London

United Kingdom·Europe

Currency

GBP

Language

English

Timezone

London

Continent

Europe

Our guide

Discover London

London does not summarise. It is a collection of villages stitched together, and the classic mistake is trying to cross all of them in a day. The Tower of London has kept its ravens and its jewels since 1066, Westminster Abbey crowns the kings, St Paul's Cathedral held through the Blitz. Facing it, Tate Modern occupies a decommissioned power station and The Shard cuts three hundred metres into the sky. The British Museum, the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum hold some of the world's great collections — and their permanent entry costs nothing.

When to go

May to September for the light and the long evenings; June to August concentrates the crowds and the prices. London rain is an overstated reputation — these are showers, not downpours, and a waterproof covers the year. Winter is dark by four, but it is the season when the great museums can be walked without a crowd, which counts for something in front of the Parthenon marbles.

Getting around

The Tube covers everything, and a contactless bank card is enough: nothing to buy, and the daily cap applies by itself. Double-decker buses are slower but show you the city, and cost less. Walking is often quickest in the centre: Covent Garden, Soho and Westminster touch each other, though the Tube map makes them look far apart. Traffic drives on the left, which is why the crossings are painted "look right".

Where to eat

Indian food has been part of London for generations and leads our data ahead of everything else. The full breakfast and the Sunday roast in a pub are two institutions, each worth doing once. Covered markets are the best ground for eating well without spending much. Twenty-five halal addresses are listed, the highest count of our European destinations.

Good to know

The pound is the currency, not the euro. Contactless payment works absolutely everywhere, including on buses, which no longer take cash at all. A service charge is often already on the restaurant bill — check before adding a tip on top. Distances deceive: the Tube map is a diagram, not a map, and two neighbouring stations on it can be five minutes apart on foot.

Smart Planning