To visit London is to visit one of the largest economic and cultural capitals in Europe. Modern, surprising and vibrant, it is THE city to spend an unforgettable weekend with family or friends.
Rich in culture and history there are many buildings to see and visit such as the unmissable Buckingham palace. London is also very green and parks are an integral part of a Londoner’s life.
To help you organize your stay, we have prepared a list of the best activities to do. From the most classic to the most surprising, including activities to do with children !
Attend the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace:
It was mentioned above, but Buckingham Palace is one of the best known and most visited monuments in London. And with good reason ! It’s here that the royal family presents itself to the public at important events such as weddings and birthdays.
In addition to the attraction for the Royal Family, you can attend the Changing of the Guard on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 11am.
It’s an amazing show that takes about 40 minutes. You will be able to admire the tens of royal guards in red suits and headdresses who parade to the rhythm of the brass band, some on foot, others on horses, from the Wellington to the interior of the castle courtyard.
Caution: the parade may be cancelled due to bad weather. Check the planning !
Piccadilly Circus and casino:
Emblem of modern and festive London, the Piccadilly Circus crossroads is well known for its advertising screens that broadcast 24 hours a day.
For those who love online slots, you must visit The Rialto Casino for hours of great gaming! Renovated very recently, it’s located near the Café de Paris. It offers classic casino games on the ground floor and also plenty of gaming options with the choice of electronic roulette or popular slot games like Cleopatra and Lucky Ladies Charm on our £10,000 jackpot machines. You can also visit a beautiful café restaurant inspired by French culture on the first floor.
London Eye:
Well known all over the world, the eye of London gives you a sumptuous view of the capital. Located in the center of London, you can reach it by boat after a cruise on the Thames or a bike ride.
Our tip: The view of the city at nightfall is just wonderful. However the wheel is only open until 8pm. Luckily it gets dark earlier in London !
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew:
I’m sure you already know this, but tea time is very important in England. For this, go to the Kew garden and enjoy a typical English tea in a beautiful garden.
This huge park is both a botanical research center and a terrarium. It’s located in the west of London, and contains the largest collection of plants in the world on an area of 121 hectares.
The place is magical, divinely wooded, and offers a variation of the most fascinating landscapes.
Sky Garden:
Better known as a walkie-talkie because of its shape, Sky Garden is actually a huge 37-storey, 155-metre high skyscraper. Its special feature is its landscaped garden on three levels: 35, 36 and 37 floors with an impressive 360° view of London, making it the highest public garden in the capital.
Moreover the visit of this urban garden is free! The visit is unguided, you choose which part of London you want to see. There are several ways: the one to Tower Bridge, or the one to Canary Warf. You can also have a drink or eat in the restaurants surrounding these beautiful gardens.
Natural History Museum:
Located in the Kensington district of London, the Natural History Museum is one of my favourites museum in the world. It holds one of the world’s largest collections of life and earth sciences, including the collections of the famous James Cook and Charles Darwin. Today there are five main collections: zoology, entomology, paleontology, mineralogy and botany.
The vocation of the museum is to present to the public the beauty and diversity of our planet’s living and mineral heritage.
Among the few impressive pieces represented, you will be able to see the dinosaur skeletons, and more precisely the diplodocus skeleton that dominates the entrance. You will also see the gallery of large mammals and a cabinet of curiosities, with its jars of specimens preserved in formaldehyde.
Enjoy London’s famous monuments:
After enjoying these activities, take a walk through the streets of London gazing vacantly around you. You will see the most famous monuments such as Tower Bridge or St Paul’s Cathedral. But even more interesting you will discover the hidden London. For example, behind Waterloo station is a street entirely dedicated to street art. In Nothing hill, get off the beaten track and find exactly the same houses as in the movie but with fewer tourists!
Because of the renovations since 2018 we do not list Big Ben in this list, but you can of course see him by visiting Westminster.
Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!