So you’ve arrived in London. But what do we go and see first? The list of attractions seems huge, and it is. In this post I’ll give a list of the best things to do in London, and most importantly, what you should see first so that everything else makes sense.

The modern history of London starts in 1066 with the Norman invasion, but everywhere you will see examples of human civilization that dates back a lot further. It is good to get a grasp on the basics, and everything else will fall into place for you. Don’t worry though, you won’t need a degree in history to keep up.

Each of the attractions that I mention here will have a link to the official website. Simply click on the heading, which will open a new window to take you there. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in London I have written a couple of articles covering those subjects.

Hotels In London’s West End

Hotels in London’s Earls Court

The Sight Seeing Buses

There are number of companies providing sightseeing tours around London, as there are in most major cities. The format is generally much the same, because it works. You purchase a ticket for 24 or 48 hours, and you can get on and off the buses at predetermined stops around the city. While you are on the bus, commentary is provided which lines up with the attractions that you are passing.

This works well to give you some history basics which will put you in good stead for later. The routes are generally pretty well thought out. I find that this works well for your first day or two, but after that you will find it cheaper to just use the underground, or tube, as it’s known locally.

The prices for the buses are generally pretty competitive and some to family rates as well, which should make things a bit cheaper for you. Here are few of the most popular companies, in no particular order.

Big Bus London

City Sightseeing

Golden Tours

The Tower Of London

The Tower of London is a sight that you should get to within the first couple of days. I was tossing up whether to mention this first, or the bus tour. I put the bus tour first because it gives you a good perspective of London as a whole.

Don’t do the Tower of London while on the bus tour though, as you’ll be wasting money. The Tower of London is a pretty much all day event if you want to get the most out of it.

This site will get you from the Norman conquest all the way to modern day. As an added bonus if you arrive via the tube and get off at Tower Hill, you will get to see some of the original Roman road which dates back 2000 years.

There are regular tours that are held by the Beefeaters, and they are very good. I have been to the tower 3 times now, but I only did the tour the last time we went. I couldn’t believe how much more it added to the overall impact of the site.

Westminster Abbey

If you like history and architecture then this is for you. The church is about 1000 years old and it is absolutely jaw dropping to look at. The fact that this was built so long ago really blows my mind. I feel like we would struggle get it built today. You need to spend at least a couple of hours in here. Along with the just looking at the building itself, you can marvel at all the famous people who are buried here.

St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s seems like it would be similar to Westminster Abbey, and certainly there are similarities. They are both places of worship, both very old, and lot’s of famous people are buried there. But they feel totally different. The cathedral was rebuilt in 1666 following the great fire of London. The architect Christopher Wren was responsible for this work, and if you keep your ears open during your London visit, you will hear his name come up a lot.

Make sure you climb to the top of the dome. There are a lot of steps, but the views both inside and out are well worth the pain that you’ll feel in your legs tomorrow.

Buckingham Palace

This is where the Queen works. Although it is an official residence it is mainly an administrative hub. Most people come to have their photo taken out the front and are happy with that. Unlike most other historic buildings, you can’t just line up and take a tour though. Access is limited and there are only a relatively small amount of tours conducted. Check the website to see how you can get onto one.

Hyde Park

If you’re standing in front of Buckingham Palace and the history and pageantry is starting to get too much for you, step across the road into Hyde Park. A beautiful park of about 350 acres, it is a great place to just unwind and take a stroll. The last time we went there the kids were young and it was late Autumn. Lots of leaves were on the ground and the kids had a great time kicking them up and running through them. Sometimes kids just need to burn off some energy, and historic mansions are not the place for that.

London Eye

Take a tour on the giant Ferris wheel and get a great view over London. I’d like to tell you more about it, but I think that just about covers it.

Greenwich

Greenwich is worth a trip because there are 3 attractions there and they are easy to get to.

Greenwich Maritime Museum

England has a long and proud naval history so it stands to reason that their maritime museum is worth seeing. You can easily get lost in here for a couple of hours. Admission is free, but you do need to book in advance.

Greenwich Observatory

There is actually quite a lot to see at the observatory. Sadly most people are just happy to have their photo taken while they straddle the prime meridian. The planetarium is definitely worth a look though.

The Cutty Sark

This legendary ship was the fastest vessel of her time and now she is preserved in dry dock for all to see. I am a sucker for old ships and maritime tales, so I was straight through the door. I could spend ages in here, but the bride managed to pries me back out again. Still managed to buy the guide book though.

Museums

I have included a few in together here rather than give them each a separate category. The Science Museum is brilliant. A lot of the exhibits are hands on which means it keeps the kids happy. Right next door to this is the Natural History Museum. This is not hands on but it does have dinosaurs, so the kids are still good.

The London Museum has a Mark I Ford Cortina on display as the transport of the past. The kids thought this was really funny as that was my first car.

And then there is the British Museum. This one is a bit contentious, as most of the exhibits in here have been taken from other countries. Those countries obviously would like them to be returned as they are representative of their culture. The old argument was that the exhibits were safer in London due to unrest in the other countries, which could see them destroyed. It will be interesting to see how long that argument holds up. For many of those countries, having their stuff back and on display would be a big boost to tourism. This in turn would bring in more money, which could aid stability.

Anyway, politics aside, these museums have some wonderful exhibits that are well worth seeing.

Take In A Show

There are over 100 live shows running in London’s West End and they are the main reason that we go to London these days. As we have seen most of the other sights, we normally just spend a couple of days getting over the long haul fights and take in a show or two. For one or two people, there can be some real bargains on the day of the show. This can be a bit trickier is you have a larger family.

Hamleys

I’ve saved the best till last. Some people will tell you to head to Harrods, which is certainly an iconic store. But Hamleys is a 5 storey toy store. I’ve been in there a couple times without the kids! There are magicians showing off different tricks and a lot of the toys are opened and being used. Every day is like Christmas in Hamleys.

Well that’s about it for the main sites in London. I know there are a lot that I have missed, but then there are a lot of things to see and do in London. We could argue all day about which is best, but in the end this is my opinion.

My next post is going to cover the attractions outside of London, so that will take in Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace and Stonehenge, among others.

Cheers and happy travels