Must-See Attractions for Your London Vacation Itinerary
- Amy Harris
- Apr 2
- 9 min read
London offers endless things to do and see, it would be impossible to truly take it all in on one or even two visits! My oldest daughter moved to this great city last fall to study film, and therefore we get the opportunity to visit often and also see it through her eyes as a, "local." She is absolutely in love with London and is living her best life in the vibrant city. We have explored quite a bit over the last few months, I am always fascinated to discover that almost every building and street has history. I have put together a list of some of my favorite must-see places for your next London vacation itinerary!
And if it's your first time visiting, check out the itinerary I put together for my family on our first visit a couple of years ago!
Tower of London
The incredible history of the Tower of London, makes it worth a visit! You will want to allow at least two hours to explore the entire place. Make sure to find a Beefeater (Yeomen Warders dressed in red-coated jackets), they give free "tours" every thirty minutes and offer fun tales of what went on within the wall of the castle. I find the history and role of the Yeomen Warders to be truly intriguing.
William the Conqueror built the Tower of London in 1066. It is well known for it's bloody history as a torcher prison and execution site, Henry VIII ordered the execution of two of his wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, here. You can climb the narrow stairs of the towers and see the prisoners graffiti. You can also take a tour of the torture chambers and see the different methods and machines used to horrifically torture prisoners (which I found to be a very grim experience.) Today, the Tower is best known for housing the Crown Jewels, which are truly remarkable to see in person!
All Hallows by the Tower
Step into the oldest church in the City of London. It was built in 675 AD, 300 years before the Tower of London!
It was a very spiritual and moving experience to walk within the walls of this ancient church and to learn of its history! The church is located next to the Tower of London so after your tour of the Tower, make your way over for a visit. The church has been through quite a bit over the years, suffering extensive damage from bombs during World War ll, when only the tower and walls remained. However, it was restored and rededicated in 1957. The church also miraculously survived the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Many notable people have been buried at All Hallows by the Tower as it was used as a temporary burial site for people who were executed on Tower Hill.
The church has ties to the United states, William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania) was baptized here, and John Quincy Adams was married at the church.
With over 1000 years of history, this Royal Church is a must visit when in London.
Not only is it absolutely breathtaking, the history is fascinating! There are over 3,000 people buried here and not just royalty, but famous poets, philosophers, scientists and some of the greatest minds in history. King Harold was crowned here in 1066 and ever since then, every English Monarch has had their coronation at the Abbey.
You should consider purchasing a ticket in advance and getting a skip-the-line ticket is highly recommended since over 1.5 million visitors explore yearly. You can even purchase a tour before they open the doors to the public from 8:30 am - 10:00 am on certain days. This 90-minute private tour takes place in an empty Abbey and you can experience parts of the church you will not see during regular hours (these tickets sell out very quickly!) With so much history to learn, I recommend that you get a small group tour guide to share all of the many stories that are within the walls of this great cathedral.
While visiting Westminster Abbey, you will also want to explore Parliament Square which is located right next to the Abbey, Big Ben and the House of Parliament. There are several statues of well-known statesmen in the square, including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Abraham Lincoln which was gifted to the UK by the United States in 1920 to commemorate 100 years of peace between the two nations.
Elizabeth Tower and the House of Parliament
Did you know that people often confuse Elizabeth Tower and it's magnificent clock as Big Ben, but it's actually the bell located within the clocktower. And, it's not the only bell, there are four other bells.
If you feel ready for a climb, and reserve well in advance, you can book a tour and climb the narrow 334-step spiral stairwell where Big Ben hangs. This 90 minute tour will allow you to see the inner workings of the clock and stand right next to the bell as it strikes the hour. Tickets are released on the second Wednesday each month at 10 am and sell out quickly.
Hyde Park, nicknamed 'The People's Park' is absolutely beautiful and there is so much to do and to see with many places to relax and enjoy it all. Some consider it the greatest city park in the world. Kensington Palace is at the front of the park. There is a beautiful rose garden, Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, a large pond, the Serpentine, that you can swim in or take a paddle boat around, and so much more. There are also a few cafes and refreshment kiosks and there is the Serpentine Bar & Kitchen overlooking the lake where you can enjoy breakfast and lunch or grab something to go and have a picnic on the lawn. Don't miss this amazing park when in London!
If you are visiting in the winter, do not miss the
Winter Wonderland!
This grand event features a variety of attractions, including a traditional German Christmas market, a huge Bavarian fairground with over 200 rides, a massive beer hall with live entertainment and an ice skating rink that draws in crowds every year. Winter Wonderland attracts millions of visitors and it's truly the perfect family holiday outing.
Kensington Palace
While visiting Hyde Park, plan to visit Kensington Palace, the birthplace of Queen Victoria and the home to many royal families throughout the years. You can walk through the rooms and hallways of over 300 years of royal history and enjoy the world-renowned gardens. It is a good idea to book your ticket in advance as they often sell out.
I love the Sunken Garden located on the grounds of Kensington Palace. created in 1908 at the direction of King Edward VII is absolutely amazing. Princess Diana was said to have loved the Sunken Garden during her time at the palace so to memorialize the 20th anniversary of her death in 2017 the garden was transformed into a white garden featuring white roses, lilies, gladioli and cosmos flowers among others. It stayed that way from the Spring of that year until September. Her son's Prince William and Prince Harry commissioned a statue to be built to honor their mother and to reflect her energy, warmth and positive impact on the UK. It was unveiled in 2021 on what would have been her 60th birthday. She is standing with three children, none of which are her own, but reflect her charitable generational work around the world. You cannot go into the Sunken Garden, but you can enjoy it from the beautiful "Cradle Walk' which surrounds it.
One of our favorite places we have enjoyed Tea is at Kensington Palace. The Royal Tea on the terrace over looking the Sunken Garden offers one of the only places you can enjoy tea in a Royal setting. The food, tea and champagne are delicious!
Visit a Market or Several!
My favorite markets thus far are Borough Market and Camden Market
Camden Market
Camden Market is an amazing place with a variety of unique shops selling products from around the world, including vintage clothing, records, gifts, jewelry, and much more. There are also tons of food vendors offering a wide range of options to satisfy every taste. You could practically have lunch just from the samples offered by the vendors. It's easy to spend an entire afternoon here and still not see everything. It gets quite crowded on weekends, so to avoid the crowds, visit in the morning on a weekday.
Borough Market
Borough Market, established in 1756, is the oldest market in London and is rich with history and always growing and evolving. This large market is filled with fresh produce vendors, street food of all types, and many unique products. It is almost always busy so expect some lines and large crowds. The market is a charity, run by a board of trustees. Read Their Story
Go see a show!
London's theater scene is one of the best in the world, you will find critically acclaimed shows and musicals in iconic and historical venues. We love to go to the theater so every time we are in London we see at least one performance. London's West End is the largest theater district and home to theaters dating back centuries, but you can also find many productions in other magnificent venues throughout the city. My daughter and I recently saw a show at the oldest theater in London, Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The architecture is stunning and there is really no bad seat in the house. They even serve afternoon tea and pre-theatre dining in their elegant Grand Saloon. It is such a beautiful theatre, so if you get the chance, definitely go see something there.
Another theatre we have really enjoyed is His Majesty's Theatre, we went shortly after it was renamed from Her Majesty's Theatre back in 2023. This is the second oldest theatre in London and is owned by The Crown Estates. We saw the Phantom of the Opera there and it was magnificent to see it in such a historical and beautiful place. The Phantom of the Opera has been showing there for almost 40 years, making it the second longest running musical in the West End. Second only to Les Miserable, which we saw at the Sondheim Theatre on a recent visit to London.
We have truly enjoyed experiencing London's Theatre scene, every show has been one to remember, from Stranger Things, Hades Town, Back to the Future, Phantom, Les Mes, Much Ado About Nothing, to Mrs. Doubtfire, Wicked and Guys and Dolls. But, there are still many more we look forward to seeing. My favorite website to purchase tickets is London Theatre Direct, I find the site is the easiest to navigate, choose your seat and the pricing seems to be the best.
The Tower Bridge, often confused with the London Bridge is located just across the river from the London Bridge and near the Tower of London You can climb up to the top and walk across or admire it from either side of the river. Either way, it is beautiful and worth a visit for some iconic pictures and views.
Your visit of the bridge will begin by climbing the North Tower where you will walk along the walkway crossing the Glass Floors and then you will descend down the South Tower. It is open daily from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
A popular yet still somewhat hidden place to get a really great photo, is down the stairs just past the bridge on the opposite side of the Tower of London. You have to be careful with the rising tide and time it when it's safe to walk down there.
The Shard
If you are looking for one of the best views in all of London, the Shard is just the place!
Located near the London Bridge area, this beautiful building houses 26 floors of office space, 19 floors of the Shangri La Hotel, 13 floors of apartments and London's highest public viewing gallery on the 72 open air viewing platform!
There are several restaurants and bars, most offering spectacular views of the city.
We had a fun Peter Pan themed tea at the Aqua Shard on the 31st floor and couldn't get over the panoramic views of London. We've also enjoyed cocktails at Oblix on the 32nd floor.
It is also beautiful lit up at night! Throughout the year, the lights are change to reflect national events and can be seen for over 40 miles. To mark each hour after they turn on at dusk, the lights turn into a dazzling display.
Visit Harrods
Spanning five acres and over one million square feet of retail space, Harrods is the largest department store in Europe, and it's worth a visit. This luxurious massive department store is unlike anything you've seen before. There are over 300 departments within the store, most too rich for my blood, but I still enjoy "window" shopping. There are also 20 restaurants, a pharmacy, a bank, a champagne bar, fine wines and even a beauty salon. But my favorite part of the store is their food and dining halls. Everything from fresh pastries, decadent chocolates and sweets to fresh seafood and the finest meats, and so much more! There dining hall is also quite impressive, it is made up of seven restaurants all with unique menus curated by notable award wining chefs. My favorite times to visit Harrods is when it is decorated for the holidays.
Visit Fortnum & Mason
For over 300 years Fortnum and Mason has been known for it's high-end luxury goods and experiences. Much like the food halls at Harrods, you will find an array of indulgences from gourmet groceries, unique and hard to find items, and luxury and specialty gifts. Their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon is also a popular place for afternoon tea. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth ll in 2012. We enjoyed tea there one afternoon and then explored the department store and purchased some Easter treats.
This is just a short list of some of my favorite places in London, I could go on and on with ideas to make your vacation itinerary complete. London is such a beautiful, historical city that offers so much to do and see.
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