Where to find london

You may struggle to find standing room in the tight ground-floor pub; all the more reason to head to the dining room upstairs. This charming restaurant recently reopened with a French-leaning menu under the skilled hands of Neil Borthwick. Acclaimed French chef Anne-Sophie Pic brings Michelin-star precision to divine plates worthy of the most important occasions.

Once a serene landscape of fields and gardens, the neighborhood was settled by French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution during the 17th century.

The French refugees were the first wave of immigrants in a neighborhood that continues to welcome people from all over the world. London is located in the county of Greater London, an administrative area that includes 32 boroughs plus the City of London.

London is a modern, innovative, and iconic city, steeped in history. There are so many reasons to visit London! Get started with these guides to best things to do and useful information for first-time visitors.

Stay in some of the country's grandest hotels , see some of the best theatre in the world in the West End, or check out one of London's top attractions.

Not sure when the best time to visit London is? The capital is the perfect place to visit all year round, with seasonal events coming one after the other. Find out more about special events in London with our month-by-month guide. The climate in the capital is one of the mildest in the UK, but London weather can be quite unpredictable.

In autumn and winter, take in a museum or art gallery , or head to one of London's many pop-up ice rinks over the Christmas period. Spring and summer are perfect for enjoying the outdoors at one of the many wonderful parks , seeing the sights on a river tour or open-top bus , or indulging in a drink in the sun at a rooftop bar. London is the biggest city in the UK, by density and by population.

It is approximately square miles square kilometres. As of , London's population stands at approximately 9 million. After work, arrive for dinner before a showing, see the film then head to the brand new riverside bar for a debrief over some movie-themed cocktails.

Alternatively enjoy a leisurely breakfast beside the Thames before a lunchtime film. The recently revealed ruins of a Roman temple deep beneath the City of London. What a surprise it must have been to discover a Roman temple during the construction of an east London office building. It took an excavation led by the director of the Museum of London WF Grimes to establish that the site was home to a Roman Mithraeum — a temple erected by worshippers of the god Mithras around the third century AD.

The temple was relocated to a nearby 3. Visitors can also view hundreds of artefacts left or lost by the very first Londoners.

Going out and doing things satisfies our need to explore, to learn and to grow and then to brag about it on social media. Our hope is that the DO List becomes not just your bucket list, but your inspiration to experience and appreciate the corners of magic in the world.

Your comprehensive guide to the biggest and best events and activities happening across London this year. In coming up with this list of the best hotels in London, we considered design, location, service, amenities, architecture, and value for money, as well as less tangible elements like ambience, history and the character of the reception cat. Support Time Out directly today and help us champion the people and places which make the city tick.

About us. Contact us. Time Out magazine. Photograph: Shutterstock The best things to do in London Discover the city with our list of the best things to do and see in London, for visitors and locals alike. Discover the best of the city, first.

We already have this email. Try another? The best things to do in London. Museums Art and design South Kensington. Read more. Eat your way around Borough Market. Things to do Borough. Book online. See free art at Tate Modern.

Art Galleries Bankside. Buy fancy fabric at Liberty. Shopping Home decor Soho. Shopping Markets and fairs Bethnal Green. Go leaf crunching around Kew Gardens. Attractions Parks and gardens Kew. Sip Martinis in the comfort of Dukes Bar. Hunt for antiques at Portobello Road Market. Shopping Vintage shops Portobello Road. Art Galleries Walthamstow. People-watch from the pavements of Soho. Things to do Event spaces Soho.

Buy ticket. Revel in a drag show at The Glory. Nightlife Alternative nightlife Haggerston. Feast on amazing food in Chinatown. Things to do Chinatown. Get lost in the Barbican Conservatory.

Cinemas Barbican. Get cultured at the Southbank Centre. Things to do Cultural centres South Bank. Have a Hawksmoor Sunday roast. Restaurants British Spitalfields price 3 of 4. Discover drama and comedy at the National Theatre. Theatre Public and national theatres South Bank. Perch up at the counter at Kiln. Restaurants Thai Soho price 2 of 4. Museums Natural history South Kensington.

Hang out with the plants at Sky Garden. Attractions Fenchurch Street. Get a history lesson at the Tower of London. Attractions Historic buildings and sites Tower Hill.

Decipher the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum. Museums History Bloomsbury. Admire the views from The Shard. Attractions Towers and viewpoints London Bridge. Browse cool brands on Carnaby Street.

Shopping Soho. Walk the canals of Little Venice. Attractions Rivers, lakes and ponds Little Venice. Attractions Sightseeing Westminster. Restaurants British Mayfair. Visit the famous residents of Highgate Cemetery. Attractions Cemeteries Highgate. Spot deer in Richmond Park. Attractions Parks and gardens Richmond Park.

Explore space at the Science Museum. Museums Science and technology South Kensington. Feast on pasta at Padella. Restaurants Italian Borough price 2 of 4. Admire the view from Primrose Hill. Things to do Primrose Hill. Attractions Hertfordshire. Drool over dairy at the cheese bar in Kerb Seven Dials. Restaurants Food court Seven Dials.

Get lunch to go from Brick Lane Beigel Bake. Restaurants Jewish Brick Lane. See Tower Bridge lift up. Attractions Sightseeing Tower Bridge. Pick up something to read at Daunt Books. Shopping Bookshops Marylebone.

See a seasonal movie at Prince Charles Cinema. Cinemas Independent Leicester Square. Museums History Clerkenwell. Book a 12 noon table at The Barbary. Drawing crowds at am regardless of the season, this colorful and free display of precision marching and music also takes place at St. James's Palace , after which you can follow the band along The Mall as they march between sites. Buckingham Palace was built in and has been the London residence of the Royal Family since Queen Victoria's accession.

If you're wondering whether the Queen is in, look at the flagpole atop the building: if the royal standard is flying day and night, she's at home. On special state occasions, she and members of the Royal Family may even emerge on the central balcony. When the Queen's away at her summer palace in Scotland, visitors can purchase tickets for tours of the State Rooms, the Queen's Gallery, and the Royal Mews.

The Tower of London. From prison to palace, treasure vault to private zoo, the magnificent Tower of London has fulfilled many different roles over the centuries. One of Britain's most iconic structures, this spectacular World Heritage Site offers hours of fascination for visitors curious about the country's rich history - after all, so much of it happened here.

Inside the massive White Tower, built in by William the Conqueror, is the 17th-century Line of Kings with its remarkable displays of royal armaments and armor. Other highlights include the famous Crown Jewels exhibition, the Beefeaters, the Royal Mint, and gruesome exhibits about the executions that took place on the grounds. The Bloody Tower presents stories of ancient torture, and you can learn about the mystery of two princes who disappeared many years ago.

Tower Bridge. The adjacent Tower Bridge, its two huge towers rising feet above the River Thames, is one of London's best-known landmarks fascinating behind-the-scenes tours are available. Walk across for the best Tower views, as well as a glimpse of London Bridge which many mistakenly believe Tower Bridge to be in the distance farther along the Thames. At the south side of the bridge, you'll find Butler's Wharf , a funky section of town boasting multiple restaurants.

For the best use of your time, especially during the busy summer season, purchase the Tower of London Entrance Ticket Including Crown Jewels and Beefeater Tour in advance, to bypass the ticket office lines.

This pass guarantees the lowest price, helps avoid the crowds, and saves time and hassle. The British Museum. Displaying one of the world's finest collections of antiquities, the British Museum contains more than 13 million artifacts from the ancient world.

With priceless objects from Assyria, Babylonia, China, Europe, and elsewhere, it's hard to know where to begin in this expansive attraction.

Most tourists head first for the museum's most famous exhibits: the controversial Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon, the Rosetta Stone , the colossal bust of Ramesses II, the Egyptian mummies, and the spectacular hoard of 4th-century Roman silver known as the Mildenhall Treasure. In addition to a well-stocked, on-site bookshop boasting an exhaustive array of titles on ancient history, archaeology and art history, there's a shop selling kids' games and souvenirs, along with one that sells replica sculptures and jewelry.

Official site: www. Big Ben and Parliament. Nothing screams "London" more emphatically than the foot tower housing the giant clock and its resounding bell known as Big Ben. Below it, stretching along the Thames, are the Houses of Parliament , seat of Britain's government for many centuries and once the site of the royal Westminster Palace occupied by William the Conqueror. The best view can be had by crossing Westminster Bridge and looking back.

Gather your crew along the wall for a perfect photo with Big Ben in the background. Tours of the parliament buildings offer a unique chance to see real-time debates and lively political discussions.

From Parliament Square, Whitehall is lined by so many government buildings that its name has become synonymous with the British government. National Gallery. It's almost impossible to visit London without catching a glimpse of the impressive National Gallery. This iconic, columned museum is set at the edge of Trafalgar Square , home to incredible masterpieces that make it one of the best attractions in London. Ranking among the top art museums in the world, London's National Gallery represents an almost complete survey of European painting from until The museum's greatest strengths are in its collections of Dutch Masters and Italian Schools of the 15th and 16th centuries.

The Victoria and Albert Museum. Exhibits include ceramics and glass, textiles and costumes, silver and jewelry, ironwork, sculpture, prints, and photos, and are conveniently arranged into four main categories: Asia; Furniture, Textiles, and Fashion; Sculpture, Metalwork, Ceramics, and Glass; and Word and Image.

It's impossible to get around this vast museum in a single visit, so the best plan to tackle it is to decide in advance which sections you most want to see. The intricate detailing on everything from the floor to the columns to the ceiling make them worthy pieces of art themselves. Plus, the food is quite tasty. Also, don't miss an opportunity to luxuriate in the John Madejski Garden , which is so beautiful and serene, you'll forget you're in the center of one of the world's largest cities.

If you're around, check into one of the fun "Friday Late" programs held on the last Friday of the month except for March and December , popular for their food and drink experiences, along with late-night exhibition openings. Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. Two of London's best-known tourist spots, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square lie not far apart and mark the gateways to Soho , London's lively theater and entertainment district.

Nelson's Column , a foot granite monument, overlooks the square's fountains and bronze reliefs, which were cast from French cannons. Admiralty Arch, St. Martin-in-the-Fields , and the National Gallery surround the square. Piccadilly Circus marks the irregular intersection of several busy streets — Piccadilly, Regent, Haymarket, and Shaftesbury Avenue — and overlooking this somewhat untidy snarl of traffic stands London's best-known sculpture, the winged Eros delicately balanced on one foot, bow poised.

The Shard and the London skyline. Since it opened in , The Shard has taken its place as one of the most-recognizable and most-visited landmarks in London. Standing 1, feet tall and encompassing some 95 stories, this remarkable structure — so-named for its resemblance to a shard of glass — dominates the skyline yet, thanks to its pleasing design, doesn't seem at all out of place when seen next to neighbors such as Tower Bridge.

In addition to its office space on the lower levels, The Shard is home to a stunning Shangri-La Hotel and three superb restaurants, all boasting some of the most incredible views over London. For those not staying here, the upper-most levels consist of a choice of viewing platforms: indoor and outdoor. Tate Modern. Art lovers cannot visit London without touring its most impressive art museums: the two Tates.

Comprising one of the world's most important art collections , the original gallery opened in as the basis of a national collection of significant British art, and continued to make acquisitions, needing more space to properly display its collections.

The end result was the establishment of Tate Britain, in Millbank on the north side of the Thames, as home to its permanent collection of historic British paintings. A superbly transformed power station across the Thames became home to the modern art collections.