Royal Artillery Memorial

The main headquarters of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers and a Grade II* listed building.

Founded in 1123, by jester-turned-monk Rahere, this Norman church is one of the oldest in London. It was damaged in the Dissolution but managed to escape both the Great Fire and the Blitz. This is a Grade I listed building. Tourists are welcome when services are not in progress and are charged an admission fee (which does not apply to those coming to pray or use the café).

Art deco headquarters of University of London featured in the film Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The Wallace Collection is one of the world's finest private art collections, the best known of which is Frans Hals's work The Laughing Cavalier. Other artists on display include Rembrandt, Titian, Poussin, and Reynolds. This is well worth escaping to after the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street.

Completed in 1823, this attractive church near Broadcasting House is one of John Nash's masterpieces, with a prominent spire and circular vestibule. As of May 2025, it accessible only for worship.

Dr Samuel Johnson was the highly distinguished 18th-century "man of letters", best known for his comprehensive English Dictionary of 1755, but also for his prolific output of poems, essays and novels. Something of a "hidden gem", this small, independent museum is dedicated to him—and, with its historic interiors, paintings and prints, personal effects and other exhibits—gives an impression of what it might have been like during his occupancy from 1748 to 1759. Built in 1700, this impressive period building—a rare example of its kind in the area—survived the brutal onslaught of the Blitz during World War II and is now maintained in excellent condition.

The Serpentine is a long, thin artificial lake within Hyde Park which contains a range of waterfowl and fish. It was first made by damming the River Westbourne but it is now fed by three boreholes. The western end of the lake is actually in Kensington Gardens, in which it is called The Long Water. Swimming and boating are popular activities on the Serpentine; see 'Do' section.

Park overlooking the river, with the local war memorial. Be careful at high tide, as it may flood.

An enormous art gallery converted from the former Bankside Power Station, a visit to Tate Modern could easily take half a day. The gallery collects together contemporary and modern art from around the world, arranged thematically. The most stunning aspect of the building, is the enormous Turbine Hall, which plays host to a single piece of work commissioned for the space each year. An extension of the gallery has opened in a ten-storey building behind the existing power station.

The main sights to see in London's Chinatown are the expressions of Chinese culture and Eastern ambience in Chinatown, and for a good Chinese meal. There are few souvenir shops for tourists and no museums or temples. The three ornamental Chinese arches are worth a look. Chinatown does incorporate some entertaining combinations of British and Chinese culture, such as the phone booths with pagoda-style sloping roofs.

Discover mementoes of the famous fictional detective. In reality, this was a lodging house used in the late 1800s and has three floors. The first floor contains Sherlock Holmes' study with Watson's desk, and has bullet holes spelling the initials VR (for Victoria Regina, Latin for Queen Victoria) much to the chagrin of the landlady Mrs. Hudson. Next to that is Holmes' bedroom with a rogues' gallery containing photographs of several notable Victorian-era murderers including Lizzy Bourdain. The remaining rooms upstairs have waxwork figures and artefacts referencing the novels, as well as their adaptations to stage and screen. Photography allowed, though filming requires permission. Prebooking is recommended to circumvent long queues.

After leaving its brutalist skyscraper on Old Broad St, the London Stock Exchange now resides on Paternoster Sq. Dating back to 1698, it is one of the world's oldest and largest stock markets.

At the junction of five major roads, Piccadilly Circus is the home of the famous aluminum statue of Eros, which sits atop a fountain. The monument is officially known as Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain and initially wasn't supposed to depict Eros, but different god Anteros. The north side of Piccadilly Circus holds an enormous display board of electric advertisements, including Britain's biggest illuminated display (the widest in the world), advertising Coca-Cola.

The western half of the twin parks and the half that is often forgotten in public consciousness. It tends to be more formal than its neighbouring park. Highly detailed, Gothic-style monument to commemorate Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. Opposite the Royal Albert Hall. Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground A 900-year-old tree stump carved and painted to feature elves and small animals. A royal residence which is still used by Prince William, Kate and their young family. Much of it is however open to the public and it is a very popular tourist attraction perhaps due as much to its association with Princess Diana as anything else. The King's Gallery here is a magnificent Regency period court drawing room and contains some impressive paintings including a Van Dyke. Also a nice restaurant on site called The Orangery. Full of swans, geese, gulls, and other birds. Deckchairs can be hired for £1.50. The park benches and grassy areas are free. A nice modern art gallery, near to the Serpentine. Too small to host a permanent collection, instead hosts temporary exhibitions which can last anything from a few weeks to over a year. Each summer a pavilion next to the gallery is designed by a different architect, which then houses various cultural events.

A splendid Regency house with enormous gardens and woodlands. The gardens alone are worth the visit and are a superb example of 18th-century landscaping. On show at the house is art by masters such as Rembrandt, Turner, Reynolds and Vermeer, and the gardens have a very notable sculpture by Henry Moore. A regular program of outdoor opera takes place here every summer. Movie buffs will recognise Kenwood from Mansfield Park among other famous films. Administered by English Heritage, separately from the rest of Hampstead Heath.

The ruins of a church dating back to Saxon times, rebuilt by St Dunstan in 950, destroyed in the Great Fire of London, and then rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1697. Most of the church was destroyed during the blitz, leaving only the tower (dating from Wren's time) and hollowed-out walls (from an 1817 reconstruction). The ruins are now overgrown with picturesque vines and trees, and were converted into a public garden in 1967, complete with benches.

Charts the history of the bank from 1694 to the present day. A highlight is the opportunity to handle a genuine bar of gold. Photography allowed, but no flash.

Three large auditoriums, the Olivier, the Lyttelton and the Cottesloe. The Olivier theatre is the largest with an open stage and a fan shaped auditorium around it. This ensures that all seats provide a good view. Most of the more 'popular' productions are put on here as the space provided is much larger than most theatres. The Lyttelton theatre is more traditional with a proscenium arc with good views from most seats. The Cottesloe is a small studio theatre, seating around 400. Some tickets will be available on the day, either day seats (arrive before 9:30AM and queue) or standby (arrive before 6PM and queue), or you can buy online. Popular shows, especially those around Christmas in the Olivier sell out months in advance. Tickets to The National Theatre are generally better value than most other theatres. There is also the '£15 Travelex' season in the summer (as of 2019) that provides a large number (over 100,000 seats a year) at £10. Booking in advance is required for these. There is also an exhibition space in the Lyttelton theatre foyer that frequently holds popular photographic exhibitions. Free jazz is often played in the evening in the ground floor foyer. During summer there is a free daily outdoor festival of performance, music, comedy and cabaret known as Watch This Space. Deckchairs (and artificial grass) are provided to watch on. Free exhibitions. Backstage tours £5.