History · London · United Kingdom
8 historic sites to see in London
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with British Museum, Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 15–20 hours across 6 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 15–20 hours
- Areas
- Bloomsbury, Tower Hill and Westminster
Historic sites in London
Museum · Bloomsbury
1.British Museum
Entry to the permanent collection is free, and the glass-roofed Great Court, opened in 2000, makes a dramatic entrance hall.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
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Castle · Tower Hill
2.Tower of London
The Crown Jewels, including the Imperial State Crown, are displayed in the Jewel House, and Yeoman Warders ('Beefeaters') lead lively tours included with entry. The resident ravens are tied to the legend that the kingdom will fall if they leave.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Architecture
Religious site · Westminster
3.Westminster Abbey
Inside are the tombs of Elizabeth I and Mary I, Poets' Corner with memorials to Chaucer, Dickens and Shakespeare, and the graves of Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries, high in the triforium, look down into the nave.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
Landmark · Westminster
4.Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
Big Ben is the great bell inside the Elizabeth Tower, whose clock faces were restored in a five-year conservation project. Visitors can watch debates from the public galleries free of charge or join paid guided tours, usually run on Saturdays and during parliamentary recesses.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours with a tour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
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Palace · St James's
5.Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard
The Changing the Guard ceremony takes place on the forecourt on set days each week, with military bands and guards in red tunics and bearskin hats, and watching it is free. The State Rooms, hung with paintings from the Royal Collection, usually open to ticketed visitors for about ten weeks in summer.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- History
Religious site · City of London
6.St Paul's Cathedral
Visitors climb 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery, where a whisper carries around the dome, and can continue to the outdoor Stone and Golden Galleries — 528 steps in all — for views across the City.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- History
Historic site · Greenwich
7.Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park
Below are the Cutty Sark tea clipper and the free National Maritime Museum, and the hilltop gives one of London's widest views, over the Queen's House to Canary Wharf.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Views
- Kids
- Outdoors
Museum · Westminster
8.Churchill War Rooms
The attached Churchill Museum traces his life through documents, film and personal objects.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomsbury | British Museum | 2–3 hours |
| Tower Hill | Tower of London | 3 hours |
| Westminster | Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and Churchill War Rooms | 1.5–2 hours + 1–2 hours with a tour + 1.5–2 hours |
| St James's | Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard | 1–2 hours |
| City of London | St Paul's Cathedral | 1.5–2 hours |
| Greenwich | Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park | Half a day |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 3 free, 5 mid-priced. Book ahead for British Museum, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard and Churchill War Rooms. The longest visit is Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- British Museum: Entry is free, but booking a free timed slot online helps at busy times such as school holidays.
- Tower of London: Tickets bought online in advance are usually cheaper than at the gate and secure entry on busy summer days.
- Westminster Abbey: Timed sightseeing tickets bought online save queuing in summer.
- Houses of Parliament and Big Ben: Guided tours sell out at peak times; book them on the UK Parliament website.
- Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard: Check the official schedule for Changing the Guard days, and book State Rooms tickets ahead for summer visits.
- Churchill War Rooms: Timed tickets often sell out in summer and school holidays; book online in advance.
How to fit them into 6 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Bloomsbury): British Museum, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Tower Hill): Tower of London, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Westminster): Westminster Abbey → Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Westminster and St James's): Churchill War Rooms → Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (City of London): St Paul's Cathedral, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Greenwich): Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still chilly and grey, but hotel prices are among the year's lowest outside the school half-term week in mid-February.
- January: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold and short days with sunset around 4pm, but post-Christmas sales and quiet museums make it a good-value month.
- March: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 9 rainy days, moderate crowds. Daffodils and blossom appear in the royal parks, and the clocks go forward on the last Sunday, adding evening light.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Bloomsbury and King's Cross — Georgian squares, the British Museum and Eurostar on the doorstep
- Greenwich — Maritime history, a hilltop royal park and river boats
More of London
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in London?
British Museum. Two million years of human history fill the British Museum, from the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies to the Parthenon sculptures and the Anglo-Saxon Sutton Hoo helmet.
+Which of these are free in London?
British Museum, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben and Buckingham Palace and Changing the Guard.