A first-timer’s guide to London: What to see, eat and do
From royal landmarks and world-class museums to neighbourhood pubs, bustling markets and multicultural dining, here’s how to make the most of your first trip to London.
Tower Bridge is one of London’s most recognisable landmarks and can be admired from a boat ride along the River Thames. (Photo: iStock/Mlenny)
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Where to start exploring London for the first time, a city of roughly 10 million people with its endlessly diverse neighbourhoods and trendsetting culture? It’s hard to know how to spend those precious vacation days in a metropolis with so much to offer in the realms of history, entertainment and cuisine. Do you focus first on royal landmarks like Buckingham Palace or the Tower of London? Or hit the world-class museums by day and theatres by night? And in a place that often feels like a collection of villages, how do you decide which nearby or farther-flung neighbourhood to venture into next?
As 18th-century writer Samuel Johnson is quoted as saying, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” There’s so much to do and see that you may eventually feel tired, so repair to one of London’s historic pubs and raise a pint to your discoveries.
THE ESSENTIALS
No first trip to London is complete without these renowned locations and classic experiences.
A Thames Boat Ride
Ogle the vast range of the city’s striking architecture — old and new — from the London River Bus, aka Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. An adult can go to Greenwich from the Battersea Power Station for 11.40 pounds (about US$15.40 or S$19.60), using pay as you go with an Oyster or contactless bank card or mobile device, gliding past Big Ben and under Tower Bridge with a view of the Shard, a pyramidal skyscraper designed by Renzo Piano. Tip: Cruise to Tate Britain from Tate Modern.
St James’s Park
Near Buckingham Palace, this central London gem is the oldest of the Royal Parks and once was a deer-hunting ground for Henry VIII. More manageable in size than the better-known Hyde Park, it offers a large lake, pelicans (introduced in 1664), sightings of green parakeets and great picnic spots where the Tudors jousted. Enjoy views of the palace and royal events, including ceremonies on the grounds of the Horse Guards Parade.
Afternoon Tea
This usually means three tiers — savoury finger sandwiches; scones, clotted cream and jam; and sweet pastries — and tea brewing in a china or silver-plated pot. Dress up for the Ritz or Fortnum & Mason. Decide for yourself whether you prefer cream first or jam first on your scones. Tip: Create a DIY mix of scones and cakes in the beautifully tiled cafe at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington.
The British Museum
Home to treasures including Egyptian mummies, the Elgin Marbles that once graced the Parthenon in Athens (and that Greece would very much like to have returned) and the Rosetta Stone, which enabled scholars to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs. Entrance to this museum is free. Tip: Try the free, self-guided one-hour whirlwind highlights tour.
Fish and Chips
Be prepared for endless puns in the names of providers of this classic meal, such as the Rock & Sole Plaice in Covent Garden. For a casual spot that specialises in cod (or haddock) and fries (“chips” in British English) try Fishoria near the British Museum or Hobson’s in Soho or Charing Cross. Or go more upscale at a seafood specialist like Fishworks for its atmosphere and the hake or even halibut. Tip: Splash malt vinegar on the fries and don’t fear the mushy peas.
The National Theatre
The West End is London’s less-expensive equivalent of Broadway, but the National Theatre, south of the Thames, offers a mix of classics and new works at even more reasonable prices. In the 1960s, led by Laurence Olivier, the National’s company included actors like Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon. These days you might catch Lesley Manville or Sandra Oh.
TOP ATTRACTIONS
Explore London’s iconic sites of theatre, art and the royals, then savour its multicultural present through the vibrant culinary scene and bustling markets.
The Big Three
Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey: These major landmarks are just steps from one another in Westminster. Admire them from the street or buy tickets to tour. In the House of Commons, see where prime ministers defend their policies. Take in the Gothic splendour of the abbey, where Prince William and Catherine Middleton were married, and where Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin are buried. Tip: Getting to the top of Big Ben, formally named the Elizabeth Tower, requires 334 steps and can be noisy.
Victoria and Albert Museum
This South Kensington landmark celebrates more than 5,000 years of human creativity with paintings, jewelry (above right), furniture, textiles, sculpture and more, including exquisite special exhibitions. There is something for everyone. See Queen Victoria’s sapphire and diamond coronet or the Iranian Ardabil Carpet, considered the world’s oldest. Or take a free highlights tour that runs three times a day. Tip: Don’t miss the Dale Chihuly blown-glass chandelier in the rotunda lobby or the fabulous gift shop.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Smell the roses at the Columbia Road Flower Market, perhaps one of the most popular attractions in East London. Be elbow to elbow with Londoners on Sundays as the street comes alive with vendors putting their colourful blooms on display. The market is heaving from 8am and winds down by 3pm. On less-crowded days, it’s worth a visit to the many boutiques, bakeries and bookstores that line the route.
Tate Modern
A free gallery housing works by Pablo Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, Henri Matisse and Farah Al Qasimi along with hundreds of other pieces on display. (Special exhibitions require a paid ticket.) There’s always a dramatic large-scale sculpture or site-specific installation in the Turbine Hall, soaring 85 feet from ground level.
Swimming, Outdoors or Inside
Swimming options abound, some even year-round. Try Hampstead Heath’s deep, natural outdoor ponds, the London Aquatics Center pool at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park or the May-to-September Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park. Tip: Check ahead of time for open slots, fees, rules and regulations.
A Walking Tour
Depending on your interests, book a Charles Dickens stroll from Embankment to Fleet Street or a feminist-themed walk about Jack the Ripper’s victims.
Shakespeare’s Globe
For as little as 5 pounds, if you are willing to stand for hours, you can be transported back centuries, watching a work by the Bard unfold inside a replica of his playhouse (below). (Higher-level seats and cushions can be had at higher prices.) Tip: The theatre roof is open to the sky, so dress accordingly.
The London Eye
Rise nearly 450 feet inside one of the pods in this riverside Ferris wheel for a 360-degree view of the city. The 30-minute rotation starts at 29 pounds per adult and is especially nice at sunset. Tip: The Champagne upgrade, from 49 pounds, lets you skip the longer line.
The Tower of London
The Tower of London is where you can see famous jewels, some still used by royalty today. A more macabre site is the spot where Anne Boleyn was beheaded.
South Asian Food
Londoners love their chicken tikka masala, and migrants from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have opened curry houses galore as well as fine-dining options. For Pakistani food with a “locals” atmosphere, try Lahore Kebab House in Whitechapel.
NEIGHBORHOODS
London’s neighbourhoods have their own rhythms, flavours and quirks. From street performers and green spaces to nightlife, there’s something to captivate every visitor.
Covent Garden
This busy central zone spreads out from the former fruit and vegetable market made famous in My Fair Lady and is now home to souvenir shops, clothing boutiques, restaurants and the Royal Opera House. East of Soho and Chinatown, and south of Bloomsbury, Covent Garden is a centre for street performers and big West End theatre shows but also for the remarkably small and innovative Donmar Warehouse.
Best for: Theatre fans
Where to stay: The Henrietta Experimental ($$)
What to do: London Transport Museum
Brixton
This South London area is where many people from the Caribbean settled beginning in 1948 after the British government invited them to help the country recover from World War II. (They became known as the Windrush generation, after the Empire Windrush which, along with other ships, ferried thousands of migrants to Britain.) Today there is a vibrant market on and around Electric Avenue, a lane immortalised in song by Eddy Grant.
Best for: Culture lovers, foodies, connoisseurs of street art
What to eat: Jamaican meat patties at Healthy Eaters ($)
Where to shop: African Queen Fabrics
What to do: O2 Academy Brixton
Things to see: Brixton murals
Hampstead
A charmingly leafy area with independent shops, modern and old-timey cafes and quaint pubs, its pedestrian alleyways lead to antiques sellers, resale shops and bakeries. Abutting the large Hampstead Heath public park, this affluent area has attracted actors, writers and artists. If you ignore the traffic, you can imagine it back in its heyday as a Georgian spa town with its cottages and cobblestone streets.
Best for: Seekers of a village vibe.
Where to eat: Ottolenghi Hampstead ($$)
Things to see: Burgh House
Islington
This generally well-heeled borough is awash with expensive Georgian homes and terrific restaurants. (That said, some parts can feel grittier.) Upper Street leading from the Highbury & Islington train station through the Angel area is lined with cafes and restaurants with food from around the world. Check out cutting-edge dance performances nearby at Sadler’s Wells and plays at the Almeida Theater.
Best for: Culture vultures, foodies
What to do: Highbury Fields
Where to stay: Hilton London Angel Islington ($$)
East London
A big, buzzy neighbourhood with pockets of places to satisfy those looking for rousing nightlife. The area, recently bolstered by development around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, also offers the new V&A East Storehouse and its David Bowie Center, home to the singer’s archives, as well as the nearby V&A East Museum for exhibits on fashion, art, music and architecture. Keep an eye out for Banksy murals in the arty Shoreditch area. Revel in one-liners at the Soho Theater Walthamstow.
Best for: Hipsters, artists, university students
What to do: MOTH Club; Victoria Park
Where to stay: Hotel Buxton ($$), recommended by the Times’ Frugal Traveler, Elaine Glusac.
GO DEEPER
If you have time to spare, experience London like a local and explore these sites and activities that touch on history, design and the city’s literary scene.
Black Cabs and Double-Deckers
London transportation has two bona fide icons — the black cab and the red double-decker bus. Ride both at least once to get a feel for the city.
Sunday Roast
This ritual typically includes a meat or veggie main, roast potatoes, carrots and Yorkshire pudding (which is anything but sweet). And lashings of the all-important gravy. Where to eat: The Drapers Arms ($$) in Islington, where you can get a whole chicken at your table.
British Library
This is more than amazing books on shelves. In the free Treasures Gallery, you can see original handwritten Beatles lyrics, Magna Carta and personal items of Jane Austen.
Kenwood House
The Hampstead former home of Lord Mansfield, a judge who helped modernise English law, and Dido Belle, his great-niece, now features paintings by Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Vermeer, Turner and Constable. Free entry.
Bookshops
Catch an author reading at the five-story Hatchards Piccadilly; the independent Daunt Books in Marylebone; the London Review Bookshop in Bloomsbury or Word on the Water, on a canal barge near the St. Pancras International train station.
Churchill War Rooms
Go below ground in this Westminster museum to see the secret Cabinet War Rooms, virtually untouched since the end of World War II, where Winston Churchill helped plot the Allied strategy against Hitler. Maps of troop movements and cramped sleeping quarters add to the wartime atmosphere.
Traditional Pubs
It’s debatable which public house is the oldest. Try the George with its rare galleried balconies in Southwark or nestle into a cosy corner of the Spaniards Inn in Hampstead. Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle are said to have drunk in the rustic basement rooms of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street.
Leighton House
In affluent Kensington, the red brick mansion of Frederic Leighton, the Victorian artist and longtime president of the Royal Academy of Arts, is decorated with stunning tiles and objects he collected during travels to Egypt, Syria and Turkey. Best for: Fans of Islamic design.
Highgate Cemetery
It’s one of the “Magnificent Seven” Victorian burial grounds. In this de facto nature reserve with mature trees, shrubbery and even birdsong among the well-worn tombstones, you’ll find Karl Marx and George Eliot, as well as more modern figures like Lucian Freud and George Michael.
William Morris Gallery
A key figure in the arts and crafts movement, William Morris is famed for his intricate floral textile and wallpaper designs. This free museum in Walthamstow, in northeastern London, is where he lived from 1848 to 1856 and details his work as a writer and a socialist.
SHOPPING
Visitors are sure to find that special vacation memento, whether it’s in a neighbourhood boutique, a bookstore, a travel shop or a major department store.
$: Vintage and inexpensive
$$: Midrange and specialty shops
$$$: Expensive and luxury
Liberty
Famed for fabrics, housewares and designer clothing. A metre (about a yard) of Tana Lawn Cotton costs about 30 pounds. Silk crepe de Chine is 75 pounds. Prices climb for runway-level fashions. You can always scout out the remnant basket. $$$ | Regent Street
Rokit
Be prepared to scour the many racks and railings for vintage clothing. $ | Covent Garden
Fortnum & Mason
A fun place to shop for specialty loose-leaf teas and biscuits (aka cookies) in attractive tins. $$ | Piccadilly
Shrine to the Vine
A selection of organic and biodynamic wines curated by the founders of the Noble Rot restaurants. $$ | East London
Neal’s Yard Dairy
Go beyond basic Cheddar to sample picnic-perfect English farmhouse cheese with advice from the helpful counter crew. $ | Seven Dials
Stanfords
The place to go for guidebooks, accessories, maps and globes since 1853, with shelf after shelf of treasures for travellers — armchair and otherwise. $$ | Covent Garden
Shaun Leane
Known for his sculptural jewellery and his work with Alexander McQueen, this high-end British designer is showing his pieces in the Wonder Room at Selfridges. $$$ | Oxford Street
Fodder
The small shop’s shelves are full of handmade British housewares and ceramics. $ | Hampstead
Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Selfridges
Venture beyond the perfume and makeup boutiques. These big British department stores offer dependable quality and occasional discounts. $$ | Oxford Street
A Celebration of Demonstration
A gallery selling works by Wayne Campbell, a photographer and activist, features his black-and-white images documenting past protests in London. $ | Brixton
Marby and Elm
For fun graphic-design-driven paper goods, letterpress stationery and tongue-in-cheek gifts like a Victorian brothel-scented candle. $$ | Exmouth Market
Waitrose
Shop at a grocery store? Yes, when it has practical souvenirs like reusable, woven jute and cotton shopping bags with messages referring to cherry pie or a banana pancake. Waitrose stores are found throughout London.
WHERE TO STAY
You can’t sleep in Buckingham Palace, but you can stay in palatial luxury. Lack a royal budget? Midrange options and more modest lodgings abound.
$: Double room rates start under US$200
$$: Rates from US$200 to US$500
$$$: Rates from US$500 to US$1,000
$$$$: Above US$1,000
The Chancery Rosewood
The former US Embassy on Grosvenor Square has been transformed into a sleek Qatari-owned luxury site. The gilded aluminium eagle remains on the roof. $$$$ | Mayfair
Raffles London at the OWO
Another newish hotel in a historic building (the Old War Office) is just up the road from 10 Downing Street. Dine at one of several restaurants or luxuriate at its Guerlain Spa. $$$$ | Whitehall
The Soho Hotel
This art-and-design-driven boutique hotel manages to keep out the noise in the heart of bustling Soho. Its two cinemas are free for guests. $$$ | Soho
The Rubens at the Palace
Choose this for proximity to Buckingham Palace or the Victoria Palace Theater, where “Hamilton” began its London run in 2017. Some rooms are decorated in a royal theme. $$ | Victoria
Town Hall Hotel
Once an East London, well, town hall, you can still see touches like the courtroom where couples wed. More recent is the two-Michelin-star restaurant Da Terra. $$ | Bethnal Green
Montcalm East
The quasi sci-fi exterior of this modern high-rise envelops a casual ground-floor restaurant, a pool and a spa in a trendy East London location. $$ | Shoreditch
The Grafton Arms
Eleven rooms are for rent above the congenial ground-floor pub decorated with quirky portraits of dogs in formal attire. There’s no elevator, but there is a roof terrace. $$ | Fitzrovia
The Kimpton Fitzroy London
Alongside Russell Square, it features an impressive lobby staircase and mosaic floor, a 1920s-themed cocktail bar, afternoon tea and park views from some of its 334 rooms. $$ | Bloomsbury
Hilton London Paddington
This Victorian-style property with more than 400 rooms is convenient if you need to catch the Heathrow Express train in a hurry. $$ | Paddington
YOTEL London City
A tech-savvy property with smallish but modern rooms not far from the arts and entertainment hub that is the Barbican. Its all-day Revolve bar features local craft beers. $$ | Clerkenwell
La Gaffe
A friendly, family-run bed-and-breakfast in an 1850s building on a main road not far from the parklands of Hampstead Heath. There’s no elevator. $ | Hampstead
Celtic Hotel
Unpretentious and popular with student groups, this Georgian-style inn near Russell Square serves breakfast in a quaint lounge. There are plans to add an elevator. $ | Bloomsbury
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
$: Cheaper eats
$$: Good, classy and midrange
$$$: Upscale
— Breakfast and Lunch
From a full English breakfast to a bowl of fruity porridge, morning options are bountiful. For lunch, savour the cuisines in this diverse metropolis.
Maple
Feast on a version of the generous full English breakfast (eggs, beans, sausage, mushrooms and more) or poached eggs with yogurt and chili butter in this cosy pale-yellow room that exudes a neighbourhood vibe. $ | Bethnal Green
Sunday
Join the line at the door to this trendy cafe for dishes like fruity French toast with salted caramel or mushrooms, spinach and poached egg on toast. Sit outdoors, weather permitting. $ | Islington
The Wet Fish Cafe
This vintage-tiled brunch spot has been operating for decades with contemporary twists on classics like “bubble and squeak” made with poached eggs, crispy pancetta and hollandaise sauce. Tip: Look for signs, literally, of the cafe’s early life as a fishmonger’s shop. $ | West Hampstead
Granger & Co
After checking out a few chic boutiques, discuss your purchases over avocado on sourdough toast served with a poached egg, lemon and coriander in the heart of a stylish shopping district. $ | Marylebone
Addis in Brixton
The warmth in this small shop comes from the cheerful staff roasting the beans on-site and serving the hot brew in tiny handleless cups. $ | Brixton
Algerian Coffee Stores
A grand bazaar of global coffee beans and assorted snacks since 1887. The workers here make some of the best-priced cups of coffee around. $ | Soho
Jamavar
Despite its luxe decor and upscale location, this conversation-friendly Indian restaurant offers a filling set menu of options such as Malai Stone Bass Tikka with mace, green cardamom, avocado and mint chutney. $$ | Mayfair
Maison Soutine
You might imagine you’re in an Art Nouveau-styled cafe in Paris with its intimate booths and marbled cafe tables, carved wooden doorways and prix fixe menu on a street with designer shops and charity thrift stores. $$ | St. John’s Wood
M.Manze
Ever hear of pie and mash? A Cockney classic, the savoury ground beef pie and mashed potato come with “liquor” in the form of parsley sauce. Go old-school and order eels, stewed or jellied. $ | Peckham
Smoke & Bones
A small place with a few indoor tables. You can smell its beef back ribs before you walk through the door. Try them with a spicy jerk or Korean glaze. $ | Walthamstow
Greggs
A storefront carryout found in many neighbourhoods and home to the beloved sausage roll, which is exactly what it sounds like: savoury ground meat wrapped in flaky pastry. Vegans take heart — there’s a version for you. $ | Throughout London
Tao Tao Ju
A Chinatown stalwart since 2011. Its extensive traditional dishes include freshly steamed dim sum dumplings and Peking duck with hoisin sauce and paper-thin pancakes. $$ | Chinatown
— Dinner
Delight in gastronomic traditions or innovative dishes by chefs who champion farm-to-table freshness. A cornucopia of global flavours adds to this feast for the senses.
St. John Restaurant
Think grilled ox heart or a whole roasted pig at this brightly lit dining room known for nose-to-tail cuisine. Or chill in the lively ground-floor bar zone. $$$ | Barbican
Fallow
Loud and large, this spot bills itself as “conscious gastronomy.” Translation: smoked cod’s head with sriracha or crispy pig’s head, both tastier than they sound. $$$ | St. James’
Antepliler
Crispy Turkish lahmacun (thin, meaty flatbreads you can add fresh veggies to, then roll up) and shareable mixed-grill platters are served next to tall glasses of icy raki. For dessert, try the baklava. $$ | Green Lanes
The Tamil Prince
South Indian dishes with a modern twist are the stars in this popular neighbourhood spot, like a chicken lollipop with sweet chili chutney. $$ | Islington
The 10 Cases
Escape the hubbub outside at this dark and cozy wine bar or its fancier next-door bistro with the same kitchen and the same extensive wine list. The housemade French fries are delicious. $$ | Covent Garden
Hawksmoor
Known primarily as a steakhouse, this basement meatery done up in wood and leather also serves some of the best sticky toffee pudding (with clotted cream) in the city. $$ | Seven Dials
Tayyabs
You’ll find Punjabi cuisine and grilled meats, below, at this B.Y.O.B. spot in the East End. $$ | Whitechapel
— Bars
You won’t go wrong, or broke, with a pint at almost any classic pub, but inventive cocktail bars will rev up an evening. Get ready to say “Cheers.”
$: A drink costs less than US$10
$$: US$10 to US$30
$$$: US$30 and up
The Connaught Bar
For a treat that’s as much theatre as thirst quencher, order something from the martini trolley and watch the mixologist’s show unfold among well-heeled cohorts. $$$ | Mayfair
The Spy Bar
Reserve in advance for the code to this moody speakeasy in the Raffles hotel inside the Old War Office, where British spy agencies were formed. Try an icy Vesper Martini or “The Kiss of Death” cocktail. $$$ | Whitehall
The Leopard Bar
You’ll see spots on the walls, the menu and even on cocktails at this place in the Montague on the Gardens hotel. Some nights feature live jazz. $$ | Bloomsbury
The American Bar at the Savoy
Sip your specialty Negroni where Ernest Hemingway and Winston Churchill once imbibed. It opened in 1893 and is said to be the longest-surviving cocktail bar in London. $$ | The Strand
The Churchill Arms
This pub is wildly decorated inside and out. Find a jovial locals’ vibe at the bar and a Thai restaurant in the back. $$ | Kensington
King William IV Pub
Crowd in for live music several times a week or stay the night in tasteful hotel rooms upstairs. Check out the pithy quotes on the walls from Groucho Marx and Robin Williams. $ | Hampstead
THE BASICS
What is the best time of year to visit? Spring and autumn offer the best weather. London has experienced heat waves in the summer, and air-conditioning isn’t universal. The city can be rainy, but rarely snowy. Christmastime is festive, but many attractions close.
What currency is used? The British pound. ATMs inside banks are best for safety. While some smaller businesses may be cash-only, many are now card-only; it’s still good to have cash.
Is tipping required? It isn’t as ingrained as it is in the United States. For taxis, round up. For ride-hailing services, tip at your discretion. Check restaurant and hotel bills for service charges, which are often included; if there are none, consider adding 10% at restaurants or a few pounds per night at hotels if the service warrants.
Is tap water safe? Yes.
When do people eat dinner? It’s flexible. Popular restaurants may have reservations as early as 5pm and as late as 11pm.
Which apps should I download for the trip? Citymapper or Transport for London’s journey planner will be helpful.
What’s the main airport? Most US flights land at Heathrow, one of six international airports.
How do I get from the airport to central London? A black cab from Heathrow to the city centre can cost 65 to 120 pounds. Prices vary for the Heathrow Express trains, which take about 15 minutes to London Paddington Station. A refundable online ticket costs 26 one-way pounds, or 10 pounds (nonrefundable) if booked at least 30 days in advance. The Tube network’s Elizabeth Line from Heathrow to central London takes about 40 minutes and costs 15.50 pounds, depending on the payment method. A slower Piccadilly line Tube train takes around an hour and costs 5.90 pounds. A National Express bus to London Victoria Station starts at 8 pounds and takes about 65 minutes.
Do I need to rent a car? No. Public transport is easy to use.
Does Uber exist? Yes. Other local ride-hailing options include Bolt and Gett. But a ride in a classic London black cab is an experience to try at least once.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Source: New York Times/bt
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