A cultural guide to London
Enriching, eccentric, and always exciting, the British capital is an unmissable destination whether you’re seeking towering history or cutting-edge culture
Your essential guide to the best things to see and do in England’s around-the-clock capital. Find more travel inspiration for more amazing cities here.
All cities have history. London makes history. For visitors and Londoners alike, the possibilities of this ever-evolving metropolis are infinite: In a single day you might find yourself absorbing mind-blowing art at Tate Modern on the South Bank, shopping for investment pieces at Dover St Market concept store, enjoying a Punchdrunk immersive theater performance in a Woolwich warehouse, and sipping champagne atop The Gherkin, one of London’s most celebrated (certainly its most comically named) skyscraper.
In 1777, the writer Samuel Johnson famously explained London’s inexhaustible appeal thus: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life,” and we challenge any 21st-century traveler to disagree.
Art & architecture
The old always sits elegantly alongside the new in London, perhaps most pointedly in the case of the grand, baroque St Paul’s Cathedral, flanked by skyscrapers. Visiting the Greek Revival-style British Museum in Bloomsbury is a must, but make time for smaller, equally enthralling collections like Sir John Soane’s Museum. A Thames Clipper transports you in style between the recently rehung Tate Britain, the best place to see Pre-Raphaelite works and the Turner collection, and contemporary Tate Modern, a short riverside stroll from the Southbank Centre’s Hayward Gallery and the London Eye, for the best vantage point in the city. In Kensington, among the decorative arts at Victoria & Albert Museum you’ll find Freddie Mercury’s collection of art-deco vanity cases and a program of blockbuster pop-culture shows. And in Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery houses unmissable Renaissance art in the Sainsbury Wing.
Expert tips
The essentials
London has two major airports. London Heathrow (LHR) handles most long-haul flights, while others go to London Gatwick (LGW). From Heathrow, take the Heathrow Express to Paddington station in 15 minutes. For a lower-cost option into central London, take the Elizabeth line (45 minutes) or the Piccadilly line (45-60 minutes). From Gatwick Airport, take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station in 30 minutes. Trains travel to London Bridge and Farringdon in 30 to 40 minutes.
Tipping 10%–12% after a meal is typically expected and usually included in the bill, but check your receipt.
Getting around
The London Underground, known as the Tube, connects the city. Key Tube lines run for 24 hours on Friday and Saturday. Travel on a red double-decker bus for views of the city. Use contactless payment on the Underground and London buses. Explore the city on two wheels using the bike-sharing program. There are 800 docking stations across the city; download the app to find one nearby. For an alternative mode of transport, Thames Clippers’ boats run regularly along the river, and stop at the newly regenerated Battersea Power Station. You can also hail a traditional black cab with metered fares (look for one with its distinctive orange roof light on); ridesharing apps are also widely available.
Accessibility
Only a third of London Underground stations offer step-free access. All London buses are accessible. Tate Britain and Tate Modern offer Touch Tours for visually impaired visitors.
LGBTQ+
London has a thriving LGTBQ+ scene. Head to Soho, Dalston, and Vauxhall for bars and dedicated club nights. Pride in London takes place at the end of June, with a parade from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall Place followed by parties across Soho until late.
Family
With elegant parks and endless museums and indoor activities, London is a brilliant family destination. Minimize time on public transport by basing yourself centrally, in a walkable district like leafy Kensington (near the excellent Science Museum and Natural History Museum) or on the ever-buzzy South Bank (for the London Dungeon and Florence Nightingale Museum). The Thames Clipper is a fun and family-friendly public transport option.
Food & drink
There are simply not enough meals in a day during any trip to London. Foodies should prioritize Borough Market, a culinary utopia that makes the perfect interlude between visits to The Shard, Southwark Cathedral and the cultural delights of the South Bank. You’ll also want to take afternoon tea at Brown’s, Fortnum & Mason, The Ritz, The Goring or The Langham. Venture to hip Shoreditch to savor modern-British fine dining at the Clove Club and St. John Bread & Wine, and British-meets-Basque food at BRAT.
Southeast Asian, Latin American, Caribbean and European restaurants abound, but considering London’s first Indian restaurant opened in 1810, Indian cuisine is a specialty. The Bombay café-style fare at Dishoom, with six locations, including Soho and King’s Cross, is a current hot table, but book ahead to avoid the queues. The city is also home to 80 Michelin-starred restaurants, including the two-star Raj-era cuisine at Gymkhana in Mayfair.
Shopping
The variety of districts can be overwhelming, but begin with Oxford Circus’s high-street stores and the iconic department stores of Selfridges, Liberty and Fortnum & Mason (you’ll find high-end names nearby on Bond Street and tailoring on Savile Row). Designer fans should make a pilgrimage to Harrods and Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge for the classics, or Dover Street Market for cutting-edge labels. Portobello Market in Notting Hill is rightly famous for antiques and vintage fashion, while the East End’s Columbia Road Market is now as notable for interiors stores as it is the weekend flower vendors. For serious shoppers with their hearts set on designer bargains, a side-trip to the outlet malls of Bicester Village is worthwhile, particularly for homegrown British brands like Stella McCartney, Holland Cooper and Barbour. Take the direct train from Marylebone station to reach them in around an hour.
Stage
The bright lights of London’s West End are an international draw for theater-lovers. There you’ll find long-running musicals like Cabaret and Matilda the Musical alongside star-studded dramas. For atmosphere alone it’s hard to beat Shakespeare’s Globe and the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse; for dance it’s Sadler’s Wells, while classical music lovers will find the London Symphony Orchestra at home at the Barbican, a brutalist architectural gem.
The once-seedy streets of Soho have been a hotbed of culinary, fashion and design creativity for decades, and no visit to London can sidestep this corner of the West End. Chaotic, crowded and charming, this densely packed grid of streets borders Shaftesbury Avenue’s theaters, the shops of Regent Street and the abundant eateries of Chinatown. At the luxury end, Ham Yard Hotel offers a chic haven; Karma Sanctum is a bargain for the area.
Culturally dynamic, crammed with drinking and dining options and yet unfailingly handsome, the South Bank of the River Thames is where you’ll find cultural heavyweights like the Southbank Centre, National Theatre, Tate Modern, the Globe Theatre and the British Film Institute. Sea Containers London has river views and one of the coolest cocktail bars in the city, Lyaness, while the more affordable Hoxton Southwark is both trendy and kid-friendly.
If you’re a regular visitor to London, or simply prefer more of a neighborhood vibe, Bermondsey has become the city’s most name-droppable culinary and cultural go-to, with the White Cube gallery and Fashion and Textile Museum minutes from the foodie haven that is Maltby Street Market. Bermonds Locke is an exemplary apart-hotel with a cool co-working space and café, while the more affordable Residence Inn by Marriott London Tower Bridge is elegant and eco-certified.
Anna Hart is a culture writer specializing in adventure travel and positive-impact tourism. Her work has appeared in Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, and she is the author of the travel memoir Departures.
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