Our favourite 10 things to do in London on your first trip

I’ll be honest, it’s hard to narrow down to 10 things to do in London. There are so many things to do you could easily spend 2 weeks there and still not see everything. Even for me, going back a couple of times every year there is so much to see and do in London I’m never bored. This is part of the reason that one day I want to live there.

The walking route that Ben first took me on when I visited for the first time is one of the best ways to see the top attractions in London. It’s a pretty easy route that follows along the Thames on the North and South sides.

If you’re going to try and see the 10 most popular things in London I would recommend spreading it out over a couple of days. You definitely want to leave room for hitting the pubs in between and after all of that walking. I mean afterall, what kind of visit to London is complete without having pints at multiple pubs?

So what do we think are the top 10 things to do in London? Read on to find out.

| The London Eye |

It may be one of the most touristy things to do but you will not get a better view of London than from the Eye. The line-ups always look longer than they really are but I would still strongly suggest buying a fast pass (learn more here). It’s worth the money. The one time we did this we were in and out within 30 minutes it was awesome.

If you’re looking for the best views I would suggest making your way to the back left-hand corner of the pod. Don’t be discouraged by the view in the very beginning. Be patient and you’ll be the one with the best views of the Thames, Westminster, Buckingham Palace and more.

| Southbank |

After taking a ride on the London Eye, head along the River Thames on the Southbank. On any given day there are a lot of things happening here. While there are a few restaurants and pubs along the strip that you can stop and have a pint at, I would suggest finding one of the market stalls.

If you have the chance definitely visit during the Christmas season. As you walk along the bank you’ll get to taste mulled wine and eat delicious treats while taking in the London sights.

| Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey|

Whether the weather is nice or not you definitely have to venture over to see Parliament Square. Created in 1860, there are statues of some of the world’s most famous individuals including; Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill.

If the weather is nice (if you get lucky), do not miss the chance to grab lunch and set up a mini picnic on the grass in Parliament Square. This is not only a fantastic place to watch passers-by but you also get an amazing view of Westminster, and all the red buses you could imagine. It’s generally a busy spot but I’ve been lucky each time finding a pocket of grass.

The best part? You can see other tourists doing stupid poses in front of Westminster Abbey. It’s definitely good for a laugh or two.

| Hyde Park |

I’ll caveat this with this is a great place to visit if the weather is really nice, like most parks. It’s a little bit further from the main touristy areas but it’s worth the journey. One of the things I love most about London is how much green space there is. That’s one thing that North American cities (except New York) just haven’t figured out.

Hyde Park is the largest of the four that make up the Royal parks of London. On any given day you can catch a concert or special event happening on the grounds. Definitely bring a snack or get a sandwich from a shop nearby because the food in the park can be a bit expensive!

| Buckingham Palace |

Okay, could you really go to London without visiting Buckingham Palace? I would highly recommend you walk down “The Mall” which is basically the largest driveway in the history of driveways! It’s quite incredible as you walk up to the palace to think of all the history the building has experienced as well. It really gives you a sense of awe.

If you plan on seeing the changing of the guard I would recommend heading a bit earlier than 11 because it can get seriously busy. If you have the option try and pick a weekday so you have fewer chances of it being crazy busy. If you live in a country that’s part of the commonwealth, make sure to check out your designated gate as well. It was pretty cool to see the Canada gate right out front of Buck palace.

| Oxford Circus |

There are few places in the world that rival New York’s Times Square but I would absolutely say Oxford Circus is one of them. Walking out onto the street from the tube you really get a buzzing feeling. Standing on a corner for even 5 minutes you can see the flashing lights and big red buses passing you by.

If you like to shop you will absolutely love this street, in fact, it’s Europe’s busiest shopping strip. Filled with so many places I could never afford to shop, I just loved window shopping. At the very least, head on into Hamley’s the famous toy store and grab something small as a souvenir!

| Harry Potter Studio Tour |

Of all the things to do in London you’ll have to head a little outside of London for this one but I promise you, you won’t regret it. As avid Harry Potter fans we truly had the best time wandering around the studio and seeing the real sets and real artefacts inside it was incredible. For something that you think is going to be super touristy, it is, but it’s so so good.

What I loved the most was that some of the scenes from the movie, or rooms that were used as sets, were set and left exactly as they were when they were making the movie. Plus you can get in the actual car and see the remake of 4 Privot Drive (makes for the best photos).

| St. Paul’s Cathedral |

I have never actually ventured inside of St. Paul’s cathedral but I’ve made the walk along the Millenium bridge too many times to count. If you can, walk along the bridge over the River Thames so you can get the best view of the cathedral and see it getting larger in front of you. That’s actually one of the things that shocked me most was how enormous the cathedral is!

Believe it or not the original church was actually founded in 604 A.D. I think that’s crazy to think about something being that old!

| Tower of London |

The tower itself is quite expensive to get into so I’ve only been in once. If you’re a history fan than you’ll enjoy walking inside the walls and ruins of the tower. Take a moment to read the signs and learn more about what certian things are if you’re not taking a tour because there are some pretty cool facts about tower I didn’t know.

One of the coolest things is that you have the chance to see real crown jewels as some of them are housed within the tower itself. Fair warning, they won’t let you take pictures and if you try (I definitely did) than you’ll get yelled. Trust me that’s not a fun time when you’re in a room filled with people!

|| Hotels in London ||

I’ll end this with saying these 10 things to do in London do not make-up the best places to see in my favourite city but it’s a great place to start!