A short history of London
Right next to Tower Hill station rises a tall, weathered stone wall. It's part of the defences of Londinium, which the Romans founded on the Thames soon after they invaded Britain in AD 43.
Just behind it, the White Tower of the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror, who took England in 1066 and wanted the city where he could see it. The Great Fire of 1666 started in a bakery on Pudding Lane and burned most of the medieval city. The Monument remembers that fire, and St Paul's Cathedral was rebuilt by Christopher Wren.
Walk through the City and you'll find a post-war block standing right next to an old lane. The reason is the Blitz of 1940-1941, when the East End and the City took the worst of the bombing. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford was reworked for the 2012 Olympics and is now a public park.
London neighbourhoods
In Brixton, the covered arcades of Brixton Village are packed with small Caribbean and international restaurants, and the market on Electric Avenue shows everyday South London.
In Camden the market stalls spill down to the canal, and in the evening the live music venues fill up. If you're after an alternative London, start there. Everyone knows the painted houses of Notting Hill, but the real draw is the Saturday market on Portobello Road, so go early if you like antiques.
You can get to Greenwich on the DLR, but taking a boat down the Thames is half the fun. The maritime museums, the Royal Observatory and the view from the hill easily fill half a day. Hampstead will make walkers happy with the wide meadows of the Heath.
Where to stay
- Covent Garden / Soho: You're surrounded by theatres, restaurants and bars, with many museums within walking distance.
- South Bank: Riverside walk on the Thames, the London Eye and arts venues.
- King’s Cross: Six Tube lines and the Eurostar are here, in a regenerated area that feels safe.
- Shoreditch: A young, lively district of street art, bars and markets.
- South Kensington: Quiet, elegant streets close to the big museums and Hyde Park.
- Paddington: Heathrow trains leave from here, and there are plenty of affordable hotels around.
When to visit London
Never leave your raincoat at home for London, because the rain ignores the calendar. From May to September the days are long and it's mostly 18-24 °C. The parks fill up, and hotel prices hit their peak.
If you'd like to build your trip around an event, there's plenty of choice. The Chelsea Flower Show is in late May, Wimbledon runs from late June into early July, and the Proms fill the Royal Albert Hall from July to September. On the last weekend of August the Notting Hill Carnival takes over the whole area.
Winter is 3-9 °C and it gets dark early. Even so, the museums and theatres are open whatever the season. From mid-November the Christmas lights go on along Oxford Street and Regent Street, which gives you a good excuse for an evening stroll.
Food culture in London
The most filling meal of the week turns up in pubs on Sunday. A Sunday roast brings roast meat, crispy potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding on one plate.
On weekdays lunch is quick, a sandwich or a pub meal between noon and 2 pm. Dinner starts around 6:30 pm, and many kitchens wind down towards 10 pm. The full English breakfast, fish and chips and pie and mash, an old East End dish, are the classics. Afternoon tea comes with scones, clotted cream and jam. Brick Lane is known for curry and the bakeries near Shoreditch for bagels.
In a pub you go up to the bar to order. In a restaurant, check the bottom of the bill before paying, since a service charge is often already there.
London trip budget
London is expensive, but the free big museums balance things out quite a bit. The hotel is the biggest cost, so where you sleep sets your level. In 2026 someone in a hostel spends £90-130 a day, someone in a mid-range hotel £180-300, and a good hotel pushes it to £400 and up.
A single Tube journey in Zone 1 with a contactless card is about £3. The daily cap for Zones 1-2 is around £9, and once you reach it the system stops charging you. As an example of a paid sight, the Tower of London is about £35.
The permanent collections of the British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate Modern, the Natural History Museum and the V&A are free. So are walks in Hyde Park, Regent's Park and along the South Bank. The view from the Sky Garden is free too, as long as you book ahead. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace doesn't happen every day, so check the schedule before you go.
Prices are approximate as of October 2026.
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