London Visitor Guide 2024: Everything you need to know
London is the UK's governmental and financial capital, but it's so much more than that. As the biggest city in the country by a wide margin, it's also the cultural engine for the entire nation. The center of a globe-spanning empire for centuries, London has absorbed influences from around the world to make it into the cosmopolitan place it is today, and it remains a center for both immigration and vacationers alike.
A true world city, London is a place where you can find just about anything. Grand palaces and beautiful urban parks butt up against lively markets and underground nightclubs. The British capital is a true world city, and unsurprisingly, one of the world's tourist hotspots. Whether it's your first visit or your hundredth, you can always find something to surprise you in London.
8 Best Ways to Experience London in 2024
They say that when you are tired of London, you’re tired of life, and a quick glance at just some of the possibilities to keep you entertained on your visit will probably confirm that statement. It is a city where history, culture and the state of the art all blend together seamlessly to offer something to even the most discerning traveller.
This is a big boisterous city, and the one thing that is likely to detract from your enjoyment would be having to haul your luggage with you. Bounce luggage storage services have thought of this and they have teamed up with local businesses so that you are spared this problem. Drop your bags at one of their facilities and then enjoy your trip in total freedom.
Best haunted tours of London - Meet The Street
London's long history means that there are bound to be some unsavory stories from the past just waiting to be retold. Gin palaces, widespread prostitution and the legacy of Jack the Ripper have all left fascinating tales for the more adventurous modern explorer to discover. This company will guide you through the streets where hauntings, murders and downright depravity once ruled. They combine just the right mix of entertainment and history to make this a tour to remember. Email them at meetthestreet@gmail.com or give them a call on 44- 782-344-2153
Best way to see London from the water - Thames River Sightseeing
London was built around the Thames River and it offers some of the best vantage points for many of the most iconic historical buildings. Thames River Sightseeing's open-top boats operate all year round, often crewed by people that have been working the river for generations. During the day, the boats carry tourists between Westminster and Greenwich and by night, the same boats can be hired for party venues or corporate events. Contact them by calling 44-203-778-0700 or email them at info@thamesriversightseeing.com
Best tour of London for music fans - Rock Cab Tours
London’s black cabs are synonymous with the city, and its drivers are famed for their knowledge of every street and corner. Stephen Channell has combined his expertise as a cab driver with over twenty-five years working in the music industry to bring you some fabulous tours. Visit the haunts of The Beatles, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Queen, and the Rolling Stones and you will only have scratched the surface of some of the musical talent to have passed time in this city. Stephen can show many of their favorite places and fill you in on background information only an insider would know about. Call him on 44-795-653-4560 or email at info@rockcabtours.com
Best for beer lovers - Liquid History Tours
London and pub life go hand in hand. These are the places where the Londoners go to unwind and where much of authentic life takes place. There are more than 3000 pubs in the city and finding the best ones requires a degree of guidance. Liquid History Tours offer walking tours to groups of fourteen people or less and they will be able to take you to those classic little bars that you would never otherwise have stumbled on. They will also be able to guide you through some of the hundreds of different beers and ales that these pubs have built their businesses around and which brewers the world over attempt to imitate. Email them at info@liquidhistorytours.com or call them on 44-776-831-0005
Best walking music tour - Silent Disco Walking Tour
This rather unusual tour experience has enabled this company to be voted among the top ten percent of entertainment tours in the world by TripAdvisor. Here's how it works: you bring your family or friends, or join up with a bunch of like-minded adventurers, don a pair of headphones, and then dance your way through the streets under the hilarious and informative care of your guide. Tours vary but with names like West End Music Tour and Drag Queen Disco Diva, the one thing you are assured of is a load of fun. Call them on 44-751-119-9939 or email them at hello@silenttours.net
Best tours by bike - Veluba Tours
This company offers you a unique opportunity to be ferried through London on a three-wheeled bike. Each bike can carry two passengers and your multilingual guide will not only push the pedals for you, he will also offer an ongoing commentary that will expose much of the history and background of the city. Tours depart from Waterloo Station and finish at the London Eye and take an hour. Call them on 44-203-384-5015 or email them at info@velubatours.com
Best discovery walk - Discover Walks London
It is a well-recognized fact, by both locals and foreigners alike, that black cab drivers know London better than anybody else in the city. This company has harnessed this knowledge and put it at your disposal by arranging a variety of tours in the comfort of traditional black cabs and under the expert guidance of experienced cabbies. These knowledgeable experts will collect you from your hotel and ferry you past many of the most famous landmarks. While they do so, the driver will offer insight and information gleaned from years of driving those same streets. If you prefer to tailor a tour yourself, your guide will be happy to oblige. Email at info@blacktaxitours.co.uk or call them on 44-207-935-9363
Best tours for literary fans - Brit Icon Tours
If you have ever wanted to know more about some of the world’s most iconic authors then this company affords you the perfect opportunity. Learn about the likes of Ian Fleming, Agatha Christie, or Charles Dickens on a tour where the guide will be an expert on that particular author. For the literary-minded, this is a gem of an opportunity to discover more about their favorite authors. The walking tours take two and a half hours and are crammed with information. Call 44-844-247-2277 or email at info@briticontours.com
A weekend in London
As writer Samuel Johnson famously said, when one is tired of London, one is tired of life, because London has everything that life offers. That’s even truer now than it was when Johnson said it in the 19th century. With so much to see and do, it can be hard to know where to begin. But there are some London attractions you simply have to find time for.
- Get an impressive view over the city at the London Eye. Built as a temporary attraction for the Millennium celebrations in 2000, this gigantic Ferris wheel has become so popular that it has become a permanent feature of the city. Located on the south bank of the River Thames, the glass pods carry you high above the river and offer an amazing view of some of London's most famous landmarks. Large bags aren't allowed on the wheel, so make sure you drop yours off at a bag storage shop in London so you can enjoy your trip.
- The Tower of London has been a feature of the city for more than a thousand years. Originally built as a castle by Norman invaders, it later functioned as a prison and execution site for some of Britain's most notorious prisoners. Home to a population of atmospheric ravens and the iconic Beefeater guards, the palace is also home to the crown jewels, the ceremonial treasure used in the coronation of British monarchs.
- The British Museum is not just one of London's top attractions, but one of the most popular in the country. It's not hard to see why. Britain's vast empire allowed the museum to acquire artifacts from around the world. You can explore just about every period of history and civilization that ever existed in this sprawling institution. Plus, it's free. Drop off your bags at a luggage locker in London and lose yourself in the grand story of human civilization.
London lockers
London is a massive city, but most of its main attractions are surprisingly close together. Often, you can easily walk from one landmark to the next, and that's the best way to soak up the atmosphere of the city. To make things easier, drop off your unneeded belongings at a luggage storage locker in London so that you can travel light. When you don't have to worry about your bags, you can focus on enjoying your experience to the fullest.
Off the beaten path in London
London is so full of famous places that it can start to feel unreal, as though you’re walking through the pages of a book or one of the many films set in the city. But away from the well-known sites, there’s a whole world of quirky and lesser-known attractions. Do some exploring, and you’ll find this is a city with seemingly bottomless hidden depths.
- Enjoy the ancient tranquility of Saint Dunstan's in the East. This church dates back to Saxon times when London was little more than an overgrown village. Tucked away among the modern buildings, the gorgeous arches of the church rise out of a garden that is an oasis of calm in this busiest of cities.
- Take a street art tour of the Shoreditch neighborhood. This open-air gallery isn't home to your regular graffiti. You'll see work by renowned artists such as Banksy, and learn more about the counterculture surrounding graffiti in the British capital. Drop off your heavy bags with a luggage storage service in London, and don't forget your camera.
- See an otherworldly work of art at ArcelorMittal Orbit. The tallest sculpture in the UK is an impressive sight by itself. But if that isn't enough to entice you, the structure is home to the longest tunnel slide in the world. Climb up the striking work of art, enjoy the view, and then take the ride of your life back down to the ground.
What to do alone in London
