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Flight price per month

Per person in euros: cheapest direct return flight for 2 to 4 nights. Select a month for flight times, hotels and things to do.

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Discover London

Big Ben, London
Big Ben
British Museum, London
British Museum

City guide

About London

London sprawls along the River Thames in southeastern England. The British capital is an unmatched global crossroads where two millennia of royal and imperial history blend with leading commerce, theater, fashion, and cultural innovation.

From the medieval stone ramparts of the Tower of London and the chimes of Big Ben to the glass towers of the City and the eclectic street stalls of Camden and Borough Market, London is an immense patchwork of distinctive urban villages linked by royal parks, red double-decker buses, and historic pubs.

Best time to go
May through September offers the most pleasant weather, with comfortable highs between 18 and 23°C and long northern summer daylight. Spring brings colorful floral displays to royal parks, while summer fills leafy beer gardens. English weather is famously changeable, so packing a compact umbrella is always wise. December features dazzling holiday illuminations.
From the airport
London Stansted Airport (STN) is located 55 kilometres northeast of the capital. The Stansted Express train departs every 15 minutes, connecting directly to London Liverpool Street station in the city center in about 47 minutes. Frequent National Express coaches provide budget alternatives to multiple Underground stations.
Getting around
London operates an extensive integrated transit network comprising the Underground (The Tube), the high-speed Elizabeth Line, the Overground, iconic red double-decker buses, and riverboats (Uber Boat by Thames Clippers). Simply tap your contactless debit card or smartphone at ticket barriers; fares are automatically capped daily.

What to see in London

  • Tower of London and Tower BridgeThe nearly thousand-year-old royal fortress housing the dazzling Crown Jewels and guarded by Yeoman Warders, standing beside the iconic Victorian bascule bridge with glass floor walkways.
  • British Museum and Tate ModernTwo of the world's great free public galleries: the British Museum holding global treasures like the Rosetta Stone, and Tate Modern set inside a monumental riverside power station.
  • Palace of Westminster and Big BenThe neo-Gothic seat of the British Parliament on the Thames, crowned by the Elizabeth Tower and its famous bell, facing historic Westminster Abbey.
  • Buckingham Palace and Hyde ParkThe monarch's official London residence featuring the ceremonial Changing of the Guard, opening onto the lakes and formal lawns of St. James's Park and Hyde Park.

Neighbourhoods

  • Soho and Covent GardenThe bustling West End entertainment hub of historic playhouses, boutique shopping, street performers at the covered market, and eclectic international dining.
  • Shoreditch and SpitalfieldsThe creative east end celebrated for street murals, artisan coffee roasters, vintage clothing emporiums, and the culinary stalls of Old Spitalfields and Brick Lane.
  • South Bank and BoroughA riverside promenade featuring the London Eye, national theaters, open-air buskers, and the artisanal food paradise of Borough Market.

Food and drink

Order crisp beer-battered fish and chips served with mushy peas and tartar sauce in a traditional tavern. Partake in a proper Sunday Roast featuring roast beef, fluffy Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, and rich onion gravy. Treat yourself to afternoon tea with clotted cream scones, or sample street cuisine from around the world at Borough Market.

Questions about London

Are the premier museums in London really free?

Yes, permanent collections at the UK's leading national institutions (including the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, and V&A) are completely free to enter.

Do you need to purchase an Oyster card for public transit?

No, you can simply tap in and out at all transit gates using your own contactless bank card or mobile wallet. Fares and daily caps are identical to using an Oyster card.

Month by month breakdown

Fotocredits (3)
  • Tower Bridge door Fuzzypiggy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Big Ben door Christian David, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • British Museum door Ham, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons