Top 20 Attractions in London for Tourist 

Top 20 Attractions in London for Tourist

The world-famous British Museum exhibits the works of man from prehistoric to modern times, from around the world. Highlights include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and the mummies in the Ancient Egypt collection. Some exhibitions require tickets.

The crowning glory of Trafalgar Square, London’s National Gallery is a vast space filled with Western European paintings from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Find works by masters such as Van Gogh, da Vinci, Botticelli, Constable, Renoir, Titian and Stubbs. Some exhibitions require tickets.

As well as the permanent (and permanently fascinating!) dinosaur exhibition, the Natural History Museum boasts a collection of the biggest, tallest and rarest animals in the world. See a life-sized blue whale, a 40-million-year-old spider, and the beautiful Central Hall. Some exhibitions require tickets.

Sitting grandly on the banks of the Thames is Tate Modern, Britain’s national museum of modern and contemporary art. Its unique shape is due to it previously being a power station. The gallery’s restaurants offer fabulous views across the city. Some exhibitions require tickets.

The Coca-Cola London Eye is a major feature of London’s skyline. It boasts some of London’s best views from its 32 capsules, each weighing 10 tonnes and holding up to 25 people. Climb aboard for a breathtaking experience, with an unforgettable perspective of more than 55 of London’s most famous landmarks – all in just 30 minutes!

From the future of space travel to asking that difficult question: “who am I?”, the Science Museum makes your brain perform Olympic-standard mental gymnastics. See, touch and experience the major scientific advances of the last 300 years; and don’t forget the awesome Imax cinema. Some exhibitions require tickets.

The V&A celebrates art and design with 3,000 years’ worth of amazing artefacts from around the world. A real treasure trove of goodies, you never know what you’ll discover next: furniture, paintings, sculpture, metalwork and textiles; the list goes on and on… Some exhibitions require tickets.

Take a tour with one of the Yeoman Warders around the Tower of London, one of the world’s most famous buildings. Discover its 900-year history as a royal palace, prison and place of execution, arsenal, jewel house and zoo! Gaze up at the White Tower, tiptoe through a medieval king’s bedchamber and marvel at the Crown Jewels.

Visit the Royal Museums Greenwich and immerse yourself in the fascinating history of this UNESCO’s World Heritage site. The complex includes the National Maritime Museum, the Queen’s House, the Royal Observatory (incorporating the Peter Harrison Planetarium) and the spectacular tea clipper Cutty Sark.

At Madame Tussauds, you’ll come face-to-face with some of the world’s most famous faces. From Shakespeare to Lady Gaga you’ll meet influential figures from showbiz, sport, politics and even royalty. Strike a pose with Usain Bolt, get close to One Direction or receive a once-in-a-lifetime audience with Her Majesty the Queen.

Westminster Abbey is a stunning gothic church and UNESCO World Heritage site that sits behind the Houses of Parliament. Many famous names are part of the rich history of Westminster Abbey, from royals to scientists, poets and aristocrats. More recently, it was the church where Kate and Wills were married in 2011. Westminster Abbey has to be one of the best things to do in London and is definitely one of London’s most important landmarks.

It’s worth taking a trip out of London to Windsor Castle to visit the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. As the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II – and her preferred weekend palace – it has over 900 years of rich royal history. Visitors can see the amazing State Apartments and the world’s smallest doll house, too.

Hampton Court Palace is one of London’s most loved palaces and was once the home of King Henry VIII. A sprawling and impressive building, Hampton Court Palace boasts stunning gardens, a world famous hedge maze and the only surviving royal chocolate kitchen dating back to the 17th century.

ZSL London Zoo is a great attraction if you’re in London looking for things to do with the family. London Zoo is home to a wide range of exotic animals and has conservation at the heart of what it does. Get involved with animal feedings and go inside the Butterfly Enclosure to really get close up to nature.

Around, more or less, since the 13th century, the Borough Market is stuffed with food-lovers and all you need for a memorable grab-and-go breakfast or lunch. One of the top attractions south of the river. Open Thursday to Saturday (go on Saturday to catch the market at its bustling best).

Its 2000 Western European classics by Van Gogh, Renoir, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo make the National Gallery a serious art stop, with over 5 million people popping into the building on Trafalgar Square each year. Miss the hordes by visiting on weekday mornings or Wednesday evenings (after 6pm). Any time, it’s all free.

Not to be confused with St Paul’s Cathedral (a big attraction that comes with a ticket price), this church on the western flank of Covent Garden Piazza is known as the ‘actor’s church’. The first Punch and Judy show took place in 1662, and there are memorials for Charlie Chaplin and Vivien Leigh, the most famous faux British Confederate of all time.