London Travel Guide: All You Need To Know For Your First Time in London

London Travel Guide: All You Need To Know For Your First Time in London

Traveling to London for the first time? This London holiday guide will tell you everything you need to know to plan your first trip to London including what airport to fly into, how to get around London, how to get internet in London, and many more tips!

London is an amazing place to visit and it is often the first place in Europe people visit. There are over 20 millions of visitors to London every year. Why is London so popular? London is a beautiful, historical, safe and fun city to visit, with a lot to see, do and eat (no British food is not bad, it is delicious).

red phone booth in London with Big Ben in the background

Most people who visit Europe tend to go to London first, because it is an English speaking country (so that helps for North Americans). Because of its proximity to other countries in Europe, London is extremely diverse with many languages spoken (so you can never get lost!).

London is a huge city but it s extremely easy to get around. You can spend as little as one day or as much as a week in London and not feel bored.

Having lived in London for about 2 years, I am excited to share all that I know to help you plan your first trip to London. In this First Time in London travel guide, I will tell you literally everything you need to know to have a wonderful London holiday.

This London travel guide includes how to get to London, how to get around London, where to stay in London, where to visit for a first trip to London, when to visit London, how to buy a sim card in London and many many more!

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Pinterest pin: First time in London - a complete travel guide with 4 photos. top left: a photo of cherry blossom in Greenwich park; top right is sunrise with view of the London skyline; bottom left is a photo the iconic red phone booth and big ben; bottom right is a photo of tower bridge at sunset

A brief crash course on London geography

London is a city that almost everyone has heard of. But I don’t think many people know that London is actually a Metropolis and there are various different boroughs in London (kinda similar to how New York City has 5 Boroughs and how Los Angeles is actually a city and a county). The various boroughs in London include the City of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Southwark, Camden, Islington, etc.

When you are in London, you can actually visit the “City of London”, which is a small part of the Metropolis of London. The Romans settled in this part of London during the 1st century AD to the Middle Ages; now the City of London is the central business district of London.

The Thames is a famous river that runs through London, dividing it from North to South. Most of the historical and touristy places are north of Thames whereas there are more residential areas South of the Thames.

In addition, London is also divided from East to West with the West being more affluent and the East more industrial. For more information on the layout of the city and some of its history, this is a pretty good read.

What you should know for your first time in London – London Pre-Travel Guide

Don’t travel to London without reading these tips on this London travel guide!

Visa/ Passport/ Entry Requirement

Before you travel to London for the first time, be sure you have the correct travel documents and visa. If you do not come from a visa free country, you will need to have a valid UK visa (which is different from the Schengen Visa to access Europe). Check out the UK government official website for all the entry requirements.

Language

English is of course the official language in London. But as you tour around London for the first time, you may hear a lot of different languages (especially European languages) spoken there.

Since London is such a diverse city, there are so many Europeans, Middle Easterners and South Asians that live there. You will be able to get around London not even speaking English.

Currency

You will be using the British Pounds in London (not Euros, not USD, etc). The British Pounds come in both coins and paper currency. Be sure to bring a wallet for all the coins.

You will need an outlet converter

When you travel to London for your holiday, be sure to bring a British power outlet converter like this one. The British power adapter is different from the European one, so make sure you don’t confuse the two.

Look right first

Cars in London drive on the “other side” of the road. If you are coming from North America, Germany, Italy, South America, this is the opposite of what you are used to.

When you cross the street, be sure to look to the right first (a lot of the side walks will actually have words written on the ground reminding you to look right). This will help to prevent accidents when crossing the street

Be prepared to walk and take public transit

London is a very walkable city, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes and be ready to walk around a lot. Walking is the best way to enjoy London for your first time visit.

Public transit is also very convenient there (much more than taxi or Uber). Be prepared to navigate London’s public transportation network, which is actually very impressive and I will cover more on that later.

Tap Water in London

Tap water is perfectly safe to drink in London. Bring a reusable bottle and refill your bottles from the faucet directly.

You need to tip in London

London has a tipping culture: tip is generally 10%; increasingly restaurants in London are charging 12.5% service charges automatically with your bill. It’s not as crazy as US tipping culture but some tips are appreciated.

London airports are very strict

I have flown to countless airports around the world but airports in London are the strictest airports I have ever flown out of.

If you are planning to fly out of London, make sure you pack toiletry into small Ziploc bags and take it out from your luggage.

London airport security actually take this very seriously. If they find any liquids (even make up like gel eyeliners) in your carry on luggage that’s not in the Ziploc bag, they will open your carry on and check items one by one (this has happened to me numerous times).

When is the best time to visit London?

One of the most frequently asked question when it is someone’s first time in London is when should you visit London? Doe London rain all the time?

Contrary to popular belief, London does not rain all the time as you can see in the chart below.

London yearly weather chart with precipitation level

London rains a lot in the fall and winter and you will see a lot of sunny days in the summer. It rarely rains super hard in London, but it is the constant drizzle/ light rain that can actually be pretty annoying. If you are visiting London for the first time, I would highly recommend to bring an umbrella (or buy one here) because it could rain randomly.

Ok sure about the rain, so when is the best time to visit London then?

The most popular time to go to London is in the summer, from June to September. Note I said “the most popular” but not “the best” time to go to London because to some people, crowds is not a good thing.

In terms of weather, summer in London is the warmest and it also does not rain as much. When I was in London in the summer, it was mostly sunny days with mild temperature (although there were heatwaves once in a while).

Summer is a great time to visit London because there are a lot of summer activities, festivals, outdoor concerts and music festivals in London in the summer. The Wimbledon takes place every July; the Notting Hill Carnival takes place every August.

Wimbeldon in London summer Serena Williams

Spring (April to May) is another great time to visit London because of the drier and warmer weather and clear sky. This shoulder season is a good time to visit since you avoid the summer crowds with cheaper airfare and hotels.

London Wisteria in the spring

Flowers in London start blooming in April, including wisteria and cherry blossom. As you walk around the city, you will randomly run into these beautiful flowers. But if you really want those fantastic cherry blossom photos, you will need to stop by Greenwich Park, known for their rows and rows of cherry blossom in April.

cherry blossom in London at Greenwich Park

Winter is the most festive time to go to London. Even though most people don’t like the cold and wetness of winter in London, but the holiday spirit in London is strong. Similar to New York, London is known for its holiday decorations and festivity; major streets in London (such as Oxford Street and Regent Street) all have beautiful lights and decorations.

London Regent Street Winter Decoration

There are many Christmas markets in London in the winter, the biggest one being the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. There are also many outdoor ice skating rinks in London that you can only enjoy in the winter.

London winter holiday decoration
December London Outdoor Iceskating: First time in London tips

Which London Airport Should You Fly Into?

There are 5 airports in London.

Yup, you read that right, FIVE! I don’t know any other city in the world with so many airports (ok, maybe Los Angeles, but you can’t compare LA to London).

Heathrow International Airport

Heathrow is the most well known airport in London. Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world. You will most likely fly into Heathrow if you are arriving from outside of Europe. Getting to/from Heathrow to Central London is fast and painless and I highly recommend flying into Heathrow especially if you have a layover in London.

There are a few ways to get to city center of London from Heathrow Airport.

Heathrow Express is high speed train that only takes 15 minutes from Heathrow International to Paddington Station (relatively Central London). This express train also comes every 15 minutes from around 5am to around midnight. It’s a bit pricey, priced at £22-25 per one way ticket from Heathrow International to Paddington.

However, if you buy your tickets online 3-6 months in advance, you can get a nice discount. I take this every time I fly to Heathrow because the express train is so fast and the train is comfortable and clean.

Heathrow Connect: It’s a slower train that connects Heathrow Terminal 1, 2, 3 & 4 to Paddington Station. It comes every 30 minutes and is slower than Heathrow Express.

London Underground (aka The Tube (Piccaddily Line)): The tube goes directly to all the terminals at Heathrow but it takes about 1 hour to get into central London. If you decide to take the tube, get an Oyster Card from the Tube station at the airport. Or use your contactless card. Price for the tube from Heathrow to Central London is cheap, costing less than £6 one way.

Bus Services such as National Express connects Heathrow to Central London although I don’t know why anyone would take the bus instead of the trains.

Taxi/Uber/ Private Transfer: If you have a lot of luggages you may want to consider a private transfer.

Gatwick Airport

Gatwick is an international airport about 30 miles south of London. A lot of European flights go to Gatwick. If you are flying on Ryan Air or Easyjet, you will most likely land at Gatwick Airport.

It is easy to get from Gatwick Airport to Central London, but even the fastest option takes longer than arriving from Heathrow.

Gatwick Express that takes 30 minutes to London Victoria Station.

Other trains from Gatwick to Central London include Southern and Thameslink to London Victoria and London Bridge respectively.

Buses to/from Gatwick include National Express, EasyBus, and Megabus and they generally take an hour or more. I recommend buying bus tickets online in advance, just in case the bus gets full.

If you are traveling to Gatwick from Central London on a Friday, I highly recommend that you either take the train or take an earlier bus because traffic on a Friday afternoon is terrible and I missed my flight taking National Express once. The buses stop at several different locations in London before it gets to the final destination.

Taxi/Uber/Car: I personally would not recommend taking a taxi unless you have a good reason. It takes just as long as taking a bus but much more expensive.

Stansted Airport

Stansted is an international airport about 30 miles northeast of London. Just like Gatwick Airport, a lot of European flights, especially on budget airlines, fly to Stansted.

There are not as many options from Stansted Airport to Central London compared to Heathrow and Gatwick.

Stansted Express is a rail service that departs every 15 minutes and takes 47 minutes to London Liverpool Station. It is the fastest way to get to central London from Stansted Airport

National Express and EasyBus offers bus services from Stansted Airport to Central London. Buses take over 1.5 hours.

Luton Airport

Luton is 25.2 miles north of London. Many budget airlines fly to Luton.

Train to King’s Cross St Pancras Station takes about 50 minutes

National Express and easyBus also offers services from Luton Airport to Central London and takes over an hour.

London City Airport

London City Airport is located near Canary Wharf and offers a limited number of international flights. Many business people fly to their airport so they can directly go to work in Canary Wharf. First time London visitors most likely will not fly into London City Airport.

DLR: You can take the DLR from various locations in London. See below for the DLR map

London DLR Map

How do I get around London if it’s my first time in London?

Lucky for you, London is a city built on a massive and efficient transportation networks, with buses and the underground (and overground) that can get you almost anywhere at a low cost. You do not have to worry about not having a car in London, as long as you have Google Map on your phone you are set!

London Underground

London Underground, otherwise known as The Tube, is the best way to get around London.

There are 11 Tube Lines in London excluding the London Overground and DLR (which functions just like the tube). Each tube line is marked as a different color and has a different name. You can access more information on the tube as well as the London tube map from the official website.

Unlike New York City, London Tube charges by distance so the further you are going, the more expensive it is.

London Underground Tube train with door open for first time in London travel guide and tips

As a first time visitor in London, you should get an Oyster card or use contactless card and mobile payment like Apple Wallet or Google pay as well, read more here). Note that children under 11 travel free on most public transport services when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

You can purchase an Oyster Card at any Tube, London Overground and some DLR stations as well as Oyster Ticket Stops in newsagents in London and at Vistior Centres. You need to pay £5 for a new Oyster card.

If you run out money on your Oyster Card, you can top up at the Tube Station (or places mentioned above) or the Oyster card app. You can also purchase an Oyster Card online and get it mailed to your home before you arrive in London but I don’t think it’s necessary.

If you are planning to spend 7 days during your first trip to London, then get a weekly pass (same for monthly), but if you are only spend 3-4 days in London, then there is no need to get a daily travel card. The tube has a “cap” so you don’t spend over a certain amount after several trips. For details on how the cap works, see the official tfl website.

The tube is not 24 hours except Friday and Saturday on Victoria Line, Jubilee Line, and most of Central, Northern, Piccadilly Line. Hammersmith & City, Circle, Bakerloo, District, Metropolitan and London overground do not run 24 hours. The hours are typically from 5am to midnight.

London Tube Zones

London underground is organized by different zones. Zone 1 is pretty much central London and Zone 5 is quite far in terms of distance. Unlike New York, London’s tube charges by distance. Therefore the daily maximum is different depending on which zone you travel to/from.

See here for the tube map. You can also save it onto your phone for easy access. Different lines are represented by different colors on the map. When you enter and leave the tube station, you will need to tap in and out for it to calculate your fare.

Taking the Bus in London

London has a very efficient and extensive bus network. Similar to the Tube, you can use Oyster Card or Contactless when boarding a London bus. The buses do NOT charge by distance (so you do not need to tap out like you do when riding the Tube). There is also a daily max you can spend riding on the bus in London.

The great thing about taking a bus in London is that the buses run 24 hours! So even if the Tube stops running around midnight, you can always get around London by bus.

Pro tip: when riding a bus in London, go to the upper deck and ride in the front! This will give you an unobstructed view of the road so it is almost like a free city tour. Just make sure to grab tight when you climb up as the bus drivers can be aggressive and my friend has fallen off the stairs and dislocated her shoulder before.

Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

If you are lazy like me and prefers things to be taken care of for you, then you would love the London hop-on hop-off buses. These buses will take you directly to the places you care about the most (Big Ben, Parliament, St. Paul’s, Hyde Park, Tower Bridge, etc). I really enjoyed the hop-on hop-off bus when I visited London for the first time.

Biking in London

A lot of people bike around London. There is also bike share scheme in London. Similar to the Citi Bikes in New York, London has Santander Cycles. The names keep changing (it used to be called Barclays Bike). Biking is a great way to discover London especially if it’s your first time in London.

Walk Around London

London is a very walkable city, especially in the popular touristy areas. I suggest you take a stroll along the Thames to enjoy the view of some of the most famous London attractions.

My favorite walking route in London along the Thames is to walk from Tower Bridge to Borough Market to Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern to St. Paul’s Cathedral to the London Eye and finally to Big Ben and Parliament.

London Tower Bridge along the Thames River

Black Cab and Uber in London

New York has Yellow Cabs and London has Black Cabs. However, when I was living there, you have to pay the London cab driver cash as they did not accept credit/debit card. But it seems like now you can use your contactless card to pay for Black Cab fare.

But I think that has changed recently and they should now accept cards and contactless. Alternatively there are many ride sharing apps such as Uber and Addison Lee.

Do I need cash in London?

One question I always get asked from first time visitors in London is “Can I use credit card in London” or “Do I need cash in London”?

London is a very credit card friendly city. Tube stations, shopping centers, super markets and most restaurants and shops accept major credit cards.

However there are some restaurants (especially the smaller ones and the ones in Chinatown) and farmer markets only take cash. Even black cabs technically should accept cards but there can always be drivers that only want to take cash.

Where do I exchange money in London?

The currency in the UK is British Pounds. If this is your first trip to London, don’t worry, it is very easy to exchange money or better, take out cash from ATMs in London.

Exchange money at the Airports in London: There are currency exchange places at the airports in London. However as you can expect, exchange rates are generally terrible at these counters in the airport. But if you urgently need cash, exchange perhaps £40 first (then exchange more once in you are in Central London).

Exchange money in Central London: London is a city where you frequently see currency exchange places, especially in touristy areas like Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus. There are exchange booths on Baker Street (home of Sherlock Holmes), on Oxford street (where Central Line Station is), etc. You can always do a Google search to find one near you.

Free Cash Machine in London (aka ATMs): In the UK, instead of ATM, the term they use is “free cash machine” (yes very misleading). There are ATMs almost everywhere in London, even at supermarkets like Tesco. If you are coming from the US, I suggest you get the Charles Schwab ATM card because it reimburses you all ATM fees worldwide. I almost exclusively withdraw from ATMs when I travel because the rates are so much better than exchange shops.

But you can use credit card in most restaurants, cafes, the tube (subway), train stations, shops, etc. When I travel to London I actually only carry maybe 20 British pounds of cash on me and the last couple of times I was in London I managed to not spend any cash at all!

How to get local sim cards in London?

How can I call this a complete London travel guide if I do not address the most important question: how do I get a sim card in London? Unless you have international roaming enabled on your cellphone, I would highly recommend getting a local sim card in London.

Prepaid sim cards in London are very cheap and easy to buy, as long as your phone is “unlocked” (you can use other companies’ sim cards). If you are coming from the US, you should double check with your cellular service providers to see if your phone is unlocked.

You can generally find sim card shops after you land at the airports in London. If you cannot find anything in the airports, there are plenty of sim card shops in the city.

One of the largest chain mobile phone accessories store is Car Phone Warehouse. They have shops all over London and in the main touristy and shopping areas. They have sim cards from different telecom companies that you can pick from.

If you are looking for specific brands of sim cards in London, I would recommend 3 as I had used them when I was in London and they were reliable and cheap (compare to EE or Vodafone). In addition, 3 allows you to roam in other European countries for free.

All the brands I had just mentioned (3, EE, Vodafone) have their own stores in London and it should be easy to find them on Google map search.

Lastly, if you have some time before you first trip to London, you may consider ordering a sim card online. The one I’ve used before is Giffgaff. But you can also purchase Esim card online before your trip.

Giffgaff was one of the cheapest options for Sim cards when I lived in London. You can order it online and the company will ship the free sim card to your address worldwide. All you need to do is activate it and you are set when you land in London.

first Time in London London travel guide Thames River and view of the Shard

If you are coming from the US and you use T-mobile, you should have free roaming (up to 5gb of high speed data) in London if you have the MAX and Plus plans. Check with T mobile to see if your plan qualifies.

What If I only have a layover in London?

London is great for layovers, long or short!

Due to the proximity and convenient of getting from the different airports in London to Central London, London is one of the easiest cities in the world to transit and lay over.

Doesn’t matter if you only have 6, 8 or 10 hours (or the whole day) in London, you can still see some famous attractions in London.

You can read more about my blog on how to spend a short layover in London.

How much does it cost to travel to London?

London is one of the more expensive cities to visit in the world (but if you are coming from cities like New York, San Francisco, Singapore, then London is not that expensive to you).

As with any cities in the world, you can make London as expensive as you can or you can do London fairly cheaply. The major factors in determining how much it costs to visit London are mostly hotels and food. Another factor that affects costs is when you visit London. Visiting London is February or March is a lot cheaper than visiting in July due to hotel costs.

Let me give you some examples of price ranges based on your budget, assuming you are traveling to London during peak summer season. The budget is per person per day.

AccommodationFoodTransportationAttractionsTotal cost per day
Budget£30-50£15-30£10£0-20£55-110
Mid range£100-200£50-80£10£20-50£180-340
Luxury£200-500£80-150£40£50-100£340-800

Budget assumes that you are staying at a dorm in a hostel during peak summer season or if you find a cheap airbnb room rental. Food can be cheap if you cook your own food or grab something cheap to eat like a kebab or sandwiches. You can take the Tube/bus everywhere and hit the daily Oyster Card cap. Budget traveler can go to the free museums and attractions in London and not pay for any entrance fees.

Hostel dorm room photo

Mid range budget assumes you will find a mid-range hotel in London during peak season (and you are traveling with a companion so the room cost is split). You will most likely eat out both lunch and dinner at reasonably priced restaurants or food markets. You will take public transportation for the most part. You may pay for one ticketed attraction such as St. Paul’s Cathedral or the London Eye.

Luxury budget assumes you will be splitting a room with a campion at an upscale/ fancy hotel like the Four Seasons in Central London. You will eat out 2-3 meals a day and grab drinks/desserts during your trip to London. You may occasionally pay for a cab ride or Uber and also 2 ticketed attractions a day (or you may do tours also).

As you can see, you have a lot of control and flexibility over your London holiday bucket. London does not have to be expensive if you do not want it to be!

Where should you stay in London

For your first time in London, you should stay near all the touristy spots or somewhere close to the Tube. I highly recommend staying in Zone 1 of London (the most central areas of London):

Mayfair is a very upscale area bordering Hyde Park. There are very nice restaurants and exclusive hotels. It’s close to shopping in Soho and Bond Street. It’s also very close to The British Museum. Some of the famous restaurants in Mayfair include Sketch (afternoon tea), Hakassan (Michelin Star Chinese Food), etc.

A few hotels to consider in Mayfair include The Biltmore Mayfair, 9 Hertford Street (Serviced apartment) and The Chesterfield Mayfair.

Soho/ China Town/Leicester Square/ Covent Garden is known as the West End (including Mayfair). Accommodations are very pricey but for a good reason. You are within walking distance to theatres, restaurants, shopping, high-end hotels and bars.

I spend most of my time in London in this area and even to this day I have not been able to watch all the musicals/ballets or tried all the restaurants and bars. If you have the budget and really want to be walking distance to everything during your first time in London, you have to stay in this area.

A few hotels to consider in Soho/Covent Garden include Chateau Denmark, Page8, and Hausd (serviced apartment).

Westminster & St. James: If you are thinking of visiting the Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, this is the area you would want to stay in.

Big Ben night shot first trip to london

But personally I find this area too touristy and too quiet at night. There aren’t that many good restaurants here so I highly suggest you stay at the West End instead especially for your first time in London.

A few hotels to consider in Westminster area include Park Plaza, The Sanctuary House Hotel, and Hope House Residences (serviced apartments).

Waterloo Station or London Bridge: I recommend these two areas south of the Thames because they are huge transportation hubs in London. Waterloo Station is very close to the London Eye.

London Bridge area is close to the Shard as well as the famous Borough Market. I wouldn’t say the area is as upscale as the ones I’ve recommended above but they are convenient in terms of transportation.

A few good hotels to consider at Waterloo or London Bridge area include Ruby Lucy Hotel, Cheval Three Quays (serviced apartment), Shangri-La the Shard.

Knightsbridge, Notting Hill, South Kensington: Upscale neighborhood close to some of the best Museums in London as well as high street shopping. A bit further (west) from Big Ben & Tower Bridge, but a nice area to consider regardless.

A few good hostels to consider in this area include The Laslett, The Adria, and Number Sixteen.

Harrods in Knightsbridge, london
Harrods in Knightsbridge

Shoreditch: Shoreditch is not an area that most first time London visitors to London would choose to stay but I think they are missing out!

Shoreditch is an arty and trendy area located in East London. There are a lot of trendy restaurants, bars, cafes and shops located in Shoreditch so you will definitely have fun staying there.

A few hotels to consider in Shoreditch include Crashpads Shoreditch, Hart Shoreditch Hotel, and The Eight Apartments (serviced apartment).

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How to stay safe in London especially if it’s your first time visiting London

London is a pretty safe city. but as with any major city in Europe, there are petty crime and pickpocketing in London so you should always be aware of your surroundings.

The one thing I would warn anyone on their first trip to London is to try NOT use cellphones when you are walking if you are female.

While I was studying in London, I heard numerous stories of girls who walk on the street with their phone out and getting their phone grabbed by someone on a bike/ motorcycle. It seems like these criminals target young females walking alone. If you do need to use a phone, stand further away from the road so someone on a bike or motorcycle cannot just grab the phone from you that easily.

Another trick that some criminals do in London is at the ATM/cash machines. They will come up to you when you are withdrawing money to offer you free coupons or some random things and they will accidentally drop it.

If you get distracted or try to help them, they will smoothly take your money from the ATM machine when you bend down. If you see anyone approaching you when you are at the cash machine, ignore them and grab your money and leave.

A scam I’ve seen in London is the “cup and ball” scam on Westminster Bridge (the bridge in front of Big Ben). What happen is someone will have 3 cups and a ball, and they let people bet money (£20 to start with). If you can identify which bowl the ball is under then they double the money, but of course you will never win.

These scammers usually have “spectators” in the audience that win a few times to lure people in because it looks so easy to win. But in reality these “spectators” are actually their friends and when it’s your turn, they will use tricks to take the ball out of the bowl before you even realize. Therefore you will never win!!

What are the best things to see in London for first time visitors

There are so many things to do in London and the best thing is most attractions in London are free. For a list of free things to see/do in London, check out this post.

This London travel guide will show you some of the “must-see” things in London especially if this is your first time in London.

If you are planning to visit ticketed attractions, you should definitely get a London attraction pass such as the London Pass. You can see a review of all London tourist passes.

Big Ben & House of Parliament

Big Ben and Parliament are the No.1 thing on all London first time visitors’ list. They are pretty much the symbol of London and what comes to mind when anyone thinks of London.

Big Ben is the the bell tower in the city of Westminster, next to the Parliament building. Completed in 1859, at the time Big Ben was named “Clock Tower” and it was the largest and most accurate chiming clock in the world.

Starting in 2017 there was a multi-year renovation work on Big Ben and that has been completed at the end of April 2022. If you visit London now you can see Big Ben again without construction covering it.

Unfortunately you cannot go inside Big Ben unless you are an UK residents (UK residents need to request a free tour to Big Ben from a member of Parliament or House of Lords). As a visitor, you can do a tour inside the Parliament Building.

London big ben and parliament: first time in London visit travel guide

London Eye

Located across the Thames from Big Ben is the giant Ferris Wheel known as the London Eye. If you want a nice view of London you can purchase tickets to ride London Eye. I personally prefer the view from Sky Garden (free) over London Eye and only take photos in front of London Eye.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous churches in London. It is the traditional place of coronation and where the royal wedding of Prince Williams and Kate Middleton took place. British monarchs and famous people such as Newton are buried at Westminster Abbey.

It costs £25 to go inside Westminster Abbey (children 0-5 enter for free). You can purchase tickets online ahead of time to avoid the wait.

Westminster Abbey London: First time London travel guide

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is walking distance from Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. It is the residence of the monarch, but most likely you won’t see the Queen or the royal family there normally!

You can visit the inside of the palace with a multimedia guide for £30.00. But if you just want to see the outside of the Palace (and the Changing of Guards) then it’s free. The Changing of the Guard is every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 11am. Get there early and expect huge crowds.

British Museum

British Museum in London: First Time in London
The British Museum

The British Museum is one of the most renowned museums in the world. It houses antiques and paintings from all eras and countries (although one could argue that some of the collections were stolen from other countries). The interior design of the museum is an attraction in itself.

The British Museum is located in Mayfair and is free to visit. But if you want to see the special exhibitions you will need to purchase tickets or book ahead of time online.

If you want to take a self-guided tour of the Museum, you can download the audio app and explore the diverse collection yourself.

National Gallery/ Trafalgar Square

National Gallery houses 700 years of greatest paintings in the world and it is free to visit. Similar to the British Museum, you have to pay for special exhibitions. If you know and love art, you can spend the entire day at National Gallery.

It is located in the world renowned Trafalgar Square, which is symbolized by 4 lions guarding the Nelson’s Column. Trafalgar Square is about 15 minutes walk to Big Ben and Parliament.

Trafalgar Square in London: First time Visit London Tips and guide

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Pauls Cathedral London first time in london itinerary

St. Paul’s Cathedral is a beautiful church in the city of London. It has a long history and has been re-built and restored numerous times throughout history. The cathedral was designed using neoclassical, baroque and gothic elements. The famous dome of the cathedral is a prominent feature of the London skyline and can be seen in numerous movies and British TV shows.

St. Pauls Christmas Carol London: First time visitor in London guide

Every Christmas there is a Christmas Carol Service at St. Paul’s Cathedral which is open to the public. But in order to get in, you probably will need to line up a few hours before. You can also pay to go to the top of the Cathedral to enjoy a panoramic view of London after you purchase tickets (it is also covered by the London Pass)

Millennium Bridge

London has no shortage of bridges connecting the North and the South across the Thames. All of the bridges have different designs and functionalities but one of my favorite bridges in Lnodon is the Millennium Bridge right outside of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Millennium Bridge is a pedestrian only bridge with modern sleek design. It also makes an amazing night shot.

Millennium Bridge & St. Paul's Cathedral London at night

Tower Bridge & Tower of London

Tower Bridge London night shot: First timer London tips

One of the most famous bridges in London is the Tower Bridge (don’t mistaken it for London Bridge, it’s a different bridge!!). Right next to it on the North side of the river is the Tower of London. It is a historical castle and houses the Queen’s Crown Jewels. You can book a skip the line tickets during peak summer season to go inside (it is also covered by the London Pass).

Borough Market

London is known for outdoor markets, but Borough Market is a must-visit food market for first time visitors. It is a big space with a lot of different food and produce vendors, coffee shops and restaurants. Borough Market is located at the Southern base of London Bridge (You can see Tower Bridge from London Bridge). It is open everyday except Sundays.

If you are interested in seeing what else you can do in London, I highly recommend that you check out this awesome 5 Day London itinerary.

How many days do you need in London?

London is a fantastic place to visit with so many things to do and see. So how many days should you spend in London?

You can do London for as little as a half day layover to a week. Most people spend a couple of days in London just to get a taste of it during their first time in London.

However I think ideally to get the most out of London you need 4 days in London, this allows you to see all the famous places in London and perhaps even a day trip outside of London.

Other things to do and eat in London even if you have more time

Besides the touristy places I mentioned above, there are a few other things you must do in London to have the essential London experience during your trip:

  • Watch a musical in the West End
  • Shop on Oxford Street and Regent Street
  • Enjoy Indian food at the most popular Indian restaurant Dishoom
  • Watch the sunrise from Duck & Waffle (tallest restaurants in London that’s open 24 hours)
East London Street Art  tour - Banksy's art work in London
  • Kayak on the Thames and paddle next to the Big Ben and Parliament
  • Picnic in Hyde Park and explore the hidden spots in the park
  • Get afternoon tea at the Wolseley or Fortnum & Mason or The Ritz
  • Watch a tennis match at the Wimbledon
  • Drink Pimm’s in the summer
  • Enjoy the view (for free) at Sky Garden or go up the Shard Observatory
Sky Garden in London free observation deck first-time in London Guide
  • Grab brunch at Granger & Co or The Breakfast Club
  • Visit a Christmas market in London. The biggest one is in Hyde Park
Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park London
  • Do a River Thames Cruise and see the most iconic buildings in London
  • Sip Coffee at Monmouth Coffee
  • Visit the Turkish lantern shop in Camden Market
Camden Market with beautiful Turkish lamps in London. First time in London guide and tips
  • Order a drink at Connaught Bar and Tayēr + Elementary (best bars in the world)
  • Climb up the O2 arena and feel the thrill (plus a nice view of the city)
Top of the O2 climb in London first time in London guide
  • Go wild at parties in Shoreditch
  • Marvel at the Natural History Museum
london natural history museum
  • Go to a music festival but don’t forget your rain boots!

Many of the activities above are covered by either the London Pass or the Sightseeing Pass.

London summer park picnic
Summer picnic in the park

London is a vibrant and diverse city with endless things to do, eat, and see. I envy those who are visiting London for the first time because they will be amazed at how much London can offer.

If you only have half a day in London as a layover, be sure to check out this amazing guide on 12 hours in London!

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