London Tourist Attractions

Don’t forget about London as a cheap weekend break just because you live in the UK.

London has some great tourist attractions. Millions of people travel from all over the world to see them, so don’t let the fact that it’s only a train journey away make these world famous sights somehow fall under the radar.

Don’t let London go to waste. Read this list and become a tourist in London yourself (oversized camera and “fanny-pack” are optional extras).

Top London Tourist Attractions

1 – Big Ben & Westminster

You need a letter from your MP declaring your dedication to mechanical clocks in order to get all the way inside Big Ben. But it’s free to watch Prime Minister’s question time and it’s free to have a tour of the inside of the Houses of Parliament for UK residents. This does take a bit of planning.

Of course, it’s free and easy to walk around these great buildings whenever you like. Watch for the comings and goings of today’s politicians, the press and protestors.

2 – The Tower of London

The original execution site of Anne Boleyn and many others remains intact within these stony walls. So, too, do the crown jewels and Henry VIII’s armour. Tickets to the Tower are not cheap, but there is a discount for booking online.

3 – Buckingham Palace

These days, getting inside is possible, but the tickets aren’t cheap. Commoners can also follow the traditional method of peering through the spiked gates for free.

4 -Westminster Abbey

The coronation site for William the Conqueror in 1066 – and that’s just beginning. Entry is free for religious services, otherwise you need to pay.

5 – Greenwich Mean Time

Visit the Royal Observatory and stand on the Prime Meridian Line that divides the world into east and west.

6 – St Paul’s Cathedral

It’s free to see the outside of this world-famous grey dome, and to step inside. To view the galleries and explore the cathedral fully, however, you need to buy tickets.

7 – Tower Bridge

Often confused with London Bridge, Tower Bridge is the imposing one with, er towers, walkways and a road that lifts up to allow tall boats to pass underneath. You can find a list of Bridge Lift Times here.

8 – Covent Garden

Home to the Royal Opera House, this bustling market and interesting district is also renowned for its much cheaper street performers. Covent Garden is at its most atmopheric in the early evening.

8 – Piccadilly Circus

Get a sense of London’s frenetic energy in this bustling junction. Stand beneath vast neon signs and gaze at the Statue of Anteros – the nude archer that graces the cover of the Evening Standard. All for free, of course.

Any other suggestions for world famous London tourist attractions? Pop them in the comments below…