So look, I’ve lived in London for many years now, and everyone always asks me the same thing: Where do I go? It’s totally reasonable, because London is massive and there is so much to see. You could stay here for months and not see half of it.
So it’s with my hand on my heart that I share with you the 10 places to visit in London that I actually tell my mates about. Not the touristy rubbish that appears on every other guide, but the proper good stuff where you think to yourself, “Yeah, this is why London’s brilliant.”
Tower Bridge – Yeah, Everyone Goes, But There’s a Reason
Right, that’s what you are thinking. Tower Bridge? How original. But hear me out. Yeah, I’ve stepped over that thing a hundred times, and it still gets me. The Victorian engine rooms are mental; all these massive machines used to lift the bridge. It cost me twelve quid last time I went up the towers, but watching London spread out below you is something else.
Here’s a local secret: forget the expensive bit and instead hang about on the south side when it opens. It happens about twice a day, usually. Free show, decent photos, job done.
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Borough Market – Forget Your Diet Plans
This place ruins diets. Fact. I tend to pop in here most Saturday mornings; the atmosphere’s crackers and the coffee is good. There are whole stalls of cheese run by actual cheese nerds, bread that is still warm, and samples everywhere if you’re friendly enough.
The brilliant bit? Just wandering around costs nothing. Get yourself a flat white, do some people-watching, and listen to the vendors shouting at one another. It’s a real London show. Perfect if you’re looking for places to visit in London for free that don’t feel rubbish.
Tate Modern – Art That Doesn’t Make You Feel Thick
I’m not an arty type. Never was. But the Tate Modern makes sense to me in some way. Perhaps because it once served as a power station, it no longer exudes the same air of posh intimidation. There’s always something weird and wonderful happening in the huge hall downstairs.
My kids love it here, too. They just run around and look at everything, and ask crazy questions. Entry’s free, which is brilliant when you’re trying to keep four people entertained in central London for free.
Greenwich – Where Time Begins (Apparently)
Greenwich makes you feel like you’ve escaped from London and ended up somewhere posher. It is in a nice park, the buildings are dead fancy, and you can stand on the line where time begins. It sounds daft, but it’s very satisfying, really.
The hill walk up to the observatory knackers you out, but the view over London is worth it. Plus, there’s a decent pub at the bottom called the Trafalgar Tavern. Perfect combination, really.
Camden Market – Madness in the Best Way
Camden’s completely bonkers. Always has been, probably always will be. The market’s a maze of stalls selling everything from vintage band t-shirts to food that’ll blow your head off. You’ll see goths, punks, tourists taking selfies, and locals just getting on with their shopping.
Sunday afternoons are manic but brilliant. Street performers everywhere, music blasting from shop doorways, and characters you wouldn’t believe if I told you about them. One of the best unusual places to visit in London for free, if you just fancy a wander.
Hyde Park – London’s Back Garden
Hyde Park’s massive. Properly massive. I’ve been jogging here for years and still find new bits. Speaker’s Corner on Sunday mornings is where people get up on soapboxes and shout about whatever’s bothering them. Sometimes it’s politics, sometimes it’s religion, sometimes it’s just someone having a rant about buses. All very British.
The lake’s nice for a gentle walk, and if you fancy being touristy, you can rent a pedalo. I did it once with my nephew. We went round in circles for twenty minutes.
British Museum – History Without the Headache
The British Museum should be intimidating – it’s huge and full of ancient stuff – but somehow it isn’t. Maybe because there are always school groups running about, making it feel less serious.
The Egyptian bits’s brilliant. Proper mummies in glass cases, which my kids find simultaneously fascinating and horrifying. The Greek stuff’s impressive too, though there’s all that controversy about whether we should have it. Free entry, though, which is ace.
Shoreditch – Where London Gets Creative
Shoreditch changes every month. New street art appears, old buildings get turned into something different, and there’s always some new restaurant or bar opening up. The art on the walls is incredible; some of it’s by famous artists, though you wouldn’t know unless someone told you.
Just walking around costs nothing, and you’ll see things you won’t see anywhere else. Plus, the coffee’s generally excellent, which matters more than it should.
South Bank – The Thames Does Its Thing
The South Bank works whatever the weather. Rain? Duck into the National Theatre or one of the galleries. Sun? Sit by the river with a pint and watch the world go by. The book stalls under Waterloo Bridge are brilliant for a rummage, and there’s always something happening.
Evenings are the best time, really. The lights come on, couples start holding hands, and the whole place feels a bit magical. Sounds soppy, but it’s true.
Covent Garden – Theatre Land Magic
Covent Garden‘s got this energy that’s hard to describe. The old market building’s beautiful, the shops are interesting without being too expensive, and the street performers are world-class. I saw a bloke there last month who could juggle while riding a unicycle backwards. Mad skills.
The buskers have to audition, apparently, so the quality’s always decent. Sometimes you’ll catch proper musicians just starting. It’s like getting a free concert with your shopping.
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Making It Work for You
When mates ask me what are 7 places to visit in London are, I tell them to pick based on what they actually like doing. Love food? Borough Market and Camden. Into culture? Tate Modern and the British Museum. Do you just want to walk around and see stuff? South Bank and Greenwich.
The thing about these 10 places to visit in London is they’re all completely different. Ancient history next to modern art, quiet parks next to mental markets. That’s London really – it’s not one thing, it’s loads of things all squashed together.
Most of these spots work well with kids, too, which is handy if you’re doing the family visit thing. Kids get bored easily, but there’s usually something to keep them interested.
London weather’s unpredictable – that’s putting it nicely – so always carry a brolly. But rain or shine, these places will show you why people keep coming back to this city.
These aren’t just tourist spots. They’re places where actual Londoners go, where real life happens alongside the sightseeing. That’s what makes them special, really. You’re not just visiting London – you’re getting a proper taste of what it’s actually like to live here.
