These days, a new Ottolenghi restaurant opening or a new show at the Tate Modern is reason enough to book a last-minute trip. While you're there, we recommend balancing museum hopping with pub crawling, and hitting up as many markets as must-book restaurants.
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London Travel Guide
Plan Your London Trip
Featured
5 Best Day Trips from London
These spots are perfect for a quick getaway.
5 Downton Abbey Filming Locations You Can Actually Visit
Downton Abbey's location manager shares how he found the best of the English countryside.
On Location: How 'It's a Sin' Recreated Iconic '80s London Nightclubs
Lifting the curtain on the destinations behind the season’s most exciting new releases.
36 Best Hotels in London Right Now
Oh boy, do you have options.
Editor Hotel Recommendations
- Raffles London at The OWOUnited Kingdom, London, 57 WhitehallRead full reviewLondon's Old War Office is sensationally reincarnated.
- The Dorchester, Dorchester Collection$$$ | United Kingdom, London, 53 Park LnRead full reviewA grand dame with a prime location in the heart of Mayfair, overlooking Hyde Park
Readers Choice Awards
Gold List - Claridge's$$$ | United Kingdom, London, Brook St, MayfairRead full reviewBoth a glorious throwback and as perfectly fresh as a daisy.Readers Choice Awards
Gold List - The Landmark London$$ | United Kingdom, London, 222 Marylebone Rd.Read full reviewA grand British icon near Marylebone known for its famous daily afternoon tea.Readers Choice Awards
- Sea Containers London$$ | United Kingdom, London, 20 Upper GroundRead full reviewMuch like a chic cruise ship marooned on the South Bank, Sea Containers is slick and shiny.Readers Choice Awards
- The Langham, London$$$ | United Kingdom, London, 1C Portland Pl.Read full reviewFive-star hotels don’t come more luxurious—or better located—than this.Readers Choice Awards
Gold List - Corinthia London$$$ | United Kingdom, London, Whitehall PlRead full reviewA plush choice in the center of London for uncompromising fans of luxury.Readers Choice Awards
- The Standard, London$ | United Kingdonm, London, 10 Argyle St.Read full reviewThis is the hippest place to sleep in a newly cool part of town. (Tip: Bring earplugs.)Readers Choice Awards
Hot List - NoMad London$$$ | United Kingdom, London, 28 Bow StRead full reviewNew York swagger meets punchy period drama in one of the city’s most characterful new openingsReaders Choice Awards
Hot List - The Connaught$$$ | United Kingdom, London, Carlos Pl.Read full reviewA genteel and top-notch property in the heart of tony Mayfair, with dependable elegance and refinement.Readers Choice Awards
Gold List - Nobu Hotel London Portman SquareUnited Kingdom, London, 22 Portman SquareRead full reviewJapanese-inspired minimalism in London's tony Marylebone.Readers Choice Awards
- One Aldwych$$$ | United Kingdom, London, 1 AldwychRead full reviewWell-stocked luxury, with great amenities, in the heart of theaterland.Readers Choice Awards
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The Best Things to Do in London
- 25 Best Things to Do in LondonWhat not to miss in the capital that has everything.
- 15 Best Walking Tours in LondonLace up those sneakers—here are London's best walking tours for your next visit.
- 15 Best Museums in LondonWhatever you're into, London's got a museum for it.
- London's Top Free AttractionsYes, London is an expensive city to visit, but there's no need to spend wildly on admission tickets or booking tours when so much of the city's best experiences come free of charge. Whether you’re looking for history, art, music, food, or children’s activities, these 12 suggestions will round out any visit to London.
- London’s 10 Best Small MuseumsThere are more than 200 museums in London, catering to every imaginable interest and field of study—dentistry! The Tube! Dungeons! Even people who live in London may only visit a fraction of these museums, so it feels extra intimidating as a visitor who wants to branch out from the V&A. Here are ten of our favorite small museums, which pack plenty of history into manageable boundaries.
Editor Recommendations
- Dennis Severs' HouseUnited Kingdom, London, 18 Folgate StRead full reviewFancy a trip back through time?
- Churchill War RoomsUnited Kingdom, London, Clive Steps, King Charles StRead full reviewThis underground lair is where Churchill spent endless hours plotting Allied victory during the Second World War.
- British MuseumUnited Kingdom, London, Great Russell St.Read full reviewYou could spend several lifetimes in Britain’s largest museum.
- West End TheatrelandUnited Kingdom, London,Read full reviewLondon's answer to New York's Broadway cuts across a swathe of the West End of the city in Covent Garden, Soho, and Picadilly.
- Royal Academy of ArtsUnited Kingdom, London, Burlington House, PiccadillyRead full reviewThe R.A., as it's more fondly known, has been around for 250 years, run by artists, and is home to an incredible collection of global art.
- Sir John Soane's MuseumEngland, London, 13 Lincoln's Inn FieldsRead full reviewThe former home of architect and collector Sir John Soane, this is the most atmospheric museum in London.
- Tower of LondonUnited Kingdom, London, St Katharine's & WappingRead full reviewHome to England's crown jewels as well as some grizzly events in the past.
- The Dare SkywalkUnited Kingdom, London, The Tottenham Hotspur StadiumRead full reviewA steep, 90-minute climb along a narrow glass walkway over the Tottenham Hotspur’s iconic stadium.
- King's CrossUnited Kingdom, London, Pancras Road, Kings CrossRead full reviewAbandoned railroad totally transformed into a shopping and gallery experience.
- Wilton's Music HallUnited Kingdom, London, 1 Graces Alley, WhitechapelRead full reviewHidden down a tiny back alley in East London, it's the last intact survivor of Britain’s grand music hall era.
- London's LidosUnited Kingdom, London, London Fields West SideRead full reviewThese outdoor pools substitute for seaside resorts on sunny days, and serve the needs of fitness nuts on wintry ones.
- London Transport MuseumLondon,Read full reviewOkay, stay with us—this one is much more entertaining than it sounds. In what used to part of the Covent Garden market, you’ll find the story of London’s public transport came to be, with buses and chunks of trains on show.
- Horniman Museum and GardensLondon,Read full reviewHorniman looks a bit like a very ornate train station and is surrounded by 16 acres of garden. Within, you’ll find large natural history and anthropology galleries, as well as an aquarium, carefully curated wild-looking gardens, and a beautiful Victorian conservatory.
- Charles Dickens MuseumLondon,Read full reviewCharles Dickens’ novels come to life inside this elegant Georgian townhouse where the author lived for a handful of years. Spend an hour or two seeing more than 100,000 objects that give insight into the author's life.
15 Best Boutique Hotels in London
There's more to London's hotel scene than the big players.
The Best Places to Eat and Drink in London
- 30 Best Restaurants in LondonFrom elegant to offal and everything in between.
- 15 Best Places for Afternoon Tea in LondonIs there anything more British?
- 19 Best Bars in LondonThe best places to drink in the capital, from speakeasy-inspired hideaways to high-gloss, high-profile spots. There's even a proper pub, of course.
- 15 Best Indian Restaurants in LondonBrits love a curry more than they love their traditional fish and chips. These are our picks of London’s best South Asian eateries.
Editor Restaurant and Bar Recommendations
- E Pellicci$ | United Kingdom, London, 332 Bethnal Green RoadWhatever food you choose, always order a cup of strong “builder's” tea.
- Tayyabs$ | United Kingdom, London, 83-89 Fieldgate St.Appropriately famous, BYOB Punjabi diner in Whitechapel serving fabulous lamb chops and soft tender chunks of chicken tikka.
- Rochelle Canteen$$ | United Kingdom, London, 16 Playground GardensA firm foodie favorite that still feels like a well-kept secret.
- Circolo Popolare$$ | United Kingdom, London, 40-41 Rathbone PlPeople are here for a good time, even on a weeknight.
- Honey & Co$$$ | United Kingdom, London, 54 Lamb's Conduit StIn a new location, but as welcoming as ever.
- Cafe Cecilia$$$ | United Kingdom, London, 32 Andrews RdForget gastropubs, this is the place to go for a hearty yet sophisticated Sunday lunch.
- Petersham Nurseries Restaurant$$$ | United Kingdom, Richmond, Off Church Ln, Petersham RdAs delicious as it is good for the planet.
- BAO Noodle Shop$ | United Kingdom, London, 1 Redchurch St,Slinging rich, beefy noodles perfect for a rainy London day.
- Sessions Arts Club$$$ | United Kingdom, London, 24 Clerkenwell GreenWhat a true delight this short little menu is.
- Silo$$$ | United Kingdom, London, Unit 7 Queens Yard, Hackney WickBrave, bonkers, and very original.
- Hoppers Soho$ | United Kingdom, London, 49 Frith St.This charming, low-lit Soho spot serves delicious riffs on Sri Lankan street food and bold, flavorful cocktails.
- The River Cafe$$$ | United Kingdom, London, Thames Wharf, Rainville Rd.This iconic, deeply glamorous yet charmingly informal Thames-side restaurant offers a menu truly evocative of a sunny summer day in Tuscany.
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Innovators: Kit Kemp on Designing Hotels That Are Purposefully Eccentric
The British designer and hotelier believes hotels should have a point of view.
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Why London Is the Best City for Shopping Right Now
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Robert De Niro Is Opening a Luxury Hotel in London
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How London Became One of the Best Food Cities in the World
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- Secret ItalyOur March issue is a collection of off-the-A1 detours, happy accidents, deeply personal accounts, and hidden gems you won't find anywhere else, culled from the editors, contributors, expats, designers, and friends we trust the most. Our hope is to arm you with just enough found-only-here juicy tidbits to allow you to get lost and find your own. —Pilar Guzmán
