UltimateCity Guide London
Our favourites
Westminster and the Thames, London The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the Thames Tower Bridge, seen from The Shard St Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge lit up across the Thames at night

The city guide to London, United Kingdom

Best of London

Royal palaces and the Thames, great museums, West End theatre, grand hotels and the restaurants, bars and shops of Soho, Mayfair and the City.

Where to eatWhat to see
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratSister guideULTIMATE PropertyPrime neighbourhoods, agents, new developments and how buying worksA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resort

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to London

London is one of the world’s great cities: two thousand years of history along the Thames, royal palaces and parks, museums and galleries of the first rank, the theatres of the West End and a restaurant and bar scene as varied as the city itself. We start in the centre, in Soho and Covent Garden, Mayfair and Marylebone, Westminster and St James’s, and the City and Southwark, with the best places to eat, drink, stay, shop and explore, and the stories behind them.

The National Gallery

Great art

Masterpieces on Trafalgar Square

Westminster·Art gallery

From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to Titian and Turner, the National Gallery holds one of the world’s great collections of European painting, right at the heart of London.

Plan your visit

London by neighbourhood

From the centre outwards: each area has its own guide.

The Covent Garden market buildingNeighbourhood guideSoho & Covent GardenTheatres, jazz and foodMount Street, MayfairNeighbourhood guideMayfair & MaryleboneGrand hotels and Bond StreetThe Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth TowerNeighbourhood guideWestminster & St James’sThe abbey and the palacesThe dome of St Paul’s CathedralNeighbourhood guideThe City & SouthwarkSt Paul’s and Borough MarketThe London Eye at twilightNeighbourhood guideSouth Bank & London BridgeThe Eye, Tate Modern and the marketThe blue whale skeleton in Hintze Hall at the Natural History MuseumNeighbourhood guideKensington & ChelseaMuseums and HarrodsThe Queen's House and Old Royal Naval College, with Canary Wharf beyond, from Greenwich ParkNeighbourhood guideGreenwich & Canary WharfThe meridian and the towers

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go.

A red London double-decker busBefore you goLondon essentialsMoney, tipping and the seasonsA London Underground trainGetting aroundGetting aroundContactless, the Tube and airportsThe Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth TowerItineraryThree days in LondonA first visitClaridge’s, MayfairLuxury guideLuxury LondonThe finest addresses

Beyond London

Day trips by train from the centre.

Windsor CastleBeyond LondonWindsorAbout an hour by trainThe Palm House at Kew GardensBeyond LondonRichmond & KewAbout 30 minutesThe Bodleian Libraries and the Radcliffe CameraBeyond LondonOxfordColleges, libraries and museumsKing’s College Chapel, CambridgeBeyond LondonCambridgeKing’s College Chapel and the BacksBrighton Palace PierBeyond LondonBrightonThe Pavilion, the pier and the Lanes

Homes & Gardens

Great gardens, countryside, garden centres, interiors, paint, kitchens and antiques across England, region by region.

Rowing boats and jetties on Derwentwater in the Lake DistrictHomes & GardensNorth of EnglandGardens, moors and makersThe Jacobean south front of Blickling Hall, Norfolk, under a blue skyHomes & GardensEast of EnglandGardens, coast and antiques townsGreat Dixter’s timber-framed house above the meadow gardenHomes & GardensSouth of EnglandGardens and antiques near LondonThe lake and Palladian bridge at Stourhead, WiltshireHomes & GardensWest of EnglandCotswolds, Cornwall and the Midlands

In depth: London’s back stories

Two thousand years on the Thames, royal London and the London table.

The angel lights over Regent Street at ChristmasRegent StreetChristmas in LondonLights, skating, carols and New Year’s EveThe Thames and the London skyline from Waterloo BridgeThe back storyTwo thousand years on the ThamesThe story of LondonBuckingham PalaceThe back storyRoyal LondonPalaces and paradesBorough MarketThe back storyThe London tableHow London learned to eatThe Barbican EstateIn depthHidden LondonSecret corners of the centreThe City of London skylineArchitectureLondon’s new architectureTowers, wharves and power stations

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.Visit the guide The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.Visit the guide The Sagrada Família lit up at nightSpainULTIMATE BarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.Visit the guide Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunsetSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegroships & regions)ULTIMATE Cruises (linesThe world’s cruise lines for every budget, from family resort ships to yachts, expedition ships and river boats, with the cruising regions port by port.Visit the guide Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es VedràSpainULTIMATE FormenteraThe white sands of Ses Illetes, the lighthouses of La Mola and Barbaria, the craft markets and an island made for bikes.Visit the guide The Baie des Anges, NiceFranceULTIMATE French RivieraNice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez and Cassis: palace hotels, three-star tables, beach clubs, the Festival de Cannes and the painters’ coast.Visit the guide Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide Helsinki Cathedral above the South HarbourFinlandULTIMATE HelsinkiSuomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and the Design District, two-starred Palace and day trips to Porvoo and Tallinn.Visit the guide The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sunSpainULTIMATE IbizaDalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred kitchens, the beach clubs and the quiet north, 30 minutes from Formentera.Visit the guide Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening lightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behindSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran VíaSpainULTIMATE MadridThe Prado and El Retiro, the Royal Palace, DiverXO’s three stars and cocido since 1870, with day trips to Toledo and Segovia.Visit the guide La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la MarSpainULTIMATE MallorcaPalma’s cathedral and palace hotels, the UNESCO Tramuntana, Deià and Sóller, nine MICHELIN-starred kitchens, and Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, MenorcaSpainULTIMATE MenorcaA UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: the coves of Macarella and Turqueta, World Heritage Talayotic sites, Ciutadella and Maó’s great harbour.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Matterhorn in winter above ZermattOur sister guideULTIMATE Ski Resorts (Europe & North America)Ski resorts in Europe and North America, country by country, for every budget: season dates, hotels, mountain restaurants, après, ski schools and getting there.Visit the guide The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at nightNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening skyBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue skyAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’OrciaItalyULTIMATE TuscanyFlorence, Chianti, Siena, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri, the Maremma, Arezzo and Elba.Visit the guide Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its poolSpainULTIMATE ValenciaCalatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences, the Gothic Lonja, paella by the sea, Las Fallas and the nine-kilometre Turia Garden.Visit the guide St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper TownCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key WestUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel MountainsCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide The New York City skyline from Top of the RockNew YorkULTIMATE New YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.Visit the guide The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery SpencerCaliforniaULTIMATE San FranciscoCable cars over Nob Hill, North Beach cafés, the murals of the Mission, three-star tables and the Golden Gate Bridge.Visit the guide The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the BahamasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide The Grand Palace reflected at dawnThailandULTIMATE BangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.Visit the guide Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakOur sister guideULTIMATE Hong KongThe harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining rooms with MICHELIN stars, dim sum in the lanes of Central and the museums of West Kowloon.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu RiverChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, KandyOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: visitors and locals talking about London, its restaurants, theatres, museums and neighbourhoods.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Borough Market

    This week’s pick

    Borough Market

    Southwark·Food market

    Autumn is the season for game, apples and cheese: come to Borough Market on a weekday morning, before the lunchtime crowds, and graze your way through the stalls.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth TowerItineraryLondon in three days: a first visitThree days, on foot and by TubeMount Street, MayfairItineraryOne elegant day in Mayfair and MaryleboneA full day on footThe London Eye at twilightItinerary48 hours in central London, on footTwo days, almost all on footThe Thames and the London skyline from Waterloo BridgeItineraryLondon’s skyline from the riverA day by Uber Boat and on footMount Street, MayfairItineraryA property-viewing day in prime LondonA full day, by Tube and on footPortobello Road, Notting HillItineraryA Saturday in Notting HillA full day on footThe Queen's House and Old Royal Naval College, with Canary Wharf beyond, from Greenwich ParkItineraryGreenwich by river: a maritime dayA day by Uber Boat and on footThe blue whale skeleton in Hintze Hall at the Natural History MuseumItinerarySouth Kensington: a museums dayA full day on foot

    Know your neighbourhoods

    The Welcome to Carnaby Street arch in SohoNeighbourhood

    Soho

    Restaurants, bars, jazz and Chinatown.

    Explore Soho     The Covent Garden market buildingNeighbourhood

    Covent Garden

    The piazza, the market, the opera house and the theatres.

    Explore Covent Garden     Mount Street, MayfairNeighbourhood

    Mayfair

    Grand hotels, Bond Street, Savile Row and Berkeley Square.

    Explore Mayfair     Marylebone High StreetNeighbourhood

    Marylebone

    A village high street, the Wallace Collection and Wigmore Hall.

    Explore Marylebone     The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth TowerNeighbourhood

    Westminster

    The abbey, Parliament, Whitehall and Trafalgar Square.

    Explore Westminster     Jermyn Street, St James’sNeighbourhood

    St James’s

    Palaces, Piccadilly, Jermyn Street and the Royal Parks.

    Explore St James’s     The dome of St Paul’s CathedralNeighbourhood

    The City of London

    St Paul’s, the Tower, the towers and the Square Mile.

    Explore The City of London     Tate Modern in the former Bankside Power StationNeighbourhood

    Southwark & Bankside

    Tate Modern, the Globe, Borough Market and The Shard.

    Explore Southwark & Bankside

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1From chop houses to MICHELIN stars: the London table, the back storyLondon · In depth: food
    2. 2Dishoom Covent GardenCovent Garden · Bombay café
    3. 3J SheekeyCovent Garden · Seafood
    See all 58

    Cafés & Tea

    1. 1Espresso, sourdough and grand cafés: London’s café cultureLondon · In depth: café culture
    2. 2Scones, sandwiches and silver pots: afternoon tea in LondonLondon · In depth: afternoon tea
    3. 3Monmouth Coffee CompanyCovent Garden · Coffee roaster
    See all 31

    Bars & Pubs

    1. 1Behind closed doors: London’s private members’ clubsSt James’s · In depth: clubs
    2. 2From coaching inns to gin palaces: the London pub, the back storyLondon · In depth: pubs
    3. 3Ronnie Scott’sSoho · Jazz club
    See all 52

    Hotels

    1. 1Historic institutions: the heritage of London’s grand hotelsLondon · In depth: hotel heritage
    2. 2Dining, drinking and spas: London’s grand hotels, the back storyMayfair · In depth: hotels
    3. 3Ham Yard HotelSoho · Design hotel
    See all 53

    Sights

    1. 1London from above: rooftops, towers and viewpointsLondon · In depth: views
    2. 2Borough and Bermondsey: the back storySouthwark · In depth: neighbourhood
    3. 3Chelsea and the King’s Road: the back storyChelsea · In depth: neighbourhood
    See all 71

    Museums & Arts

    1. 1Curtain up: London’s Theatreland, the back storyCovent Garden · In depth: theatre
    2. 2Royal Opera HouseCovent Garden · Opera house
    3. 3The Photographers’ GallerySoho · Photography gallery
    See all 50

    Parks

    1. 1Hunting grounds to green lungs: the Royal Parks, the back storyLondon · In depth: parks
    2. 2Hyde ParkMayfair · Royal Park
    3. 3St James’s ParkSt James’s · Royal Park
    See all 16

    Walks

    1. 1Narrowboats and towpaths: London’s canals, the back storyLittle Venice · In depth: canals
    2. 2The South Bank riverside: Westminster to Tower BridgeSouth Bank · Riverside walk
    3. 3Chelsea Embankment and Cheyne WalkChelsea · Riverside walk
    See all 13

    Shopping

    1. 1Tailors, hatters and arcades: shopping in London, the back storyMayfair · In depth: shopping
    2. 2Liberty LondonSoho · Department store
    3. 3Seven DialsCovent Garden · Shopping streets
    See all 35

    Health

    1. 1Emergencies: call 999Central London · Emergency number
    2. 2St Thomas’ HospitalWestminster · Hospital with A&E
    3. 3University College HospitalBloomsbury · Hospital with A&E
    See all 29

    Property

    1. 1Garden squares and mews houses: London’s most charming homesLondon · In depth: property
    2. 2Buying a home in London from overseas: how the process worksLondon · In depth: property
    3. 3Mayfair to Hampstead: London’s prime neighbourhoods comparedLondon · In depth: property
    See all 30

    New Developments

    1. 1King’s Cross and Coal Drops Yard: the regeneration storyKing’s Cross · In depth: architecture
    2. 2Towers, wharves and power stations: London’s new architecture, the back storyLondon · In depth: architecture
    3. 322 BishopsgateCity of London · Office tower
    See all 28

    Luxury Cars

    1. 1Jack Barclay BentleyMayfair · Bentley dealer
    2. 2Rolls-Royce Motor Cars LondonMayfair · Rolls-Royce dealer
    3. 3Ferrari MayfairMayfair · Ferrari dealer
    See all 10

    Getting Around

    1. 1Liquid history: the Thames, the back storyRiver Thames · In depth: the river
    2. 2Heathrow Airport (LHR)Heathrow · Airport
    3. 3Heathrow ExpressPaddington · Airport train
    See all 22

    North of England

    1. 1The Alnwick GardenAlnwick, Northumberland · Garden
    2. 2RHS Garden Harlow CarrHarrogate, North Yorkshire · Garden
    3. 3RHS Garden BridgewaterWorsley, Salford, Greater Manchester · Garden
    See all 96

    East of England

    1. 1ChatsworthBakewell, Derbyshire · Garden
    2. 2RHS Garden Hyde HallRettendon, Chelmsford, Essex · Garden
    3. 3Beth Chatto GardensElmstead Market, Colchester, Essex · Garden
    See all 96

    South of England

    1. 1Sheffield Park and GardenUckfield, East Sussex (National Trust) · Garden
    2. 2NymansHandcross, West Sussex (National Trust) · Garden
    3. 3Borde Hill GardenHaywards Heath, West Sussex · Garden
    See all 98

    West of England

    1. 1StourheadStourton, Wiltshire (National Trust) · Garden
    2. 2The Lost Gardens of HeliganNear Mevagissey, Cornwall · Garden
    3. 3Eden ProjectNear St Austell, Cornwall · Garden
    See all 95

    The ULTIMATE letter

    London in your inbox

    An occasional email with new places, events, neighbourhood guides and our latest in-depth articles. No spam, ever.