London: Top 10 Sights

London is a hot spot for tourism which can be both a good and bad thing. Picking the right time to travel to this popular city can make all the difference. Go during the off seasons and beat the crowds! The positive is that there is PLENTY to do in London. If you want to check off all of the touristy locations then scroll down so you don’t miss out on any of the iconic experiences.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the UK’s Royal Family since 1837. There is a museum that the public is able to tour that is full of elaborate stage coaches, history, and relics. The Mall is the long street in front of Buckingham Palace.

The Queens Guard is the small infantry that is responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace. There is a Changing of the Guards ceremony every day that starts around 10:30  and the actual switch happens around 11 am. You will want to get there EARLY!! This is a FREE activity so you need to make sure you get a good spot. There is a platform in the center of the roundabout in front of the Palace. You will want to get a spot up high and probably sit up on a ledge/railing since you’ll be standing for a long time waiting and then the actual ceremony. The entire ceremony is about 45 minutes long.

Kensington Palace and Park

Kensington Palace is another residence in the Royal Family and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children currently reside there. The park and gardens are open to the public and part of the palace are open for tours at set times. Tickets are £14.40 and open from 10a- 6p.

Big Ben and Parliament

Big Ben is a major city marker in London and is attached to Parliament. You can take tours of the Houses of Parliament which can range in price depending on how much you want to see. If you want to take the telephone photo of Big Ben in the background walk towards Parliament Square and you will see the row of red telephone booths.

The Eye

London

The London Eye sits across the river from Big Ben and is within walking distance. Tickets are £27.00 on the day, if you buy tickets online they are £24.30, and children under 3 are FREE. You can View the entire city of London from up high! It’s a little high in the ticket price but the ride is worth it to see all of the city and its top sights from the air.

Westminster Abbey

Friends: The One In London

The Abbey has a long-standing history in London and is most recently known as the church where William and Kate were married. The high Gothic Style ceilings, beautiful artistry, intricate details on the altar.  Tickets to Westminster Abbey are £22 at the door and £20 online.

Tower of London

The Tower of London is home to The Crown Jewels and barracks that house The Queens Guard. There is a long dark history of the Tower of London that used to be a prison and fortress with numerous famous executions. Ticket prices are £22.70 and open Tuesday-Saturday: 9:00-5:30, Sunday-Monday: 10:00-5:30. For more information on the Tower of London click the link

Tower Bridge

The best location to get pictures of the Tower Bridge is actually from the Tower of London or outside of the the Tower. This way you can get the bridge from the side. Open daily from 10-5:30, the ticket price is £8.70, and you can find bridge lift times and more click here.

Hyde Park

Rent little paddle boats, go for a walk, concerts in the park, get a look at the Barracks of Hype Park, etc. There is no fee to wander around the LARGE park but there might be a ticket price for concerts and “boat” rentals.

Kings Cross Station

This is a central and working station in London which is how I arrived coming from Paris. The station is also a set location from the small film series you might have heard of called Harry Potter haha. There is a wall in the station that has a fake luggage cart half crashing into the wall like in the film! (For more on Harry Potter in London check out the studio where it was filmed and experience the Wizarding World for yourself!)

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s in  London’s main cathedral for the Catholic Church and it’s also the place where Princess Diana and Charles were married. Tickets are £18 and you can find more on times they are available and tours on their website.

I hope this helps you in planning your travels to London! Don’t forget to follow my blog! Thanks!