Things to do in London

Things to do in London

First time in the Big Smoke? You’re in for cobbled streets, postcard icons, and royal drama. London is where red buses roll past royal palaces, ancient pubs sit next to punky street art, and you can spend your morning with mummies and your arvo with Harry Potter. There’s no bad season to visit. Just layers to pack and Tube maps to learn. Whether you're ticking off the classics or wandering local markets, this city serves it with edge, history and plenty of pints.

Unique London things you can’t do anywhere else

• Shakespeare’s Globe: Swap Netflix for the Bard and see a play how it was meant to be: open air, standing crowd, and all the drama under the London sky.
• Churchill War Rooms: Duck underground to where Winston planned the war over tea and typewriters. It’s all secrets, strategy and stiff upper lips.
• Big Ben and Parliament: The chimes, the spires, the selfies. A London rite of passage.
• British Museum:Home to the Rosetta Stone, mummies and thousands of artefacts. Free, fabulous and vast.

Best London attractions to see

• London Eye Ticket: Float above the Thames in a slow-spinning bubble. Great on a clear day, epic at sunset. 
• Tower of London Tickets: Step into a fortress full of royal gossip, ghost stories and a whole lot of bling. The Beefeaters? They’ve got the best yarns in town.
• Buckingham Palace and Changing of the Guard – Marching boots, brass bands and serious royal energy. Want more? Tour the Royal Mews for carriages, horses and behind-the-scenes pomp.
• St Paul’s Cathedral: Whisper in the dome, climb for the view, marvel at the mosaics.
• Westminster Abbey: Coronations, royal weddings and poets’ tombs under soaring gothic arches. History hits different here.

Best London day trips and tours

• Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford Tour: Royal digs, mysterious rocks and a top uni town. All in one day.
• Cambridge and Oxford Tour: Rival schools, punting rivers and brainy vibes. Tweed not required.
• Cotswolds Tour with Lunch: Rolling hills, storybook villages and a proper pub lunch. Classic English countryside.
• Jack the Ripper Walking Tour: Dark alleys, chilling stories, and Victorian London at its most eerie.
• Harry Potter Studio Tour: Wands out, muggles. Time to see Hogwarts sets and spellbinding props. Butterbeer breaks, Diagon Alley strolls, and real-deal wizard vibes.

Budgeting for things to do in London

London isn’t anywhere near cheap, but there’s plenty of bang for your quid. Big-name attractions like the Tower of London or the London Eye will set you back around £30–£40 (roughly AU$55–$75), but many museums and galleries are completely free. 

West End theatre tickets can be scored on the day for less if you’re lucky. Eating out ranges from £5 (AU$10 AUD) Borough Market bites to £25 (AU$45) posh pub roasts. Pick up an Oyster card for transport savings and book combo tickets for attractions to save on splurges.

Free things to do in London

• National Gallery: Explore masterpieces from Monet to Van Gogh in a grand Trafalgar setting.
• Tate Modern: A modern art playground in a riverside power station.
• Natural History Museum: Giant whale skeletons, dinosaurs and earthquakes. All for free.
• Sky Garden: Tropical plants and 360° city views from London’s free rooftop jungle (just book ahead).
• Borough Market: Foodie heaven with artisan eats and local flavour under a historic roof. It’s free to wander around and enjoy the sights and smells, but if you want to eat anything you’ll need to pay.