Introduction

London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom. Situated on the River Thames in South-East England, London is the largest city in Western Europe with an official population of 7.5 million people (14 million for the city's total metropolitan area). It is one of the world’s financial and political centers, and is famous for world-class shopping, fashion, architecture and its cultural experience.

Travel to London

London has 5 main airports.

London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) is 24km (15miles) west of London and Europe's largest airport and the world's busiest airport in international passenger movement, with services from most major airports world-wide. There are five international terminals.

Heathrow Express rail is the fastest way to the city [Every 15 minutes, journey time 15 minutes, Arrives Paddington station, One way £15.50].

Heathrow Connect rail travels the same route as Heathrow Express but stops at several stations before London Paddington station [Journey time is 25 minutes, One way £6.90]

London Underground is the least expensive option. Trains depart on the Piccadilly line every few minutes and the journey time is 1 hour to central London. [Oyster card (£3 refundable deposit) fare is £4].

Taxi from Heathrow to central London will cost £45-60

Licensed mini cabs are cheaper than taxis but must be booked over the phone or on the internet.

National Express provide direct transfer bus services between London's airports. Buses between Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton run every hour but can take up to 90mins.

London Gatwick International Airport (LGW) is London's second largest airport located 47km (29 miles) southwest of London.

Gatwick Express Train travels to London Victoria station. [Every 15 mins, journey time 30-35 mins, One way £16.90].

Southern Railway travels to London Victoria station [Every 15 mins, journey time 30-35 mins, One way £10].

First Capital Connect Railway travels to London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, St Pancras International, Luton Airport and further north. [ Adult fare £10]

London Stansted (STN) is London's third airport located 55km (35 miles) northeast of London and the base for many budget carriers such as EasyJet and RyanAir.

Stansted Express Train to London Liverpool Street departs every 15 minutes with journey time 50 minutes, [One way £15]

London Underground & Stansted Express travels to Tottenham Hale then London Underground on the Victoria line, every 15 minutes.

National Express Coach departs every 15-30 minutes taking 90mins to Victoria station.

EasyBus minibuses depart to Baker Street, £8 one way.

London City Airport (LCY) is located 10km (6 miles) east of central London and is a commuter airport specializing in short-haul business flights to other major European cities.

Docklands Light Railway (DLR) travels to Docklands and the city of London connecting with the underground.

Taxis are not to expensive as the airport is close to the city. [take about 20-30 minutes, costing £20-30].

London Luton (LTN) is 60km (35 miles) from central London.

First Capital Connect Trains travel from London St Pancras station to Luton Airport Parkway station, every 15mins. A shuttle bus takes passengers to the airport [costs £1 single].

National Express Coaches travel every 20 minutes to Victoria station, journey time 90 minutes.

EasyBus minibuses depart to Baker Street, £8 one way.

Eurostar high-speed train service connects Paris with London 15 times a day (taking 2hrs 30min) travelling under the sea for 35km (22 miles) via the Channel Tunnel and is faster than flying when taking into account the travel time to/from airports. In London, trains arrive and depart from St Pancras International Station. In Paris, trains arrive and depart from Gare du Nord. Immigration formalities are completed on the train with customs at the stations.

Rail, Coach & Ferry services operate across the English Channel and are the cheapest cross-channel travel but take up to 8 hours to travel between London and Paris.

London Hotels

The high season in London is late spring and summer and around the Christmas season.

View All London Hotels

London Transport

London has one of the most comprehensive public transport systems in the world making it very easy for tourists to travel around the city.

Oyster Card is a contactless electronic smartcard used on London Underground, London buses and London Overground. Purchase an Oyster Card from any Tube station for a refundable deposit of £3 and add amounts of credit to the card as required. The card works by bringing it within close proximity of the card readers and an amount is deducted from the card balance. Touch the card on the reader at the start of your journey and touch out again at the end of your journey, otherwise you will be charged more. The cost of a single trip using the Oyster card is much less than buying a single ticket with cash. If you have any pay-as-you-go credit left this can be refunded. Your Oyster card’s balance is displayed as you leave an exit, or after a transaction. The balance can also be checked using a machine in tube stations.

London Underground (The Tube) is the large underground rail network operating 11 lines between 5.30am and 12.30am. The London Underground is very easy to use and the least expensive way to travel around the city. The lines are named according to where they travel and each station displays a map of the network. Purchase an Oyster card as the price per trip is less than a single ticket.

Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is a light rail network operating in East London, connecting the tube network at Bank and Tower Gateway with Stratford, through the Isle of Dogs (Docklands) across the Thames river to Greenwich. The trains are automated and operate without a driver.

Night Bus services start at midnight taking over from the normal bus services that run from 6am to midnight. Night buses are identified by an 'N' at the start of the route number and most originate at Trafalgar Square travelling to outlying parts of Greater London. Fares are the same as for regular services.

Walking is the best way to get around and view this wonderful city. As there is a lot to see in London, the best way to traverse the city and its sights is to walk and take the underground. However, a underground ride of less than 2 or 3 stations is probably best avoided since walking will take about the same amount of time.

Taxis are famous in London as the black cabs have very knowledgeable drivers who must take an exam of London's streets to be licensed. Black cabs are the only ones licensed to pick people up off the street. Minicabs are 'private hire vehicles' that are cheaper than black cabs but need to be pre-booked by phone or internet. They usually charge a fixed fare for a journey that can be negotiated before you get in the car.

Car rental is not recommended in London as the public transport systems are excellent. Traffic is very congested at peak times, and parking is difficult and expensive. Londoners who drive will normally take public transport in the centre. Driving a car into central London Mon-Fri 7am to 6pm incurs the Central London Congestion Charge of £8 if paid the same day. Failure to pay the charge results in a fine. If travelling out of London car rental is an option. Interesting a quarter of households do not own a car and simply use public transport.

London Weather

The most popular time to visit London is from April to October but it can still be cool until June. London can be hot and humid in the summer months with July and August the warmest months at an average 23C. But generally the weather is mild with maximum temperatures in the mid 20Cs. Winter days can be cold and rainy but snow is rather rare. With the average daily maximum at 8C in December and January, London is milder than most nearby continental European capital cities.

London Attractions

2012 Olympic Games will be held in London on 27 July-12 Aug 2012, which makes London the first city to hold the Olympic Games three times, having hosted the games previously in 1908 and 1948. The 2012 Paralympic Games will be held on 29 Aug-9 Sept 2012.

Original London Sightseeing Tour (Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour) is an open-top double-decker bus for visitors to enjoy London's most famous attractions on 3 tour routes. The tours visit Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, The London Dungeon, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, Covent Garden, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Madame Tussauds, Shakespeare's Globe, The London Eye, London Bridge, London Aquarium, and Westminster Abbey. The Museum Tour gives you easy access to many of London’s top Museums, shops and attractions such as Kensington Palace, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Ritz Hotel, Piccadilly Circus, British Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Albert Memorial, & the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. [each tour takes 2hrs, departing from 8.30am every 20 mins, tickets valid 24 hrs]

Trafalgar Square is considered the centre of London and home to Nelson's Column which was completed in 1843 to commemorate Admiral Nelson’s victory over Napoleon off Cape Trafalgar, Spain in 1805. To the north of the square is the National Gallery and to the south-east is Admiralty Arch, built to honour Queen Victoria. Beyond the Arch is The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace. [Underground: Charing Cross station]

Whitehall is the avenue, leading from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, lined with government buildings and is the center of British government. Along Whitehall is Downing street, the site of the Prime Minister’s home. Further along is Big Ben, the famous tower clock, the Houses of Parliament and Westminister Abbey setting for royal coronations since 1066 and most recently that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

The Tower of London dates from 1078 and was London's original royal fortress. In the middle ages the Tower of London acted as a royal residence, treasury, mint and a prison. Located near the Tower Bridge on the Thames River, the Tower is a very popular tourist attraction where visitors can view the Crown Jewels, the various towers, Armouries, Barracks, Chapel and the tower green where seven people (including two of his wives) were beheaded during the reign of King Henry VIII. [Open Mon-Sat 9am to 5pm, Tube: Tower Hill]

Tower Bridge is the famous 19th century bridge across the Thames River located by the Tower of London. The bridge was an architectural and engineering marvel featuring a drawbridge so tall-masted ships could pass underneath. Tourists can take the Tower Bridge Experience to visit the north tower and engine room to learn how the bridge is operated.

HMS Belfast is a large, light cruiser naval ship that was built in Belfast, Ireland and launched in 1938. The Belfast served in many theatres of war during WWII and the Korean War. The ship is moored on the Thames near the Tower Bridge and open to visitors. [Open daily 10am to 5pm, Morgans Lane, Tooley Street SE1, Tube: London Bridge]

The London Eye is a large Ferris observation wheel located on the South Bank of the Thames River giving visitors spectacular views over London.

London Dungeon is a gruesome experience of London’s past where visitors can learn about and see reconstructions of executions, the French Guillotine in action, Jack the Ripper’s handiwork and various other ingenious methods of torture. [Open daily 10am to 6pm, Tooley Street SE1, Tube: London Bridge]

Winston Churchill’s Britain at War Experience is an educational attraction about World War II. Visitors are taken into a reconstruction of an underground station and progress through rooms displaying wartime themes emerging into a shop that has been destroyed by a bomb. [Open daily 10am to 5pm]

Shakespeare’s Globe & Exhibition is the reconstructed Globe Theatre popularised by William Shakespeare and an exhibition on Elizabethan London. [Open daily 9am-5pm, 21 New Globe Walk SE1, Tube: London Bridge]

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the Queen and the most famous palace in London. Located at the end of The Mall, the palace was built in 1803 for the Duke of Buckingham and has been the London home for the royal family since 1837. [Open for tours during the summer months only]

Changing of the Guard takes place on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace every day at 11.30am during summer and on odd days the rest of the year.

Charles Dickens’ House, located at 49 Doughty Street WC1, is where he wrote his famous novels - Oliver Twist, The Pickwick Papers and Nicholas Nickleby. [Open Mon-Sat 10am to 5pm, Tube: Russell Square, adults £4]

St Paul's Cathedral was built by Sir Christopher Wren between 1675 and 1710, after the 1666 Great Fire of London. The walkway around the base of the dome has such good acoustics that it forms a "Whispering Gallery." The stairs continue to the Stone Gallery and up to the Golden Gallery for one of the best views over central London. [By tube: St Paul's]

London Imax Cinema is the largest in Europe screening 2-D and 3-D movies and documentaries. [Tenison Way SE1, Tube: Waterloo]

London Aquarium is one of the largest in Europe featuring a wide range of marine life including sharks and a coral reef display. [Open daily 10am to 6pm, Westminister Bridge Road SE1, Tube: Westminister]

The London Eye, also known as the ‘Millenium Wheel’, is one of the world’s largest Ferris wheels with 32 enclosed gondolas that give visitors spectacular views across the capital. [Operates daily, opposite Big Ben and Houses of Parliament]

Kensington Palace dates from 1605 and has been the home of many royals including Princess Margaret and Princess Diana. Queen Victoria was born here in 1819. Visitors can take a tour of the State Apartments from 10am to 5pm daily. [Kensington Gardens W8, Tube: High Street Kensington].

Hampton Court Palace was built in 1514 and became the residence of King Henry VIII. The palace has a long history and visitors can tour the stately rooms and get lost in the famous 300 year old maze. [Open daily from 9.30am to 5pm, train from Waterloo to Hampton Court station]

Madame Tussaud’s is the famous and very popular wax museum exhibiting movie stars, pop stars, world leaders and the royal family. The Spirit of London taxi ride takes visitors through a summary of London’s history while the Chamber of Horrors displays the darker side to human nature. [Open daily, 9am to 5m, Marylebone Rd NW1, Tube: Baker Street]

London Planetarium is located next to Madame Tussaud’s and has wax figures of great scientists as well as a great show of the stars and planets.

London Parks

Hyde Park is central London’s largest park and was once a royal hunting ground. Visitors can enjoy walking through this beautiful park and buy some peanuts to feed the squirrels. [Open daily from 5.30am to midnight]

St James' Park is a beautiful park located on The Mall near Buckingham Palace. Across The Mall is St James Palace, the residence of Prince Charles and his sons, Princes William and Harry.

Regent's Park was originally a royal hunting ground and farm. The London Zoo is located in the north of the park and across Prince Albert Road visitors can take in the spectacular view of London from Primrose Hill. [Tube: Regent’s Park, Baker Street]

Greenwich Park is the largest park in London. The Royal Observatory is located on a hill in the centre of the park and is where the famous Greenwich line dividing the world into east and west is located. There is also a planetarium attached to the observatory. [Open daily, 10am to 5pm]

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is very popular with tourists and is best visited during spring. [Open daily 9.30am, Tube: Kew Gardens]

London Museums

There are many interesting museums in London (many free admission) including:

British Museum is the largest museum in Britain and a very popular tourist attraction. The museum is huge with so many art treasures and interesting exhibits that it may take more than one day to see everything. However, admission is free so many tourists come back several times. One of the most popular exhibits is the Rosetta Stone that was discovered in 1799 and was the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics. [Admission is free, Tube station: Tottenham Court Road or Russell Square]

Natural History Museum is a very interesting museum and well worth a visit. The most popular exhibits are the animatronic dinosaurs and mammals, the earth galleries, earthquake and minerals and gemstones. [Open daily 10am to 5pm, Free Admission, Cromwell Road, Tube: South Kensington]

Science Museum has something for everyone with great exhibits from old technology to new including industrial revolution steam engines, vintage cars, aircraft, computers, spacecraft and rockets. [Open daily 10am to 5pm, Exhibition Road, Tube: South Kensington]

The Museum of London is a great museum that shows how London evolved into the large city it is today. The Museum is located on London Wall at the junction with Aldersgate Street. [Open Mon to Sun 10am-6pm, free admission, By tube: Barbican, St Paul's]

Bank of England Museum – Bartholomew Lane [Tube:Bank]

Design Museum – 28 Shad Thames SW1 [Tube: Tower Hill]

Bramah Museum of Tea and Coffee – 1 Maguire Street [Tube: Tower Hill]

Old Operating Theatre Museum – St Thomas Street SE1 [Tube: London Bridge]

Florence Nightingale Museum – 2 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 [Tube: Westminister, Waterloo]

Imperial War Museum – Lambeth Road SE1 [Tube: Lambeth North]

National Army Museum – Royal Hospital Road SW3 [Tube: Sloane Square]

Victoria & Albert Museum – Cromwell Road SW7 [Tube: South Kensington]

National Maritime Museum – Romney Road SE10 [DLR : Cutty Sark]

London Shopping

Camden Market is London’s most visited market on Camden High St and Chalk Farm Road. The market is busiest in the weekend and is a popular area with teenagers and young adults for clothing.

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