The Ultimate London Bucket List: Must-See Places To Vist

This post will share the ultimate London Bucket List, which includes the must-see places to visit.

I think London is quite overrated. It’s loud, overcrowded and expensive.

But regardless of my personal opinions, there’s no doubt that it is the most iconic city in the United Kingdom.

While I intentionally skipped past London every single time in the last six months by fully exploring other parts of England and Scotland, I eventually caved in to write this post.

Last weekend, I planned a trip to Cambridge with London as a stop-over.

It was cheaper and faster than going directly to Cambridge from Manchester.

So, I spent a whole day in Cambridge and the second in London, to finally catch up on all the famous places I haven’t been to yet.

So, if you’re a London newbie planning a trip anytime from now, and you want to cover all the iconic landmarks throughout your journey, you’re in the right place.

Here Are All The Must-Visit Iconic Landmarks You Must See In London

Your London Bucket List might include other attractions and activities depending on your interests.

But if you want a neutral starting point, this post is for you.

Buckingham Palace

What better place to start your London tour than the most crucial landmark in England?

Depending on your budget and the time of the year you visit, you can book tickets for a Guided Tour around the staterooms in the palace.

Keep an eye on the official website for updates.

If you’d rather not fork that money on tour, you can hang around the palace gates and take some great photos.

Depending on the time of year you visit, you’ll be lucky to find a sunny day that won’t ruin your photos with grey clouds.

Fun Fact: The palace has 775 rooms, which include 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms, 52 principal bedrooms and 19 staterooms.

Trafalgar Square

Next is also the most popular public square in the country.

It is a significant landmark and, in recent times, is known as the centre of Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Norway donates a Christmas tree yearly, erected for 12 days before and after Christmas.

Over the years, it has been used for community gatherings and political demonstrations.

Remember that it tends to get quite busy as a public square with fountains, especially on weekends and holidays, so plan accordingly.

National Gallery

Situated right in Trafalgar Square is the National Gallery, an art museum that houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings from the mid-13th Century.

If you’re an art nerd, you can quickly stop by this museum at Trafalgar Square.

Admission is free to the public.

London Eye

The last time I was in London, my walking tour included the London Eye, and it was so busy that it threw me off London completely.

The crowd was insane, and I swore never to come to London during the holidays again.

The London Eye is Europe’s tallest Ferris wheel and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the U.K.

Listen, if you want to book a trip on the London Eye, my only advice is to book during off-peak hours.

London Bridge

Many people confuse Tower Bridge with London Bridge, and they’re honestly not the same.

They are different bridges that are apart from each other.

The London Bridge is entirely forgettable and looks like every other central bridge, but the Tower Bridge is where’s sparkle is.

Chances are, if you’re touring London on a sightseeing bus, you’ll go over the London Bridge.

Tower Bridge

I would also want to rename Tower Bridge to London Bridge because of its uniqueness.

I was too tired to catch my train back to walk across Tower Bridge.

So, I stood by the banks of the River Thames to bask in its architecture.

I adore bridges so much. While travelling around England, I saw some bridges that blew me away, and this happened to be one of them.

Tower of London

Over the centuries, the Tower of London, which comprises several buildings, has been used as a prison, palace, armoury, treasury, Royal Mint, public records office and now as the home of the Crown Jewels of England.

You’ll find the most historically accurate complete coronation regalia in the world.

You’ll also find a variety of crown jewels from the Royal Collection, including crowns, coronets, swords, trumpets, maces, robes, sceptres, and so much more.

I promise, your London Bucket List will not be complete without a trip to the Tower of London. Book your tickets here.

Big Ben

The last time I was in London, Big Ben was closed and has been under renovation since 2017.

I had no idea;I was just pissed that I couldn’t see Big Ben.

I could see a partial view of it this time because it was bonged for New Year and Remembrance Sunday.

But now, the clock will be silent until the restoration work is completed this year.

Just in case you visit when the clock is reopened, the four-quarter bells will chime before the hour just before Big Ben bongs on the hour.

Parliament Square

I have always overlooked Parliament Square and classed it as an area where you can take the best photos with Big Ben.

It wasn’t until I noticed the 12 statues of statesmen and other notable individuals.

They’re primarily British, Commonwealth and foreign political figures.

Some include Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, and Winston Churchill.

Westminister Abbey

Chances are you have seen the interior and maybe some exterior of the Westminister Abbey during the royal weddings.

It is also an important church for the Coronations and Burials of British Monarchs.

It is interesting to know that the King James Version of the Bible was created in the Westminister Abbey, where it was translated to English.

British Museum

To wrap up my trip, I stopped by the historic British Museum, the world’s first public national museum.

It has a permanent collection of over eight million works, among the world’s largest and most comprehensive.

It houses some of the iconic artefacts obtained as spills of war during colonial times.

I found it fascinating that the museum has so many pieces that had to be categorized according to their continents into various departments.

It is also interesting that it houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Depending on your interests, the museum deserves a few days of exploration.

You can visit London alone for the British Museum and have a great day.

St. Pauls’ Cathedral

I wasn’t quite sure what the big deal about St. Paul’s Cathedral was until I learnt it is London’s highest point.

Yes, you can see the London skyline from the top of this cathedral.

Other than that, its unique dome has dominated London’s skyline for over 300 years.

Quite an impressive feat if you ask me.

How else can a cathedral compete with the iconic Westminister Abbey?

Some critical Royal ceremonial services are held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, including funerals, inaugurations and thanksgiving services.

Finally,

London can be overwhelming.

It is quite a lot, but it is the perfect city for social butterflies.

But if you’re a history nerd like me, you’ll still get to appreciate and explore the city’s history underneath the glitz and glam.

I hope this London Bucket List has given you a headstart on how to explore the city.