What to see in London: places of interest and things to do

London is magical in every season.

Whether it's for a few days or for a getaway, the English city is suitable for any traveller, from families to friends.

What to see in London? Lively, international, multifaceted, London allows everyone to find what they are looking for: just take the tube and you will find yourself in what seems like a different city every time.

It's not easy to select the must-see attractions in London, between clichés and gems that not everyone knows about. Grab a pen and paper and let's plan your trip like real Londoners!

Walking around London means discovering a city where English tradition and the multi-ethnicity of its inhabitants coexist perfectly. Here are our suggestions:

Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard

A trip to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard is a must on a London holiday: make sure you are there at 11am so you can witness the famous ceremony and see the changing of the two guards from Wellington Barracks with background music (every day in the summer, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays in other seasons).

Big Ben and the House of Parliament in London

Another must-see is the Palace of Westminster, to be photographed at night when reflected in the Thames.

You can also visit it when it is closed for the work of Parliament. Look up to see the time on the Clock Tower on the bell, it's very accurate!

Westminster Abbey

A mystical and celebratory place, all British monarchs have been crowned at the Collegiate Church of St. Peter at Westminster.

Ready for a leap into the past, between French Gothic and 19th-century architecture?

St Paul's Cathedral in London

A key feature of the London skyline, St Paul's Cathedral has a huge dome reminiscent of our own St Peter's in Rome.

Lady Diana and Prince Charles were married here.

Tower Bridge in London

It connects the Southwark area to the Tower of London and is the most famous drawbridge in the world.

Walk along it looking up at the two neo-Gothic towers, imagining the days of yore when it was propelled by steam power to get the great ships across the Thames.

London Eye: The Ferris wheel

The view of London from above is exciting: the London Eye, the Ferris wheel on the south bank of the Thames, is 135 metres high and is one of the city's most popular attractions.

From up there you can admire the whole of London in its splendour.

British Museum

The oldest museum in the world is a blast from the past, not only because of its structure, which is reminiscent of Greek temples.

But the British Museum has a bit of everything and is a huge repository of the history of Africa, the Americas and Asia. The Rosetta Stone is also kept here. For information and opening hours https://www.britishmuseum.org.

Tate Modern Gallery

Lovers of modern art should not miss a visit to the Tate Modern, the art gallery considered to be one of the richest and most avant-garde in the world.

Works by the greatest exponents of art from 1900 to the present day can be found here, including Picasso, Matisse, Dali, Kandinsky and Van Gogh. For info and opening hours https://www.tate.org.uk.

London Markets

From Covent Garden to Brick Lane, from Borough to Greenwich Market, these are the haunts of young people and Londoners, who stop for tea or fish and chips after a stroll among typical products and antiques.

Don't miss Camden Town, London's most alternative district, where you can buy antiques, second-hand London-style clothes, books and music. It is located in the north of the city and is photographed for its quirky and colourful buildings.

The street food is in Camden Lock

Very close to the Regent's Canal, there is the Camden Lock street food market where you can dine among the stalls and foreign smells.

From Ethiopian to Thai, Lebanese to German, the perfect snack can be found here. The same goes for Maltby Street, a hidden and short street, unknown to tourists, a location that deserves a visit (and many photos).

In fact, it is a narrow street squeezed between buildings and railway bridges, rattling above the heads of hawkers, where you can enjoy authentic Scotch Eggs, brownies of all flavours, falafel flatbreads and English sandwiches, in a relaxed and convivial atmosphere that exudes multiculturalism.

London's little Venice

Not many people know that, between Regent's and the Grand Union Canal, the typical London chaos is forgotten.

Here, strolling along the canals between folk-looking house boats moored and decorated with plants, bicycles and more, there is a special reality, somewhere between Amsterdam and Venice.

The canals open into a small lake opposite the Rembrandt Gardens. To get to Little Venice stop with the metro at Warwick Avenue.

St. Katharine Docks

Very close to Tower Bridge, but without enjoying the same notoriety, is St. Katherine's Docks, where boats and old galleons are moored.

The atmosphere is charming because it contrasts with the chaos of the surrounding areas. Peace reigns here. To reach the harbour leave Tower Bridge on the north side of the Thames behind you.

Shoreditch

Hipster and alternative, Shoreditch is a particular neighbourhood in the East End, where you can find street art of all kinds, including that of the famous Bansky, whose works suddenly appear and disappear.

Elegant pubs, noodle bars, barber shops, the Columbia Road flower market (open at weekends) and Box Park, a container with restaurants and shops, complete Shoreditch's offering.

Neal's Yard

Hidden and striking, this colourful little square in central London is the perfect destination for Instagram fans.

You'll feel like you've been catapulted into a fairy tale! A photo just can't be missed: Neal's Yard offers beautiful corners, including brightly coloured balconies, windows with fluorescent shutters and distinctive colour contrasts. Rumour has it that you can eat the best veggie burger in town here, at the Wild Food Café.

Stanfords Travel Books

Adventure enthusiasts, this is the place for you! Stanfords, in Covent Garden, is the world's largest travel bookshop. Maps, guidebooks and books have been on its shelves since 1853.

Soho, West End

Records, old titles, new but mostly used: Soho is the music district, where you can find vinyl goodies from yesteryear.

The 5pm Tea

A tradition not to be forgotten is the five o'clock tea.

Among the many elegant venues in the city, a curious experience is the Victoria & Albert Museum, where every Friday, between 1pm and 5pm, tea time as Queen Victoria loved it is revived in the 19th-century Green Room, amidst triangular sandwiches and antique crockery. For this, however, you'll need to book in advance.

London Bookshops

A trip to the city's bookshops is like a journey through the history of London itself.

Between Edwardian and Dickensian-looking buildings, you can't miss the city's most beautiful bookshops like Daunt Books, the city's most photographed, or Hatchard's, the oldest.

Alternative neighbourhoods

To discover the true essence of the city and discover its emerging artistic and cultural side, we invite you to take a walk through the city's alternative neighbourhoods.

Among these we recommend: Homerton and Clapton, Peckham, Brixtonm, Deptford and New Cross.

What to see in London in two or three days

London is a popular weekend destination. In three days, and with a good pair of tennis shoes, you can see:

• Day one

Start in the Westminster area, visit the Palace and Abbey, then walk through St James Park to Buckingham Palace. From here admire Piccadilly Circus, the famous intersection of streets with neon signs. Continue to Trafalgar Square with a possible stop at the National Gallery. Walk along Whitehall and then across Westminster Bridge to the London Eye.

• Day Two

Start at the City of London, continue to the Tower of London and St Paul's Cathedral. Walk over the Millennium Bridge to cross the Thames and arrive at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Have a snack at Borough Market and admire London Bridge and Tower Bridge. If you want to end the day at the theatre, take advantage of the West End, where there are about thirty.

• Day Three

Depending on how much time you have left, you can choose a museum or the neighbourhoods of Greenwich or Camden, not forgetting Covent Garden, with Neal's Yard, or go shopping on Regent Street, Carnaby Street and Oxford Street. Below is a travelogue of Five Days in London.

Eating in London

London is the ultimate city of mixing cultures and is one of the best cities in the world for street food.

But there are some traditional dishes that you can't forget to try on your trip. Here are some useful addresses to try:

• The Mayflower Pub, 117 Rotherhithe Street

• The Queens Head, 66 Acton Street

• The Blackfriar Pub, 174 Queen Victoria Street

• 50 Kalo London, 7 Northumberland Ave, Westminster

• MotherMash, 26 Ganton St, Soho

• Simpson's in the Strand, 100 Strand Charing Cross

• The Sea Shell, 49- 51 Lisson Groove

• St John Restaurant, 26 St John Street Clerkenwell

• Ten Bells, 84 Commercial Street

• Primrose Bakery, 69 Gloucester Ave, Camden Town

What to see in London with children

Children will also find London a perfect destination for them. You can take them to the Sea Life aquarium, London County Hall on the South Bank of the Thames, as well as the Zoo, the oldest scientific zoo in the world.

Then the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens are wonderful, with greenhouses and rare plants from Africa, Asia and America, alternating with fountains and statues.

For fans of magic, The Making of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros Studio is worth a visit. Then don't forget the parks for a break during your tours. One of them all? Richmond Park, a British-style gem, part of England's Royal Parks, where you can spot deer and fallow deer. A green oasis, it is the largest enclosed park in Europe.

Richmond Park also includes the Isabella Plantation Botanic Gardens and the 18th-century Pembrooke Lodge. The best time to visit London is at Christmas, it will be a real treat for young and old alike.

Sleeping in London

Below is a list of the best areas to sleep in London

• Westminster

• St James's

• Mayfair

• Victoria

• Notting Hill

• East End

• Covent Garden

• Soho

• Bloomsbury

• Kings Cross St. Pancras

What to see around London

The surroundings of London are full of must-see destinations, for which daily tours are organised from the capital. Just over a hundred kilometres from central London is the ancient archaeological site of Stonehenge.

Fans of Royals should not miss a visit to the town of Windsor and its castle, where Harry and Meghan were married. Then visit the famous Oxford University and Leeds Castle, a splendid building resting on two small islands and overlooking a lake. Finally, a two-hour drive from London is the town of Bath, with its Roman baths and Georgian houses.

Free London

What is there to see in London without spending a penny? Here are the city's free attractions

• National Gallery

• British Museum

• Portobello Road

• Westminster

• Victoria and Albert Museum

• Hyde Park

• The Peter Pan Statue in Kensington Gardens

• Changing of the Guard

• The Beatles' Abbey Road Crossroads

• South Bank

• Little Venice

• Notting Hill Carnival

• Alternative Neighbourhoods Tour

• Brick Lane

Documents for travelling to London

From October 2021 every Italian and European citizen will only be able to enter London and the UK with a valid passportwith an expiry date of more than 6 months.

10 THINGS NOT TO DO IN LONDON

• Take a taxi at the airport

• Visit only the most famous places

• Talk loudly

• Underestimate the temperatures

• Swimming in the Thames

• Driving

• Standing around with lots of cash

• Waiting for orders at the table

• Standing on the left side of the stairs in the tube

• Talking bad about the Queen

Photos

Map and Map

Below is a map of London's top attractions.

• Great Britain

• London