1. Tower of London
A royal fortress on the Thames that holds the Crown Jewels and the White Tower. A Yeoman Warder tour is included with your ticket.
- Area
- Tower Hill / City of London
- Hours
- Tue, Wed and Sat 9:00-17:30; Sun, Mon and Fri 10:00-17:30 (week of 28 Sep 2026). Last entry 16:30; last Yeoman Warder tour 15:15.
- Price
- Adult £38.00 (£41.80 with donation); concessions £30.30; under-5s free · book ahead
- Tip
- Many dates and time slots sell out in advance, so book online. It tends to be quieter after noon; allow two to three hours.
2. British Museum
Free entry to more than 60 galleries covering two million years of history, including the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies and Greek sculpture.
- Area
- Bloomsbury
- Hours
- Daily 10:00-17:00
- Price
- Free (permanent galleries); £5 donation suggested; special exhibitions cost extra · book ahead
- Getting there
- Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Russell Square or Goodge Street stations, all within about eight minutes' walk
- Tip
- Book a free timed-entry ticket to guarantee entry; a limited number of walk-up slots are released daily but entry isn't guaranteed.
3. Westminster Abbey
The church where English and British monarchs have been crowned, with royal tombs and memorials. It sits beside the Houses of Parliament, so it anchors a day in Westminster.
- Area
- Westminster
- Hours
- Open for sightseeing Monday to Saturday; listed as 9:30-16:30 on weekdays (last entry 15:30) and 9:00-16:00 on Saturday (last entry 15:00). Sunday is for services only. Times vary on some days, so check the daily calendar.
- Price
- Adult £31 · book ahead
- Getting there
- Westminster station (Jubilee, District and Circle lines), about 300 m / 4 minutes' walk
- Tip
- Bags larger than cabin size (55 x 40 x 20 cm) are not allowed and every entrance has security screening. Up to four children aged 11 and under get in free with each adult.
4. Borough Market
London's best-known food market, with produce stalls, specialist traders and a street-food section (Borough Market Kitchen). Entry is free.
- Area
- Southwark / London Bridge
- Hours
- Closed Monday; Tue-Fri 10:00-17:00; Sat 9:00-17:00; Sun 10:00-16:00. Hours change on bank holidays and over Christmas.
- Price
- Free entry
- Getting there
- Next to London Bridge station (Jubilee and Northern lines, plus National Rail)
- Tip
- Saturday afternoons get very busy. Go on a weekday morning for easier browsing.
5. Natural History Museum
Free museum known for the blue whale skeleton in Hintze Hall and the Dinosaurs gallery. It works well for families or a rainy day.
- Area
- South Kensington
- Hours
- Daily 10:00-17:50 (last entry 17:30); closed 24-26 December
- Price
- Free (some temporary exhibitions charge) · book ahead
- Getting there
- South Kensington station (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines), about 5 minutes' walk
- Tip
- Walk-ins can be turned away at busy times, so book a free timed ticket. Weekdays and early mornings are quieter; allow three to four hours.
6. Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Stand on the Prime Meridian and get views over London from the top of Greenwich Park. It makes a good half-day trip by boat or DLR.
- Area
- Greenwich
- Hours
- Daily except 24-26 December. Summer hours (including September) 10:00-18:00, last entry 17:00; regular hours 10:00-17:00, last entry 16:15.
- Price
- Adult £24; child (4-15) £12; Day Pass with Cutty Sark £38 · book ahead
- Getting there
- DLR to Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich, then about 15 minutes' walk through the park. Or take a train to Greenwich or Maze Hill, or a river boat from central London piers.
- Tip
- The walk up through Greenwich Park is steep. Planetarium tickets are limited on the day, so book them ahead.
7. Whitechapel and the East London Mosque
Whitechapel Road is home to the East London Mosque and the London Muslim Centre, one of the UK's largest Muslim community hubs. It fits easily with a day at the Tower of London.
- Area
- Whitechapel / East End
- Price
- Free
- Getting there
- Short walk from Aldgate East or Whitechapel stations; buses 25, 205 and 254 stop on Whitechapel Road
- Tip
- There is no visitor parking and street parking is very limited, so come by Tube or bus.
- Muslim-friendly
- The East London Mosque (82-92 Whitechapel Road, E1 1JQ) has a men's prayer area at the main reception and a women's prayer area and reception at Entrance 4. The mosque offers tours.
8. Windsor Castle (day trip)
A working royal residence and the oldest occupied castle in the world. It's an easy half-day or full-day trip by train.
- Area
- Windsor, Berkshire (about 40 km west of London)
- Hours
- Open Thursday to Monday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. March-October 10:00-17:15 (last admission 16:00); November-February 10:00-16:15 (last admission 15:00). Closed 24-26 December 2026.
- Price
- Adult £32 online in advance; £36 on the day · book ahead
- Getting there
- Train from London Paddington to Windsor & Eton Central (from about 22 minutes), or from London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside (just under an hour)
- Tip
- St George's Chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays. The castle sits on a steep hill with long walking distances, much of it outdoors.
Hours and prices were checked October 1, 2026 on the sources below and can change. Tour links search GetYourGuide and Klook; some earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
