London tourist information
As a vibrant, multi-cultural city, London embraces the diverse cultures of its population. Whether it's reflected in the food, colourful street markets, the music or at one of the city's many festivals, here in London you can mix with the world.
London's clubbing scene is thriving and top name DJs head the line-up. Huge numbers of late-night bars and nightclubs have also sprung up across the city with resident DJs spinning the latest tunes. Add to all of that England's finest contribution to the social scene.
Even the most ardent of partygoers will want to take time out to explore historical and cultural London. Home to Britain's national collections, royalty and major attractions, a large number of these exhibitions are now free, offering a fantastic opportunity to see the finest collections and works of art.
London is retail heaven for any fashion junkie. Whether it's cutting edge designer wear you're looking for, the latest clubbing clobber or something more unusual and quirky, London's numerous shops, department stores and markets offer it all.
With over 30% of green open space, London boasts more parks, many of which are Royal parks, than any other city of its size in the world, providing a wealth of opportunity for sporting activities. Why not try your hand at roller-blading and horse-riding in Hyde Park, athletics, football and cricket in Regent's Park or cycling in the rural splendour of Richmond Park?
Or if you'd rather not participate yourself, with 13 professional football teams, the world-famous Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, Twickenham Rugby Union stadium and Lords and Oval cricket grounds, London has plenty of opportunity to spectate.
Tourism and the visitor economy in general is one of the largest industries in London accounting for around 10% of the city's GD. Overall, direct visitor expenditure equalled just under £15bn in 2002.
The year 2000 was a record year for tourism in London, with 31.6m visits. In 2002, numbers had dropped by around 12% to 27.7m visits.
London accounts for just under 50% of all overseas visits to the UK. Around three out of four overseas visitors pass through a London airport.
The history of London as a permanent settlement stretches back almost two thousand years. The city's story is a fascinating one, its fortunes inextricably linked to those of the British Isles.
London has no known founder. Legend tells of a King Lud, after whom Ludgate Hill and Ludgate Circus are named. A scarred and battered statue of the mythic monarch, flanked by his supposed sons, can still be seen, tucked away beside the church of St Dunstan in the West on Fleet Street.
London has no specific foundation date either. Shortly after the Roman conquest of 43 AD the invaders grasped the strategic significance of the river Thames, slicing through the flattest, most fertile portion of their new province, its estuary providing easy access to the European mainland.
With the collapse of Roman administration Londinium was abandoned in the fifth century. As farming people the invading Anglo-Saxons, who gradually pushed the native Romano-British westwards, had no taste for city life and preferred to found villages which are now London's suburbs or satellites such as Fulham, Mitcham, Ealing and Barking.
The Norman invasion of 1066 was marked by the construction of the mighty Tower of London, located both to protect London Bridge from raiders coming upstream and sited athwart the city's eastern wall, to overawe its inhabitants as a symbol and embodiment of royal power.
London as much as anywhere else in Europe was devastated by the epidemic of bubonic plague, known as the Black Death, which carried off a third of the population in 1348-9.
The population of London tripled under the Tudors, making it not only the nation's greatest city but by far the greatest - almost a hundred times more populous than the Stratford on Avon in which Shakespeare grew up before coming to bustling Bankside as actor-manager at the Globe Theatre.
By 1700 London's population had passed the half million mark, ranking it with Paris and Naples as one of Europe's three largest cities.
Victorian London found its perfect chronicler in Charles Dickens, whose home in Doughty Street survives as his museum.
When Edward VII ascended the throne in 1901 London was the largest city in the world, with a population of over six millions. A century later it is still the largest city in Europe.
London is divided into 33 areas, known as Boroughs, spread over the 600 square miles that make up Greater London. Find out more...
East London
Whitechapel Gallery is still at the cutting edge of modern art, 101 years after it opened. Further east, the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow displays examples of Morris' wallpapers, fabrics, carpets and stained glass. Interior design is also celebrated in Shoreditch at the Geffrye Museum. The museum, set in former almshouses, tells the fascinating story of English interiors from the 15th century to the present day.
East London's oldest surviving house is Sutton House in Hackney. Built for Henry VIII's Secretary of State, this Tudor red brick building features oak panelling, carved fireplaces and Jacobean wall paintings. Heritage of an industrial type is the theme at Abbey Mills. This former pumping station on three Mills Island is a wonderful example of Victorian architecture with amazing neo-Gothic interior.
Discover East London at its most dynamic in Docklands, where there are now two new towers to keep Canary Wharf company. Visitors will be bowled over by the modern architecture and there is a multitude of great restaurants and shops to choose from. Docklands is also London's water sports centre with opportunities for fitness fans and daredevils to jet ski, windsurf and canoe.
Head for Brick Lane for the juxtaposition of trendy clubs, bars and designer shops with Bangladeshi restaurants and shops.
The North of London
Hampstead's architecture, as well as literary and artistic connections, are good reasons to visit, as are its attractions. Hear the harpsichords played at the William and Mary-style Fenton House. Visit Goldfinger's modern house movement house at Two Willow Road or Freud's last home, complete with consulting couch, just down the hill in Maresfield Gardens.
Due south of Hampstead are Primrose Hill, London Zoo and Regent's Park, relaxed havens removed from the hustle and bustle of central London. Regent's Canal runs through the park on its way from Little Venice to Camden. Step aboard one of London's narrowboats to make the trip. Camden is home to the Jewish Museum (for school groups) and the new British Library.
Further east as the canal meanders down to King's Cross, the London Canal Museum tells the story of London's man-made-waterways. In Neasden, the Shri Shaminarayan Mandir is the place of worship for many of London's Hindu community. Made from limestone and marble, it is one of London's most striking buildings and welcomes everyone.
Two pillars of the British establishment can be found alongside each other in North West London. Lord's cricket ground, the home of cricket, runs behind-the-scenes tours. Nearby, and as English as cricket, are the Abbey Road Studios, a Beatles shrine. Although tours of the famous studios are not possible, a trip to Abbey Road is a must for all fans.
Other less well known stars of North London include Alexandra Palace which has a vibrant events programme, the RAF Museum in Hendon, Forty Hall Museum in Enfield, Capel Manor's 30 acres of gardens and Estorick Collection, a gallery dedicated to Italian 20th-century art.
Areas such as Crouch End and Muswell Hill are leafy residential areas of London with their own identities and lives. They are good places to meet Londoners at play as they have excellent bars, restaurants and cafes.
The South of London
With the amazing developments on the South Bank leading the revival in South London and much of London’s new hotel stock opening in Southwark, this area is definitely on the up.
Exploring South London uncovers many hidden treasures. Not far from Firepower is Eltham Palace, the boyhood home of Henry VIII. It combines the 15th-century great hall with a 1930s Art Deco interior. Fans of Tudor times should also visit Hall Place in Bexley with its great hall and delightful gardens.
Down House, near Orpington, offers an insight into the thinking of its former resident Charles Darwin. Visitors can tread in the footsteps of the evolutionary thinker and enjoy the re-creation of the house as it was in his day.
In Greenwich, Ranger’s House is the unsung hero. Less well known than the Royal Observatory, Queen’s House, the former home of the 4th Earl of Chesterfield, is an 18th-century red brick villa with an impressive collection of portraits.
Still by the river, London’s second cathedral at Southwark has undergone an amazing transformation. A smart new refectory sits on the front of the building making the cathedral a perfect stopping off point for those exploring the South Bank. Once inside, the visitor learns about the cathedral’s relationships with the Shakespeare family as well as that ‘local boy made good’ John Harvard, founder of the American institution that bears his name.
Lovers of the grape will be interested in the viticulture experience offered at Vinopolis on the South Bank. Visitors tour the wine producing regions of the world in a fully interactive experience that includes Vespa rides and Hollywood cameras. Naturally, there is also a chance to partake of a glass, with the five free samples included in the price. Alcoholic beverages of a different blend can be found on a tour of Fuller’s Chiswick brewery, one of London’s two remaining breweries.
West London
Thomas Carlyle, the historian and essayist, lived in Cheyne Row, Chelsea from 1841-1881. The house is an excellent example of a Queen Anne period townhouse.
In 1728, Lord Burlington designed himself a very fine house in the country for extravagant parties. Although no longer in the country, Chiswick House is one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in Britain.
A little further west, Robert Adam remodelled a Tudor monastery to create a London home for the Duke of Northumberland at Syon House. He went on to repeat the same trick at nearby Osterley Park House.
At first sight, the red brick façade of Holland Park's Leighton House appears unremarkable. Once inside, however, the home of the Victorian painter Lord Leighton affords a different appearance. The interior is decorated in many different styles and is particularly notable for its Arab Hall. It holds many examples of British pre-Raphaelite painters such as Burne-Jones and Millais.
An artist of a very different nature, William Hogarth, lived in Chiswick in the 18th-centuiry. His former home, holds the largest collection of his engravings on public display.
Specialist museums such as the Musical Museum in Brentford, Kew Bridge Steam Museum and the Barnes Wetland Centre, with its diverse bird life, are all definitely worth a visit.
West London neighbourhoods such as Ealing, known as the Garden Borough, Southall, with its large Sikh population, Hillingdon, with its riverside attractions and village-like Richmond are great places to visit and explore.
Getting to London
London is an extremely accessible capital city, with a selection of world class airports, international rail links and an extensive public transport system.
Eurostar is a quick and easy way to travel between the UK and continental Europe via the Channel Tunnel. This high-speed rail service offers passenger comfort and affordability.
Eurostar runs frequent Intercapital services to Paris and Brussels daily. The journey time from London to Paris is two hours 35 minutes. London to Brussels takes two hours and 20 minutes. In addition, some services stop at Calais Frethun, Disneyland Paris, Lille and Avignon. Ashford International serves as the principal passenger gateway from Kent.
Direct services to Avignon operate on Saturdays. During the winter holiday season, Eurostar operates infrequent services from Waterloo and Ashford to Moutiers and Bourg St Maurice in the French Alps.
In association with the high speed rail services in France (TGV) and Belgium (Thalys), Eurostar Plus provides convenient connections to French and Belgian provinces and further afield to Germany and Netherlands including Cologne and Amsterdam.
London is supported by five main airports, from the UK's main gateway at Heathrow, to the convenience of London City Airport in the Docklands. All London airports have easy connections into central London by bus, train and taxi. For full details of all travel options to and from London's airports, click on the relevant links below.
Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Express is the quickest way into central London. Trains leave Gatwick Airport from 0435 to 0135. At peak times they run every 15 minutes (from 0605 to 2005) and every 30 minutes of peak (from 0435 to 0605 and from 2005 to 0135). Standard fares are £12 single and £23 return. Journey time is 30 minutes and the service is non-stop to Victoria station. For more information and tickets visit www.gatwickexpress.co.uk or telephone +44 (0)845 850 15 30.
You can also get the Thameslink train to London Bridge, Blackfriars and King’s Cross stations. Trains leave approximately every 30 minutes. Standard fares are £9.80 adult single children aged 5-15 years travel half price. Journey time to London Bridge is 40 minutes. Gatwick Airport station is in the south terminal and linked to other parts by escalators and lifts. A transit shuttle runs continually between the south and north terminals.
South Central Trains services operate every 15 minutes during the day between Gatwick and Victoria - and every hour at night. Prices are £8 single and £16 return for adults and £4 single, £8 return for children.
National Express operates frequent services between the Gatwick and Victoria Coach Station. Coaches run approximately hourly and the journey time is one hour and 30 minutes. Some services stop at Hooley, Wallington, Mitcham Junction, Mitcham London Rd , Streatham, Stockwell and Pimlico. Standard fares are £6 single/£11 return. For more information, visit www.nationalexpress.com or telephone +44 (0)87 0580 8080.
The official Gatwick taxi concession is Checker Cars (tel: +44 (0)800 747 737). There are usually cabs queuing for customers at the airport. Enquire with the driver beforehand how much your journey will cost. Only use a reputable mini-cab and never use unauthorised drivers who offer their services at airports or stations.
London Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Express is the quickest way into central London. Trains leave Heathrow airport from approximately 0500 to 2330. Standard fares are £13 single and £25 return. Journey time is 15-20 minutes and the service is non-stop to Paddington station. The Heathrow Express calls at both Terminal 1, 2, 3 and Terminal 4 stations. Reduced fares are available if you book ahead by calling +44 (0)845 600 1515, or online at www.heathrowexpress.co.uk.
The Piccadilly line connects Heathrow airport to central London and the rest of the underground system. There are trains every few minutes from approximately 0500 (0550 Sundays) to 2345 (2250 Sundays). A single ticket into central London (Zone 1) costs £3.70. Journey time to Piccadilly Circus is about 50 minutes. There are two underground stations at Heathrow Airport, Terminal 1,2,3 and Terminal 4.
National Express runs frequent coach services between Heathrow and Victoria Coach Station. The journey takes about an hour. Some services stop en route in Hammersmith or Earl's Court. Standard tickets cost £10 single or £15 return. For more information visit www.nationalexpress.com or telephone +44 (0)87 0580 8080.
During the night, the N9 runs every 30 minutes to central London (Trafalgar Square). For details, visit www.tfl.gov.uk or call +44 (0)20 7222 1234.
Each of Heathrow's terminals has a taxi desk. Telephone for more information. (Terminal 1: + 44 (0)20 8745 7487. Terminal 2: + 44 (0)20 8745 5408. Terminal 3: + 44 (0)20 8745 4655. Terminal 4: + 44 (0)20 8745 7302.)
There are usually black cabs queuing for customers at Heathrow airport. The cost of the cab is metered and displayed inside the cab. Extra charges, such as evening and weekend journeys are also shown here. Cab drivers expect to be tipped about 10% of the fare.
Drivers are not obliged to accept a hiring of over six miles or 20 miles for a journey from Heathrow airport, but if they do, and the journey is wholly within the London area, the fare payable is as shown on the meter. If a driver accepts a hiring to a destination outside the Greater London area, the fare becomes negotiable and should be agreed beforehand. Only use a reputable mini-cab and never use unauthorised drivers who offer their services at airports or stations.
London City Airport
There are usually Black cabs queuing for customers at London City airport. The cost of the cab is metered and displayed inside the cab. Extra charges, such as evening and weekend journeys are also shown here. Cab drivers expect to be tipped about 10% of the total fare. Drivers are not obliged to accept a hiring of over six miles. Only use a reputable mini-cab and never use unauthorised drivers who offer their services at airports or stations.
A shuttle bus links Canning Town, Canary Wharf and Liverpool Street stations to City airport. Silvertown Station is within easy walking distance of City Airport with regular trains to Fenchurch St Station, call +44 (0)8457 48 49 50.
London Luton Airport
Thameslink operates regular services to central London. Trains leave Luton airport from approximately 0700 to 2200 Monday to Friday and 0900 to 2000 on Sunday. Journey time to London Kings Cross/St Pancras is 35-45 minutes. Midland Mainline services also cover this route with a journey time of 25 minutes.
A standard single fare is £10.60 and open return fares start from £20.80 (the return ticket is valid for one month). A regular shuttle bus links the airport to the train station in around five minutes.
Green Line 757 goes to Victoria with stops at Brent Cross, Finchley Road Station, Baker Street and Marble Arch. The journey takes approximately one hour and 10 minutes. Services run from around 0300 until 0000 daily, from three times an hour. Tickets cost £8.50 single or £12 return. Visit www.greenline.co.uk or telephone +44 (0)870 608 7261 for more information.
There are usually cabs queuing for customers at Luton airport. Enquire with the driver beforehand how much your journey will cost. Only use a reputable mini-cab and never use unauthorised drivers who offer their services at airports or stations.
London Stansted Airport
Stansted Express is the quickest way into central London. Trains leave Stansted Airport from 0600 to 2359. At peak times they run every 15 minutes (from 0800 to 1700 Monday to Friday) and every 30 minutes off peak (early morning, evenings and Saturday and Sunday). Standard fares are £13.80 single and £24 for an open return (valid for one calendar month). Children aged 5-15 years travel half price.
Journey time is 41 minutes and trains stop at Tottenham Hale station and terminates at Liverpool Street station in central London. You can also get a national rail service which stops at main stations between Stansted Airport and Liverpool Street. More details are available at www.stanstedexpress.co.uk.
National Express operates a service to Victoria Coach Station which stops at Golder's Green, Finchley Road Underground station, St John's Wood, Marylebone, Baker Street, Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner. Journey time is one hour and 40 minutes. This frequent service runs at intervals up to an hour, 24 hours a day. Standard tickets cost £10 single or £15 return. For more information visit www.nationalexpress.com or telephone +44 (0)87 0580 8080.
The official Stansted taxi concession is Airport Carz (Tel: +44 (0)12 7966 2444). There are also usually cabs queuing for customers at Stansted Airport. Enquire with the driver beforehand how much your journey will cost. Only use a reputable mini-cab and never use unauthorised drivers who offer their services at airports or stations.
Luxury Accommodation in London
If you want to live in luxury when you visit London then stay at one of the following hotels. At all of them you will find the best service, the most central locations and the finest facilities.
Some of the city's hotels are holiday destinations in themselves. The Ian Schrager owned St Martin's Lane certainly is. Once just a typical office block, the sixties building has been injected with the hip factor care of Philippe Starck and his witty design. The 204 luxury rooms even come fitted with their own light installation to encourage guests to personalise their space and make themselves at home. Downstairs sit the acclaimed Asia de Cuba restaurant and the ultra-fashionable Light Bar which both manage to draw outside visitors into the hotel every night.
West London is home to the K West hotel. This is a newly opened haven for style and contemporary design. Imagine subtly designed bedrooms decorated in soft colours which aim to immerse the visitor into a state of calm. In addition to a tempting restaurant the hotel has its very own bar, the K Lounge, where you can relax on one of the sumptuous leather sofas whilst you sip a drink and people watch.
The hotel even has its own spa where an array of soothing treatments is offered. Try out a hot stone massage or a soothing aromatherapy facial before escaping back to the comfort of your well-appointed room.
Ranking among the finest of the capital's leading luxury hotels, The Landmark London has its own distinctive style and ambience, combined with classic british elegance and grandeur with the deluxe facilities demanded by today's discerning travellers.
Situated beneath the soaring eight-storey atrium, and offering international cuisine, is the spectacular Winter Garden. For a more informal setting, the classically English cellars Bar and Restaurant provides traditional English food, beers, wines and cocktails.
The Berkeley is without question a luxury hotel. As part of the Savoy Group it has managed to maintain its reputation for fantastic facilities and high standards. Choose a room that overlooks Hyde Park. All rooms are exceptionally well-equipped with balconies and many come with separate spacious dressing rooms.
The hotel also has the distinction of owning the city's only pool with retractable roof. In addition to this the David Collins designed Blue Bar which has over 50 varieties of whisky sitting behind its bar. Gordon Ramsay's protégé Marcus Wareing is the head chef at the hotel's critically acclaimed Petrus restaurant and the newly opened New York style Boxwood Café is a well received addition to the city's gastro scene.
Built in 1889, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has long been recognised as one of London's grandest hotels. Nestled between Royal parkland and cosmopolitan Knightsbridge, this luxurious hotel has recently completed a £50 million restoration, and it is ideally situated for leisure and business travellers alike. It offers 200 sumptuous rooms and suites, two award-winning restaurants, a buzzing bar, gym and spa.
The Metropolitan is home to stylish luxury. It opened its doors in the nineties and quickly became the epicentre of cool in the capital. Minimalist in style, the rooms have sleek wood panelling and suede upholstery throughout and they come fully equipped with the latest technology. Visit the hotel's Met Bar. Only open to members and hotel guests, it is where you can grab a cocktail, mingle with the stars and listen to the DJ until late into the night. Don't forget to make a reservation at the hotel's famous Nobu restaurant whose appeal has not waned over the years. Try the innovative new Asian cuisine and perhaps sample the famously moreish black cod with miso before returning to lounge in your luxury room.
Book into The Connaught for a taste of old-world luxury. This hotel was originally intended for the landed gentry and it still has the club-like ambience of a distinguished private home – unpretentious and calm. Large guest rooms, decorated in a regal style, come with every modern facility you could want. The hotel's luxury extends to the newly opened and warmly received MENU restaurant which sees Gordon Ramsay's protégé, Angela Hartnett, take charge.
Ideally located in the heart of London, this grade II listed facade features a contemporary interior with 186 bedrooms, fitness centre, St James' Bar and the Rose Lounge for a traditional afternoon tea. The interior combines traditional British design with a contemporary style that is unmistakably French. Sofitel St. James' award winning, five star restaurant Brasserie Roux reflects the high caliber restaurant and catering facilities that the hotel offers.
On London's Hyde Park Corner sits the award-winning and luxurious Lanesborough Hotel. A popular choice for international celebrities looking for a discrete hideaway, the hotel is lavish and extremely comfortable. Each one of the hotel's 95 rooms is unusually spacious and furnished in a rich Regency style. This hotel provides a truly bespoke service with every room coming complete with access to its very own butler who will happily fulfil any requirement that the guest may have including making reservations at the city's most exclusive restaurants, organising your wardrobe and even making sure that your favourite drink is always in stock in the room's the mini bar.
by Visit London Limited, Visit London is the official visitor organisation for London
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