool, Creative, and Original Hipster Hub
Bloomsbury
London’s Literary Nirvana and Cultural Hub
Notting Hill
London’s Buzziest and Coolest Neighborhood

Seasonal events in London

The home of Regal Pom, there’s so much to do in London

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The Boat Race (March)

The Boat Race: The men and women of Cambridge and Oxford universities battle it out in one of the capital’s finest sporting spectacles.

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London Marathon (April)

The London Marathon: Thousands of runners take place in the annual event that spans a colossal 26.2 miles.

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Chelsea Flower Show (May)

The Chelsea Flower Show: A long favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the Royal Family.

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Trooping the Color (June)

The tradition takes place every year to celebrate the official birthday of the British monarch.

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Pride London (June)

London Pride: The annual march celebrates all shades of the Pride Flag with special events and parades throughout the capital.

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World Naked Bike Ride (June)

World Naked Bike Ride: Hundreds upon hundreds of nude cyclists campaign annually for a better environment.

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Notting Hill Carnival (August)

Notting Hill Carnival: One of the world’s oldest and most colorful parades is a celebration of Caribbean culture in west London.

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The BBC Proms (August)

The BBC Proms: A mega spectacle of the classical arts that takes place at London’s Royal Albert Hall every year.

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London Film Festival (October)

The London Film Festival: A time when London comes together to praise the world of movies, old, new, and expertly restored.

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Lord Mayor’s Show (November)

The Lord Mayor’s Show: The annual street festival is one of the oldest traditions that takes place in the ancient City of London.

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Planning toolkit for London

Everything you should know about visiting London

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High seasonNov - Jan
Average flight price$1,946 from New Zealand
Average hotel price$704/night
Travel restrictionsOpen
Getting to and from London is Nothing but a Piece of Cake.
Plane, boat, train, helicopter, jet… there are plenty of ways to get into London (and in style, too).
Where to stay and have the best hotel experience in London
Do you need an A-list grand hotel that has welcomed royals or a foodie heaven? Maybe you seek for an affordable haven or a fancy townhouse. When it comes to hotels, you will find everything you need in London.

Once you're in London

Getting around London

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From the tube to renting a car and hailing a bus, this is how you can really travel the city like a Londoner.

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World-Class Restaurants from Quite Literally Every Corner of the World

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With 270 nationalities and 300 different languages spoken, London is - according to this writer- quite easily home to the greatest and most diverse cuisine the world has to offer.

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Renting a car and driving in London

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Our top tips for driving in England’s busiest city.

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Things to do

The Ultimate (and Most Fun) Family City Destination Guide

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From interactive museums to jumping on broomsticks with Harry Potter, scenic pony rides and more - London has something to offer for the entire family (including mum and dad).

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Londoners Know How to Party Hard

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Booking Office 1869, King’s Cross

The Booking Office 1869: Stellar cocktails are served inside this incredible example of Gothic Revival architecture.

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Koko, Camden

The Camden nightclub has hosted everyone from Madonna to The Sex Pistols.

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The Painter’s Room, Claridge’s Hotel, Mayfair

The Painter’s Room: A pink marble palace housed inside one of London’s most famous hotels.

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Moto, Covent Garden

The small bar in Covent Garden is dedicated to showing off Japan’s smaller sake producers.

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Printworks, Surrey Quays

The former newspaper printing factory is now one of London’s wildest and most visually stunning nights out.

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Coupette, Bethnal Green

The East London hangout has one of the largest French brandy collections in the city.

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Bar Termini, Soho

This Soho institution is easily one of Old Compton Street’s coolest cocktail bars.

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The Coral Room, Bloomsbury

The Coral Room: This Bloomsbury hotel bar is easily one of the literary neighborhood’s prettiest.

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Fabric, Farringdon

It’s all about the UK’s underground electronic music scene at this cult favorite club in Farringdon.

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Soma, Soho

The Indian-inspired cocktail menu is one of London’s sexiest bars.

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Shopping in London: Luxury Boutiques, Big Household Names, and Grand Arcades

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Fashionistas and gentlemen of the world, take note: London sets the trends and the agenda, so whether you are looking for a full wardrobe update or a frock for a special occasion, this city has it all.

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Tired of London? There’s Plenty to Explore Beyond its Borders

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The UK is oozing with history, and though London is the country’s prime cultural hotspot, there are so many reasons why you should ditch the city for a day and experience what this tiny little island is all about.

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Brighton, Sussex
The New Forest, Hampshire
York, York
Bath, Somerset
Stratford-upon-Avon, West Midlands
Whitstable, Kent

What to pack for London

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Packing a suitcase is slowly becoming an art form. Curation is key and precision a necessity, with most planning their looks and must-haves weeks before departure. To make it all a little less daunting, we have put together an easy guide for what to take and what to leave at home.

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London Travel Guide - View the KAYAK London city guide for the best London travel tips. To help you organise your London trip ideas, this London visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.